ENT 2290 Video Studio Operations Fall 2015
A City Tech OpenLab Course Site
The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.
OK. I meant to rest this afternoon, but ended up working on this…but I think this will be helpful for not only today’s session, but also for next week!
There is no need to think of content so much today unless the students are inspired. Here is a simple sample script that indicates how it looks (see the attachment).
Here is a suggested storyline that I just made up:
1. I’m thinking of a news show host reporting one story with an existing video clip, which can be imported to DDR1 or DDV 2. It should be shown behind or beside the host in the virtual studio, and then, soon cut to the clip to be show in the entire screen.
2. Cut to another camera after the clip. The host needs to see which camera to look at. It is his/her CU. Then, the host invites a guest. Cut to another camera to show both of them, a two (people) shot.
3. The content doesn’t matter so much today. They have a brief talk: It could be Lukasz talking about the Mets. The host asks whether there any other Mets fans in the audience.
4. At this point, cut to another camera showing some audience members raising their hands. As assistant bring a handheld microphone to them. One of the audience members speaks to the host and Lukasz briefly.
5. Everyone is happy and is cheering.
6. The host thanks the guest. Then, the host announces that it is time for the weather forecast. Cut to another camera showing the weather person.
7. A brief weather forecast. The weather person says, “Back to you, ______.”
8. The host states the theme of the next story something like, “Next, ‘Updates from the Paris Climate Talks’ after this.” (It is in today’s news indeed)
9. Then, cut to a commercial, which I will upload to share with Miguel and Lukasz via Google Drive, After downloading it, you can import it to Tricaster.
In this storyline, you can use all the elements in lighting and cameras: Virtual Newsroom, showing video clip, inviting a guest to be captured along with the newsroom host by 2 – 3 cameras, interacting with the audience, another mic is needed, a camera must be ready for it, cut to the weather room (another chroma key), and cut to another video clip. It keeps you busy, which is good.
Please make sure that everyone rotates to do different positions.
After some rehearsals, please “record the news show on Tricaster”. It is OK that some things don’t go smoothly. I just would like to see how it is going.
After some rehearsals, please “record the news show on Tricaster”. It is OK that some things don’t go smoothly. I just would like to see how it is going.
Step#9: I just uploaded a short video that Miguel directed as a student. But it is taking a long time to process it. Oh well.
NewTek TriCaster 850 Get Started Training – 10 Virtual Inputs (21:49)
At 13:37, the man talks of the frame buffer, which is more advanced.
Motion Overlay (04:08)
I recommend watching the clips 08 – 10 of Tricaster 850 tutorials by NewTek, which is the manufacturer of this video switcher. They will come in handy for Quiz 2 and the final exam.
In this clip #08 (19:23), the man talks of how you avoid misusing “fade to black,” for example, starting at 12:02.
“Overlay” is page 182 of the manual: ftp://ftp.newtek.com/p…/TriCaster/TCXD850%20User%20Guide.pdf
If you are not sure how to do, “Livematte”, it is page 70 of the manual. As listed in the course syllabus, here is the link to the manual of Tricaster 850: ftp://ftp.newtek.com/p…/TriCaster/TCXD850%20User%20Guide.pdf
Or the reporter can be at a location. You can download the photo, and save it on a flash drive, and then, connect with the computer (Tricaster).
On Facebook, there was a picture of a park.
The reporter can be a weather person. You can use an image like this for the background. (On Facebook page, there was an image of weather forecast).
Tricaster 3:20 pm – 5:20 pm
1. Set up the Tricaster. The empty cases/lids should go on the smaller tables as usual.
2. Place the Tricaster (the computer and UPS) under that large table as usual. The Computer and the UPS are already connected with AC cables.
3. Connect the switcher, the keyboard, and the two mice with the computer directly via USB cables. The mouse for the switcher was doing terribly a week ago. But last Wednesday, it worked fine.
4. Connect a monitor to the computer with VCA (it says, “Interface”). If Lukasz and Rudy have time to repair the other VGA connection before class, you can have two computer monitors (it says, “Multiview” for the VGA connection). Please make sure that all cables are connected gently. No force is necessary.
