Fundamental purposes of the shot

List the  fundamental purposes of a shot.

The shot is the basic unit of video and cinema production. The shot has a narrative purpose. Shots are the building blocks that the director uses to build the story.

The purposes of the shot are

1- Highlight or emphasise the principal subject

2-Present a purposeful variation in its size

3-Add more information

4- Establish the relationship between elements in a fame

5- Favour the appearance of the performer.

4 challenges for EFP

Mention four problems one may face while doing EFP

Electronic Field Production uses both ENG and studio production techniques. All EFPs take place on location.

Some of the problems that producers may face while doing EFP are

1- Space: Since all EFPs take place on location, in indoors events one may have to deal with the problem of less space, and for outdoor events, one may have the problem of too much space to cover. Lighting and sound may be problematic.

2- Weather: The producer must have a back-up plan in case the weather changes. Sudden rain or unexpected clouds may cause problems during outdoor shoots.

3- External noises, and unwanted sound: Interviewing people during mega events and ensuring that the interviews do not have leaking sound or other unwanted noises is also a big challenge for EFP productions.

4- Permissions for sites, vehicles, and other equipment related issues sometimes pose major problems, especially in the case of national events, which usually give the best locations to the national broadcaster.

4 Options for TV Reporter for news coverage

What are the four options a TV reporter has in covering an event?

A TV reporter has four options while covering an event.

First, she could record the event and send the video tape / data card to the news station, where it would be edited along with a voice-over, sound bites and transmitted.

Second, she could directly transmit the event as it unfolds, by use of  the SNG (satellite news gathering) technique. Here she has no control over the broadcast and merely reports the event as it takes place.

Third, she could transmit her news via mobile phone. She dials the studio number and is connected to the news presenter for updates. She may also use a ‘video-phone’ do deliver her ‘stand-up’ updates.

Fourth, the reporter could use the microwave transmission method. Battery run microwave cameras are fitted to the camera. This method can only be used a short distance away from the news station, and is not practical in areas with very high buildings.

Consumer vs Professional video cameras

Give any four differences between consumer camcorder and professional camera.

There are broadly three kinds of video cameras from a market point of view: consumer cameras, prosumer cameras and professional cameras.

Consumer cameras or low-end are available off-the shelf in electronic stores and are priced around Rs 15,000 to 50,000 rupees. Professional cameras are high-end cameras that cost form about Rs 1 lakh upwards.

1. Size and weight:  low-end cameras are small in size and weight. Some can be carried in pouches and are hand held. High end cameras are normally big and come with a number of accessories. They are normally shoulder-mounted, or need tripods, dollies etc for mounting.

2- Settings: low-end cameras have mainly auto-settings, focus, exposure, shutter speed and audio all come with auto-settings. they are point-and -shoot cameras. In high end cameras, most parameters like focus, exposure, shutter-speed, audio etc can be set manually to suit one’s requirement.

3- Lenses: Consumer cameras come with zoom lenses, with limited range. They have digital zooms, and low depth of field. You cannot change the lenses. Professional cameras come with zoom lenses, with high zoom range and greater depth of field. One can change the lenses on a high-end camera according to the need.

4- Audio: low end cameras do not come with external microphone inputs. they have built-in microphones. They do not have separate faders to control microphone levels. High end cameras come with built-in mics as well as external microphone input connection facility. they have faders to adjust the microphone volume levels.

Give four examples of a semi-scripted programme for TV

Examples of semi-scripted programmes for television are:

A news programme: Here, the programme consists of a scripted part, such as news read by the anchor from the teleprompter, and an unscripted part, when the anchor asks invited panellists for their views, or asks ‘live’ questions to the reporter on the field. Example: Any news show on Hindi or English news channel (name them)

A chat show : Here, stock opening shots and camera movements are scripted. The host may read out the introduction and backgrounds of the guests from a teleprompter, but after that the show is unscripted. The guests interact with the host without a script. The ending of the show may be again according to the script. Example “Coffee with Karan’

Reality shows: Reality shows on TV are not unscripted but ‘manufactured reality’. A good portion of the hosts interaction and the judges’ interaction are scripted. Some portions are spontaneous, but the shows must fulfil the objectives of the production. Example: Big Brother, Big Boss

Quiz shows and contests: The presenters follow a script, and so does the camera and production crew. It is the contestants and their performance that is not scripted and is largely spontaneous. Example: American Idol, Who wants to be a Millionaire?

What is chronological writing?

Report writing can be classified into two main bodies: chronological and logical.

 ‘Chronos’ is the Greek word for ‘time’. Therefore a chronological report follows the clock.

The events taking place are written down in the same order that they have occurred.

