In the eighth, revised edition of this book, Ronald J. Compesi offers a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to the aesthetics of small-scale, single-camera video production in field environments, from planning through postproduction, in a range of different programming formats. Written in an accessible, student-friendly style, this new edition has been significantly updated and revised throughout to reflect current technology and industry practices, including shooting with DSLR cameras, in HD and on smartphones, new methods and channels of distribution, and much more.
Key features and updates to the eighth edition include:
- A focus on small-scale video production, involving a minimum amount of field equipment and a small crew, offering creative solutions for video producers with limited resources and personnel;
- Discussions of HD and 4K technology/acquisition, LED lighting, shooting with DSLR cameras and smartphones, new online distribution channels;
- Over 300 photos and line art, in full-color for the first time, illustrating production processes, technical issues and equipment, and illuminating key aesthetic elements;
- An eResource with downloadable production planning documents, links to further online resources, production project exercises, and sample test questions.
With over 40 years of teaching and production experience, Ronald J. Compesi offers an up-to-date and essential introduction to the art of small-scale video production in field environments in the new edition of this groundbreaking text, in print since 1985.
Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Preproduction and Production Planning; 3. The Video Camera; 4. Video Recording; 5. Operating the Video Camcorder; 6. The Camera Lens; 7. Visualization and Composition; 8. Lighting 1: Technical Aspects of Lighting; 9. Lighting 2: Aesthetic Factors; 10. Sound 1: Sound and Microphone Basics; 11. Sound 2: Sound Design and Field Sound Recording; 12. Video Editing Techniques; 13. Nonlinear Video Editing; 14. Postproduction Graphic Design; 15. Ethics and Video Production; Appendix 1: U.S. Copyright Office Short Form PA; Appendix 2: Digital Information and the Metric System; Glossary; Index
Biography
Ronald J. Compesi is Professor Emeritus in the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Department at San Francisco State University, where he taught for 38 years. In 2007, he was recognized as the outstanding Media Arts Professor in the California State University System. Compesi is also the co-author of Introduction to Video Production, in print since 2005.
"The blending of the technical and aesthetic aspects of video production is always a challenge, and Compesi has made a very good effort at making [these qualities] accessible to students in an introductory course. This is important to me as an educator and I believe it is an important core to a well-written text on video production."
—Laura Vazquez, Ph.D., Professor, Undergraduate Program Director of Media Studies, Northern Illinois University
