Integrating Technology in the Foreign Language Classroom

This lesson will present a few basics for using a video camera to record a scene for inclusion in a multimedia presentation.

We will be using a Panasonic camcorder (analog) and a Sony Handicam (digital) . Take the time to become familiar with their basic operation before you begin shooting.

Digital8 Handicam

Basic Steps:

Following a few simple rules when filming for desktop video will improve the quality of the shot:

1. Keep the background simple to focus attention on the subject.
2. Make sure that your lighting is adequate.  More light will help you keep the subject in focus and make colors look better too.
3. Avoid large differences in brightness between background and subject to prevent washing out detail in the subject. If the background is brighter than the subject and the camera angle can't be changed, a backlight setting may help.
4. Use a tripod.  A steady image is essential for better compression and for a more professional look.
5. Double check the sound level.  It is often better to avoid using an internal microphone because camera vibrations generate a lot of noise. If you need to use in internal microphone, test it first and compare the quality to the sound from an external microphone to be sure you are satified. However, external microphones can sometimes pick of radio interference. Get the microphone as close as possible to the subject.  Shoot in a quiet environment, and monitor the sound during filming if possible.
6. The smaller the image size of the final product, the closer you should zoom in on the subject to create a close-up shot for your video frame.
7. Keep it short and keep up the pace. Beginners tend to make shots too long. Long videos with little content take up space and time and slow down the rhythm without adding much to the overall quality of the presentation.
8. Remember to check the focus.
9. If you use auto-focus, test it to make sure it works well. On some cameras, auto-focus can cause sudden unintentional changes in focus when something moves in your frame.
10. Avoid changing the zoom, panning, or tracking while shooting for desktop video.
11. On some cameras it may be necessary to set white balance, check for indoor/outdoor settings, turn off any date stamp. When all else fails, read the manual.

Be sure that your subject is centered and well lit.  A good shooting environment will yield a better result.

Video creates large files, so avoid occupying screen area with unnecessary background.  Stable backgrounds compress better than moving backgrounds, so try to avoid any camera motion. Moving the camera or changing the frame in any way (zooming in or out) makes file compression more difficult because it generates a greater difference between video frames.

Sound is actually harder to do well than images, so don't underestimate the attention that you need to devote to getting a good sound track.  The environment is full of sounds.  Human hearing is all about filtering out the things that are not important and paying attention only to the important details of what we hear.  In a recording, we can hear all of the noises that we normally do not notice because our perception filters them out.  Make sure that the sound track includes only the sounds that you want.

The larger the screen, the easier it is to see facial features and the more screen area may be occupied by background.  Cinema, television, and computer screen video formats must take relative size into consideration when determining the best framing for the subject.  Which of the following frames is a better choice for digital video?
 

  1

2

3

 

The choice should be obvious.     3

In our previous lesson on video capture, we looked at using Adobe Premiere to capture a video.
 

There are numerous tools that allow us to capture video. Some video cards have a built-in video capture function, there are video capture devices that connect to a computer through a USB or Firewire connector, one might have a separate card that only does video capture, or a digital video camera might transfer the digital video as a file directly to your computer.  The photo at the right shows the interface for capturing video using the Matrox Marvel G400 video card. This card is designed to capture video in MPG format, so that is the CODEC (compression / decompression algorithm) that we would use with this device. Once the video is captured, we use video editing software to make any changes needed.  Because there are so many different tools on the market, and because they behave so differently, it is necessary to follow the directions that come with the software and hardware that you have purchased.

For more information:

TutotGig video tutorials - Searchable encyclopedia of tutorials
Desktop-Video-Guide.com software & hardware
Encyclopedia of educational technology: Aesthetics: Headroom and nose room
ePanorama.net: Video production technology page
Video with Professor Monkey
Penn State Multimedia Tutorials
Digital Video Using FireWire Primer by Presentation Arts.
Karin's ESL PartyLand: Teaching with Film & Video
Film Vocabulary