Chronological writing may be seen in the minutes of meetings, proceedings of the State Assembly or Parliament, scientific reports, cook books and so on.

What is logical writing?

Report writing can be classified into two main bodies: logical and chronological.

Logical reporting or writing is usually followed by news agencies and news papers. Here, the writer sorts out those parts of information, which according to his logic, are the most relevant or important aspects.

These relevant details are given prominence and placed in a manner that the reader gets to see them first. Logical writing starts with a 'lead sentence' or 'focus sentence'. Other less important details are placed afterwards.

What is the advantage of inverted triangle style of reporting?

The ‘inverted triangle’ is a format used when reporting hard news for a newspaper.

The advantage of this style is that the most important portions of the report appear in the lead sentence and in the lead paragraph. The following paragraphs contain details of lesser importance.

A reader in a hurry can get the gist of the report by scanning the lead paragraph.

Since newspapers are often pressed for space, the story in ‘inverted pyramid’ style can be trimmed from the bottom without losing its essence.

What do you understand by ‘lead sentence’ in a newspaper report?

The ‘lead sentence’ is the first sentence in a hard news story, which is written in the ‘inverted pyramid style. The ‘lead sentence’ contains the main points of the story. It is usually a long sentence which answers the questions: Who did what, where, when, and why? And sometimes it also answers the question ‘how?’

Example: Superstar Amitabh Bachhan donated Rs 25 lakh to Children’s Cancer hospital in Patna at a ceremony held on Monday in order to motivate other movie stars to take up the cause of helping poor kids fight cancer.

Give four examples of scripted programmes for the electronic media.

Examples of fully scripted programmes for electronic media are

Radio talk: The entire talk must be written down before it is broadcast. All India Radio often broadcasts talks. BBC 2 (radio) broadcasts a two minute inspirational talk every day.

Radio drama: the entire script is followed including music , sound effects, and dialogue. Example ‘Hawa Mahal’ on All India Radio

News bulletins on Radio and TV: the entire news bulletin is prepared from various news sources, edited and then read out on radio or presented on TV. ALL India Radio, BBC, and Radio Sri Lanka broadcast news bulletins daily.

Advertisements or commercials on Radio and TV: Advertisements have to strictly follow the prepared script, even the jingles are composed and lyrics are written.

TV drama serials: TV drama  series can be of many kinds : situation comedies, crime drama, and science fiction series are some examples. (Stories by Rabindranath Tagore and Dariba Diaries on Epic channel)

Name four weaknesses of the Radio medium that the script writer has to address

Radio is a non-visual medium. It has no images and pictures, so the script writer will have to use colourful words and descriptive words to engage the listeners.

Action on Radio cannot be seen, so the script writer has to put in several sound effects, or snatches of music while writing an action scene or a radio drama.

Radio messages are easily forgotten. So the scriptwriter has to coin catchy slogans to make the messages stick in the minds of the listeners. the scriptwriter also has to repeat the message within the programme.

Listeners have low attention spans for radio programmes, so in order to keep the listeners interested, the scriptwriter has to ensure that the scripts are lively and interesting from beginning to end.

Give four examples of chronological writing

Chronological writing occurs in many forms. Some examples are:

Journal or Diary: People and organisations maintain diaries or records about what they do or what events occur on a daily basis. This sort of writing is chronological.

Minutes of a meeting or proceedings of a formal event: Whenever an organisation has a formal meeting, the secretary or other designated officer writes down whatever issues are discussed on the agenda in the same order that they are discussed by members. This is chronological reporting.

Recipes and instructions: people who love to cook write down the process of cooking and the ingredients they use for further reference. Cookbooks are examples of chronological writing.

History: historians record events according to how they occurred in time. History is always written according to a time line.

List four features of a message

The four features or qualities of a message are:

Clarity: the message must be clear and unambiguous for both script writer and audience.

Simplicity: Apart from the message being clear, it must be easily understood by the audience. So simple language should be used.

Arguments: For a message to be effective, it has to be built on arguments. In other words it has to be built on building blocks of logic.

Unified/ Unity: The message must be unified. The arguments must have unity and cohesion, so that the audience is not confused.

What are the ‘4Cs’in the writing process?

The writing process to be followed for different media products is similar. It can be called the four stages of the writing process.

The stages begin with idea generation also called conception; the next stage is gathering information that can be called collection , this is followed by planning an outline and then filling it out, known as construction; and finally, editing and polishing the written work or correction.

Part 2- Moving Pictures

WHY MOVING PICTURES?

 Man has always been an artist. Among the earliest records of man we find drawings on the walls of caves.

