WEEK 2

VIDEO GRAMMAR

Some people argue that; unlike writing, video and film production do not have any standardized grammar (i.e., conventions or structure).

Although video has abandoned much of the grammar established by early films, even in this MTV era we can still use various techniques to add structure to our productions.

In dramatic productions, slow lap-dissolves (where two video sources momentarily overlap during a transition from one to the other) often signal a change in time or place.

Fade-ins and fade-outs, which apply to both audio and video, can be likened to the beginning and ending of book chapters. A fade-out consists of a two- or three-second transition from a full signal to black and silence. In addition, of course, a fade-in is the opposite. Fade-ins and fade-outs often signal a major change or division in a production, such as a major passage of time. (But "often" is a long way from "always.")

Traditionally, teleplays (television plays) and screenplays (film scripts) start with a fade in and close with a fade out.

LETS DEFINE THE FOLLOWING

1. SHOT: WHEN YOU PLAY RECORD TO THE MOMENT YOU PAUSE OR STOP
2. SCENE: REFERS TO ONE LOCATION ONLY. A SHOT CAN BE A SCENE
3. SEQUENCE: TELL STORY BY ITSELF. A SEQUENCE CAN BE A SCENE

CAMERA MOVEMENTS

SCRIPT TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A number of terms and abbreviations are used scriptwriting. First, there are those that describe camera movements.

When the entire camera is moved toward or away from the subject it is referred to as a dolly.

A zoom, which is an optical version of a dolly, achieves somewhat the same effect. A script notation might say, "Camera zooms in for close-up of John," or "camera zooms out to show that John is not alone." When a lateral move is needed, the term is truck.

Then there are terms that designate shots.

Cuts or takes are instant transitions from one video source to another. Put in grammatical terms, shots can be likened to sentences where each shot is a visual statement.

The cover shot and establishing shot are designations for a wide shot (WS) or a long shot (LS). This type of shot gives an audience a basic orientation to the geography of a scene-who is standing where, etc.- after which you cut to closer shots.  In the relatively low-resolution medium of standard definition television (SDTV) this type of shot is visually weak, simply because important details are not easy to see. Film and HDTV (high-definition television) do not have quite the same problem.

Cover or establishing shots should be held only long enough to orient viewers to the relationship between major scene elements. Thereafter, they can be shortly used as reminders or updates on scene changes-so called reestablishing shots.

In the video column of television scripts the shorthand designation for a cover shot or establishing shot is normally LS, for long shot. Occasionally, the abbreviations XLS, for extreme long shot, or VLS, for very long shot, will be used to indicate an establishing shot.

SHOT DESIGNATIONS YOU WILL FIND IN SCRIPTS INCLUDE:

LS-long shot or FS (full shot). With people, this is a shot from the top of their heads to their feet.

When applied to talent a MS is normally a shot from the waist up. (To save space we have used a vertical rather than a horizontal format in this photo.)

On a person, a MCU (medium close-up) is a shot cropped between the shoulders and the belt line.

A relatively straight-on CU (close-up) is the most desirable for interviews. Changing facial expressions, which are important to understanding a conversation, can easily be seen.

XCUs are extreme close-ups. On people, this type of shot is reserved for dramatic impact. The XCU shot may show just the eyes of an individual. With objects, an XCU is often necessary to reveal important detail.

A two-shot or three-shot (also 2-S and 3-S) designates a shot of two or three people in one scene.

The term subjective shot indicates that the audience (camera) will see what the character sees. It often indicates a handheld camera shot that moves in a walking or running motion while following a character. Subjective camera shots can add drama and frenzy to chase scenes.

Although a scriptwriter occasionally feels it, necessary to indicate camera shots and angles on a script, this area is better left to the judgment of the director. Even so, in dramatic scripts you may find the terms camera finds indicate the camera moves in on a particular portion of a scene; camera goes with to indicate the camera moves with a person or object; reverse angle to indicate a near 180-degree shift in camera position; and shot widens to signal a zoom or dolly back.

IN ADDITION, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER ABBREVIATIONS USED IN SCRIPT WRITING.

-      EXT and INT-designations commonly listed in film scripts to indicate exterior and interior settings.

-      SOT-sound on tape. This indicates that the voice, music, or background sound will be from the audio track of videotape.

-      SOF-sound on film.

-      VTR-videotape, videotape recording. (As we will later see, computer disks and solid-state memory are now replacing video and audiotape.)

-      VO (voice over) refers to narration heard over a video source. It can also refer to narration heard at a higher level than a source of music or background sound.

-      OSV-off-screen voice. The voice indicated on the script is from a person who is not visible.

-      MIC-microphone (pronounced "mike")

-      POV-point of view. Dramatic scripts will often note that a shot will be seen from the point of view of a particular actor.

-      OS-over-the-shoulder shot. The picture shows the back of one person's head and possibly one shoulder. (These are also designated as O/S and X/S shots.)

-      ANNCR-announcer.

-      KEY-the electronic overlay of titles and credits over background video.

-      SFX or F/X-special effects. These may be audio special effects (audio FX) or video special effects-effects that alter reality and are created in the production process.

TOP OF DOCUMENT