AUXILIAR CURRICULAR ENGLISH FOR MEDIA AND FILM PRODUCTION Technical Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Coursebook for VET Students (A2–B1 Level) Domeniul pregătirii de bază: PRODUCŢIE MEDIA CLASA: a X-a, liceu tehnologic, ciclul inferior Calificările profesionale: Tehnician multimedia Tehnician producţie film şi televiziune 2026 – 2027 Corelat cu Modulul CURRICULUM ÎN DEZVOLTARE LOCALĂ, denumit CAPTAREA IMAGINII SI A SUNETULUI FOLOSIND ECHIPAMENTE AUDIO-VIDEO, face parte din cultura de specialitate aferentă domeniului de pregătire de bază PRODUCŢIE MEDIA, clasa a X-a, ciclul inferior al liceului, filiera tehnologică AUTORI: Prof. Dumbravă Mariana Cristina Prof. Voicilă Monica Editura Sfântul Ierarh Nicolae 2026 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ARGUMENT .................................................................................................................... Page 3 COURSE UNITS UNIT 1: Safety First on the Film Set ................................................................. Page 4 CDL Topic: Health, safety, and P.S.I. rules on set Grammar Focus: Imperatives & Modals of Obligation (must / must not / should) UNIT 2: The Camera and Its Components ....................................................... Page 5 CDL Topic: Camera parts, optical systems, and CMOS sensors Grammar Focus: Present Simple (Routines and Technical Facts) UNIT 3: Exposure Controls: ISO, Shutter Speed, and Frame Rate ............... Page 7 CDL Topic: The Exposure Triangle, Frame Rates, and Resolution Grammar Focus: Quantifiers (many, much, a lot of, few, little) UNIT 4: Preparing for a Live Location Shoot .................................................. Page 8 CDL Topic: Location readiness, ND filters, battery check, and media formatting Grammar Focus: Present Continuous vs. Present Simple UNIT 5: Framing, Composition, and Camera Movement ............................... Page 9 CDL Topic: Shot types (EWS to CU), Panning, Tilting, and Tracking Grammar Focus: Adjectives & Order of Adjectives UNIT 6: Technical Evaluation: Comparing Production Equipment ............ Page 11 CDL Topic: Equipment analysis (Prime vs. Zoom lenses, Fluid heads) Grammar Focus: Comparatives and Superlatives UNIT 7: Audio Capture, Microphones, and Sound Mixing ........................... Page 12 CDL Topic: Microphones (Lavaliers, Shotguns), XLR connections, and Gain staging Grammar Focus: Prepositions of Place and Movement UNIT 8: Wrapping Up, Post-Production Handoff, and Maintenance .......... Page 14 CDL Topic: Set wrap, file ingestion, card locking, and cable coiling Grammar Focus: Past Simple UNIT 9: Signal Sources, Storage Media, and Digital Editing Workstations ... Page 15 CDL Topic: Pre-recorded sources, DAW/NLE workstations, and Media transposing Grammar Focus: Relative Clauses (who, which, that, where) UNIT 10: Testing and Measuring Audio-Video Signals ................................. Page 17 CDL Topic: Measuring and control equipment (AMC) – Oscilloscopes & Voltmeters Grammar Focus: Zero & First Conditionals UNIT 11: Film Sets, Television Studios, and Lighting Equipment ............... Page 18 CDL Topic: Studio environments, 3-point lighting setups, and Green screens Grammar Focus: Passive Voice (Present Simple & Past Simple Passive) ANSWER KEY ………….............................................................................................. Page 20 TECHNICAL GLOSSARY (Glosar de Termeni Tehnici EN–RO) .......................... Page 24 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................... Page 28 3 ARGUMENT Titlul auxiliarului curricular: English for Media and Film Production Corelat cu modulul CDL: Captarea imaginii și a sunetului folosind echipamente audio-video Calificarea profesională: Tehnician multimedia / Tehnician producție film și TV Nivel de limba engleză: A2 – B1 În industria media contemporană, limba engleză reprezintă limba de lucru universală. Interfețele echipamentelor tehnice, precum camerele video profesionale, mixerele audio și aparatura de măsură și control, meniurile filtrelor, softurile de editare digitală (NLE/DAW) și ghidurile de utilizare sunt redactate aproape exclusiv în limba engleză. Însușirea noțiunilor din modulul CDL „Captarea imaginii și a sunetului folosind echipamente audio-video” doar în limba română creează un decalaj între teorie și practica reală dintr-un platou de filmare sau studio TV. Lucrarea de față elimină acest decalaj, oferind elevilor un vocabular tehnic aplicat, direct funcțional pe piața muncii. Auxiliarul este structurat în 11 unități de învățare ce acoperă integrat firul tehnologic al unei producții audiovizuale, în strictă conformitate cu programa CDL. Primele capitole abordează normele de protecția muncii, siguranța electrică și prevenirea incendiilor (P.S.I.) pe platoul de filmare. Partea centrală a ghidului este dedicată echipamentelor video și optice: arhitectura camerei, senzorii CMOS, triunghiul expunerii (ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture), tipurile de încadraturi, mișcările de aparat și evaluarea comparativă a echipamentelor. Ultimele capitole detaliază captarea și mixajul sunetului (microfoane lavalieră, shotgun, conexiuni