Masterclass 1 (With Del) | Workshop ~ SP

For our first workshop with Vision Mixer & Studio Director, Del Brown, we got into a few groups to accommodate the amount of cameras and we tested our knowledge on the cameras and shot sizes. We then also went into the gallery and learnt about vision mixing and did a few test runs.

For the first half of the day, we put ourselves into small groups and worked on the cameras. To start off we made sure the cameras were all set up properly and that the tripods were where we wanted them to be in terms of height. We then took turns on operating the cameras so we all had a chance to experiment, and someone else in the group stood in front of our cameras to be our model.
Del called out different shot sizes and we were to create those shot sizes on the camera and making sure it is in focus. Del then went around once we had done that and checked them to see if they were good. He did this for a few shot sizes like "MCU (Mid Close Up)", "MS (Mid Shot)", "LS (Long Shot)" and many others.
He then called for a "CU (Close Up)" and an "ECU (Extreme Close Up)" of an accessory the model had in their hand. This meant that we needed to physically move the tripod and the camera so it was right up close to the model and the object they were holding. This was useful to test as it meant we had to repo quite quickly which is something that will probably happen in our show, but it's also very common in the industry itself.
While we were on an ECU, we experimented with the gain on the camera and the focus point as well. Increasing the gain meant that the image was brighter but it also added a lot of noise which made it look like it was bad quality. We had learnt about gain previously, but it was useful to experiment with and to see.

Once everyone had a go with that challenge, we started a new challenge, this was testing our skills on changing the zoom while also changing the focus on the camera. The model stood in quite far away from the camera and we were to show them in a MS. They would then walk towards the camera and stop a little bit away, and we were to stay in that MS while the model was moving.
This was quite tough as you had to make the zoom changes as smooth as possible and most of the time it was quite jumpy.
Then once we had done this, we tried the same thing but changing the focus as well. This was even more difficult as you had to change both the zoom and the focus at the same time and it had to be as smooth as possible as well. This task was very challenging, but it was also quite enjoyable to try. With a lot of practise this sort of move would become a lot easier and lot less challenging, but obviously since it was our first proper go at this, it was difficult.

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Then for the second half of the day we went into the gallery and learnt about the vision mixing desk and being a vision mixer. In a previous lecture with Del we went into the gallery to take a look, but it was there that he taught us the positioning of the fingers on the desk. We used this information in this workshop as we were to vision mix a piece of music.


He gave out a few scripts that would be timed with live music. This would usually be rehearsed before hand and the director wouldn't need to call the shots as the shots are all scripted, unless changed in post production. The shots are all timed along with the beat of the music.

On the script it would say something like '1 BAR', and normally there are 4 beats in a bar. What this means is, you have to count 4 beats and cut to the next shot, as that previous shot is only live for 1 bar.

In order to know when to cut to a new shot, you have to follow the script and follow the beats that are presented on that script.



Usually in this environment, for live music shows, the director would quietly sit there and let the vision mixer and PA do their jobs, as the directions are all in the beats of the music.
We all took turns trying this with scripts in front of us and playing along to music at the same time. I personally really enjoyed this task as beats in music is something I've been taught previously, but also I love anything to do with music. Cutting along to the beats seemed like quite an easy task but when you actually went to do it, it was quite easy to lose where you were in the script.
On my first try I did lose myself somewhere in the script, so I tried again and the second time I managed to get through it with following the script correctly and counting the beats at the right time.

Overall, all of the tasks we did within this workshop, both morning and afternoon, have been really useful and I've learnt quite a lot that I didn't know. We did some very challenging tasks but it was good to try them out and it was enjoyable at the same time.
I think having Del with us in these workshops is really helpful as he knows what it's like in the industry and he has been teaching us and telling us what it will be like for us in this industry when we leave uni.