ON THE SET

In a lesson we were shown how to correctly use a Canon camera and Manfrotto tripod, this post depicts what useful skills we were taught.

Cameras and tripods:
We split off into groups in the class, the groups for the three cameras we had out that day. We each took it in turn to learn how to load the battery and put in the sim card. Once we had all done this, we all then were shown how to correctly operate and use the camera. We were then taught that when passing a camera to someone you say "yours", and they in turn replay with "mine". Then we took the time to understand how to use the tripods and learned what it meant to 'bubble' it, meaning that the tripod is level.

White Balancing:
We were then taught what white balancing was and how it can be used. White Balancing is where a camera changes its colour temperature to compensate for different temperatures of light.

180-degree rule:
Then we were taught to familiarise ourselves with the 180-degree rule. One of the most basic continuity rules is the 180-degree rule. The 180-degree rule states that two characters in a scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If you don't follow the 180-degree rule or break it intentionally, it disrupts the scene disorients the audience.

On set:
Then we were told the import phrases to be used when recording, "stand by", "rolling", "action", "cut" and "Strike the kit". Before filming the director will shout "stand by", this is a cue for everyone to get into positions. When everyone is where they need to be, they respond with "standing by". "Rolling" is then said to tell everyone to be quite as they are now recording. "Action" is said to tell the actors to begin. "Cut" is then said when the director wants to stop filming. "Strike the kit" means that everything is done for the day and it is time for them to pack-up. 

I am using Adobe Premier Pro and Sony Vagas to edit.  When moving the footage from the camera to our computer, folders are created in order to store the footage in a coherent way. The folders are referred to as bins. The unedited, raw footage, is referred to as rushes.