XLR), utilizarea surselor de semnal, a aparaturii de măsură și control (AMC — osciloscoape, generatoare de semnal), stocarea datelor (SSD/RAID), predarea materialului către post- producție și configurarea iluminatului de studio în trei puncte. Din punct de vedere pedagogic, auxiliarul aplică metodologia CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), îmbinând învățarea limbii engleze cu achiziția de competențe profesionale de specialitate. Fiecare unitate conține un text tehnic extins, redactat sub formă de manual, ancorat în situații reale de lucru. Structurile gramaticale abordate (imperativul, timpurile verbale, adjectivele comparative, prepozițiile, diateza pasivă, fraza condițională și frazele relative) sunt exersate exclusiv pe exemple aplicate din domeniul audio-video. Ghidul este conceput pentru a oferi un pachet complet de invățare și autoevaluare. Fiecare capitol include exerciții de verificare a înțelegerii textului (True/False, Multiple Choice) și exerciții gramaticale contextualizate. Pentru a sprijini atât activitatea la clasă, cât și studiul individual, lucrarea se încheie cu o secțiune dedicată cheii de răspunsuri (Answer Key) pentru toate exercițiile propuse. Parcurgerea acestui auxiliar le oferă elevilor autonomia profesională necesară pe piața muncii actuale. La finalul modulului, aceștia vor fi capabili să opereze echipamente cu interfețe în limba engleză, să interpreteze erorile tehnice de sistem și să se integreze cu succes într-o echipă de producție media modernă sau internațională. 4 ENGLISH FOR MEDIA AND FILM PRODUCTION UNIT 1: Safety First on the Film Set Topic: Health, safety, and Fire Prevention and Extinguishing rules on set Grammar Focus: Imperatives & Modals of Obligation (must / must not / should) 1. Reading Working on a professional film set or inside a television studio is an extraordinarily exciting experience, but safety must always remain the top priority for every crew member. A production floor is filled with potential hazards, including high-voltage power lines, heavy metal tripods, hot lighting units, and complex cable networks. Before any technical camera work or audio recording can begin, the head of production and the floor manager must conduct a comprehensive safety briefing with the entire crew. First, cable management is a fundamental duty for junior technicians and camera assistants. Loose electrical and signal cables lying across the studio floor can easily cause dangerous tripping accidents for operators, directors, and actors. To prevent injuries and costly equipment damage, technicians must systematically route all lines along the perimeter of the room and secure them firmly to the floor using heavy-duty gaffer tape. Second, handling heavy equipment requires proper physical techniques and discipline. You should always carry heavy items—such as cinema tripods, C-stands, and multi-directional jib arms—using both hands, keeping your back straight and lifting with your legs. Never leave a heavy lighting stand unstable or unbalanced; always attach heavy sandbags to the base of the stand to maintain stability. Third, electrical safety is critical when operating high-power equipment. Technicians must inspect all electrical connections, power distribution boxes, and extensions for exposed wires or damaged rubber insulation before turning on any devices. You must never touch electrical sockets, power distribution units, or active lights with wet hands or while standing on damp surfaces. Finally, every technician must memorize the exact location of the main emergency power cut-off switch and the primary fire extinguishers (P.S.I. stations). If an electrical fire breaks out or an unexpected equipment malfunction occurs, you must turn off the main power switch immediately, alert the set manager, and follow the illuminated emergency exit signs in an orderly fashion. Adhering strictly to safety protocols not only protects expensive production gear from catastrophic damage, but it also saves human lives! 2. Comprehension Check: True or False? 1. Cable organization is considered an optional task on a professional film set. [True / False] 2. Sandbags should be attached to the base of heavy stands to ensure stability. [ True / False ] 3. It is acceptable to handle electrical connections with wet hands if you wear rubber shoes. [ True / False ] 4. In the event of an electrical fire, technicians must cut off the main power switch first. [ True / False ] 5. Technicians should lift heavy equipment using their back muscles rather than their legs. [ True / False ] 5 3. Grammar in Context: Safety Rules Complete the safety protocol sentences using must, must not, or should. 1. Camera assistants __________ secure all loose video cables with gaffer tape before the shoot starts. 2. You __________ touch damaged electrical wires or overloaded sockets under any circumstances. 3. Junior technicians __________ always wear protective, non-slip footwear while working on the studio floor. 4. Operators __________ leave heavy camera rigs unbalanced on a tripod without locking the tilt mechanism. 