Veteran’s Day Documentary - Part 2 - Behind the Scenes
You know the reasons I believe producing a class documentary about a local veteran can be one of the most exciting experiences for students. In summary, it pushes their script writing abilities, drives them to the edge of their technical limits, and tells a story that captures the attention of the community. Having shared why we produce stories about local veterans, I thought I would take time in this article to share the nuts and bolts of how we use a collaborative workflow to create them.
Shoot for the Edit
The first rule of shooting b-roll, BRING A TRIPOD! Yes they are bulky and a pain to carry and setup, but no one is the “human Steadicam.” Unless you have to shoot off of your shoulder, such as the sidelines of a sporting event where someone could get hurt running into a tripod and camera, don’t. Nothing says amateur like shaky video.
Do Not Fear Color
Up thru the 1990’s TV broadcasters needed to be timid about colors because the analog TV technology produced such unreliable results. One brand of cameras produced acceptable cool colors and earthy tone but throw a yellow or red at them and the TV set would look as though the image was on fire, while another brand could tame the tearing red, but washout the remaining parts of the color wheel. But we’ve come a long way.
Back to Basics: Framing Good Shots
As your foundation, some thought and planning should go into how your shots are composed. A well-composed shot grabs and holds your viewer's attention. It also influences the mood of the scene or the comfort level of the audience.
Great Opening Shots For Your Video Project (And Your Storyboard)
The human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s….about 6-8 seconds. And there’s a lot of stuff in the world trying to get our attention. Whether you’re making a short film or long video, it must compete to get it. Starting your project with a boring establishing shot was fine for last century, but not anymore. Good first shots are unique. Capture my attention. Compel me to watch. Don’t let me look away.
More Powerful Shot Design for Your Storyboard (like the pros do)
Sure, you can just wing it when you get on location but when you do that, you’re missing the opportunity to do something great
How to Format Your Announcement Show
Everyone has different requirements for school announcements that are set up by the Principal, school needs and class schedule but many teachers want some ideas about the content, the order and elements that could help the show be professional and entertaining for the student body. I have a few tips with variations that could help you get a show off the ground for the first time or give you some new ideas if you are an old pro.
Planning a Mini-Documentary
After making contact with the subject of your documentary and receiving permission, ask for pictures or see if they have any film. B-roll will make the documentary interesting opposed to the character just talking the entire time. The visual aspect will connect what the subject is saying and make their story relevant to the viewer.
Interview Camera Setups
You have many choices as to how to shoot an interview, determined in part by the story, the style of the movie, availability of equipment, size of the crew and the amount of physical space in which to shoot. Remember, the better the coverage, the more options you'll have in the editing room. Below are the most common ways of shooting sit-down interviews.
9 Basic Camera Moves
Professional videographers usually follow this one rule of thumb: when it comes to camera movement, it must be motivated. Because it looks cool, is usually not a valid reason for using tricky camera moves. Instead, you can use camera moves to change the viewer's perspective making what you shoot look bigger, smaller, or even scarier. You should use camera movement to tell your story better and to enhance the viewer's experience.
Making Video History
“I left the United States on a ship as a teenage boy – drafted in World War II, we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, and as far as that bridge knows, I never came back.” I had heard his stories many times, but this time as the words slowly rolled off his lips in his South Georgia drawl, I realized he was a story-teller and didn’t even know it. But better than fiction, he spoke of real-life incidents that were not only true but also shaped his future, which became my present – and yours as well.
Maintaining Continuity From Take to Take
Shooting a movie over a period of days, weeks or even months can be a very difficult task - especially when it comes to maintaining continuity. During every take, the action must be the same. Make sure your actors know what movements they are making during the lines they are speaking. They must maintain these movements for every shot.
Talent Releases
A talent release is a document which gives permission for the video producers to photograph the talent and/or to use audio of that person’s voice. There are many talent release forms available by conducting a search on the internet for “talent release.”
LipDub 101 - Getting Your Whole School Involved in Video
On September 25, 2010, almost 1000 students at the University of Victoria in BC came together to film a lipdub. They were inspired by the AMAZING lipdub put together by the other UVIC in Spain. See how the video turned out here.
Crash Course for Mixing Sound - Part 1
There are two indisputable rules to follow when mixing sound. When these rules are followed, you are guaranteed to have a mix that will seem flawless to your audience and keep them focused on the story rather than the technical aspects of the production. If your mix strays from these rules, stop what you are doing and start over again!
General Copyright Questions
In general, any original work of authorship may be protected by copyright. Copyrighted materials may be subject to claims of copyright infringement. The most common reason we take down videos for copyright infringement is that they are unauthorized copies of copyrighted content, and the owners of the copyrighted content have alerted us that their content is being used without their permission.
5 Tips for Video Editing Beginners
Just because all of us have a video camera does not mean we can professionally record events. It is not as easy as it looks and it is a craft that takes years to become proficient at. Especially video editing. Once you record that great video, how do you make it look good and entertaining.
8 Tips for Beginning Videographers
Avoid these beginner mistakes that nearly everyone makes when they pick up a video camera. The worst offender is the constant zooming and panning that pervades every shot. Do you really need to get a closer look at your subject?