One of the great advantages of motion media is that it involves the viewers in the action. Viewers feel that they are there and participating in whatever is happening on the screen. They can be made to feel that they are moving along with the action as it develops, they become even more involved. Changes in the camera angle permit the viewers to see the same subject from several different positions, as though they were moving within the scene. This adds variety and makes the images they see more interesting because something is a little different about each one. However, be careful to keep these camera-angle changes from confusing the viewers. If the changes are so different that they seem to be in other locations, the viewers lose their orientation. When choosing the camera angle, be sure you present the subject from the best possible vantage point and create the proper psychological effect.

MOVEMENT

When you can control the angle at which the action passes across the camera lens axis, your shots will show the apparent speeding up or slowing down action. Objects moving at right angles to the lens (across the lens axis) appear to be moving faster than objects approaching the lens directly or going straight away from it. You can vary the apparent speed of objects by selecting various camera angles.

Good motion-media footage needs movement. Movement can take place in front of the camera, of the camera itself, and of course in the picture itself. The movements necessary for good motion video are divided into three categories:

Primary movement (movement of the subject)

Secondary movement (movement of the camera)

Tertiary movement (movement produced by successive shots from different cameras)

Primary Movement

Movement in front of the camera, usually that of the subject, is called primary movement. Primary movement toward or away from the camera is stronger than lateral movement. More emphasis is created by having the subject move toward or away from the camera. Exits and entrances are more impressive when they occur toward or away from the camera. Lateral movement of a subject should always be lead with the camera The viewer wants to know where the subject is going, not where it has been.

Secondary Movement

Secondary or camera movement is normally done in television studios. Secondary movements include: pans, tilts, dollys, zooms, trucks, and pedestal movements. Secondary movements are used to follow primary movement, to change or adjust picture composition, or to emphasize or dramatize something. Secondary movements must have a valid purpose. Do not make them just for something to do.

DOLLY.-A dolly is a piece of equipment that normally requires a small crew to operate. You can dolly-in to increase the size of an object gradually on the screen or dolly-out to decrease the size of the object on the screen. Likewise, dollying decreases or increases the field of view. A zoom lens can be used for the same purpose as a dolly. During a zoom, the camera does not move; therefore, perspective does not change as it does during a dolly.

TRUCK.-A truck is a piece of equipment that is basically a tripod with wheels. The camera is used to follow lateral subject movement or you could truck the camera along the objects. In either case, camera-to-subject distance does not change.

PEDESTAL. -A pedestal is used to either raise or lower the camera. Pedestalling can provide the audience with a view looking down on the subject or up at the subject. A pedestal may also be used to compensate for tall or short camerapersons or subjects.

Tertiary Movement

Tertiary movement results from a sequence of shots from two or more cameras. When two or more cameras are used, you can select from a variety of pictures and determine which picture is to be recorded and when. When more than one camera is used, you can easily emphasize, de-emphasize, show action and reaction in rapid or slow succession. The effect of tertiary movement is accomplished through videotape editing.