AIPD Subcourse DI0390 Edition 8: Television Graphics for Broadcast Journalists

8/16/2019 AIPD Subcourse DI0390 Edition 8: Television Graphics for Broadcast Journalists

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MOS 71R SKILL LEVELS 1 AND 2

TELEVISION GRAPHICS

for

BROADCAST JOURNALISTS

Subcours No! DI"#$"

JUNE 1$%%

US Ar&' Pub()c Aff*)rs C+,r-or, M*./ M*r'(*+.

# Cr.), Hours

GENERAL

The Television Graphics subcourse, part of the Broadcast Journalist71R Skill Level I and 2 Subcourse, is desined to introduce the!r"# broadcaster to an entr#$level understandin of TelevisionGraphics% This subcourse is presented in one lesson%

ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS

S&B'(&RS) '(*T)*T

This subcourse contains one lesson, related to the basic tasks ofthe entr#$level broadcaster% This lesson +ill provide a eneralkno+lede and understandin of television raphics%

Supple"ental Reuire"ents-This lesson "a# be taken +ithout an# prereuisites%

.aterial *eeded-/ou +ill need paper and a pencil to co"plete this subcourse% *oother "aterials are needed%

Reference .aterial-*o supple"entar# references are needed for this subcourse%

) DI"#$"


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TABLE O- CONTENTS

S)'TI(* 0ae

T!BL) ( '(*T)*TS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% iii

1- I*TR(&'TI(*%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 1

2- T)'3*I'!L R)4&IR).)*TS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 1

5- T/0)S ( GR!03I'S%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 6

- 0R)0!R!TI(* T)'3*I4&)S%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 18

9- .)T3(S ( 0R)0!R!TI(*%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 1

0ractice ):ercise%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 21

!ns+er to 0ractice ):ercise%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 22

* * * IMPORTANT NOTICE * * *

THE PASSING SCORE FOR ALL ACCP MATERIAL IS NOW 70%.

PLEASE DISREGARD ALL REFERENCES TO THE 75% REUIREMENT

))) DI"#$"


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TELEVISION GRAPHICSfor


INTRODUCTION

The television broadcaster "ust be able to think visuall# in orderto "ake the "ost of the television "ediu"% ;isuals can, in so"ecases, tell the entire stor# b# the"selves and should be aninteral part of a production instead of an afterthouht% /ou "a#have heard the cliche s true, and effective visuals +ill help #ou tell the stor#clearer% ! vie+er>s i"aination can actuall# provide thell need to be able to uide #our artist and understand theli"itations of the "ediu"%

Therefore, it>s i"portant to understand ho+ visuals "ust betailored for television before producin or selectin the"% Thenovice broadcaster, +ho doesn>t understand these basic principles,"a# see a rando" visual he likes and tr# to use% The veteran +illnot rel# on first i"pressions, but base his decision on "orescientific uidelines and e:perience%

!n# producer of television prora"s learns uickl# that he needs a


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(ne of these is raphic art% !ll television sho+s use raphic"aterials$$title cards, photoraphs, illustrations, charts and"aps, ust to na"e a fe+% Graphic "aterials reatl# enhance ne+sand feature productions, spot announce"ents, and virtuall# allt#pes of T; prora"s% Deep in "ind that, in television, it isi"portant to present infor"ation visuall# as often as possible%=ithout visuals, #ou lose the force of this effective television"ediu" and "iht as +ell be on radio% 0eople tend to thinkvisuall#% Generall#, people re"e"ber visual infor"ation loner

than Just the spoken +ord%

I&or,*+, C*r*c,r)s,)cs

=hether +ritten, pictorial, diara""atic, or sheer desin, raphicshave a place in al"ost ever# television production% In preparinraphics for T;, #ou should pa# close attention to the aspectratio, siAe, area li"itations, t#pe of raphics, preparationtechniues, "ethods of presentation, storin and cataloin of thevisuals%

Asc, R*,)o

The aspect ratio of an# television screen, reardless of ph#sicalsiAe, is 5 : % This "eans that the T; screen is divided intothree units hih and four units +ide% The visual ele"entsthe"selves should be kept in a for"at siAe that +ill co"ple"enteither 6 : E or F : 12% These aspect ratios +ill help #ou keep the"aterials and obects +ithin the 5 : aspect ratio for"at ?iure1$1@% !ll raphics should be prepared +ithin this aspect ratio%This allo+s all of the infor"ation to be seen on the T; screen, notust a portion of the infor"ation% or e:a"ple- ! vertical picture+ithout the proper aspect ratio +ill lose a "aor portion of itsinfor"ation fro" either the top, botto" or both andCor its sidesand look poor on a T; screen%