As man became more sophisticated, and as the struggle for life became less all-engross­ing, man began to carve in wood and to paint on the walls of build­ings. Then, when he gained control over the elements and had more leisure, man began to express his ideas and celebrate life in the design of his buildings and their furnishings, to sing of life in ballads and sagas, to carve his visions of life and of man in mar­ble and to paint them on canvas.

Art became part of man's wor­ship; he built temples, carved and painted images and composed prayers and hymns to the worship of God. And to the religious man the celebration of man was also worship of God, for he be­lieved man to be made in the image of God.

 

Today man has special problems and special opportunities in life and in art which arise from the structure and character of our society. Ancient man lived close to nature, and we see that close­ness to nature reflected in his art. The drawings on the caves are of living creatures, and the females are always pregnant. Man had great reverence for life, and celebrated life and the life force in his art. Also, man had more direct and personal control over the things he made. He could express his own personality and his own feelings, ideas and visions not only in poetry and painting but even in the clothes he made and the tools he fashioned.

Now life is more mechanized; man does not live so close to nature, and things are made by many specialists rather than by one artist or artisan. It is very difficult for one man to stamp his personality on things, and to express his own vision in them.

Man himself is in danger of being mechanized through living in such a mechanized society. He must fight for his humanity and for his unique per­sonality. The arts should help man to maintain his uniqueness of personality. The arts should help man to maintain his uniqueness of personality by showing him a true vision of man and of life.

 There is a danger  that mechanization and loss of the personal con­trol of work may lead to the mechanization of the arts themselves, and then they would not serve man's real need. The arts could be used to manipulate man rather than to enrich him. But this need not happen if the people keep control of the people's arts.

While mechanization and group production do present a pro­blem for the creative artists, they have made possible, on the other hand, a new art form in which a team of creative artists can pro­duce, a work of art.

The Moving Picture is not only an art form in itself, in as much as it can recreate a human experience, project a true image of man and give him insight into life; but, it actually combines all the arts to form one artistic vision. In the moving picture the poet (script writer), the architect (set designer), the painter and sculptor (cameraman), the dancer (actor), the musi­cian (composer and director of the background music) work to­gether to make one artistic statement. This new art has required the development of another artist, an artist peculiar to the modern world, the moving picture director.

 The director must see that all these artists work in harmony to interpret the vision created by the writer; and it is he who finally stamps his personality onto the work of art.

In addition to the traditional artists who collaborate on a making picture, many artisans, some of whom have developed their skills to the state of artistry, help to make a moving picture: Make­up artists, film cutters and sound engineers, script supervisors, car­penters and painters, property men, costume designers, colour con­sultants, film printers and developers, and a host of other techni­cians. There may be as many as ninety technicians on a movie set, filming a scene with two actors. All these technicians must work toward one end, to project one unified artistic vision.

Another art peculiar to this medium is that of the film editor. Since scenes in a moving picture are shot out of logical story sequence for economic reasons, and the same scene may be shot many times and from many angles, the film editor must construct the final work from many pieces. He will choose the angle which is most effective for a particular scene, trim scenes so that they do not drag and slow the pace of the picture.

In television, which is very similar to moving pictures, each show must be timed to the exact minute and second; the editor must time the film without taking the clarity and Unity out of the story. The film editor is actually an extension of the art of the writer and the director;  and many of the outstand­ing directors have perfected their art through experience as film editors before achieving the position of director.

Someone must organize this team of specialists into a team. That is the function of the producer. In some cases the producer works independently. He will then choose a script in which he be­lieves, engage a director and actors and technicians, allow them to use their creative gifts to make the picture, and then sell the final product to exhibitors, or release it through one of the major studios.

In other cases a major studio will produce the picture, the story of which is chosen by the studio executives and then assigned for production to a producer on the staff. Some directors attain so much prestige that they actually function as producer-directors of their films, e.g. John Huston, Fred Zinneman, George Stevens. Some  directors write, produce and direct their own pictures, e.g., Fellini, Bergman and Kurosawa. These pictures generally have a unity and integrity far above the usual product.

Kurosawa

 

Even the so-called low budget moving picture costs a consider­able amount of money to produce; so there must be a business man involved in the production. The producer is the business man of the team. He must obtain the production money.

Few individuals have enough money to finance a major moving picture production. The money is invested by a corporation, borrowed from a bank or supplied by a major studio. This method of financing brings about problems for the producer and the artists. Since the moving pic­ture industry is a business as well as an art, the business men may try to impose their will over the artistic men for business reasons. One of the functions of the producer is to defend the artistic integrity of the creative people from Interference by the business people, This is often very difficult to do. The producer will sometimes have to compromise, and this is a real detriment to realizing the artistic ideals of the moving picture. This problem is most severe in com­mercial television, where the final decision may be made by some­one who is primarily concerned with selling a product through the medium, rather than perfecting an artistic achievement in the me­dium.

