Television Production Course Outline

1- Welcome to Class

• Introduction and Course Description
• Course Objective and other class expectations–TV Production

2- TV Production Overview

• TV Production
• Bird’s Eye View
• Part II
• TV Production II
• Three Production Phases
• Part II
• Confusing the Medium With the Message
• Assignment: TV Production Roles Assignment

3- Program Proposals

• Introduction
• Writing the Program Proposal
• Agreement On Your Proposal
• Proposal Engages the Audience
• Assignment: TV Production Proposal

4- Capturing/Holding Viewer Attention

• Introduction
• Get Their Attention!
• Reality 101
• Hit the Target (Audience)
• Audience-Engaging Techniques
• Assignment: Viewer Attention–Public Relations

5- Quiz

• Quiz: Proposals/Viewer Attention

6- Fifteen Production Steps

• The Production Sequence
• Identify the Purpose
• Check Out Similar Productions
• Treatment/Production Proposal
• Decide On Locations
• Permits, Insurance and Clearances
• Quiz: Production Steps

7- Storyboard Project

• Assignment: Television Production Vocabulary
• Assignment: Choose Your Favorite TV Show

8- Scripts

• Introduction
• Concrete-to-Abstract Continuum
• Assignment: Concrete-to-Abstract Continuum Short Answer
• Spicing Up Interviews
• Assignment: Spicing up Interviews Short Answer
• Script Writing Guidelines
• Assignment: Short Answer– Broadcast Writing Guidelines
• Script Writing Guidelines II
• Broadcast Style
• Worksheet: Broadcast Style
• Ten News writing Guidelines
• Assignment: Newswriting Guidelines–Short Answer
• Correlate Audio and Video
• Assignment: Audio and video
• Lost vs. Bored
• Worksheet: Lost vs. Bored–Short Answer
• Video Grammar
• Worksheet: Video Grammar
• Script Terms and Abbreviations
• Assignment: Script Terms and Abbreviations
• Internet Resources and Script Assignment
• Assignment: Script Project

9- Script Project

• Quiz: Scripts
• Assignment: Script Project

10- Costing-Out A Production

• Introduction
• Above/Below The Line
• Renting vs. Buying Equipment
• Attributing Costs

11- The TV Process

• Introduction
• Fields and Frames
• Camera’s Imaging Device
• Analog and Digital Signals
• Assignment: TV Process Assessment

12- World Television Standards

• Introduction
• Aspect Ratios
• NTSC Broadcast Standard
• PAL and SECAM Television Systems
• Film and Video Conversion Processes
• Digital and High-Definition Television
• Anatomy of Digital TV Signals
• World Television Standards
• Converting Wide-Screen Formats
• HDTV In-Set Conversion
• Digital Cinema

13- Quiz

• Quiz: Cost, Process, Standards

14- Lenses

• Introduction
• Lens Focal Length
• Zoom and Prime Lenses
• Angle of View
• A Zoom vs. A Dolly
• Zoom Ratio
• Distance Speed Perspective
• Compressing Distance
• Wandering Road Signs
• Apparent Speed of Objects
• Perspective Changes

15- F-Stops and Creative Focus

• Techniques
• Techniques(cont)
• Depth of Field
• Focusing A Lens
• Selective Focus
• Follow Focus
• Auto focus Lenses
• Macro Lens Setting

16- Lens Assignment

• Assignment: Lenses/ Focus Assignment

17- Filters and Lens

• Lens Shades
• Filters
• Polarizing Filters
• Contrast Control Filters
• Color Conversion Filters
• Fluorescent Light
• General Considerations

18- Final Elements

• Introduction
• Lens Coatings
• Cleaning Lenses
• Rain Jackets
• Short Boxes
• Lens Mounts

19- Wonderful World of Color

• Introduction
• Subtractive Color
• Additive Color
• Simultaneous Contrast
• Three-Chip Video Cameras
• One-Chip Color Cameras
• Video Quality I
• The Waveform Monitor
• Video Quality
• Vector scope

20- Quiz

• Quiz: Filters, Elements, Color

21- Video Camera Operation

• Camera Basics
• Video Resolution
• Determining Resolution
• Light Levels
• Night Vision Modules
• Camera Mounts
• Camera Basics II
• Studio Camera Mounts
• Follow Me Camera Mount
• Camera Jibs
• Camera Tracks

22- Color Balancing Cameras

• Introduction
• White Balancing
• Lying to Your Camera
• Black Level
• Color Reproduction

23- Creative Control

• Shutter Speeds
• Resulting Exposure
• CCD Shutter Speed
• Stroboscopic Effects
• High Shutter Speeds
• Variable Frame Rate Cameras

24- View Finders

• Camera Viewfinder
• Left and Right-Eyed People
• Camera Safe Areas
• Adjusting the Viewfinder
• Status Indicators

25- Quiz

• Quiz: Camera, Viewers, Color

26- Camera Prompters

• Introduction
• Issues
• Hard Copy Prompters

27- Composition and Graphics

• Setting the Scene
• Form vs. Content
• Insert Shots and Cutaways
• Enhancing the Message
• Defining Composition

28- Elements of Composition

• Introduction
• Slow = Boring
• Depicting Emotional States
• Selective Focus
• Leading the Subject
• Horizontal and Vertical Lines

29- Elements of Composition II

• Maintaining Tonal Balance
• Balance Mass
• Pattern of Meaning
• Concrete and the Abstract
• Using Lines
• Frame Central Subject Matter

30- Elements of Composition III

• Introduction
• Convey Meaning
• Avoid Mergers
• Number of Prime Objects
• Balance Complexity and Order
• Movement and Meaning