-)3ur 141TV *sc, r*,)o

DI"#$" 2Sc*++)+3 Ar*


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The total area that the ca"era t overco"pensate the sa"e +a# #ou do for ede andcorner croppin%

Ess+,)*( Ar*

The part of the picture that reaches the vie+er "ust include all ofthe i"portant infor"ation and this is kno+n as the


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1% It helps keep the picture fro" bein da"aed if dropped%

2% It helps protect art+ork fro" finerprints and s"udes%

5% The border area "a# prevent #our audience fro" seeinpast the card to so"e behind$the$scenes activit# if theca"era"an did not have ti"e to fra"e the shot properl#%

% It serves as a s best to "ake all raphicsthe sa"e siAe for storae purposes% The 11 : 1$inch siAe fits+ell in a standard file cabinet% The cards should be nu"bered +itha piece of "arkin tape on the ede% Staer these tabs for eas#

access% This 11 : 1$inch siAe has several advantaes-

1% It allo+s an a"ple 2$inch handlin border on +hichfinerprints and s"udes +ill not da"ae the pri"ar#infor"ation%

2% It leaves a F : 12$inch +orkin area for both theca"era"an and artist%

5% It also arees +ith the aspect ratio reuire"ents of 5 :, but in addition this ph#sical siAe incorporates asafet# "easure%

It>s also +ise to "ark off an additional 18 or 19 percent insidethis F : 12$inch area% This allo+s for the area that is lost dueto croppin on the ho"e television receiver ?trans"ission loss@%Thus #ou +ill +ind up +ith a cop# area of about 7 1C2 : 18$inches%This protects aainst

DI"#$" 6


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infor"ation loss at the edes of the picture ?iure 1$5@%

-)3ur 14#Tr*+s&)ss)o+ Loss

iure 1$ sho+s the application of the sa"e principles for a 2 :2$inch photo slide% ! s"all television ca"era ?located in the fil"chain roo"@ focuses on the scanned area, +hich "easures 27C52 :

11C1E$inches% !ppro:i"atel# 1C16$inch on each side of the pictureis lost due to trans"ission over the air+aves% The essential areais reduced to about 9CE : 7CE$inch% These 2 : 2$inch slides "a# be"ade +ith an# 59"" ca"era, but it is best to use a sinle$lensrefle: ca"era ?SLR@ in order to "ore accuratel# place essential"aterial in the center of the fra"e%

-)3urs 1462 24)+c s().

Re"e"ber to use the scannin area, because on so"e television setsthe total scannin area is visible, +hile on others there is a 18$percent loss% Therefore, keep all pertinent infor"ation +ithin theessential, or


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T9PES O- GRAPHICS

The t#pes and uses of raphics are li"ited onl# b# #ouri"aination% Graphics co"e in various for"s, each havin a na"ethat "akes it easil# identifiable to production and art+orkpersonnel% The "aor t#pes of television raphics include-

1% Studio card

2% 0lain title card

5% 'o"bination title card

% Super or ke# card

9% 'hro"a ke# card

6% Slide

7% .aps and charts

E% 'haracter enerator

F% 'o"puter Graphics

S,u.)o C*r.

The studio card sho+s illustration or pictorial$t#pe infor"ation,%The picture "a# be a "ounted photo or an illustration% The studiocard sits on an easel and "a# be a plain card ?+ords onl#@ or "a#have an illustration or picture +ith +ords% 'o"binin +ords andillustrations reuires the coordination of t+o video sources durin

a production, i%e% character eneration and art%

=allpaper


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The co"bination title card has letterin aainst pictorialinfor"ation for the backround% The picture "a# be either art+orkor photoraph#% The letterin "a# be either on the card itself oron an overla#%

Sur or K' C*r.

*or"all# #ou should avoid +hite letterin on a black backround,

because the contrast is too reat bet+een the t+o% But +hen "akina super or ke# card, the letterin "ust be +hite and the backroundblack%

urin the sho+in of a super, or ke#, the card letterin issuperi"posed ?electronicall# placed@ over another backround ?orover another picture@ fro" either another ca"era or fro" a fil"chain ca"era% This techniue is an accepted for" for placin thena"e of the subect on the air +hile the subect is talkin% &sesi"ple, bold letters onl#, and tr# to restrict the a"ount ofinfor"ation on the superCke# card% Be careful in plannin thecard, #ou "ust consider ho+ t+o ca"era shots +ill look in one

picture% Letterin should be placed in the lo+er third andcentered on the picture so as not to obstruct the backround andCorthe "ain action% The super is the onl# ti"e #ou should ever uset+o diverent shades, i%e% off$+hite andCor off$black%

Cro&* K' C*r.