5. In case of fire, everyone __________ evacuate the building calmly through the marked emergency exits. UNIT 2: The Camera and Its Components Topic: Camera parts, optical systems, and sensors Grammar Focus: Present Simple (describing routines, technical facts, and system operations) 1. Reading A modern digital cinema camera is an advanced optoelectronic system engineered to capture physical light and convert it into a pristine digital video signal. Although different manufacturers design cameras for specific broadcasting and filmmaking needs, almost all professional video cameras consist of three primary structural building blocks: the camera body, the interchangeable optical lens, and the digital image sensor. The optical lens is mounted onto the front of the camera body using a standardized locking system, such as a PL or EF mount. The primary function of the lens is to gather ambient light bouncing off the subject and focus those light rays precisely onto the focal plane. Inside the lens housing, an adjustable iris mechanism forms an aperture opening. By opening or closing the aperture blades, the camera operator controls the volume of light passing through the optical glass. Aperture size is measured in standardized values called f-stops; smaller f-stop numbers represent wider openings that allow maximum light to enter the optical system. After passing through the aperture, the light reaches the digital image sensor positioned inside the camera body. Modern production cameras rely heavily on CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensors. The sensor surface contains millions of light-sensitive microscopic sites called photosites, or pixels. These photosites absorb incoming photons and transform light energy into tiny electrical charges, which an internal image processor converts into binary video data. To guarantee high-quality footage during a long production day, the camera department follows a strict daily routine. Every morning before filming begins, the camera assistant carefully inspects the front and rear elements of the lens for dust particles or smudges. They clean the optical glass using a specialized blower brush and an ultra-soft microfiber cloth. Next, the assistant mounts the camera body securely onto a heavy-duty fluid-head tripod, connects an external monitor for the operator, formats the high-speed memory cards in the camera menu, and checks battery voltages. Establishing these standard operational habits prevents technical failures during crucial shooting moments. 6 2. Comprehension Check: Multiple Choice 1. What is the primary mechanical function of a camera lens mount (such as a PL or EF mount)? a) To record multi-channel audio b) To lock the interchangeable lens securely onto the camera body c) To format digital storage media 2. How does an operator control the volume of light passing through the optical glass? a) By adjusting the aperture blades inside the lens b) By changing the tripod height c) By wiping the sensor with a microfiber cloth 3. What happens when photosites on a CMOS sensor absorb photons of light? a) They generate heat to warm the camera b) They convert light energy into electrical charges and digital binary data c) They automatically wipe the memory card clean 4. Why does the camera assistant use a blower brush and microfiber cloth every morning? a) To clean dust particles off the optical glass without scratching it b) To format the memory cards c) To attach the fluid-head mechanism to the tripod legs 3. Grammar in Context: Present Simple Put the verbs in brackets into the correct Present Simple form. 1. A digital cinema camera __________ (convert) physical light into a binary video signal. 2. Professional camera operators __________ (inspect) their optical gear every morning before production begins. 3. The aperture mechanism __________ (control) how much light reaches the CMOS sensor. 4. The internal image processor __________ not __________ (store) video files if the memory card is missing. 5. Modern sensors __________ (generate) high-resolution images even in challenging light environments. 7 UNIT 3: Exposure Controls: ISO, Shutter Speed, and Frame Rate Topic: ISO, Shutter Speed, Frame Rate, and Resolution Grammar Focus: Quantifiers & Nouns (many, much, a lot of, few, little) 1. Reading Achieving a visually pleasing, professionally exposed image requires a deep understanding of exposure theory. Camera operators must master three fundamental settings that control exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Together, these three parameters form the famous "exposure triangle." Adjusting one setting inevitable impacts the visual characteristics of the video signal, meaning operators must balance all three continuously. ISO represents the digital sensor's overall sensitivity to incoming light. When shooting outdoors on a bright, sunny day, there is a lot of ambient light available. In this situation, the operator sets the camera to a native, low ISO value—such as ISO 100 or ISO 400. Low ISO settings deliver an exceptionally clean picture with rich color saturation and high dynamic range. However, when filming inside dark rooms or during night scenes, there is very little ambient light. Raising the ISO to high values (like ISO 6400 or ISO 12800) amplifies