PRODUCTION

Introduction to
Production
This is where you gather all the images, engage your subjects and spring into action! Depending on the approach you are taking to your story this can be a one shot ordeal so make sure you do your preproduction work.

Introduction to
Production
Pre-Production Recap:
•   Select characters (pre-interviews)
•   Scout locations
•   Release forms
•   Shoot list
•   Write strong interview questions
•   Determine crew and gear

Introduction to
Production
What elements go into Production?
•   Equipment
•   Technical knowledge
•   Ability to visually tell a story
•   Organization
R EMEMBER : The most important thing is the story you tell, not the tools you use to tell it.

What Gear Will You Need?
Camera
•   Tape vs. Tapeless
•   Consumer vs. Pro
•   Understanding camera settings (frame rate, resolution, bitrate)

What Gear Will You Need?
Resolution

What Gear Will You Need?
Sound
(some times a good microphone can mean more than a camera!)
•   LAV
•   Shot gun
•   Onboard
•   Headphones l
Lavalier
Microphone
Shot gun
Microphone

What Gear Will You Need?
Lights
Tripod
(you want a fluid one)
External Hard drive

General Guidelines
•   Capturing a solid interview
•   Supplementary footage
(sometimes called b-roll)

Setting up for
An Interview
•   Find your location (stable, quiet, controlled environment, what do you want the background to say, preferably large with color)
•   Choose your frame
•   Lighting
•   Set your white balance, focus, iris
•   Check audio levels: record/playback test
•   Prep subject, sign release form
•   Turn of cell phones and press record!

Framing
Don’t place your subject close to the wall or backdrop flat deep

Framing
Shot sizes:
MS, MCU, CU
MCU (medium close up)
MWS (medium wide shot)
CU (close up)

Framing
Eye line and rule of
Thirds
(Best)
Too Centered
Looking off screen

Framing
Make sure there isn’t too much head room
Too much head room

Framing
Behind the scenes
Sit down Interview
Standing Interview

Lighting
Use existing light where possible
Three point lighting:
•   Key
•   Fill
•   Backlight camera

Lighting
Don’t put your subject in front of a window; instead use window to light the subject!
Window behind subject Window behind camera

White Balance
Set the camera for where white is white in the light in which you’re filming or photographing.
Sunlight = blue
Indoors = oranges
Fluorescent = green

White Balance
White balanced Not white balanced

White Balance
How can I set my white balance?

White Balance
There are two ways to set white balance, manually and automatically.

Focus &
Iris
Manual - Zoom into your subjects face to tell the camera where you want to focus
Iris – Helps you adjust your exposure.

Audio
Make sure you are in a quiet environment, listen to the room
Common mistakes that make for a noisy background:
•   Air-conditioning/Heating
•   Cell phones ringing
•   Traffic

Audio
Avoid using the onboard mic
•   If you have two channels, set up a shot gun microphone and place a LAV on the subject
•   If you have only one channel, use either an LAV or shot gun
Check your levels
Record room tone/presence of each location to use in editing later

Preparing the Interviewee
I’m ready!

•   Don’t have the interviewee arrive until you’re ready
•   Have them sign a release if they haven’t already
•   Have a glass of water for them
•   Direct them to look at you and not the camera
•   Remind them to speak in full sentences and to repeat the question back to you in their answer.
•   Relax! Have fun! There are no wrong answers!

Shooting the Interview
•   Change shot sizes while questions are being asked, not while the subject is speaking.
•   If a subject forgets to refer to what they are talking about ask them to restate the answer.
•   If an ambulance or an intercom goes off while you are interviewing don’t be afraid to hold until the noise stops and start the answer over.

Gather Supporting Footage and Creating a “Scene”
7 Shots you should try to get while filming a scene:
1.
Establishing wide shot
2.
Action medium shot
3.
Over the shoulder shots
4.
Cut Aways – coverage that relates to your subject
5.
Linking shots
6.
Close-ups
7.
Listening shots

Gather Supporting Footage
Establishing wide shot

Gather Supporting Footage te)
Establishing wide shot

Gather Supporting Footage
Close-ups

Gather Supporting Footage
Listening shots

Gather Supporting Footage
Action medium shot

Gather Supporting Footage
Cut Aways

Gather Supporting Footage
Linking shot

Shooting Usable Footage
•   Hold a steady shot for 10 seconds
•   If filming hand held, make sure to support yourself and use your core!
•   If you have a tripod, use the pan and tilt features to give the shot some action
•   Avoid using the zoom. Zooming in on handheld shots makes shaky footage. If you want to get close to your subject physically get closer with the camera.
•   Sound!

Wrapping Up

Wrapping Up
•   Before you are ready to take a nap after your long day of work, remember to store your gear in a safe place
(don’t leave it in your car)!
•   Put your batteries on the charger
•   Label tapes or SD cards
•   Set time aside to review your footage before the next shoot so you can see what you want to improve upon!

Additional Resources

Don't forget to check out www.dayschoolvideoacademy.org
, where you can
•   Register for next week's training webinar on Post-Production
•   Sign up for your free one-on-one consultation about any topic covered in our webinars
•   Learn about the $50,000 of awards and incentive prizes we'll be giving away during our video contest!