Using Digital Video (DV) as a Using Digital Video (DV) as a medium for Process medium for Process Documentation (PD)Documentation (PD)

By Joshka WesselsBy Joshka Wessels

I hear I forgetI hear I forget

I see I rememberI see I remember

I do and I understandI do and I understand

Chinese ProverbChinese Proverb

Principles are “participatory”Principles are “participatory”

Participatory Video (PV) Participatory Video (PV) Process Documentation (PD)Process Documentation (PD) Most Significant Change (MSC) Most Significant Change (MSC)

Learning Alliances (LA)Learning Alliances (LA) Participatory Action Research (PAR)Participatory Action Research (PAR)

Video knows many facesVideo knows many faces

Too often the medium of video is used Too often the medium of video is used for advocacy and raising awarenessfor advocacy and raising awareness

ONLYONLY

The use of video The use of video in social changein social change

New approaches in communicating New approaches in communicating with civil society, people, farmers with civil society, people, farmers and scientists involving them in and scientists involving them in identifying issues that affected them identifying issues that affected them most directly most directly

A tool for PDA tool for PD

Access to digital video technology Access to digital video technology (DV) is wider than ever before(DV) is wider than ever before

Capturing fully what happens on the Capturing fully what happens on the groundground

Document significant eventsDocument significant events Record culture, practices and history Record culture, practices and history

A tool for PD (2)A tool for PD (2)

Enhance and empower voicesEnhance and empower voices Give opportunity to create own Give opportunity to create own

vision vision Disseminate research resultsDisseminate research results Facilitate horizontal and vertical Facilitate horizontal and vertical

communication and learningcommunication and learning

Advantage/DisadvantagesAdvantage/Disadvantages

Capture wide rangeCapture wide range Clear story tellingClear story telling Facilitates Facilitates

communicationcommunication Reach a wide audienceReach a wide audience Brings relationships to Brings relationships to

surfacesurface Entertaining for Entertaining for

everyoneeveryone Variety of usesVariety of uses

Intimidating for Intimidating for stakeholdersstakeholders

Complex technologyComplex technology Difficult access remote Difficult access remote

areasareas Too much focus on Too much focus on

technologytechnology Can stir and upset Can stir and upset

power relationspower relations Time consumingTime consuming Strenuous for budgetsStrenuous for budgets

Production process for PDProduction process for PD

Plethora of various formats and Plethora of various formats and purposespurposes

Internal or external production Internal or external production Interactive use/ICT based technologiesInteractive use/ICT based technologies Learning AlliancesLearning Alliances The main aspect of a video product is The main aspect of a video product is

the principle of the principle of storytellingstorytelling

Creating an audiovisual storyCreating an audiovisual story

5 W's; Who, What, When, Where, and 5 W's; Who, What, When, Where, and WhyWhy

Protagonist, antagonist, plot, setting, Protagonist, antagonist, plot, setting, turning point, dialog, introduction, turning point, dialog, introduction, conclusion, narration, and points of viewconclusion, narration, and points of view

Think 4D: Moving image, music & sound Think 4D: Moving image, music & sound design, space, people, duration, location design, space, people, duration, location

Two styles of approach: storyboard and Two styles of approach: storyboard and scriptscript

The BasicsThe Basics

Listen carefully to each other’s ideasListen carefully to each other’s ideas Respect each other’s opinionRespect each other’s opinion Tolerance for differenceTolerance for difference No looking good at another’s expense, No looking good at another’s expense,

applaud others’ successesapplaud others’ successes There is more than one answer for the There is more than one answer for the

task at handtask at hand Attempt to listen naively as if you do not Attempt to listen naively as if you do not

possess prior knowledgepossess prior knowledge

The ProcessThe Process

Pre-productionPre-production ProductionProduction Post-productionPost-production

The TeamThe Team

Camera operatorCamera operator Sound personSound person DirectorDirector ProducerProducer EditorEditor Executive producerExecutive producer

Sound and imageSound and image

““Sound is more Sound is more

important than image”important than image”

Fundamental shotsFundamental shots

Extreme Close UpExtreme Close Up Close Up - POWERFULClose Up - POWERFUL Medium shot – BREAD AND BUTTERMedium shot – BREAD AND BUTTER Long or wide shot – LOTS OF Long or wide shot – LOTS OF

INFORMATIONINFORMATION Extreme Long shotExtreme Long shot

Coverage of an eventCoverage of an event

Different camera anglesDifferent camera angles Establishing shotEstablishing shot Cut-away or insertCut-away or insert Shot/reverse shotShot/reverse shot Over-shoulder shotOver-shoulder shot Point-of-view shotPoint-of-view shot

Conventions for compositionConventions for composition

Rule of thirdsRule of thirds Head and nose roomHead and nose room DiagonalsDiagonals DepthDepth Centre of interestCentre of interest Number of peopleNumber of people Camera heightCamera height THE 180 DEGREES RULE ..…THE 180 DEGREES RULE ..…

Tips for shootingTips for shooting Select frame and record a shot long enoughSelect frame and record a shot long enough Shoot to edit and think in a non-linear wayShoot to edit and think in a non-linear way Better to move in than zoom inBetter to move in than zoom in Keep steady and don’t move while recordingKeep steady and don’t move while recording Lighting…the terrible backlight problem.Lighting…the terrible backlight problem. Sound ….the terrible windy desertsSound ….the terrible windy deserts Kids…..People in the background…..Kids…..People in the background….. Noise, Radios ….Noise, Radios ….

How much material ?How much material ?

VIDEO IS BIG: VIDEO IS BIG:

4,5 minutes = 1 GIGABYTE4,5 minutes = 1 GIGABYTE

Documentary 30:1Documentary 30:1 Feature film 12:1Feature film 12:1 Video clips 6:1Video clips 6:1 News items 3:1News items 3:1

Shoot-to-editShoot-to-edit

Think non-lineair and 4D Think non-lineair and 4D Work with structure and layersWork with structure and layers 1 timeline with shots down to 25 1 timeline with shots down to 25

frames in a secondframes in a second More than 99 audio channelsMore than 99 audio channels More than 99 video layersMore than 99 video layers

Selecting shotsSelecting shots

Is the content compelling?Is the content compelling? Do I have the sequence structure ?Do I have the sequence structure ? Do I have the coverage ?Do I have the coverage ? Does it fit in the story ?Does it fit in the story ?

EditingEditing

The cinematographic approachThe cinematographic approach The journalistic approachThe journalistic approach Jumpcuts Jumpcuts Hard cut or effectsHard cut or effects Breaking the rules and conventionsBreaking the rules and conventions

How to keep an editor happy How to keep an editor happy

TIMECODE, TIMECODE, TIMECODETIMECODE, TIMECODE, TIMECODE Structure, structure, structureStructure, structure, structure Good preparation and loggingGood preparation and logging

DistributionDistribution

Upscaling experiencesUpscaling experiences Broad and narrow castBroad and narrow cast Videotape, CD-ROM DVDVideotape, CD-ROM DVD InternetInternet

www.www.youtubeyoutube.com/.com/switchpdocswitchpdoc

The politics of videoThe politics of video

Powerful tool; who owns it ?Powerful tool; who owns it ? Facilitate communicationFacilitate communication Wakes people upWakes people up Can create conflict or controversyCan create conflict or controversy Whose point of view ?Whose point of view ?