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Keith Kyker and Christopher Curchy
Tips for Creating Great Graphics
What is a character generator?
In case you missed the last column, or you're new to video production,
let's briefly describe the character generator. A character generator is a video
production component that allows a user to type words and other simple graphics
onto the television screen. When connected to a VCR, those graphics can be
recorded. The character generator can also be connected to a video switcher for
integration into a school news show, or a head end system to display a running
bulletin board. Character generators are often sold as titlemakers, video
titlers, video typewriters and a variety of other brand-specific names.
The Videonics Titlemaker 3000 is appropriate for school use.
Most character generators offer the user a choice of fonts (typestyles), letter colors, and background colors. Some models also provide background patterns, transitions, and scroll/crawl character movements. With most, but not all character generators you can connect a video input (such as a camera or VCR) and superimpose graphics over that source. A character generator suitable for school video production sells for about $600. The Videonics line is probably the most popular.
Creating Graphics
When you add graphics to your video project, you're asking your audience to do
something they probably hadn't planned on when they chose to watch your program:
READ. Most of us turn on the television to see dynamic images, watch world
events unfold, or catch the latest episode of our favorite comedy or drama. We
don't watch TV to read. (Can you imagine "The Reading Channel" with page after
page of scrolling text? Not exactly how I want to read the next John Grisham
novel.)
So, if we're asking our audience to read, we have to make our graphics easy to look at and easy to understand. Here are some tips for creating graphics.
Tip #1 Keep graphics simple With all of the color, font, and background choices available on modern character generators, it's easy to make exciting, dynamic graphics that seem to leap off the screen. Unfortunately, it's also easy to make graphics so visually overwhelming that your audience can't look at them, much less read them. Hot pink text on a flashing rainbow-colored background may sound like a good idea, but reading the page is next to impossible. Many students make this mistake in a well-intentioned attempt to create the "best graphic ever." Be ready to point them in a more conservative direction.
Tip #2 One concept per screen Does you program call for a graphic of 10 school rules, or maybe the five steps of the writing process? You may be tempted to list every rule or step on the same page. However, your graphics will be much more effective if you make several screens with one concept each. No one wants to read a long list of steps or rules. Instead, show your graphic with your first school rule, then show some videotape of a student obeying that rule.
Tip #3 Use high-contrast colors Pastels are great for doctor's offices and trendy beach restaurants, but they don't mix well in television graphics. If you decide to use a soft-toned background, make sure to use a strong color for the lettering. Many character generators have features that allow you to put a dark outline or a shadow behind your letters, increasing the contrast. How can you make sure your graphic screens are high-contrast? Simple. Just turn down the color on your television or monitor. High-contrast graphics look great in color and in black-and-white. And remember, a certain percentage of any audience is color-blind. Graphics low in contrast will be invisible to these viewers.
Tip #4 Make graphics LARGE Unless you're rolling ending credits or creating graphics to superimpose over another video source, your words should fill the screen. You'll probably be inches away from the television screen as you type your graphics. Any font that you select will look large. But your audience may be several feet away from the screen. Try to imagine the worst situation in which your audience will view your program, and make graphics that they can read under those conditions.
Tip#5 Remember your audience's reading level Is your program designed for an elementary audience? Then don't use graduate school language. This concept seems self-evident, but many educators make this mistake. Show your graphics to a potential audience member, and make sure that he or she can read and comprehend the information.
Remember to use graphics sparingly. Nobody wants to watch page after page of graphics, when they could be watching pictures of the real world.
What's that? My cable company just added "The Reading Channel?" And my cable bill's going up a dollar? Welcome to TV!
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