31- Quiz

• Quiz: Elements of Compostion

32- Graphics and Virtual Reality Sets

• Introduction
• Titling
• Image Editors
• 3-D Modeling and Animation
• Electronic Graphics
• Graphics and Virtual Reality Sets II
• Motion Tracking

33- Lighting

• Introduction
• Light Coherence
• Hard/Soft Lighting
• Ultra-Soft Lighting
• Color Temperature
• Varying Color Temperature
• Broken Spectrum Sources
• Fluorescents
• Types of Discharge Lights
• Controlling Intensity
• Studio/Field Light Levels
• Light Meters
• Light Meters II
• Sensitivity of a Video Camera
• Color Temperature Meters
• Controlling Light Intensity

34- Lighting II

• Lighting Instruments
• Fresnels/Scoops
• Ellipsoidal Spots
• Camera Lights
• Attachments to Lighting Instruments
• The Key Light
• Key Light Considerations
• The Key’s Vertical Angle
• Sun As a Key
• Background Lights
• The Fill Light
• The Back Light

35- Lighting III

• Lighting Ratios
• Back Light Intensity
• Subject-to-Background Distance
• Special Lighting
• Bounced Light
• Lighting Multiple Subjects
• Area Lighting
• Natural Light
• Altering Appearances
• Minimizing Surface Detail
• High/Low Key
• Final Issues
• Lighting Plot
• Setting Up Lights
• Power Issues
• Quiz: Lighting

36- Creating a floorplan for the studio set

• Assignment: project

37- Audio

• The Basics
• Loudness
• Frequency
• Listening Conditions
• Microphones
• Dynamic Microphones
• Types of Mics
• Directional Characteristics
• Cardioid
• Microphones II
• Positioning Handheld Mics
• Forced Perception
• Mic Connectors
• Wireless Microphones
• Transmitting Range
• Wireless Mic
• Off-Camera
• The Shotgun Mic
• Microphone Booms

38- Audio II

• Sound Types
• Multi-Track Recording
• X-Y and M-S Micing Techniques
• Keeping Dialogue
• Surround-Sound
• Digital Audio
• Copying vs. Cloning
• Audio Levels
• Audio Control Devices
• Microphones in the Studio
• Multiple Mics
• Audio Mixer Controls
• Audio Recording
• Compact Discs
• Audio Recording II
• Computer Hard Drives
• Audio Editing Systems
• Wrapping Up Audio
• Compressors
• Audio Expanders
• Assignment: Audio Assignment
• Assignment: Create an Audio Quiz

39- Video Recording

• Introduction
• Videotape Recording Process
• Disk-Based Recording
• Solid State Memory
• Consumer Video Formats
• Digital Compression
• Compression Codecs
• Consumer Video Formats
• Digital Formats
• RAM Recording
• Professional Video Formats
• One-Inch, Reel-to-Reel
• Error-Correction Circuitry
• Professional Digital Formats
• DVCAM, Digital Betacam
• High-Definition Formats
• Video Recorder Operations
• Spot-Checking a Tape
• Care/Handling of Videotape
• Quiz: Voice Recording

40- Editing

• Continuity Editing
• Changing Expected Continuity
• Acceleration Editing
• Causality
• Continuity Techniques
• Relational/Thematic Editing
• Solving Continuity Problems
• Bridging Interview Edits
• Shooting Angles
• Technical Continuity
• Things To Be Alert For
• Continuity Issues

41- Editing II

• • Editing Guidelines
  • Maintaining Consistency
  • Editing Guidelines II
  • Varying Tempo
  • Five Rules for Editing
  • Linear and Nonlinear Editing
  • Laptop Editing Systems
  • Video Servers
  • Making Use of Time-Code
  • Breaking the Code
  • Drop-Frame Time-code
  • User Bits
  • Longitudinal Time-code (LTC)
  • Jam-Sync in VITC Editing
  • On-Line and Off-Line Editing
  • Digital Editing
  • Paper-and-Pencil Edit
  • Quiz: Editing

42- Producing/Directing

• Studio Production
• The Directing Process
• Color Bars, Slate Countdown Clock
• Standby
• Need to Anticipate
• Video Switchers
• Video Switchers II
• Chroma Key
• Multiple-Camera Remotes
• On-Location Survey
• Camera Positions
• Audio Concerns
• Single-Camera Production
• Film-Style Dramatic Production
• The Master Shot
• Actors and Talent

43- TV Jobs Assignment

• Assignment: TV Jobs

44- News and Documentary

• Introduction
• Difference Between ENG and EFP
• Broadcast News
• Popular Documentaries
• Controversial Subject Matter
• ENG Personnel
• Video Journalists
• News Producer’s Checklist
• News and Documentary
• – On-Location News Interview
• Be Prepared
• Commitment and Courage
• Transmissions
• Fiber Optics
• Microwave Links
• The Cano beam System
• Satellites
• Satellites II
• Flyaway Units
• Quiz: News

45- Documentary Essay

• Essay: Documentary Essay

46- Legal and Ethical

• Introduction
• Privacy-Public/Private Individuals
• Intrusion
• Guidelines for Intrusion
• Shield Laws
• Defamation
• Staging
• Moral Development
• Comparable Footage
• Public Domain
• Music and Sound Effect
• Do’s and Don’ts

47- Non-Broadcast Television

• Introduction
• Institutional Video
• Presentation Formats
• Vocational Video
• Careers
• Careers II
• On-Camera/Behind-the-Camera
• Colleges for Broadcasting
• Broadcast Journalism
• Internships
• Résumés
• Sample Résumé
• Sample Cover Letter
• Video Awards
• Personal Interview
• A Final Word

48- TV Supervisor Assignment

• Assignment: TV Supervisor

49- Course Survey

• Course Survey
• Handout: Course Survey
• Assignment: Course Survey