Leveraging Video: It’s Easier than You Think!

Video is one of the most incredible tools that can be used in storytelling. It has the unique ability not only to show sights and sounds, but also to capture the genuine emotion involved in a story and comprehensively promote the human element. Now, guess what, you don’t need an expensive set of gear or a film crew to capture this content successfully. You have a powerful device right there in your pocket. Your smartphone has evolved into an incredible tool for capturing footage and telling a story.  Believe it or not, you can actually capture iPhone footage in 4k – here’s a quick tutorial.

There are some basic dos and don’ts when it comes to capturing video.

• FRAMING: Unless otherwise requested, use a landscape (horizontal) framing instead of a portrait (vertical).
• AUDIO: Choose a quiet area. When using an on-camera microphone, position the camera as close as possible to the action or the people talking. One person should speak at a time.
• VIDEO: A bright light source, such as the sun, a lamp, or a window, should be positioned behind the camera to illuminate the faces or subject of the shot. Try to avoid recording with a window in the background, as home cameras/phones will adjust for that light, and the person will appear darkened.
• Ask anybody interviewed to say their name on camera. Also have them spell it correctly and include their title, property, location, and any other information that would be used to identify them in a graphic.
• A good tip for someone being interviewed is to repeat the question or use part of the question in your answer.
• Always start the camera before the “action” and let it roll for 5 seconds. When the action or scene is complete, let the camera roll for another 5 seconds before stopping it.
• Use a tripod when available. Try to avoid unnecessary zooms, pans, or other unnerving camera movements.
• Cutaways and “B-Roll” are extra shots used in editing to help illustrate somebody’s point or show scenes while a narrator talks about them. Examples include a hotel exterior to establish the location, a close-up shot of a vacuum cleaner when demonstrating how to use or repair it, and even a shot of a person nodding and listening can make the edit better.

There are also some basics when it comes to what your interview subjects should wear during their session:

Neutral colors – Blues, greens, greys, browns.
Avoid – All white, all black, all red.
Avoid – Herringbone, tight checkered patterns, small polka dots – anything that may vibrate in video.

When it comes to editing, nothing beats the Adobe Suite, especially Premiere Pro. The program has made significant progress in terms of accessibility and usability. Several online YouTube tutorials are available to help you learn the basics of the program. If you’re not in a position to invest in Premiere Pro, there are several alternatives (many of them free!) that are available.

In terms of posting your content, nothing beats your social media feeds and YouTube. YouTube is beneficial because it makes it easy to embed your content on your chapter website, allowing all to view it.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Seth Lennon over at SMACNA.