1. Telling Your Story Through Video
Reading and Writing Video
Telling Your Story Through Video

2. Goals of Today’s Session:
To examine techniques for recording the best video and audio content possible for use in your productions
To examine a basic equipment setup
To look at the connections between video production techniques and the core content especially in the area of literacy

3. The First Rule of Video Production
No matter how good your equipment, editing, and graphics…
Garbage In!
Garbage Out!
It takes quality audio/video to make a good production!

4. Safety First! Use a tripod and make sure it is stable
Make sure camera is tight on tripod
Watch out for cables
Don’t point camera at bright light like the sun for long periods
Don’t try and force tape, cables, or attachments into place

5. Roles in Production Producer – Oversees project,
Guides idea, works with director
Director - Guides actual production (calls the shots!)
Assistant Producer/Assistant Director- finds resources, gets copyright okays, sets schedules, arrange interviews, locations
Talent - On-camera host, anchor, or actor delivers lines, acts in character, follows director’s cues

6. Roles in Production
Camera person - Operates camera, tells story visually as guided by director
Audio Engineer – Records and manages sound
Scriptwriter – writes scripts & storyboards
Computer Generated Imaging (CGI) Designer- Creates text, still images, and animations for onscreen and web use.
Website Designer- Many programs have websites or are delivered as part of a website.

7. It’s All About the Audience
Producers target specific
audiences for various
productions.
Consider:
Background
Age/grade level
Abilities
Wants / needs

8. What is your purpose? Think PIE!
Persuade
Inform/ teach
Entertain

9. Pre-Production Decide on target audience and purpose
Have all props and materials in place
Write outline/ scripts /storyboards
Plan for graphics and special effects

10. Production Scenes are rehearsed, performed by talent, and recorded.
Supporting video (B-roll) is also shot to
“cover” audio (the sound) and natural audio is captured.
Video/audio clips are
logged and labeled

11. Camera Tips Use a tripod
Place camera so greatest light is at camera person’s back
Use focus and white balance controls
Practice camera moves (blocking)
Frame shots and moves with purpose

12. How To Frame A Shot (Subject Facing Camera)
Headroom
Subject can be centered

13. How to Frame A Shot (Subject looking to one side)
Headroom
Give lead or “ talking” room

14. How to Frame A Shot Using the Rule of Thirds 1 2 3
Place most interesting part of subject where lines cross. Notice body and eyes lie along these lines instead of picture’s center.

15. Telling Your Story With Shots

16. Basic Shots Types
Close-up (CU)
Medium Shot (Med)
Wide Shot (WS)

17. Shot Purposes
Close-up/Extreme CU shots- “tell” what characters look like, show emotions, point out details
Medium shots- create comfortable “talking” distance; good for interviews
Wide Shots- Show setting or action.
Point of View (POV) shot lets viewer
“see” through a character’s eyes

18. Don’t do This! The “witness Protection” shot
When shooting don’t place your subject in front of a strong light like a window, lamp, mirror, etc.

19. Camera Tips (continued)
Vary shots
Don’t overuse zoom
Be sure to lay down pre and post-roll
Correct roll-back (only on tape cameras)

20. Using Angles Bird’s Eye (High angle)
shots make characters or objects look small or weak
Worm’s Eye (low angle) shots make characters look big or strong

21. ZOOMING!
Zoom – Zooming out or in can be used to “guide” viewer through a scene but should not be overused to avoid viewer “seasickness”

22. Diagram of a Typical Camcorder
Inset Detail W
Wide
Auto Zoom Control Switch T
Telephoto
Power/ Record Controls
Battery Compartment
Microphone
Playback Controls
Lens Assembly
Viewfinder
Auto/Manual Focus Controls

23. Common Video Mistakes…..
Too much headroom - bad framing
Subject in front of bright backlight
Shaky camera - no tripod
No shot variation - wide shot
Insufficient planning - no script
lack of pre and post roll

24. Audio Track Parts
Talking
Sound effects
Music
Natural sound

25. Audio Tips If possible use headphones to monitor sound
Select microphones based on project needs
Place microphone right distance from source
When using built-in microphone move closer and zoom out
Listen for distracting background noises `

26. Common Audio Mistakes…..
using only cam mike
mike too far from sound source
No sound check
not monitoring audio
Speaking too fast or not clearly

