Video Storytelling
What are some tools you have at your disposal to tell a video story that do NOT involve words? (Aka apart from narration and interviews.)
Pacing/Rhythm
Music
Natural Sounds
Transitions
Composition
A few more shooting tips:
FOCUS
It is really easy to shoot video that is OUT OF FOCUS with these cameras. If your stuff isn’t in focus, you just wasted a lot of people’s time. So pay attention to focus at all times.
- Use the focus ring on the lens to shift focus (turn ring with your elbow down, not sticking out sideways)
- Zoom in all the way on your subject and focus, then zoom back out to your desired framing; the subject will stay in sharp focus
SHAKY SHOTS
Because the sensor on these cameras is so large and sensitive, any little movement you make will cause camera shake. These cameras are basically impossible to handhold. Some camera lenses have image stabilization technology, but it makes a low-lowel, constant mechanical grinding sound that is audible on your camera, so unless you are recording audio separately and syncing later, TURN OFF THE IMAGE STABILIZATION (IS) FEATURE ON YOUR LENS.
- Use a tripod
- Use a monopod
- Use a shoulder mount
- Set the camera down on a flat surface (the ground, a table, a stack of books, etc.)
- If you are in a breaking news situation and must handhold (not recommended) or you are on top of a ladder or in some extreme circumstance, turn your body into a tripod by using both your arms and your face—if the camera is connecting with three points, it is always steadier.
The importance of good quality audio:
Here are some resources where you can find free music/sounds:
https://freesound.org
http://soundbible.com
https://www.audioblocks.com
http://freemusicarchive.org
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
http://dig.ccmixter.org
How journalists can improve video stories with shot sequences
Assignment (due Tuesday, Feb. 15)
Film a story in 10 shots, set to music. It can be anything—you can collaborate on this with a classmate if you like, or recruit a family member, or simply go out and see what stories you find on the street. It can be staged or candid. Upload it to your Vimeo account, and create a post here on the site with the link.
This will be similar to the 5-shot sequence you all learned in your previous multimedia class, but you have a bit more room to be creative. Feel free to start with the classic shots of a 5-shot sequence, or incorporate some of those shots throughout; remember that the purpose of a sequence is to orient the viewer as to where we are, what we’re seeing, what is happening, and how it’s happening. Use your ten shots to tell a story.
Don’t forget to set up your shot before you hit record. Record a steady shot for at least ten seconds before you stop recording.