Because so many people can influence the final product, it is essential that each specialist be free to function in his own field and that no one invade another's field. While each is dependent on the other team members, still other people can sabotage their efforts. An actor or the director can misinterpret the writer's dialog or characterization; the camera may miss the gesture of the actor; the editor may cut out his best scene or play it off another actor. If the cameraman wants to Invade the writer's area or the actor wants to take over in the director's realm, or even if the script supervisor fails to correct a wrong line of dialogue or fails to record a scene, the picture could fail. Each person involved must give himself to the idea of the picture as a whole and to the director's interpreta­tion. The producer must keep the team working in unison.

In spite of the pitfalls of production, the teams often work in perfect harmony. When they do, films which enrich us are the happy result. We will take up the contributions of various artists and technicians in more detail. We must emphasize here, how­ever, the key element in realizing the potential for good of the moving picture:

Part 1- What's Art?

To really appreciate films, we must first try to understand what is ART 

WHY ART?




Art is not a luxury but a necessity for man, a necessity arising from his very nature.

 Man is not a machine which can be turned on and off; he is a being with immanent life, functioning 24 hours a day.

But man is a limited being, so he must have rest and re­creation and relaxation in order to restore his energies. And above all man is an intelligent being; he is the only creature of earth able to reflect on himself and the world around him. He must feed his mind with ideas and his imagination with vision as well as feed  his body with food and restore it with rest. Art fills that need in man for ideas and visions.



Man is not manufactured, not put together by forces outside himself; rather, he develops according to his nature, by his own acts, through his own experiences and sharing the experiences of other men, and according to the ideals and visions of life and of man which he shares with other men. The more truly human ex­periences a man has, the higher his ideal of man, the clearer his vision of man, the more of a man he will become.

Since man is a limited being, his actual experiences of life will be limited. However, through works of art he can have vicarious human experiences; and if a novel, a poem, a painting, a song or a drama is a truly human experience, honestly recreated, it will help a man grow as a man. It will help him understand himself and the world around him.


Fictional art is sometimes called "an escape from reality” This is not wholly true. In a sense art is an "escape into reality."

If we would truly understand life we must see it whole; that is, it must have a beginning, a middle and an end. But in our own lives we do not see life whole; we see only the middle.

 We come into life after it begins and we have to leave before it is over. For in­stance: John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill lived lives which will affect the lives of millions of other men. However, neither Mr. Kennedy nor Mr. Churchill could fully understand their own lives and their effect on the world. They were too much involved, too close to the events which they shaped and which shaped them.

Some day an artist will come along who will write a book or make a moving picture of the lives of Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Churchill, with a beginning, a middle and an end. Then those who read it or see it will understand that life and understand more about all of life.

That is why Aristotle says that a work of art must have a begin­ning, a middle and an end; only then can it help us to see life whole and to understand life.

 

Writing a news story

Writing a News Story

News writing is an art. It is usually a reporter who writes the news story. Even though the newspaper is full of news stories, which are fair, impartial and objective, each story needs a different approach. Every newspaper follows its own style while presenting the news and to make every story work effective writing skill need to be cultivated. To make his news story readable a journalist will plan his work thus:

1.  The structure building starts with the selection of lead. Since the reporter knows which is the interesting element that needs to be emphasized and what the reader would like to read, while writing the reporter checks if the story has all interesting and important facts of the event.

2.  Rough plan is made initially by jotting down the key words which will help in providing a structure to the story. However a majority of the times the construction happens with the help of background knowledge and personal experience of the reporter.

3.  The reporter will identify the most interesting element about event covered and considers about it from readers' point of view

4.  The story construction at any point of time should not confuse the reader.

5.  The story is put together/constructed according to the number of main elements/theme, the writer decides to use.

Contents of the News Story

The construction of a news story is different and almost opposite writing a fiction.

Writing a news story is immediate and often delivers perishable content that may change moments later.  It competes with many other I written/gathered by other fellow journalists.  The main purpose of the story is to grab a reader's or listener's attention and force the reader to continue reading/ listening , in its first few words. A journalist will In keep the elements  like objectivity,  fair play,   balance,  clarity,  accuracy, impartiality and briskness while writing.  In a news story, the first paragraph of the story is a do or die paragraph. Though a journalist structures his story in various patterns suitable to the 'style’ and content, it is  necessary that that a news story is developed keeping the fol elements in mind:

A news story, which has a defined structure, may have single two or multiple elements. And its basic structure consists of,

1.  The Beginning also called Lead or the Intro.                                                 "*•

2.  A middle also called Body or Development; a, id

3.  An end, also known as conclusion.

The Lead

The lead, or opening paragraph, is the most important part of a news story.

