Week 3: Roll Camera

July 22, 2011 4 Comments

You’ve scripted, scouted, and shot-listed your scene. What’s next?

Basic video techniques

Before you grab the gear and go on location, take some time to review some simple techniques for getting the good shot. The folks at New Video Monday have published a few short, animated tutorials on creating videos for the Web. Their 2-minute take on How to Shoot a Video for the Web Using a Flip Camera covers the basics of framing, lighting, and sound specifically for Flip cameras similar to what we’re using in Video Bootcamp…

But wait, there’s more

U.C. Berkeley’s Knight Digital Media Center shares a series of short, lighthearted Video Techniques tutorials. The material is written for filmmakers who have most likely moved on from Flip cameras to heavier equipment, but much of what’s written is universally applicable. The following topics will get you off to a good start:

• Shut Up When You Shoot
• Hold Your Shots
• Excessive Panning and Zooming
• Framing and Composing Your Shots
• Headroom and Noseroom
• Tripods for Steady Shots
• Interviews (Remember to obtain consent from any non-staff interview subjects before that camera rolls. Grab the Library’s standard form here and take it (and a pen!) with you on location.)
• Microphones
• Avoid High Contrast in Lighting Situations
• Get All the Shots You’ll Need

It looks like a lot but, really, it’s not. The entries are short, often amusing, and you’re likely to learn at least one thing about video production that you didn’t already know.

Photos as video

There are times when a story can’t be told effectively in full motion video. When this is the case, you can work with still photos and sound to create a slideshow format video. For example, Christie wants to shoot a few minutes about the Library’s Petty Auditorium. It’s a beautiful space, but there’s not much to see when the stage is dark and silent and the seats are empty. Christie could certainly walk the aisles in semi-darkness wearing an ascot and beret, talking about the space in highbrow style. She could also combine still photos of past performances with voiceover narration and a complementary soundtrack to showcase the stage as it looks on a Sunday afternoon when the the curtain is open and the lights are up on a dance, theater, or musical performance.

Your tasks for the week

1.  Review the New Video Monday and KDMC tutorials.

2.  Make note of how you’ll apply video techniques to the shots on your list. Optional, but helpful: Sketch out your framing and composition on paper using a storyboard template (available here).

3.  Practice the video techniques and review your footage before your location shoot. Shoot, reshoot, and learn from your successes and your mistakes.

4.  Get out there and shoot some video (and/or still photos) in preparation for next week’s assignment, Make a Rough Edit.

Assignments