Now I'm teaching video, too?!
Transcript of Now I'm teaching video, too?!
Now I’m teaching video, too?! Or… HOW ONE NEWSPAPER ADVISER DECIDED SHE BETTER ADAPT OR RISK BEING LEFT BEHIND
Michelle Balmeo Michellebalmeo.wordpress.com @michellebalmeo
Who I am
! El Estoque, Monta Vista High School
! Cupertino, CA in the Silicon Valley
! Newspaper editor in high school
! Program that began as one class of 28 students making a 12 page tabloid paper now two small intro classes (Writing for Publication) and a Journalism class of 50 working on a website and monthly 46 page magazine
All that to tell you who I am NOT
! Never worked as a professional journalist
! Never did broadcast journalism
! Never even owned a video camera until 2009. A Flip Mino HD bought for $200
! Not the kind of person who will spend $2,000 on a video camera, no matter how great the reviews
What you probably already know but never noticed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGSXMuWMR4&feature=BFa&list=FLrvgP2IIUK_h1GVIxra3H_w
Less art. More science.
! Andrew Lih: “Why is learning (and teaching) video so hard for journalists?”
! Too much to remember, too much to screw up, too much stuff to bring (and I would add… the batteries are always dead. ALWAYS. Why do we never think to charge the batteries in advance?)
! Perception that good video is something magical that talented people create
! It’s time to break it down and look at the parts of the whole.
Parts of the whole: Shot distance
! Wide
! Long
! Medium
! Close up
! Extreme close up
! Point of view
! Establishing
Parts of the whole: The 5-shot method
! Close-up of hands
! Close-up of face
! Medium shot of hands and face
! Over the shoulder
! Something else (be creative)
Parts of the whole: Shot framing
! Frame
! Composition ! Lighting
! Leading lines
! Framing
! Grounds
! Angle (high/low)
! Distance
! Depth of field
! Rule of thirds
! Head room
! Lead/nose room
Parts of the whole: Shot movement
! Zoom
! Tilt
! Pan
! Tracking
! Ken Burns effect
Parts of the whole: Sound
! Ambient/Nat sound
! Diegetic sound
! Non-diegetic sound
Parts of the whole: Editing
! Jump cut
! B-roll
! Transitions ! Cross fade
! Dissolve
! Fade out/in
! Straight cut
! Cross cut (parallel cut)
! Montage
! Shot reverse shot
! Split screen
! Superimpose
Parts of the whole: Rules
! Axis line (180 degree rule, line of action)
! Off-camera reporter eye contact
! Eyeline match
! Ethics: True to scene
Making it teachable 1. Pitching and planning: Is it a good visual story worth
pursuing? What do I need to know or do to be prepared to shoot this video story? How do I write for video?
2. Getting the shot (composition): What are my visual options? How do I avoid the home video look?
3. Interviews: How do I ensure that my audio is clear and usable? How do I frame questions to make editing possible?
4. Motion sequence: How do I move past b-roll wallpaper? How can I compress time in video? How do I make my videos more pro?
5. Putting it all together: How do I use video editing software? How do I edit clips together seamlessly? How can I look at my work and get better?
Pitching and planning
! Your task: Take the print story and turn it into a video story. To do this, you must ask yourself… ! What can the viewer SEE?
! What do I need to TELL the viewer?
! How do I rewrite for the ear?
! Write the lead, nutgraf, and at least three bridges you think the viewer would need for this story to have continuity.
Pitching and planning
! OTHER PITCHING AND PLANNING LESSONS:
! Deconstruct a transcript
! Listening post activity
! Is it a visual story?
! Pitch a story
Getting the shot
! Your task: Use video to give the viewer a fresh look at something old. To do this, you must … ! Utilize composition techniques studied in class
! Move your body
! Frame each shot and hold for 10 seconds
! DO NOT move the camera
! Capture at least 8 steady shots of your object that demonstrate your understanding of video composition
Getting the shot
! OTHER GETTING THE SHOT LESSONS:
! Documentary video analysis with term glossary as a guide (explain and illustrate graphic organizer)
! Composition scavenger hunt
! Complete a NewsU online course
! Capturing b-roll
Interviews
! Your task: Gather a series of man-on-the-street style interviews in response to a question of your choice. To do this, you must… ! Prepare a question that will elicit longer responses (longer than
“yes” or “no” or “It’s fine”)
! Frame each shot to eliminate distractions
! Collect clear, usable audio
! Get the name and title of each person, with spelling
! Interview at least 12 people and choose the best 4 to cut together and share
Interviews
! OTHER INTERVIEW LESSONS:
! Question rewriting
! “Me through their eyes” interview with parents/guardians
! One event, many voices team competition
Motion sequence
! Your task: Create a motion sequence that illustrates the process of creating a paper airplane in 20-25 seconds. To do this, you must… ! Identify the key steps in the process
! Plan your shots
! Think, “Tight, medium, wide, action, reaction”
! Utilize the 5-shot rule
! Hold each shot for 10 seconds
! Edit in camera
! Shoot a paper airplane making sequence.
Motion sequence
! OTHER MOTION SEQUENCE LESSONS:
! Storyboarding an action
! Food preparation sequence
! Shoot a sequence at an event
Putting it all together
! Your task: View and critique a recently completed video. To do this, you must… ! Look primarily for continuity
! Listen for audio balance
! Evaluate the interviews, cuts, b-roll and sequences
! Watch the video and identify three strengths and three areas for improvement.
Putting it all together
! OTHER PUTTING IT TOGETHER LESSONS:
! Editing in (software)
! The effect of effects
! Critique, critique, critique
A few house rules…
! Don’t move the camera. HOLD and count to 10.
! If you do move it (DON’T), move it once in one direction.
! Use a tripod. And an external mic.
! Scope out the scene before you whip out the camera.
! Listen to your sound on headphones WHILE shooting.
! Edit in camera.
! Write like you speak to a normal person.
! Frame first.
! Get close. Then get closer.
Video links ! http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/us/autistic-and-seeking-a-place-in-
an-adult-world.html?pagewanted=all
! http://bop.nppa.org/2012/tv_news_video/news_photography/winners/?cat=SPF
! http://bop.nppa.org/2012/tv_news_video/news_photography/winners/?cat=IDS
! http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/world/battalion.html#/NYT
! http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-gangviolence-html,0,6290501.htmlstory
! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/traumatic-brain-injury/index.html#/intro/
! http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7992850
Resources
! Mindy McAdams
! Al Tompkins and Poynter
! NY Times Multimedia
! Washington Post MM
! Mediastorm
! B-roll.net
! NPR Next Generation
! NewsU
! NPPA.org
! ONA.org
! Knight Digital Media Center