The lead, which answers most important aspects of 5 'W's and 1 H, is written in many ways. Lead writing may appear to be simple, the reporters may take it in routine sense. But writing a lead needs a lot thought process and practice. As William Zinsser says: "The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn't induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead".

The lead highlights one or more elements of the story. A standard length of a lead is 15 words for single element lead and if combining two important elements is essential then the sentence requires more than 35 to 40 words. In such a situation it is better to highlight the elements in two different sentences.

Writing the lead and angle involves making some difficult decisions. A news writer must sort through the facts that were gathered from the reporting and decide what the theme is. There may be several different themes, but the writer must decide what the central theme of the story will be in the lead.

In a single paragraph, a lead must summarize the basic facts of a story and convey to a reader what you found out in your reporting. But it must be more than just an opening to your story. The lead must also catch a reader's or listener's attention and make them want to read the rest of your story. And that makes the lead the hardest part of a news story to write.

Whatever may be the kind of lead, unfortunately there is no magic formula to tell you how to write a perfect lead. If we may draw a formula to write a good lead one may say it's a combination of carefully thought, sometimes prolonged words, which are written under the pressure of deadline. Remember you assume yourself to be in good company because a good journalist will admit it never gets any easier to write a great lead.

4 STEPS TO RECORD MUSIC

How to record music

Step 1: The Recording Process

 In the earliest days of the music recording…

The process was much simpler than it is today. Entire performances were recorded in single takes, sometimes with just 1 or 2 mics.

 Today though, we use a more sophisticated process known as multitrack recording…

 Where each instrument is recorded separately and combined later in a “mix”.

 This offers two BIG advantages:

1-It allows engineers to mould and shape the sound of each instrument independently of the others.

2-It allows each instrument in a song to be recorded one at a time. 

With this new method, it meant that one man could now do alone, what used to require an entire team of engineers and musicians.

 While the actual steps in the process vary from engineer to engineer…

Here’s a general guideline of how it works:

1. Create a Track to Follow

The first step is creating some kind of guide for the other instruments to follow along with.

 Most people use a simple click/metronome to set a tempo.  But since not all musicians can follow clicks, you could also use a pre-recorded drum loop instead.

 And since not all songs have steady tempos, a third method is to create a scratch track…

 Where an instrument or group of instruments are recorded as the guide, then “over-dubbed” one at a time, until the original can be deleted or “scratched“.

2. Record the Rhythm Section

As any musician knows, the rhythm section is the foundation of any song.  When bands play together, everyone follows the drums/bass.

 It makes sense then, that these be the first instruments you normally record.

 In songs that lack drums/bass, another rhythmic instrument (such as acoustic guitar), can be used instead.

3. Record the Harmonies

 Once you’ve built a good foundation, next it’s time to add to it by creating a chord structure.

Depending on the song, that could mean adding rhythm guitar, piano, synths, horns, etc.

With a basic chord progressions now in place, next it’s time to…

4. Record the Melodies

 Since most songs use a combination of instruments to form the melody…

 It makes sense that whichever ones are most dominant (usually lead vocals/lead guitar) be the ones you record first.

 Then afterwards, you can fill in the gaps with all the supporting melodies.

After that, all that’s left is…

5. Add Colour

 To put the finishing touches on your song, you add all those little nuances that add colour and flare to the main tracks.

 Common examples might include:

 background vocals

percussion fills

piano fills

sampled sound effects

 Once you’re happy with everything, you’re ready for the next phase…

Step 2: The Editing Process

audio editing explained

 Now that you’ve finished recording your tracks, it’s time to clean them up. Because no matter how careful you were in the last step…

There will always be SOME mistakes that can and should be fixed…

With the amazing editing tools now available in the DAW’s  (Digital Audio Workstation) of today. 

Typically, editing is made up of 5 common tasks:

Arrangement

Comping

Noise Reduction

Time Editing

Pitch Editing

With arrangement, you take an overall look at everything you’ve done so far, to evaluate what works, and what doesn’t.

For example, you could:

delete entire tracks that don’t add value

cut out sections of  tracks that clutter the mix

move a section to a new part of the song

delete entire sections of the song altogether

 With comping, you compare the duplicate takes of each track, and select the best one.  If you like, you can even select best phrases from each take and combine them all into one “frankenstein-take”.

 With noise reduction, you cut all sounds before, after, and in-between each section of audio where the instrument is playing.

