Camera Support Systems

• Tripod• Pedestal• Dolly• Jib• Track• Skycam• Steadicam• Handheld

Pedestal

Dolly

Jib

Track

Skycam

Steadicam

HandheldUse only if there is a reason to do so!

Axis Movement

• Pan – Left/Right movement on a stationary axis

• Tilt – Up/Down movement on a stationary axis

Panning

Tilting

Support Movement

• Pedestal or Boom – Up/Down movement of the camera support

• Dolly – In/Out movement of the camera support

• Truck – Left/Right movement of the camera support

Lens Movement

• Zoom – In/Out movement through the use of a zoom lens.

• Focus – Adjusting the camera lens to make the image sharp

• Aperture or Iris – Adjusting the amount of light that goes through the lens

Focal Length

Focus is affected by distance.

Check focus any time the distance between camera and subject changes.

Standard Shots

Wide Shot

Medium Shot

Closeup

Extreme Closeup

Standard Shots

Two Shot

Over the Shoulder Shot

Composition Rules

The Rule of Thirds

Points of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across) the frame, rather than in the center of the image.

Headroom

Leading Room or Looking Room

Composition Rules

Avoid Frontal Angles

Angling the shot produces a better sense of depth

Composition Rules

Safe Areas –

Portions of an image near the edges may be lost

Composition Rules

The 180 Degree Rule

Today’s ExerciseUse a tripod to support your camera except for one handheld shot.

White balance your camera. Shoot 4 shots of a person walking and do not cross the axis of action. Shots should include:

• (1) a profile WS following the movement of the subject allowing leading room

• (2) a three quarters profile MS which the subject enters and exits. You will need to rehearse the shot so you can properly frame the camera.

• (3) a handheld POV shot in which the camera operator walks in the path of the subject.

• (4) a shot in which the subject walks into a three-quarters frontal CU and stops. Again you will need to rehearse and establish a mark on which the subject stops.