Camera Workshop 1

 In this media session we had our first camera workshop in preparation for filming for our opening sequences. In the session we covered how to assemble the camera with different components such as the tripod attaching the camera to the tripod and bubbling the camera etc.

Setting up the camera:

• First in setting up the camera you have to set up the tripod you do this by loosening the notches on the sides of the tripod to then extend it to the height of your subject and you can further adjust the height by then turning the upper notches.
  
  
• Next to attach the camera to the top of the tripod you need to check all the grooves to make sure that nothing is protruding out the grooves so that the camera slides smoothly into the top of the tripod. 
  
  
• After this you have to attach the pan handle to the side of the tripod this is used to tilt and pan the the camera side to side and up and down.
  
  
• The finally step to set up the camera is to bubble it to do this you will have to loosen spirit level by a quarter then get the bubble to centre inside the bigger air gap and then tighten it again. This means that the camera has become level.

Type of Camera:

• The types of camera we will all be using to film our opening sequences will be a Blackmagic Arri Alexa film camera these cameras are very high quality are are even used in professional productions.

How to use the camera:

• To focus the camera you should always zoom in on your target fully and then focus this is because it picks up the finer details and then retains them when you zoom back out to your original shot size.
  
  
• You can zoom in with the Alexa by turning the focus pulling  ring around the lens this allows you to zoom in and out.
  
  
• White balancing is essential for filming as it can determine the whole feel of what you film and whether the colour matches the scene. To adjust the white balance on your camera you will turn the switch until you get your preferred lighting which matches the intensity of your scene.

Camera safety:

The "yours and mine rule" is a precaution to make sure that there is less chance of the camera being dropped and damaged when it is being handled by a crew.

When someone is passing the camera they should say "yours" when they know that the person they are passing it to has a firm grip on the camera. The person it is being passed to should then say "mine" when they know they have a firm grip on the camera. This clear communication ensures that the camera is not dropped.