Designing and Using Television Graphics

Objective: To identify and design graphics used for program considerations.• Stress design considerations for television.• Identify proper scenery and Props used in

a floor design • Identify what the functions of a character

generator and graphics generator are.

Specifications of Television Graphics

• When comparing a television screen with a movie screen, you will notice two obvious differences: the standard television (STV) screen is much smaller and narrower than the movie screen.

Scanning and Essential areas

• The scanning area includes the picture you see in the camera viewfinder and on preview monitors in the control room.

• The essential area, also called the safe title area and, simply, safe area, is centered within the scanning area.

All essential information mustBe contained in this area

Essential area

Scanning area

We now return to ourRegular programming.

We now return to ourRegular programming.

On this monitor you can still see the complete title, although it comes close to the edges.

When viewed on the home receiver, the information that lies outside the essential area is lost.

Character Generator

• Some character generators automatically keep the title in the essential area. Better studio cameras and camcorders have a device that electronically generates a frame outline within the view finder, showing the safe area.

Letterbox

• When you try to fit a full width screen 16X9 onto a 4X3 screen, resulting in empty (black) space at the top and bottom of the screen.

PillarBox

• When showing a 4X3 screen onto a 16X9 screen, there are empty dead zones, or side bars on both sides of the screen.

Information Density and Readability