The chro"e ke# card is si"ilar to the super card, e:cept that thebackround for the letterin is usuall# blue instead of black, andthe letters are i"printed on the card% The backround of the card"a# be an# color% 3o+ever "ost T; production housesCT; stationsuse a chro"a$blue backround color because it "akes skin tonesappear natural and suppresses picture distortion%

Throuh electronic "eans, the chro"a$blue backround beco"estotall# transparent durin the "attin process, onl# sho+in theletterin ?usuall# +hite or #ello+@% The ca"era picture fro" thesecond ca"era sho+s throuh +ithout interferin +ith the foreroundi"ae% The chro"e ke# "attin process appears to the vie+er as arear screen proection, i%e% the picture is ke#ed ?sho+n@ behindan announcer or is a bo:ed support raphic inserted alonside theannouncer% The video source "a# be a fil" chain, ;TR or a live T;ca"era shootin a studio card%

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S().s

Slides are televised fro" a re"otel# controlled proector directl#into a s"all television ca"era connected to the proector% Theslide is then inserted on to the screen and beco"es part of the set+ith an announcer speakin over the slide, or it>s used as stillphoto% Slides are "ost often used and preferred over studio cardssince the# do not tie up a studio ca"era and "a# be easil# chaned%

=hen usin slides, it>s i"portant to keep all pertinent infor"ation+ithin the essential area% The proected picture area of the slide"ust confor" to the standard 5 : television for"at% In other+ords, use onl# horiAontal slides, not vertical slides% Ideall#,all T; cards should be "ade into slides% This cuts do+n on storaespace and keeps cards fro" beco"in do$eared throuh handlin%3o+ever, detailed and co"plete art+ork such as "aps, loos,insinias or raphics coverin co""on subects should be saved forfuture use%

M*s;C*r,s

.aps and charts are also i"portant visual aids for televisionprora"s, especiall# ne+scasts% &sin si"plified dra+ins, detailsshould be li"ited to the essential areas% or e:a"ple, toe"phasiAe a +hole area, such as the state of 'olorado on a "ap ofthe &nited States, retrace the borders and then darken the statearea +ith reen or blue tints% 'harts should have as little+ritten cop# as possible% .a:i"u" clarit# +ith "ini"u" essentials"ust be #our chief obective%

C*r*c,r G+r*,or

=hen #ou have a lot of printed infor"ation to et across such asna"es of individuals, sports scores or closin credits, the bestand easiest +a# to do it is +ith a


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-)3ur 148C*r*c,r 3+r*,or

So"e of the "ore advanced character enerators feature 1 to 16lines of 52 characters +ithin the full$screen scan area, line$b#$line "e"or# recall, auto"atic centerin, +ord flash, +ord or lineunderline, stand alone titlin, titlin over video, and t+o$speedroll, or cra+l, throuh all or part of the "e"or#% Throuh acoloriAer, the letters "a# be prora""ed in various colorarrane"ents% (ptional features per"it "ass storae on flopp# diskof character displa#s, for easiest recall at an# ti"e for a ke# or"atte ke# insert% /ou "a# find the character enerator to be alifesaver as a uick "eans to displa# infor"ation, i%e%, sportsscores, title credits, departure ti"es, +eather infor"ation%

3o+ever, it should not rule out the use of other raphic support"aterials available%

Co&u,r Gr*)cs

'o"puter raphics are the ne+est part of the technolo# that>savailable toda# for the television industr#% Basicall#, the s#ste"+orks like this- !n electronic picture is recorded on tape fro" atelevision ca"era, slide proector, videotape, "aaAine, stillphoto, or a studio ca"era% The art+ork is then converted andstored in a diital code for"at% The co"puter s#ste" then convertsthe" into electronic pictures% The co"puter can recall an# raphic

stored on the disk +ithin seconds b# rando" access% The raphicartist then paintsCdra+s a picture, usin an electronic pen ?brush@and palette, and "a# add "aterial, delete infor"ation or chane thecolors of the picture or letters at +ill and +hile


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Before this, and as stated earlier, the art+ork had to betransferred into photoraphic slides that +ere filed for possiblefuture use% ;aluable ti"e is lost chanin the art+ork on theseslides and Just tr#in to locate the" "a# be a bi proble" in alare television station that uses "an# raphics ?iure 1$6@%

-)3ur 14%Co&u,r 3r*)cs

PREPARATION TECHNI0UES

Reardless of the for"at or purpose of #our raphic, there are afe+ "usts, or funda"ental aesthetic considerations to be "ade +hileplannin% Si"plicit#, contrast, balance and co"position are theke#s to a ood raphic la#out%