the weak electrical signal from the sensor. While this makes the image much brighter, it also introduces digital noise and visible grain, which can degrade overall image crispness. Shutter speed defines how long the camera sensor is exposed to light during the capture of each individual video frame. In traditional digital cinematography, shutter speed is linked directly to the frame rate using the "180-degree shutter rule." For instance, if a production shoots at a standard cinematic frame rate of 24 frames per second (fps), the shutter speed should be set to 1/50th of a second. This specific ratio creates natural motion blur that mimics human visual perception. If an operator selects a very fast shutter speed, such as 1/1000th of a second, motion blur disappears completely, resulting in a hyper-realistic, choppy visual style often seen in intense action sequences. Finally, frame rate selection dictates how fluidly motion is represented and played back. Standard European television broadcasting uses 25 fps or 50 interlaced fields per second (PAL format), whereas cinema relies on 24 fps. When shooting high-speed action or sports, operators switch to high frame rates, such as 120 fps or 240 fps. High frame rate shooting captures many more individual frames every second. When these extra frames are played back at a standard 24 fps timeline, time slows down smoothly, producing dramatic slow-motion sequences. However, high frame rates require a lot of extra light because the shutter opens and closes extremely fast, meaning operators must set up powerful artificial lights on set. 2. Comprehension Check: True or False? 1. Low ISO settings produce digital grain and noisy video signals. [ True / False ] 2. The 180-degree shutter rule recommends setting the shutter speed to roughly double the frame rate. [ True / False ] 3. Fast shutter speeds (e.g., 1/1000s) create smooth, natural motion blur for dialogue scenes. [ True / False ] 4. High frame rate shooting (e.g., 120 fps) allows editors to create slow-motion effects during playback. [ True / False ] 5. High frame rates require very little artificial lighting on a film set. [ True / False ] 8 3. Grammar in Context: Quantifiers Complete the sentences with many, much, a lot of, few, or little. 1. High ISO settings introduce __________ digital noise into dark areas of the image. 2. How __________ frames per second are you recording for this slow-motion sequence? 3. There is very __________ light inside this studio, so we need to set up powerful reflectors. 4. A low ISO setting creates very __________ digital artifacts, resulting in a crisp picture. 5. The camera assistant packed __________ spare memory cards because we are shooting all day. UNIT 4: Preparing for a Live Location Shoot Topic: Mounting accessories, checking batteries, and formatting storage Grammar Focus: Present Continuous vs. Present Simple 1. Reading It is 8:30 AM on a crisp autumn morning, and the student media production crew from Colegiul Tehnic „Gheorghe Asachi” is preparing an outdoor shooting location in a city park. Every team member has a specific technical role, and right now, the entire crew is working diligently to ensure that camera gear, lighting setups, and audio systems are fully operational before the director calls "Action!" Mark, the primary camera operator, is standing near the main tripod rig. He is carefully mounting the cinema camera body onto a heavy-duty fluid head. At this moment, he is attaching a matte box to the front of the lens. The matte box holds square Neutral Density (ND) filters that block excess sunlight and prevent unwanted lens flares. Mark usually checks all physical mounting screws twice because stability is critical for smooth framing. Beside the equipment cases, his camera assistant, Elena, is organizing the power supplies and media storage. She is testing high-capacity V-mount lithium-ion batteries using an electronic voltage meter to verify that they hold full charges. Simultaneously, she is inserting high-speed V90 SD memory cards into the dual card slots of the secondary camera and formatting them via the system menu. Formatting wipes previous data completely and prepares the file system for recording high-bitrate ProRes video files. A few meters away, the sound department is setting up their recording station under a protective pop-up tent. David, the sound engineer, is connecting a hypercardioid shotgun microphone to a telescoping carbon-fiber boom pole. Right now, he is routing a balanced XLR audio cable from the microphone into a multi-track field recorder. He is wearing closed-back studio monitoring headphones to test for background noise, such as traffic hums or wind interference. The director is walking through the scene with the lead actors, pointing out actor marks on the ground and explaining blocking movements. Nobody is filming yet because the crew is executing their mandatory pre-flight technical checklist. In professional television and film production, thorough preparation prevents poor performance on set! 2. Comprehension Check: Multiple Choice 1. Why is Mark attaching a matte box to the cinema camera right now? a) To record multi-channel audio Next >