27. On-Air Tips for Talent
Make sure ahead of time that you can read and properly pronounce words (especially people’s names)
Wait for your cue before speaking
Smile! (when appropriate)

28. On-Air Tips for Talent
When addressing audience, look into camera when speaking as much as possible.
Hold referred to objects close
to face when possible so it is easy to frame shot “spokesmodel pose”
Speak clearly and slowly enough to be understood, projecting your voice toward the microphone

29. Planning Your Production
Two main ways of planning are scripts and storyboards
Scripts take many forms but should have a place for both audio (sound) and video (picture)
Storyboards are really comic strip versions of production where shots are drawn with the audio written as captions underneath

30. Script Writing Process
Research- Look not only for factual information but also sources for stills, video segments, audio sources etc.
Content Outline- The framework for the script. which contains all the information the script will have. It's easier to edit, cut, or add to later. The outline is laid out in the sequence of the script.
Treatment- written in story format (in commercial world the treatment is often used to “sell” the production before actual script is written)
1st, 2nd, and final draft process

31. Steps to a News Story
Research- this tells you whether you actually have a story
Focus Statement- Do people in school drink too much soda?
Brainstorm B-Roll
Shoot
Log footage
6A. Option- Re-shoot or shoot additional footage

32. Steps to a News Story
6B. Option- Scrap the story (if you don’t have it by now, there may not be one. This happens!)
7. Write the script for audio and video. This is where the focus statement is proven or disproved and where anchor’s lead is written
8. Edit
9. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Taken by permission from Steve Galyon, Henry Co. High School

33. Script Example Video Audio EST. Shot -of school exterior
Med. Shot- Student host pointing at
building
WS. Shot – Student walks through
door
Med. 2 shot- Host and school director
CU- Director’s face as he is talking
EST. Shot- Scriptwriter’s office with her at her computer
Audio
V.O- Welcome to the ACME School of Production
Let’s go inside and take a tour!
Music
This is the school’s director, Mr. Doe What are you going to show us today?
Well I thought we would start by talking with our scriptwriter, Ms. Smith.
Director – Well hello Ms. Smith! We have a visitor with us, Mr. Host

34. Shot Abbreviations (ECU) Extreme Close-up Shot (CU) Close-up Shot
(Med) Medium Shot
(WS) Wide Shot
(POV) Point of View Shot
(EST) Establishing Shot

35. Sample Storyboard The veterinarian will take a blood sample
She will use a special needle to take the sample
She will check the sample under a microscope

36. Interview Tips Research the subject Target your audience correctly
Write a focus sentence
Research the subject
Target your audience correctly
Prepare a complete list of questions
Describe the purpose to the subject before the interview

37. Interview Tips
Don’t interview the subject without the camera before the actual interview
LISTEN
Ask good follow-up questions
Be polite and professional

38. Interview No-No’s Yes and no questions “I see” and “Uh-huh”
Two-part questions
Obvious questions
Questions in poor taste
Questions that have already been answered

39. When writing for a news broadcast…
Some things stay the same
You still need to be:
Clear
Fair
Balanced
Interesting
Some things change
Write the way you talk; you are telling a story
Sesame Street Style –simple, slow easy on the ears
Short sentences
Listen to your story as well as watch it.
Let your pictures tell the story. Avoid talking heads
Let your subjects provide the drama

40. Dressing for Television
Choose clothes with simple, clean lines
Wear solid colors but avoid day-glow colors
Avoid white, black, shiny jewelry, and distracting patterns
Avoid tee shirts with photos or slogans
be well groomed

41. The “Magic” of TV (Special Effects and Post Production)
Editing
Graphics
Special Effects
Animation
Make-up

42. Post-Production
The best pieces of video and audio are picked and put in the right order.
The video pieces are edited together.
Green Screen effects are added
Graphics (words on screen) and computer effects are created and edited in.
The audio track is edited (sweetened) with sound effects, music, and natural sounds placed where needed.

43. Editing: In-Camera/Non-Linear
In-Camera editing: Plan and shoot in order using record/pause feature. Little flexibility for later rearrangement.
Non-Linear: shoot video and then input into computer with non-linear editing software. Video and audio segments represented by icons placed on a desktop timeline in desired order. Segments can easily be rearranged and graphics, transitions, effects integrated to created finished product.

44. You may use this PowerPoint in whole or in part but please cite KET
as the source!