5. Set up three cameras to film the virtual newsroom, which will be at the corner of the green walls. One of the cameras should on the studio tripod dolly as it will move around. We used the tripod for the Jib arm last week. Today, use the tripod without Jib.
6. The three cameras need to be connected with the computer with BNC cables. Use SDI inputs 1, 2, and 3.
7. Set up a Sound Devices audio mixer with XLR cables to connect with the computer.
8. Turn on the computer in the back (there are two switches), not UPS. This is important. If you turn on the UPS first, most likely, you will get an error message, or no picture will show up on the monitor.
9. Turn on UPS in the front.
10. It will be good to connect a TV monitor to the computer as well.
11. I was going to go over this with the students together. Well, it is good that they are doing it today (without me, however….)….
12. You should see the home page on the monitor. Select “New”. Leave “Select Name” blank as it will automatically give today’s date. Make sure that 1080i and NTCS are selected. Hit “Start Session”.
Tricaster 3:20 pm – 5:20 pm (There is a quick start guide inside the switcher case).
1. Set up the Tricaster. The empty cases/lids should go on the smaller tables as usual.
2. Place the Tricaster (the computer and UPS) under that large table as usual. The Computer and the UPS are already connected with AC cables.
3. Connect the switcher, the keyboard, and the two mice with the computer directly via USB cables. The mouse for the switcher was doing terribly a week ago. But last Wednesday, it worked fine.
4. Connect a monitor to the computer with VCA (it says, “Interface”). If Lukasz and Rudy have time to repair the other VGA connection before class, you can have two computer monitors (it says, “Multiview” for the VGA connection). Please make sure that all cables are connected gently. No force is necessary.
5. Set up three cameras to film the virtual newsroom, which will be at the corner of the green walls. One of the cameras should on the studio tripod dolly as it will move around. We used the tripod for the Jib arm last week. Today, use the tripod without Jib.
6. The three cameras need to be connected with the computer with BNC cables. Use SDI inputs 1, 2, and 3.
7. Set up a Sound Devices audio mixer with XLR cables to connect with the computer.
8. Turn on the computer in the back (there are two switches), not UPS. This is important. If you turn on the UPS first, most likely, you will get an error message, or no picture will show up on the monitor.
9. Turn on UPS in the front.
10. It will be good to connect a TV monitor to the computer as well.
11. I was going to go over this with the students together. Well, it is good that they are doing it today (without me, however….)….
12. You should see the home page on the monitor. Select “New”. Leave “Select Name” blank as it will automatically give today’s date. Make sure that 1080i and NTCS are selected. Hit “Start Session”.
The students should know the next steps. But let me explain further.
The diagram of the studio:
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/ent2290teraofall2015-/wp-admin/upload.php?item=128
2:15 pm – 3:10 pm (?): You could go a little longer as needed.
This should give you general ideas of the diagram for today. Getting ready to move things around, set up the lights.
For the lighting (use only lights on the grid today)
1. Move all the students’ desks/chairs against the left wall (where the ladders are at usually).
2. Move the TV monitor towards the back of the room, so that it doesn’t block any part of the green screen. Don’t scratch the floor to move any equipment/furniture.
3. Place the large table for Tricaster slightly more towards the back of the room than usual.
4. Move two smaller tables to near the students’ desks/chairs. So, they are out of the way.
5. Start lighting the green walls (both of them) evenly. There are two critical spots.
6. One of them is the corner where the walls meet. It will be the background of the virtual newsroom. The other spot is close to where the TV monitor usually resides. That is where a reporter will be standing. The background of the reporter should be a virtual video or a still photo.
7. After the walls are lit beautifully, you need to separately light the spots where the people will be. The people should be at least 6’ away from the green walls. I recommend more distance in general.
8. Usually, it is a good idea that the green screens are slightly darker (1 stop underexposed) compared to the people in front of them.
9. Then, there is one more spot to light. That is close to where the two smaller tables are at usually. Create “audience” seats there. There could be 3 – 5 chairs. One of the cameras will have a close up of 3 – 5 audience members later. We need to deceive it, so that it would look like a small area of a big studio. I will explain this later.
If students need a 10 min. break, this is the first possibility.