 This means removing:

background voices

amp hissing

footsteps

chair squeaks

breaths

or just dead air

 To reduce noise further, you can add a high-pass filter beneath the lower frequency range of non-bass instruments, to remove rumbling sounds.

 With time editing, you can fix off-beat notes, using one of two methods:

There’s the “cut and paste” method, which works well on percussive instruments.

There’s the “time-stretching“method, which works well on almost all instruments.

With pitch editing, you can shift any sour note back on-pitch, using Auto-Tune or any similar software.

 Normally it’s used on vocals, but it also works well on most melodic instruments. 

So that about covers the Editing Process. Now on to the next phase…

Step 3: The Mixing Process

 audio mixing explained

Once the tracks are arranged exactly as you like… 

The next goal is to make them blend as one cohesive unit…though the process of “mixing“.

While mixing is an art form in itself, and can be done in many ways… 

There are certain fundamental tasks that everyone does…

Common examples include: 

Balancing Faders – which is done so that no instrument sounds too loud or soft in relation to the others.

Panning – which gives each instrument it’s own space in the stereo-image, much like each musician has his own space on-stage.

Equalization – which crafts a unique space in the frequency spectrum for each instrument, so that no two sounds compete for the same band of frequencies.

Compression – which levels out the dynamic range of an instrument so each note is heard clearly, and the mix sounds louder as a whole.

Reverb – which creates 3-dimensional space for the mix, adding a sense of depth, and unifying the instruments under one room-sound.

Automation – which allows you to change settings at different points in the song, to give your mix a sense of movement.

 Once you’ve used these tools to craft your mix, and it sounds great…

It’s finally time for the last step…

 Step 4: The Mastering Process

audio mastering explained

 Before your song is ready to be mastered…

 All tracks must be re-recorded down to a single stereo file… Or “bounced“, as it’s commonly known.

 Once that’s done, various mastering techniques are used to put the finishing touches on your song…

 So it sounds even better.

Common techniques include: 

Maximizing Loudness – through further compression and limiting, so the average signal level over time is as high as possible, without sacrificing too much dynamics.

Balancing Frequencies – through further EQ, and a process known as multi-band compression, which can compress individual frequency bands separately from the rest of the spectrum.

Stereo Widening – with a special plug-in designed to add an additional sense of “width” to the higher frequencies in your mix.

Once everything sounds perfect, the track is converted to its appropriate sample rate/bit depth.  For example, CD audio is 44.1 kHz/16 Bits.

DIY or Outsource?

 To put it simply, mastering is hard.  And if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can easily make things worse, rather than better.

That’s why it’s standard practice for mix engineers outsource the work to a “mastering engineer“, rather than doing it themselves.

However…Good mastering engineers cost good money, which not everyone has, or cares to spend.

 So the question is…

Is mastering always necessary? Decades ago, when all studio recordings were intended for sale, everything was mastered.

Today however…now that many amateur recordings are done “just-because“…

Home studios will often do their own mastering, or skip it entirely.  And that’s fine.

If all you do is share your music with family and friends, then who cares?

However…

If you want to record music professionally, or…

If you simply want your work to sound as good as it can… then go for Mastering!

How does media influence one’s self-image?

What’s the ‘perfect’ look? That is the million dollar question.  Everybody wants to look presentable and beautiful, especially when they interact with other people.  In the old days a gentleman or a lady would trust their tailor to give them a suitable ‘look’, as they were the people who made garments. Today, we have something called the fashion ‘industry’. Fashion magazines and even newspaper articles tell us what the ‘well-dressed’ man is wearing.

Media influences one’s personal identity or ‘self-image’in the following ways:

[1] Reinforcement of personal values:  We look to the media for affirmation of our personal values. For example, we like certain films or serials because we agree with the ideology.  People who have a liberal outlook will watch and discuss TV programmes, books or newspaper articles that reflect their value system. A TV serial such as ‘Modern family’ is appreciated by all who believe in equal rights for all, especially LGBT rights. ‘Masterchef Australia’ may be popular with guys who like to cook, because it ‘proves’ that it’s okay for men to become chefs if they want to.

[2] Finding models of Behaviour:  The characters in TV series, films, books and celebrities whose lives and actions are reported in the newspapers and magazines, provide models of behaviour, which often influence the way we interact with each other and the world. It is often noticed that children and young persons may copy the way a particular character acts in a movie or television serial. Others may be inspired by a ‘role model’. Before Abdul Kalam became the President of India, few people knew about him. But when the press and the media made President Abdul Kalam a celebrity by reporting on his achievements as a scientist and a human being, there were several school children across India who declared that they wanted to be like Dr Abdul Kalam.

