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Archive of Online Surgery Sessions
Camera skills/techniques
Session date: 07 October 2009
This week’s session includes Nigel Goldsmith’s short video - Introduction to Using a Copystand.
Introduction to using a copystand from JISC Digital Media on Vimeo.
Topics covered during the session
Topics covered included: video production and editing; backgrounds and lighting for photography; music copyright; storyboarding; copyright for screengrabs.
Transcript of questions and answers (edited to remove personal data)
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Nigel (JISC Digital Media): Feel free to watch the video. Please note no insects were harmed in the making of this film
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Steve B - we are just waiting on a few more to join but if you have any questions fire away!
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Steve B: No problem. Should I have sound? Should the vimeo video be play for me in the web tour?
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): You can press play - there should be sound
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andy: Hi there, just looking in
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): You should be able to watch the video in the Web Tour window but if not, the URL is http://vimeo.com/6904980
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Carolyn: Sorry - it's taking me a while to work out how to use this!
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Steve B: Now I get what you mean about no insects being harmed making the video
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Nigel (JISC Digital Media): I think there is a small family of tiny bugs living on the CCD of the video
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): Hi Carolyn, yes the interface takes some getting used to. When you're ready, just fire away - What institute are you from?
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): Hi Carol, do you have any questions today?
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Carol: Just being nosey!
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): Hi, everyone. Remember, you can ask us questions about anything, not just the video.
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): No problem, we have just started these sessions so its of interest to everybody today i think!
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): hi andy
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): Hi andy, what kinds of things are you doing there?
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andy: We are launching a video competition for all students. What resources / info do you have on video production and editing etc?
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): Hi, Andy. I'm one of the video people here. We have a number of advice docs on our website. We're also starting to give video-related courses. The only one on offer yet is for digitisation of analogue videos, but we hope to have a production course running from early in the new year and eventually a post-production course as well.
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): Video resources are here: http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/movingimages/
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andy: Thanks
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): ...and of course there's our helpdesk. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
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Steve B: We'd like to try taking shots of 3D-objects under conditions that make it easier to cut out & use in presentations. Is this very different from the 2D approach in the video? Any advice?
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): Hi Carolyn, is there any area of interest you'd like to discuss?
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Nigel (JISC Digital Media): @SteveB You should try to isolate the subject from the background. A simple background white black or grey with lights on the subject. If it is against white then light the background to. A good distance between subject and background gives you room for your lights and the background should not be in focus.
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): BTW we also have a blog and a Twitter feed if you want to keep track of our activities by other means.
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Carolyn: No, like Carol I'm just having a look and have got sidetracked looking at your video on audio.
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andy: The students will be required to produce a 5 minute video on an aspect of their learning experience. So we are hoping to help with equipment and provide workshops.
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Steve B: @nigel Thanks. For lighting like you suggest, I think we may have to visit the uni AV studio, rather than try to do our own setup. Will look into it
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @carolyn, no problem, we hope its of use. Scary and exciting all at once.
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Nicola: hi there
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): @Steve B - if you use apple keynote as your presentation tool then it has an alpha control for cutting out objects from their background if it is shot (as nigel said) against a fairly uniform background colour - really easy to use and excellent results
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andy: We have Avid etc. but we expect a lot to use their own kit - moviemaker and iMovie etc. The videos do not have to be technically brilliant - creativity and content are as important.
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @Nicola, is there anything we can help you with today?
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Nigel (JISC Digital Media): @Steve. It is quite a complex set up to describe quickly in a comment box. if you need more info send us an enquiry.
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Nicola: To be honest I'm just looking in to see how these sessions work and see if I can pick up some tips from the conversation
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @andy I'd certainly suggest our advice docs as a first port of call. I'm glad you're not going to get hung up about technical qualities: it takes a while to learn the technical stuff and certainly doesn't guarantee or even indicate good creative work.
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Nicola - that's fine I'm afraid you can't see the previous conversation but we will provide a transcript of the whole thing on the website later
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Steve B: @Gavin - sadly we're all PCs & PowerPoint (and the occassional Prezi) here! @Nigel - appreciate that, thanks.
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @Nicola well let us know any pros and cons at the end.
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Nicola: @Ant thanks for that and @Zak I will do
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Carol: Thanks all. Love the surgery idea. I'm sure it will be really popular when folk realise there's free technical advice on tap. Off for lunch now. Bye!
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Nicola: should I be hearing any sound btw?
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Nicola - only if you're watching the video
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): no-one has their microphone on at the moment carol. but the video has sound
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Nicola: Cool. Just wanted to check that chatter is in text not audio
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): we did some headset chatting last week, but it got a bit muddling!!
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @andy Same for software: there are any number of programs out there that edit video sufficiently to make a reasonable film. If there's any one thing I'd suggest to your students it's that the single most important part of making a video is planning. There are so many variables involved in filmmaking that you want to nail down as many as possible before you hit the record button.
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andy: @Steve - I think storyboarding, shooting and editing video are good learning processes and transferable skills. Which is why we want the technical side to be as pain free as possible. If we can help them with that side they can concentrate on the creative processes
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andy: Having said that, some students may be expert filmakers!
