Intro to Video

1. Intro to Video Multimedia Storytelling Fall 2012

2. What are your goals as a videographer? • Give your story a solid beginning, middle and end • Tell a story with a clear, inspiring, emotional and/or entertaining subject and message • Feature aspects of your subject that evoke a wide range of emotions from your audience • Captivate your viewers, motivating them to learn more, i.e. read the story/book, view the slideshow, listen to the interviews, etc.

3. Video 101: Basic components • Frames • Composition • Shots • Shot types • Angles • Shot length • Sequences • & the Technical stuff: image/audio control

4. Video 101: Frames • A frame refers to an area of visual information • Every piece of the frame counts • Each object in the frame must contribute to the story • Nothing in the frame should draw attention away from the main subject and action

5. Video 101: Frame example

6. Video 101: Composition • Composition refers to the arrangement of elements within a frame • Rule of thirds • Head & nose room • Background elements • Framing

7. Composition: Rule of thirds • Objects, people and the horizon should fall on one of the lines or points that cross • Place the subject at one of the intersections • With people: • One third of the frame should be above the person’s eyes • One third of the frame should be the person's face and shoulder area • One third of the frame should be the person's lower torso.

8. Composition: Head & nose room • Watch the space above your subject’s head to avoid chopping and sinking • If a subject is looking to the side, add space in the direction in which the person is looking • If a subject is moving, add space to the direction in which they’re moving

9. Composition: Background elements • A simple background will draw more attention to your subject • A natural (but simple) background will tell the viewers more about your subject • Frame your subject between objects in the background • Avoid poles, branches, etc. that run through people’s heads, etc.

10. Video 101: Shots • A shot refers to a single, continuous take • Presenting a variety of shot types in each sequence is what keeps the viewer interested • Try collecting 25% wide, 25% tight & 50% medium shots • For each shot type, shoot at least 15 seconds of that shot

11. Video 101: Basic shot types • Extreme wide shots • Wide shots • Medium shots • Medium close-ups • Close-ups • Extreme close-ups

12. Extreme wide shot

13. Wide shot

14. Medium shot

15. Medium close-up

16. Close-up

17. Extreme close-up

18. Video 101: “Advanced” shot types • Two-shots • Over-the-shoulder shots • Point of view shots • Selective focus shots • Abstract/creative shots

19. Two-shot

20. Over-the-shoulder shot

21. Point-of-view shot

22. Selective focus shot

23. Abstract shot

24. Video 101: Angles • A variety of shot types + a variety of angles = visually rich video • Angle review: • High angle • Low angle • Eye level • Bird’s eye/ant’s eye • Slanted

25. High angle

26. Low angle

27. Eye Level

28. Bird’s eye/ant’s eye

29. Slanted

30. Video 101: Shot length • Shot length refers to the amount of time a shot appears on screen • Amount of time for which you show each shot will vary • At a minimum, gather 15 seconds of each shot • Keep in mind that the average shot length is between 4-5 seconds • Less is more, so edit down your shots to keep viewers moving

31. Video 101: Sequence • A sequence refers to a series of related shots • Sequences move the viewer through the story • Using variety in your shot sequences will hold the viewer’s attention • Gathering a variety of shot sequences for your story will give you more editing flexibility • The five-shot sequence:BBC example • Close-up on the hands • Close up on the face • Wide shot • Over-the-shoulder shot • Creative shot

32. Video 101: Mixing your components • The best film & video footage will mix the pre-mentioned components, offering a variety of beautifully composed frames, with a variety of shot types, angles and sequences • Excellent film examples: • Tree of Life • Fantastic Mr. Fox

33. Video 101: The technical stuff • White balance • Exposure • Focus • Zoom • Movement

34. Technical stuff: White balance • Color temperature of the shot • Test auto white balance before shooting • If WB is off when you test the auto function, manually adjust it by using your WB controls • Bring or find something neutral to shoot • Shoot the neutral object • Set your camera’s WB to match that neutral

35. Technical stuff: Exposure • Exposure is the brightness or darkness of a picture/video • Exposure is controlled by F-stops • Lower f-stop = wider lens opening = brighter picture • Higher f-stop = narrow lens opening = darker picture • Test automatic exposure before you rely on it

36. Technical stuff: Focus • Each shot needs to have something in focus, whether it be the subject or an object • When setting up a shot: • Zoom in to eyes/focal point of object • Focus • Zoom out • Frame the shot • Shoot

37. Technical stuff: Zoom • Set the zoom before the beginning of the recording session • When first starting with video, don’t zoom in the middle of your shot • If absolutely necessary, zoom as slowly as possible during a shot • If someone is talking don’t zoom • To practice zooming during a shot, gather all shots for sequence, then experiment with zoom

38. Technical stuff: Movement • Panning : Camera swivels to show scene • Moving shot: Camera swivels to follow action • When first starting out: • Camera should capture motion, not create it • Use camera movement sparingly • Remember that camera emotion draws attention to itself and away from the subject • Experiment with movement once you’ve collected all necessary shots for your sequence

39. Common video types • Breaking news video • Professional news coverage (typically after an event begins happening, reactions to the event, etc.) • Citizen journalism (on the scene when it happened) • Video features • Short Profiles: “Jorge” (boy blinded by bullet in Camden shooting), “Real Life Superhero” (neighborhood watchman in Seattle) • Documentaries: “Born Rich” (J&J heir documents kids from rich families), “Be Here to Love Me” (artsy documentary on musician), “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (funny documentary about filmmaker) • Video Diaries • The video blog/vlog • The personal account • Edited Narrative

40. Video workflow • Plan it • Shoot it • Edit it • Test it • Encode it • Upload it • Share it

41. Choosing a good story idea… • Rich character or personality • There’s action! People are doing something observable! • It’s visually interesting (e.g., lots of color, decoration, contrast, rhythm, motion, scenery, etc.) • There are many situations taking place and/or a variety of interesting moments • The idea is emotional and/or humorous

42. Planning your shoot… • Storyboarding: producing sketches of the shots of your video • Shooting script • Prep interview questions • Check your batteries and audio • Pack your bag: camera, mic, batteries, EXTRA SD cards, tripod, lights

43. During your shoot… • Adjust your camera settings (white balance, exposure) before shoot • Shut up and hold still! • Shoot selectively • Hold your shots for at least 15 seconds • For each segment, shoot in sequences • Cool it on the panning and zooming until you’ve captured what you need • Compose and frame ALL of your shots • Try to include other objects in the background or foreground that give the viewer a sense of depth and/or scale • Change angles and perspectives • Get people in your scenes • Use tripods for steady shots • Anticipate action

44. Editing your shoot… • Less is more, so cut it down! • Edit color & audio quality in FCP • Add text content when needed • Apply effects, filters • Get feedback from peers

45. Reviewing your shoot… • Are your characters colorful? Do they appear true to who they actually are? • Is the story defined in first 20 seconds? • Is there a solid beginning, middle and end? • Is there one idea/theme that runs throughout? • Are the visuals captivating? • Does the audio tell the story? • Could anything else be cut out?

46. More Video Tips • Get in their face • Good sound is just as important, if not more, than goof visuals • Think about what you want to say before you turn on the camera • Set up your shot carefully • Hold the camera still and let the action happen in front of it before you start experimenting with movement

47. More Video Tips (continued) • Find the best use of natural light • Think like a video editor, always keeping the story in mind (what will come before, next) • Sometimes, you have to just let the story tell itself • Make it beautiful & dramatic • Shoot as much b-roll as you can