[3] Getting insight into ones’ self :  There are several publications, magazines, talk shows, and TV programmes that discuss practical problems, psychological problems, family problems and many individuals seek them out to understand themselves in a better way. Even films and Television dramas can help a person introspect, and change his attitude and behaviour.

In conclusion:
Media constantly presents to us a barrage of images that are designed to influence our choices in the form of advertisements. One can view Lady Gaga’s bizarre costumes as an ongoing protest against the ‘fashion industry’. We should be aware and not become a victim of some hard selling advertisements that make us feel ‘small’, ‘left-out’ or inadequate just because we don’t own a particular brand of shoes, clothes, or television.

What influences news construction?

News, as I have said, is  a construction, not a reflection of events.
 
So what influences this construction?

There are many factors : commercialism, story formulas, resource constraints, organisational forces, advertisers, use of sources, deviance, and geographical focus are some important ones.

Commercialism

One of the strongest influences on the construction of  news is its commercial nature. In the 21st century, news organisations are businesses that compete with each other for audiences and advertisers. A successful media house is one that reaches the greatest audience and that bags the greatest revenue from advertisers.

Earlier, journalists regarded themselves as having a professional responsibility to inform the public about the most important and significant events of the day, so that people could use the information to make better decisions as citizens of their society.



THIS 'SENSATIONAL' PHOTOGRAPH OF GANDHIJI DANCING
IS STILL UNEARTHED FROM TIME TO TIME.THE FACT THAT 2015
IS A JUBILEE YEAR FOR THE MAHATMA MEANS THAT HE'S A HOT NEWS
ITEM ALL OVER AGAIN!

Today we have 'media workers' or 'news workers' replacing journalists who operate under a marketing perspective. they try to produce stories that grab the attention of large audiences by shocking them or highlighting the unusual. They are careful not to alienate potential audience members or advertisers as well. The influence of commercialism has moved the news away from the 'professional responsibility perspective' and has placed it squarely in the 'marketing perspective'.

Have you watched a show like Arnab Goswami's 'News Hour' carefully and critically? All that shouting and heckling that the anchor does, in the name of 'presentation' is just to create an atmosphere of a brawl, that grabs the attention of a channel surfer and keeps them watching. It is rather like the way a crowd gathers on a street corner to watch two women fight over a public water tap!  Postman and Powers (1992) illustrate the growing commitment of news channels to 'entertainment' when they point out that what TV news says it is presenting and what it actually presents are two different things!

Some news programmes are like advertisements for the media house. Haven't we all been treated to news about the 'social work' and 'tie ups' that have taken place between the news houses and the corporate sector. NDTV and its tie up with Coca Cola for its school campaign is one such example. There are several such instances to be seen if you observe different news channels carefully.

[to be continued]

Social Media is important because ...

Social media is a great barometer of mood and reflects very quickly whatever people see any political, social or economic development. Social media is influencing mainstream media discourse. Look at the way TV news channels have begun incorporating Facebook posts and twitter feeds as a part of their 'prime time' news debates and panel discussions.

Social media is no longer for the new kid on the block. Don't think that social media is the tool for the young only. More and more people of the 'older generation' have become the new users of social media.

The social media is changing  the way we study the media because

- it connects people and generates massive traffic
-it leads to speedy and direct communication
- it allows communication to become creative, provocative, emotive, and interactive
-strategists can use social media to target specific demographic audiences, address the interests of smaller groups, and produce the intended communication.
- It has a captive audience
-it is influential and allows for influencing an audience by appealing to them, their friends, acquaintances, and family
it empowers people, turns them into information seekers, opinion makers, and gives them a sense of participation.
 

Street Theatre

A note on Street Theatre

Street theatre as a form of communication is well-rooted in the Indian tradition as noted in the presence of the ‘sutradhar’ in Indian puppetry and the existence of the narrator in Indian folk theatre.



The highlight of the street theatre form is that it breaks the formal barriers and approaches the people directly. This form has been used to propagate social and political messages and to create awareness amongst the people regarding social issues. There have been plays taking up issues of black marketing and corruption.



Street theatre has also been used as a political weapon during elections or to get across an ideology or use of political powers for pressurising people. It has also been successfully utilised as a vehicle for inducing a scientific outlook in some people by bringing to them news from the world of science.



Some trace the history of street theatre to the 19th century when labourers and party workers wrote and did plays during the Industrial Revolution in Europe. Women produced plays like "How the vote was won" during the suffragette movement in London in the 1900s. The Soviet Revolution spawned its own kind of street theatre to reach the unwashed masses. During World War II, street theatre played a role in fanning anti-war sentiments.