S)&()c),'

The old adae s seein% 0eople nor"all# +ill inore avisual +ith too "uch letterin% &se bold lines and letterin, andkeep colors to a "ini"u", preferabl# +hite or #ello+%

!ll cop# or letterin "ust be readable% anc# letterin "a# lookood on paper, but "iht not per"it the vie+er to understand +hat

#ou are tr#in to conve#% !fter all, +e don>t use letterin unlessit is necessar#, and if it is necessar#, the audience should beable to read the infor"ation% ):a"ple- on>t use Gothic fonts +henreportin about .ia"i% 3o+ever, Gothic letterin "a# beappropriate for a stor# on old )urope%

DI"#$" 1"


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SiAin of the subect in the picture also is i"portant% Deep thepri"ar# subect so"e+hat lare +ithin the picture that #ou arefra"in% on>t "ake the vie+er have to strain to read or see thesubect% ! ood t#pe siAe "a# be about a half$inch in heiht on a1F$inch "onitor%

Co+,r*s,

3ih definition, or contrast ualit#, is i"portant for reproductionover a television s#ste"% 'ontrast in visuals should be sharp butnot e:cessive% !void lare areas of +hite, because such hihintensit# liht +ill cause the pickup tube?s@ in the ca"era totrans"it litter and flair, especiall# durin ca"era "ove"ent, and"a# introduce audio noise into the video picture%

The hu"an e#e can identif# about 188 different shades of ra#% TheT; ca"era clearl# identifies onl# about ten shades% Since thebrihtest area can be no "ore than 28 ti"es as briht as thedarkest area, #ou>ll have to be careful about usin pictures andraphics that have hih contrast% It should be noted that


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ener# +ar" colors are ter"ed s oruest>s face =hen usin "aps or charts for +eather reports orspecial prora"s, keep the detail to a "ini"u"% The vie+er doesn>tneed to see the s"all to+ns or roads to et the "essae% ?B# thesa"e token, so"e productions overdo and overuse raphics%%%oinfro" one "ap to the ne:t before the vie+er can co"prehend theinfor"ation%@

L,,r)+3

=hen letters are "ade too s"all or too thin, the# +ill not be seen%

! eneral rule of thu"b is not to offer letters s"aller than 19 to28$percent of the essential area% If the visual is too


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of 19 to 28 characters is considered to be the "ost a vie+er canhandle at one ti"e% This per"its the use of a letterin siAe thatis easil# leible% Boldness of t#pe also is i"portant% Lareletters are especiall# i"portant for color television since theli"ited resolution ?seein@ po+er of a color distribution s#ste"+ill not reproduce detailed art+ork or s"all print +ork +ell% Thinlines "a# not appear clearl# on the television screen%Irreularit# of lines in a dra+in are intensified +hen the ca"erasho+s a close$up% This also points up the need for si"ple fonts%

o not use loss# inks or prints e:cept for special effects% !loss# black, +hile appearin black to the e#e, "a# pick up lihtreflection and trans"it throuh the television s#ste" as a +hite,or near +hite% The television ca"era is sensitive to lihtreflections, and a s"ooth hard surface +ill reflect "ore liht thana rouh, dull surface% !nother point to re"e"ber is to use onl#"atte photoraphs +henever possible% The loss# prints, +hileappealin to the e#e, usuall# cause proble"s for the ca"era%

There are "an# shortcuts for television letterin, such as theLero# letterin pen, acetate te"plates, spahetti ?"enu board@, or

paper and plastic letters that the artist "a# la# out and rub, orlue, onto the art+ork% Transfer letters are available in hundredsof t#pefaces, "an# of +hich are used effectivel# on television%So"e t#pe+riters have oversiAed t#pe, called bulletin board t#pe,used for s"all visuals% lat art+ork and hand letterin "a# bedone +ith opaue paint or, in so"e cases, +ith professional felt$tip pens% !l"ost an# for" of letterin device can produce a oodtelevision visual if proper contrast and la#out are observed%Lare colored areas enerall# are illustrated +ith colored paper oroverla#s% .ake sure that #ou use a "att surface to prevent lare%

Backround "aterials for slides "a# be selected fro" pictures inbooks, "aaAines, calendars, postcards, reetin cards, and

+allpaper sa"ples ?but, be careful of cop#rihted "aterial@% B#printin #our infor"ation on acetate ?clear plastic, such asdocu"ent protectors@, #ou can then place the plastic overla# on topof the backround "aterial, and photoraph both toether%

