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Video Viewfinder
Keith Kyker and Christopher Curchy
Three Simple Techniques to Improve Your School's News Show
Lights...Camera...Action! Each day hundreds of media specialists and teachers strive to produce their school news shows despite informal training, meager equipment, and inadequate preparation time. Some school news shows look professional, while with others, the mere presence of a video picture and sound constitutes a "Success!" Producing school news shows is fun and exciting, but also very stressful. Knowing that a production is being viewed by your school's students, teachers, and administrators can put some pressure on that "special person" lucky enough to be in charge of this activity. Producing a great news show doesn't mean you have to reach the level of a "60 Minutes" or ESPN "Sportscenter." After all, most of us are working with young children and patched together networks of video equipment. And we often lack the time and training that professional news organizations have at their disposal.
We do, however, have the opportunity to produce a show with our students about our school. No matter how good another school’s news show is, it’s not important to your school because it's not about your school. If you accent the positive, be creative, and develop a few simple production techniques your news show can be successful and professional. These three tips can help you make your shows look better, sound better, and project that professional image.
Tip Number 1 - White Balance Your Camera!
One of the major criteria for getting a
good video picture is knowing how to white balance your camera or camcorder.
White balancing adjusts the camcorder’s color response to the lighting
environment. If your camcorder is not white balanced, the hue of your picture
may be quite blue, orange, or yellow. We know you've seen this happen...you just
didn't know why.
How do you white balance your camera? Most camcorders allow you to switch from an automatic function to a manual function to white balance or focus your camera. If you have an owner's manual for your camcorder, now would be a great time to dig it out from the box or filing cabinet and open it to the page that talks about white balancing. Most camcorders use the following steps:
- Switch to the manual white balance mode.
- Press the white balance set button. The word "white" or a symbol (look in your owner's manual) will begin to flash in the viewfinder.
- Hold a white index card or a sheet of white paper about 12 inches in front of the camera lens.
- Press the white balance "set" button until the word/symbol ceases to flash in the viewfinder. Often the word/symbol remains in the viewfinder but does not flash.
Can you see a difference in your picture's color? Watch the video picture on a color monitor while you white balance your camera and you will see the colors change to a truer hue. This is a skill you can teach to your students. A student videographer can do more than just turn on the camera. While your anchors are practicing their script, your videographers (camera operators) should be white balancing their cameras. Some camcorders simply have an outdoor/indoor white balancing function. These might be indicated with symbols of a sun and a light bulb, or the words "indoor" and "outdoor." Watch the video picture on the monitor as you switch to "indoor," then to "outdoor." The colors should change, so you can pick which setting is best for your lighting conditions. Unfortunately, these setting deteriorate as the camcorder becomes older. Believe it or not, we know a media specialist whose camcorder actually has a better picture when taping his news show on the "outdoor" setting in his media center.
When do you need to white balance? White balance your camera every time your lighting conditions change (if you move from an indoor location to an outdoor location), or if your camera loses power (battery dies or you turn off the power on the AC adapter). Remember to white balance in the lighting situation in which you will be taping your show. If you're using some type of additional lighting, turn the lights on and then white balance.
Tip Number 2 - Your Camera Should be Level
with Your Talent!
This is probably the easiest way to improve the quality of the video picture
of your news show, yet it is hardly ever done. Why? Because teachers are big and
kids are little! Big teachers set up the camcorders on tripods so they can see
into the viewfinders without bending over the entire time and getting back pain.
But unfortunately, their news anchors are almost always sitting at little
children's tables in little children's chairs! Of course, the result is a camera
angle that "looks down" at the anchors rather than "at" the anchors. We have
even seen little "step stools" placed beside camcorders because the teacher had
them raised so high her camera operators couldn't even reach the viewfinders!
Your video camera should be level with your talent. Watch your local or network
news shows for a positive example.
Lower your tripods, or raise your anchors. Some media specialists have constructed platforms for their anchor desks because their camera tripods could not be lowered to the level of the talent. Typically, the anchor desk sits 18 inches above the floor on a platform made with 4" X 6" posts and plywood covered with indoor/outdoor carpet.
Tip Number 3 - Use a Microphone.
Sound quality is just as important, perhaps more important, than picture quality
when it comes to producing school news shows. After all, the students in the
classrooms are supposed to be watching the show to learn more about their school
and school activities. They need to hear the announcements as well as watch
them.
Even though most camcorders have a microphone already attached, this microphone is not designed to be used for recording an anchor's script at a distance. Even if your news anchors are instructed to "READ LOUDER," the sound quality will still be very poor.
Using an external microphone plugged into your video camera or an audio mixer will greatly enhance and improve the sound quality of your news show. Most video cameras have an external microphone jack located near the camcorder’s microphone. If your camcorder does not have one, make sure the next one you buy/order does. There are several microphones that will easily work with your camcorders:
- Lavaliere Microphones - These are the kind
of microphones you see on the news shows clipped to the lapels of the
anchors. If you have more than one news anchor, you will need to use a
Y-adapter (available at most electronics retailers) which allows you to
connect two microphones to your single microphone jack. Lavaliere
microphones have good sound quality. Prices range from $29-$89.
- PZM or Surface Mount Microphones - These
microphones are about 6 inches square and very flat. You actually place the
microphone on the desk or table where your anchors are seated. One
microphone works well for 1, 2, or 3 students. The cord is then plugged into
the microphone jack on your camcorder. They range in price from $69 to $99.
- Omnidirectional Desk Microphone - Placing a hand-held microphone in a microphone desk-stand can also work, but it is not the most effective way to record your anchors' voices. An omnidirectional microphone picks up sound from all directions eliminating the need for the students to lean over and speak directly into the microphone. A desk-mounted microphone often looks awkward in the video picture and is harder for students to use correctly. Omnidirectional microphones can be purchased for $29-$89.
Try these three techniques as you work to improve your school news show. They may not be a substitute for a new TV studio, professional production equipment, and a dedicated production period, but they will definitely make your show look and sound better.
(illustration by Mike Lalone)
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