Home Page | Schedules | Producer PageTraining Classes | Memberships | Donations | Find/Contact Us | Email: info@CTV29.org


Welcome to All Volunteer - Public Access TV!

Community Television of Lane County

Public Access Channel 29 & 1088 on Xfinity/Comcast Cable, Eugene-Springfield, Oregon

CTV29 Studio Production Training Classes

Studio Production | Field Production | Digital Video Editing | Digital Animation

Instructor:  Joe Tyndall - Phone 541-359-2593 - Email:  joe@earsi.com

Studio Production Training is usually held on weekends, four hours each on Saturday and Sunday
scheduled cooperatively by the Instructor and the Students
Contact Joe Tyndall for more information

Studio Production Class Syllabus

CTV-29 Studio Production Class Outline

 

Instructor: Joe Tyndall - 541-359-2593 - joe@earsi.com

 

Meetings: The class usually meets Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm at the CTV Studio at Sheldon High School (2455 Willakenzie Road).  From Coburg Road turn west on Willakenzie.  Turn into the first high school driveway.  Go all the way to the back.  Turn left.  Go all the way to the radio station (KRVM).  Walk north of the building.  CTV is the last door before you reach the tennis courts. 

 

Handouts: Download the video toaster and camera manuals at earsi.com/zap or bring a thumbdrive.

 

Studio Class Day One - we will set up for a talking head corner shoot

 

            1) Set the lighting grid

            2) Create your set (use the carpet for echo mitigation)

            3) Bring out cameras and monitors

            4) Set up microphones - Set the sound level

            5) Set camera exposure - Frame the cameras

            6) Put out the office dividers to reduce echo

            7) Set up the Toaster - Create your titles (etc) - Remember planning ahead is good!

            8) Record your show (use a tape backup)

            9) Put everything away (back up your files, delete unneeded files from the toaster)

            10) Convert your file to show on CTV (MPEG2 - 6 to 10 mbps, MP2 audio - 192 to 256 kbps)

            11) Deliver your show for broadcast

 

Studio Class Day Two - we will set up for a chromakey shoot

 

            1) Create your set (remember the echo problem)

            2) Light your talent and blue screen separately

            3) Set up cameras, monitors and mics (adjust them)

            4) Set up the Toaster - Create your titles (etc)

            5) Adjust chromakey and add background (live sets)

            6) Record the show (use a tape backup)

            7) Put everything away (back up files, clean your directories)

            8) Convert your file to show on CTV and deliver your show for broadcast

 

At this point, I expect to never see half of you again.  For the other half, if you want to practice with the Toaster, which is how you will really learn, there is some open studio time on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 6 pm.  If you want me there to answer questions or want to arrange another time, call me.  In addition, I will make myself available (no charge) to assist you with setting up and shooting your first show.  I have keys to the studio, so your production can occur outside normal CTV open hours. 

 

Notes about the Toaster.  There are three ways you can crash the system and lose your show.  These are all preventable.  So, if you lose your show, it is your fault.  Make a backup S-video tape!!!!!!

 

            1) You run out of disk space.  (Check before you record.)

            2) You create a situation (e.g. head thrashing) where you run out of bandwidth (the data is late).

            3) You have a corrupt title/cg file.  This is a known problem.  You may crash occasionally while

                setting up titles (annoying).  But, once you have them ready, test ALL of your titles/slides. 

 

The Toaster uses three layers plus a preview.  The Down Stream Keyer is for titles.  Anywhere with no text or picture on your title slide is transparent and shows through to the Main layer.  If you chromakey (called a Live Matte), that part of the Main layer becomes transparent and shows through to what is on the Effects layer.  You set up the chromakey for a camera channel when it is on preview.  Auto, Take and the hammer switch the preview and Main layers (with or without a transition).  It is that simple.

 

There are three primary cameras for the toaster (SDI-1, SDI-2 and SDI-3).  These cameras have an all digital path from the camera sensor to the disk file created for your show, thus giving the best available quality (4:2:2 would be better - but our camera budget was limited).  Two additional cameras can be added using the patch-bay in the control room.  These can be composite (one wire), S-video (two wire) or component (three wire) and are selected on the virtual patch-bay as Composite 4a or 5a (shows as c4a or c5a), as Svideo 4 or 5 (YC4 or YC5) or as Component 4 or 5 (Cp4 or Cp5).  The DVD player is Component 6 (Cp6) and the Panasonic 1980 S-video tape player is YC7.  The sound from the mixer is on audio channel 3.  It is stereo.  The DVD player is on audio channel 6.  The SVHS deck is channel 7. 

 

Additional video and audio (both in and out) are provided as marked on the cables in the control room.  If you need other cabling arrangements, call me.  The toaster cabinet is locked.  If you rewire the studio on your own (in an attempt to solve some �perceived� problem), you will lose your studio privileges. 

 

There is considerable material beyond the scope of this introductory class.  You have the manuals.  You can also ask for help.  The skill level of the existing group of studio users varies from good to abysmal.  You are probably best to direct your questions to me for things like setting up live call in shows, file conversions, pre-animating your titles, creating different live sets, and so on. 

 

Finally, my attitude toward helping you will be influenced heavily by how you clean up after yourself both in the studio and regarding system (file) management on the Toaster.  CTV is an all volunteer organization.  So, it only takes a few meatheads to drive those of us who take care of the place nuts. 

 

Have fun.  Produce kick-butt shows.  Call Tom (541-729-4855) to get your shows into the schedule.

 


Studio & Offices: Behind Sheldon High School, Door 15 between KRVM & the Tennis Courts
Open Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-790-6616 & 541-790-6617
E-mail us: info@CTV29.org - Mail us at: 1430 Willamette St., #321, Eugene, OR 97401

Join for $12 a year or make a tax-deductible donation!

© 2020 Community Television of Lane County. All Rights Reserved.