=hen #ou prepare art+ork for supers, or ke# effect, use blackletters on a +hite card% The photoraphic process reverses thepolarit# of the art+ork and allo+s #ou to use the fil" neative+ith the black backround and the +hite letters for$#our


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METHODS O- PRESENTATION

There are "an# +a#s to present visual infor"ation in televisionproductions, several of +hich +e have alread# discussed% (ther"ethods include-

S,)(( P)c,urs

The flat or still picture +as e:tensivel# used in earl# T;productions% The# +ere an# siAe accordin to production needs%.aps on +alls or lare


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used as a "ain "eans of raphic support% The principle is the sa"eas that of loose$leaf binders, e:cept that the rin binders are"ounted horiAontall# on a board or easel% The rin perforationsare "ade throuh the botto" ede of each drop$out card, and at thetop of each drop$in card% rop$in cards see" to fall


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Storin or cataloin visuals

It is i"portant to be able to prepare raphic "aterial but euall#i"portant, #ou "ust be able to find it pro"ptl# and keep it inusable condition% /ou need to provide adeuate storae and carefor the", and #ou should kno+ +here the# are at all ti"es% !sstated earlier, standard$siAe studio cards and the slihtl# s"allerE : 18$inch transparencies fit +ell in leal$siAed filefoldersCcabinets% Larer ite"s +ill reuire special shelves and

bins to allo+ the" to stand upriht% If the dividers of the binsare onl# about 6$inches suare, the chance that the cards +ill etthat


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Graphic supports

There are several t#pes of raphic supports% The# are ?iure 1$18@-

1% The caption stand ?tiltable shelf, adustable heiht@ suitablefor title cards%

2% The card pulls ?tabs@ are attached to edes of cards to "ake

re"oval easier%

5% The title card bo: is used +hen #ou +ant to reveal the ne:ttitle b# pullin a card out of the bo:%

% The strapeasel is used for larer raphics% =eihted +ebbinstraps adust to all siAes%

9% lat displa#s use various raphics of different siAes%

-)3ur 141"

Gr*)c suor,s

T #pes of raphs

! raphical presentation enables infor"ation to be assi"ilated andco"pared rapidl#% Several for"ats are available, havin reatervisual interest then a routine line$raph ?iure 1$11@-

1% .ultisurface or strata raph

2% 'olu"n raph

5% 'o"bined colu"n raph

% Bar raph

9% Sector, pie or circle chart

6% ;olu"e chart, heiht chart, area chart

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7% 0ictora" pictorial chart

E% 0ictorial s#"bols

F% lo+ chart

-)3ur 1411Gr* c*r,s

!ni"ated raphic$flips- ?iure 1$12@

1% Title cards in rin binders, flip into shot ?drop$in@ orbotto" hined flip$out ?drop$out@% .arin finer$rip tabsaid operation%

2% lip$over$$double$faced title$card horiAontall# pivoted%

5% lip$round%

% Rotatin flip%

-)3ur 1412

-()4c*r.s

DI"#$" 1%


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0ull$outs ?reveals@- ?iure 1$15@

1% Top card is slid aside to reveal the ne:t%

2% Black slide$out section in black card, reveals titlinunderneath%

5% !s each black card is pulled, titlin on the clear sheetbeneath is revealed%

% Slide provides push$over +ipe effect%

9% Shutter slide aside to reveal ne+ infor"ation belo+%

6% Breaka+a#, +here the top raphic splits ?slides apart orhines@ to reveal another%

-)3ur 141#R


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% Rotatin strips

-)3ur 1416Ro,*,)+3 3r*)cs

!ni"ated detail- ?iure 1$19@

1% Rotatin and slidin sections

2% 3ined or pivoted sections

5% 0ull$out reveals

% Rear illu"ination

-)3ur 1418 A+)&*,. 3r*)cs

DI"#$" 2"


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PRACTICE E=ERCISE

LESSON >1

TELEVISION GRAPHICSfor


SUBCOURSE No! DI"#$"

INSTRUCTIONS?

Revie+ the "aterial in this lesson% !ns+er all the uestions belo+b# circlin the


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ANS@ER KE9

PRACTICE E=ERCISE

LESSON >1

SUBCOURSE No! DI"#$"

0ae 0ara%K

1% !LS) 1 2

2% TR&) 2

5% TR&) E

% !LS) E 1

9% !LS) 18 9

6% TR&) 11

7% TR&) 15 2

E% !LS) 19 1

F% !LS) 16

18% !LS) 16

DI"#$" 22

Documents

AIPD Subcourse DI0390 Edition 8: Television Graphics for Broadcast Journalists