The history of 'modern' street theatre in India can be traced to Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), formed in 1943, the first organized body to adapt the form to a more political end, raising issues of imperialism and inequality. IPTA is regarded as the pioneer of the people's theatre movement in India.


Issues concerning women are an important theme in street plays. In 1980, the famous Mathura rape case instigated a lot of shows on the need to make the rape laws more stringent. ‘Om Swaha’ dealt with demands for dowry resulting in harassment and sometimes death. There have been several productions which give a short summary of the life of a woman in India and examine a woman’s needs and abilities.


Others highlight caste conflicts or ideas about hygiene and health. Street theatre is also used as a means to encourage literacy amongst villagers. There have been notable plays on environment projecting a beautiful relationship of trust and friendship between humans and their natural environment.


Habib Tanvir and Utpal Dutt used street theatre as a political catalyst in the 1940s and the 1950s. Street theatre was revived in the 1970s and the movement spread all over the country. There are about 50 groups in the country, mainly in cities and the immediate suburbs that are active in the genre of street theatre.


Indian street theatre developed as an art form to illustrate the feelings of common people; hence germinated a whole new theatre form. Common people, day-to-day life problems and the colours of daily life gained a dimension in Indian street theatre whilst making this particular genre of Indian natya stand apart. It was during and after the independence of India that Indian street theatre drastically developed as an artistic expression in illustrating the colour of daily life. Gradually

 Indian street theatre became a method of communicating the message to the people illustrating the realities of daily life. Breaking all the boundaries of orchestra, galleries, audience, music, songs and stage to reach the common people, street theatre is just not a form of entertainment but has evolved as a meaningful art form for creating social awareness.

 The street theatre is a much direct, brief and concise theatrical expression. The objective is to convey a particular idea or to portray a significant meaning—a direct, intimate and effective means of dramaturgy.

 One of the earliest streets plays in Calcutta (now, Kolkata) was Chargesheet (1949). Early street theatre seems to have mimicked the stage, with the action often taking place in front of a wall or some other backdrop, and actors entering from and exiting into makeshift wings. But plays like Utpal Dutt’s Din Badaler Pala (1967) were more elaborate.

 During the turbulent 1970s, hundreds of such performances were brought out by radical outfits. With the Emergency declared by the central government, repression unleashed against Communists and the revolutionary Naxalbari uprising in Bengal, street theatre entered a new phase. Performers were attacked, often by the police.

 Some names are prominent in the field of ‘street plays’ as a genre. Badal Sircar abadoned mainstream drama and took to open-air performance, communicating with the dissatisfied and uprooted urban working class. Many street theatre groups benefited from the workshops he held all over the country.

 In Bengal, a vibrant tradition is there with regular shows performed by veterans like Probir Guha. Safdar Hashmi’s Jana Natya Manch (or Janam), formed in 1973, led the movement of Indian street theatre. Till 2002, it had notched up about 7000 performances of fifty-eight street plays, many of them later translated or adapted across South Asia. Its first play was Machine (1978), and then came Aurat (1979), Hallabol (1988), and Scream (1996) on sexual abuse of children. The popular political theatre featured direct confrontation and energy as well as artistry.

 Theatre Union (1983-9), in Delhi did some excellent street productions, such as Toba Tek Singh, based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s short story. Nishant, a group in Delhi, and Gursharan Das in Punjab have been dedicated to street plays. In Gujarat, the groups Samvedan, Garage, Lok Kala Manch (all in Ahmedabad), and Parivartan (in Vadodara) perform street plays.

 It has some of the best exponents, starting with Samudaya which was formed in 1975. It has its units in Karnataka. Among Kannada dramatists, Chandrashekhar Patil used the form to satirise social evils and human follies.

 The revitalised Praja Natya Mandali in Andhra Pradesh, Nija Nataka Iyakkam (formed in 1978 in Madurai), an energetic Tamil street theatre, and the Marxist Chennai Kalai Kuzhu (formed in 1984 in Madras, now Chennai) were among the groups that became prominent. Kerala also has considerable street theatre.

 In 1984, the shocking death of thousands after a poison gas leak from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal sparked off protest theatre at street corners in many towns, some groups mobilising support and donations for survivors.

 A point was reached in street theatre after the murder of Safdar Hashmi during a show in 1989.

 The theatre movement has spread to all states over time.

 In Bihar, street theatre is very common and theatre troupes such as Hirawal, IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre Assocation), etc, are well known. School and college students also practise this art form, though in most cases they do not actually perform on the street, but within the confines of their institutions.

  Non-governmental organisations have used street theatre in the 1990s, to promote ecological consciousness, awareness about HIV and AIDS, and family planning. Today, in India, street theatre continues to be a popular form of expression.