Shooting video for the web

The basics of videography for blogs and online news sites

Ethical Martini, August 2012

Just shoot me
Theres nothing mysterious about broadcast technology and in the web context high-end production values are not important However, always aim to shoot the best quality that you canthis means good light, good audio and good camera angles There are some basic rules you should be following - the rule of thirds, for example and how to follow action with the camera, without getting all that jerky movement that spoils the shot

Before you leave the building

Even if youre not a boy scoutbe prepared
What do you want to shoot?

Story & Purpose Time frame to deadline

Equipment checklist:
Inventory what have you got Phone & App point & shoot, edit & upload Automatic video camera Backpack kit:
Batteries; tapes (if you need them); free-space on hard drive (if you have one); tripod; audio gear; lights (if you can get them); power cordsoh, and the camera

Brain checklist:
what are you shooting; where are you going; how are you going to shoot it; do you need permission to shoot there; is the interviewee ready; have you researched the topic; have you got your notebook, maps, keys, phone, wallet and water; does someone know where youre going

Basic guidelines for web video

Use low-action shots whenever possible
lots of movement can look blurry and pixilated on the web

Keep the camera still

if youre shooting action, let it happen in the frame Zoom, zoom, zoom in a word No

Make sure your subject is well lit from the front

get as much light as you can in the shot, peoples faces in particular and important action

Strive for good quality audio

GIGO: garbage in, garbage out

Avoid small objects except in ECU shots

Framing the shot

A good shot will always fill the frame Get as physically close as you can to the subject/action Zoom with your feet Familiarise yourself with the grammar of the shot:
Long/wide/establishing shots (panoramic, scenesetting) Mid-shots (from the mid thigh or higher)/Head and shoulders (close-up)/ECU (extreme close-up) Cutaways/B-roll/Reverses (shots that you can use to cover up difficult edit-points) Choose your background carefully decorate Pan (l-r)/zoom (in-out)/tilt (up-down)

Shoot a variety of shots

Wide
Establish the events

Medium
More engaging

Close up
Show the details

Source: ISU

Wide Shot
Establish the event

Source: ISU

Medium Shot
Engage the viewer in the event

Source: ISU

Close-Up Shot
Show the details

Source: ISU
http://communication.illinoisstate.edu/

Shoot for your editor (usually you)

Editing is always easier if you (or your editor) has a good selection of useable shots and great audio (well pretty good audio)

Most times you only get one shot at getting a shot

Action speaks louder than words shoot wide first and shoot wide often

Objects that are relevant or interesting; details faces,

hands, windows, artworks, flowers, friends, doors, damage, colour, emotion, metaphor, beauty, intrigue, curiosity, personality make

great

insert/cutaway shots
But dont waste time on that till you get the action

Take time to frame an interview shot even in the heat of the moment
Take more time with a set-up interview Frame, sound-check, re-frame, record

Rule of thirds
Imagine the scene you want to frame overlaid with a grid breaking it into nine rectangles of equal size Find the major point of interest in the shot as your focal point Frame major foreground objects into the left or right horizontal third and into the middle third Fill at least two thirds vertically

The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally.
Digital Photography School

Source: sweet.vanjava

Source: Ethical Martini Source: sweet.vanjava

Source: TV Handbook

Source: Picture America

Stabilise the camera

Theres nothing worse than shaky footage, except unintentionally shaky footage Keep the camera stillsure, but how? Use a tripod still the most effective way and you can then operate the controls without jerking the camera around Steady yourself and the camera against something solid thats not moving:
a tree, a wall, a table, a heavy (non-operating) piece of machinery; rest your elbows on the roof of the car; get someone to hold you or to lean against

Use ALL available light

Dark, greyed-out and grainy footage cannot be repaired in post-production (GIGO again) Using professional lighting rigs is expensive, timeconsuming and not for the D-I-Y beginner Simple-to-use hotshoe lights for modern digital cameras work well for lighting facesif youre close enough When in doubt take it out(side)theres nothing wrong with asking your interviewee to go outside, but be very careful about noisy locations
Open the curtains/blinds and turn on the lights A simple table or desk lamp makes a reasonable spotlight for faces

Lighting tips
Dont shoot into direct sunlight If youre outside on a really sunny day, find some light/dappled shade Dont shoot with the sun in your interviewees eyes, they squint and look stupid Find and use the backlight button on your camera If you only have a little amount of light, get it on your subject any way you canuse the desk lamp etc and bring it close, then frame the shot to leave it out (see rule of thirds)

A few sound rules

Read up and practice microphone technique Test your microphones before using them, particularly the first time If using a small prosumer camera, fit an external mic if you can Where possible use lapel mics for interviews if you only have one, put it on the talent, not on you If your camera lets you ALWAYS check your audio levels in a pre-record test Stay away from noisy locations and high wind situations

Chasing some action

If you keep the camera still, how do you shoot action? Let the action come to you Frame a wide shot and let the action move through the frame Start with an empty frame (if you can), hold the shot until the frame is empty again

Hold the camera still move slowly

Pan, zoom, tilt if you want to try it
from a standing position move your upper body first on a tripod start and finish on a still subject, or hold the shot till it leaves the frame

Action in the frame

For interview subjects frame wide or deep enough to get hands in frame if they move, using slow tilt If youre on your own, keep it simple
a good seated MCU set wide (camera close) over one shoulder, or standing head and shoulders to mid chest [dont cross the line] If in doubt, keep it wide for crowd scenes, team sport and racing Dont shoot flat angle the camera so that the action is moving towards (not head-on) or away into a horizon or vertical vanishing point (thirds)

Wide, Medium and Close-Up

Used for montage of event Using a variety of shots is a good way to keep the viewer engaged Try moving from a wide to medium to close-up in one long shot It can work for a voice-over sequence, or as overlay for interview tracks

Get at the Eye level of subjects

Viewer identifies with subject through eye level Often Youth are shot from Adult perspective Use angles appropriately

Get at the Eye level of subjects

Source: ISU

Get at the Eye level of subjects

Source: ISU

Youth Eye Level

Source: ISU

Youth Eye Level

Example:

Source: ISU

Where can the camera go?

180 degree rule for any given sequence of shots stay on one side of the subject a half-circle along an imaginary line through the subject forms your shooting area
Crossing the line is a very important concept in video and film production. It refers to an imaginary line which cuts through the middle of the scene, from side to side with respect to the camera. Crossing the line changes the viewer's perspective in such as way that it causes disorientation and confusion. For this reason, crossing the line is something to be avoided.
Source: Mediacollege.com

180 Degree Rule

Medium shot
Source: ISU

180 Degree Rule

Close-Up shot

Source: ISU