This lesson will discuss the importance of how to use a video camera to create interesting, creative, and meaningful shots. Basic camera shots and angles along with framing heights will be the primary focus in this one period lesson. Students will be exposed to a mixture of visual demonstrations, theory, artistic expression, note taking, and class discussion in this lesson.

This lesson will show and discuss the importance of using a video camera to shoot interesting, creative, and meaningful shots. This lesson is similar to the "shots and angles" lesson plan, but covers a new set of composition rules and focuses on hands on skills and demonstrations through small student groups. Students will also have the opportunity to demonstrate basic editing, if they have the prior knowledge in your class. If not, the final assessment will be less formal.

*** In order to do this lesson you must have enough cameras, tripods, and editing computers for the student teams to be able to use. For me with an average class size of 32, I will have 8 teams of 4, and thus will need 8 different  cameras and tripods.

Learning to shoot video, whether for a hobby or a budding business, requires some knowledge of the basic moves, shots and perspectives that define good video shooting practices.  Camera movement is often dictated by the perspective being portrayed.

Now that we've identified the basic camera shots in the previous lessons, it is time to think about connecting those shots and adding some movement and perspective to help us tell our visual stories.

In this lesson, students will learn to identify and define specific camera movements, perspectives and review shot terminology.  Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to properly perform these techniques in two video assignments.

Using a Dolly and Track will enhance your shots and create unique camera movement and perspectives.  This lesson introduces the Dolly and Track system, and demonstrates the use and set-up of a track and dolly.

This lesson teaches the students what White Balance means on cameras.  Students learn to set the camera to a white balance preset, as well as setting the white balance manually to match the lighting of the environment in which they are filming.

This lesson teaches students the concept of the 180 Degree Rule of composition.  This rule best applies when filming a two-shot, or two-person dialogue scene.  Students will write a short two-person dialogue script and then storyboard at least three different camera angles showing proper use and understanding of the 180 Rule.  Students will produce a short video showing a dialogue sequence utilizing the proper use of this important composition rule.