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Nicola: @andy Just wondering - are there any good storyboarding tools that can let you try out ideas in a very basic way, print and fiddle around with them?
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andy: Do you have any information on copyright - regarding music etc?
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @andy Agreed. You can learn so much about making a film by storyboarding.
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): @andy - music copyright is pretty complex, but we can give you some guidelines - email the helpdesk and i'll send you some stuff
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andy: Ok thanks
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @nicola There are storyboarding programs out there. I've not used any but I've heard good things about them in general. It's worth investigating, but at the same time don't underestimate the usefulness of A4 paper and a pencil!
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): helpdesk = .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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andy: What about copyright regarding screengrabs etc - just as complex?
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): Welcome Scott
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ScottUHI: Hello
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ScottUHI: I'm new to this so just jumped in, found the conference this morning on Twitter
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): If there is anything we can help you with, just go right ahead and ask.
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): the ERA+ license covers recording from TV, but screengrabbed graphics from the web are still covered by copyright - still image copyright is covered by a couple of our advice docs - again email helpdesk and we'll get john on the case!
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Scott - feel free to ask any Qs or watch the video on using a copystand
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andy: @Nicola - I don't know of any specific storyboarding tools
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @nicola Check out Celtx at http://celtx.com/
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ScottUHI: I just had a watch, should i be able to hear anything?
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ScottUHI: apart from the video audio
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Scott - no - just the video audio
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @scott no
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ScottUHI: Good
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ScottUHI: so I have it working OK
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @Scott - yep!
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): everyone's being a bit shy of their mics today
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @Scott we tried audio before and it was a tad confusing and noisy
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ScottUHI: Ok, NP, as long as I know it's not a problem at my side
Zak (JISC Digital Media): @scott do you know much about our service? we run these sessions every two weeks but have a free helpdesk available all the time
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andy: I gotta go - Thanks for the info guys. I'll keep an eye on the site and keep in touch
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @Andy thanks
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ScottUHI: I didn't know, as i said it was just a chance tweet earlier today and I followed the link, where do you advertise, i'll bookmark it.
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @andy Just to add to Gavin's advice: with music there's copyright on the composition, the performance and the recording. It's a real rat's nest. It's often the case that it's easier (and cheaper!) to commission some bespoke music rather than go through the whole copyright rigmarole.
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): or use Creative Commons
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andy: Ok - hopefully some of the students will compose their own
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @scott we live here http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/
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ScottUHI: @Zak, thanks
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): just to elaborate on ERA+, it also allows you to record audio from the radio and use it in presentations etc, though NOT from the CD. I think that the assumption is that PRS has already been paid on that performance by the broadcaster, and the license allows you to 'buy in' to that.
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): but don't quote me
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Steve B: Thanks for the advice - and might take you up on your offer for more of that - but got to go now. Bye all!
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): Bye @Steve
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Gavin (JISC Digital Media): cheers steve
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Nigel (JISC Digital Media): Bye @ Steve
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): Gavin's right. In the same way, it lets you record television programmes and movies shown on TV, but only at the time they're being broadcast. You get no rights to copy a DVD and no rights to record it off of iPlayer and the like.
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Nicola: @Steve - thanks for Celtx - looks like it could be v. handy
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Steve (JISC Digital Media): @nicola Yes, I'm going to have to give it a try myself when I get the time. Looks like a good tool.
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): If anyone wants to watch the video again it's here: http://vimeo.com/6904980
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ScottUHI: @ Mod - now off to blog about the site, hopefully get some more people interested in producing digital media
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @scott well its great that you have made to our session and hope we can be of use to you
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ScottUHI: I am going for a look around the site, will spread the word
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ScottUHI: @ Zak, thanks, catch you on again
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): @scott - great thanks for that
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): @Scott thanks and speak soon
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Ant (JISC Digital Media): We'll be wrapping up this session shortly - does anyone have any more questions?
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Zak (JISC Digital Media): TO ALL - Session about to draw to a close but you can ask us any questions via our helpdesk http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/helpdesk/
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Nicola: Thanks for letting me lurk around - was really good to see how these work (and it was really useful - I'm going to go play with Celtx!
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- Understanding where digital media fits into your course
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- Online surgery Jan 13
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- Choosing a recording space
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- Basic microphone technique and placement
02 December 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: microphone technique; live webstreaming.
- Flickr as a Source of Free-to-Use Images
18 November 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: podcasting with GarageBand; permissions/consent requirements when photographing people; photography in public places; sources of free images for use in education
- Digital lifecycle 1
04 November 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: digital storage media and strategies - DVD-R and other optical media, hard drives, networked storage, online storage
- Introduction to screen capture / screencasting
21 October 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: webcasting; screen capture; video editing; presentation software; copyright issues; ERA licences.
- Camera skills/techniques
07 October 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: video production and editing; backgrounds and lighting for photography; music copyright; storyboarding; copyright for screengrabs.
- Recording audio podcasts
23 September 2009Read transcriptTopics covered included: promoting your collection; recording audio for presentations; and reducing noise in audio recordings.
