3 Stages of Video Production

• Preproduction– Everything you do before actual shooting begins

• Scouting locations• Gathering cast & crew• Planning for equipment use• Brainstorming ideas• Writing scripts• Creating storyboards

• Production• Postproduction

– collection of footage in which you select shots you want to include– Assemble the in order– Add music/sound effects/titles & visual effects

Target Audience

• Specific audience you want to watch your video– Age, sex, race, any specific demographic group

• DSLR’s are being used more in Filmmaking– Good option for filmmaker on a budget

• Good image quality• Low price• Great low-light performance• Huge selection of lenses

• What’s Different with a DSLR– Structure of the camera

• Still cameras are designed to be gripped with one hand– And adjusted (Lens zoom, focus, etc.) with the other hand

• Pro video cameras are designed to sit on the shoulder– Helps with stabilization and movement of the camera

– Rigs have been designed to help with use of DSLR’s for video

• DSLR’s have many interchangeable lenses– Provides many custom shooting options

• Wide/Extremely wide angle• Telephoto• Low light (f1.2/f1.4)

– Excellent for night shooting with little or no extra light

• Shallow depth of field – (DSLR’s designed for it)

Interchangeable lenses

• DSLR’s – Shallow depth of field feature

• Increases need for careful focus• DSLR’s usually require manual focus

– No motorized Zoom• Users will dolly or use tracks to move closer to subject• Zoom lenses are an option

– Look for lenses with manual zoom option

– Poor audio recording option• Use “Double-system sound”

SETTINGS

• DSLR Camera Settings for HD Video– Video mode– Frame rate & size– Shutter speed– F-Stop– Set the focus– White balance– Image stabilization

LENSES

• Working with Interchangeable Lenses– Offers for a customizable camera– Allows use of High Quality lenses

– Canon L-Series– Nikon– Zeiss– And more

• Also allows prime lenses

LENSES

– What lens do I need?• Three basic lenses to have on hand

– Wide Angle– Normal Lens (Human eye field-of-view)– Telephoto lens

– How to get a shallow depth of field– Shoot in low light– Use a longer lens

Focus

• Importance of focus• Images in focus on a small LCD Screen

– May be out of focus when presented on a larger screen

– Pulling Focus– When focus is adjusted as actor move

• Rack Focus– An intentional visible shift in focus

• Camera rigging & support– DSLR Camera riggings– Glidecams/Steadicams– Dollies– Sliders– Jibs & Cranes– Aerials– Car mounts

• Viewing video on set– Enhanced viewfinders– Camera-top monitors

• Double-System Audio Recording• When audio is recorded on a separate device

– Despite potential for good audio• Reasons to use separate device are

– Using small camera with movements not good for external mics– Multiple microphone use (when multiple inputs aren’t available)– When camera and dialogue are in different location

» Camera is on roof, actors are on street– Multi-Camera shoots

» All cameras will share audio in post

• Multi-Cam Shooting– Standard for televised broadcast video

• News, Sports, Sitcoms, etc.• Good for capturing spontaneous action

– With little editing required in post

• Multi-Cam Challenges– On set

• Lighting– (outdoor natural light may ease challenge)

• Framing shots– Shots need to be different enough to avoid a jump cut

• Location of boom operator– So they are not in the shot

Creativity and Digital Media

• Basic elements of design are important, regardless of media type

• Need to pay attention to designer/client relationship

• Satisfy client’s needs

The Art of Storytelling

• Can expand the presentation to deliver more complex concepts

• TV commercial, Web animation, video production can deliver a multitude of messages that can take form of story

• Storytelling: one of oldest forms of communication

THE CONCEPT

• Often called the “log line”

For Example: Shakespeare struggles to overcome his writer’s block by seeking a muse and he discovers true love.

The result: Shakespeare in Love

THE EARLY STAGES OF WRITING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT

The Outline

THE EARLY STAGES OF WRITING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT

The Outline

THE EARLY STAGES OF WRITING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT

The Scene Outline

THE EARLY STAGES OF WRITING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT

The Scene Outline

THE EARLY STAGES OF WRITING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT

Notebooks Bulletin Boards

THE TREATMENT

THE TREATMENT

THE TREATMENT

• Produced for Circulation

• Sales Tool

• Narrative version of your program that reads like a Short Story

THE TREATMENT

• Use Visual and Descriptive Language • Get the reader Hooked and keep the reader

Engaged• Written in the Present tense• Single-Space format• Place Line Breaks to denote

Changes in Time and Location

THE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE

• Exposition• Inciting Incident• Complications

(Rising and Falling Action)• Crisis• Climax • Resolution

CHARACTERS

• Protagonist

• Antagonist

• Ensemble Cast

• Supporting Character

THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF WRITING

• Write your Ideas down• How do they look after a few days?• Share your work with

Friends and Seasoned Writers• Activate the imagination in

Indirect Ways• Music is a powerful tool

EXERCISESOption A.

Look at today’s news articles and write an outline and treatment for a story based on a news articles you see.

Option B.Write an outline Treatment inspired by your own life’s experience. How will you get the reader Engaged? Who are the Antagonists, and what Complications do You face? How does the story End?

TREATMENT: Paragraph about the event. Tells the characters, setting, and conflict. Itdoes not give away the resolution.

OUTLINE: 4 parts. A few sentences each broken up to give a general idea of what the camera will see.

Choose one of your favorite films of all time. Identify the Protagonist(s) and Antagonist(s). What is the Inciting Incident? What is the Dramatic Question? What are some of the Complications? Is the protagonist Successful in his or her journey? What is the Climax of the story?

In class writing assignment

• Facebook is launching a new ad campaign around the tag line. “Today I feel…”

• You need to write a 30 second ad that represents who you are and ends with the tag line.

• In groups, you will discuss your ideas and pick the best one of the group to share with the class.