The video making process
When making a video there are four stages that you will need to work through. These are:
- Scripting (also called 'development')
You will think up a story and write a script outline of the story your group is going to tell. - Pre-production
You all plan how you are going to capture your story on video. - Production
You go out and video the shots, interviews, and images you need for your story. - Post-production
You feed all your footage into the editing computer and edit the pictures and sound to create your end product.
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Scripting/development
The planning was difficult because everyone had different ideas.
First you need to decide what story you are going to tell. You will then choose the format – documentary or drama? What will work best? Think about what you want to communicate to your audience. Think about your audience – how do they like to be communicated to?
When coming up with an idea and writing your script you need to think about what resources are available to you. Do you have a big budget or no budget? What locations can you film at? Who can you film? No use writing something set on a snowy mountain when you don't have the budget or time to all fly to the mountains.
Whether you are making a 30-second television commercial, a five-minute documentary or a feature film, your script will need 'shape' – this means it needs a beginning, middle, and an end. For the shorter formats you will be working with (for example, a two-minute documentary or drama) you will still need a beginning, middle, and end but you need to 'get in there, make your point and get out' quickly. See the scripting worksheets for ideas on how to format your work. You can choose the format you want either documentary or drama.
Beginning
This sets up your story and your characters whether they are real people or fictional drama characters. The beginning lets the audience know where you are taking them – it is when the characters or the film makers' goals and ambitions are shown.
Planning a script was hard because you have to think of ideas real fast but it was good.
Middle
This is the backbone of your story – the obstacles your character has or had to overcome to reach his or her goal. Or perhaps there were no obstacles but an interesting journey or series of coincidences that they wandered through. This is where your main message is communicated.
End
This is the conclusion of your story where everything becomes clear, the story is solved or the findings of the documentary are laid out. This is where the main message is summarised or 'driven home'.
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Pre-production
It was cool when we first got together because we didn't know each other.
Cast and crew
It is time to start planning your shoot. First you need to cast and crew your production. See also the video roles worksheet.
If you are interviewing people from outside your group, you will need to make sure their availability fits with your filming schedule.
Recce
Your planning will be influenced by when and where you need to shoot. Therefore a 'recce' is in order. A 'recce' is film slang and is taken from a war term – the 'reconnaissance mission' where soldiers would go and 'check out' various areas.
When making your film a recce is where the director, cameraman and key crew go and check out the location where you will be filming.
You can decide where the action will happen and when might be the best time of day to film – such as when the light is best and when there is the least amount of noise. You will also see what props are already in the location and what you may need to bring. By being at the location you can see problems that may arise on the day you film – such as a busy nearby road that means you have to film after rush hour to stop traffic noise affecting the quality of your sound. You may need to seek permission from a teacher or the head of a family to film at their place.
Coming up with the storyboard was fun.
Storyboarding and shot listing
Now you know where and what you are filming, you will need to decide how you want to film your script. This means it's time to storyboard your 'shots'.
Storyboarding is like drawing a comic book of your script. As you 'draw' out your story you will be deciding what size shots, what camera angles you want to use and where you want people and props to be. This is called composition. For example you may choose a big close-up to show an important clue in your story – or you may need to show a wide shot to let the audience know where you are. Your storyboard will help to communicate the shots you want to all the cast and crew. It will also inform your 'shot list'.
From the storyboard you can write your shot list. This is a list of all the different shots that you have on the storyboard and will need to make your film.
If you don't have time to draw a storyboard you can simply write up a shot list.
But, do not kid yourselves that you can go out and just shoot; you need to have a good idea of what you need to shoot! A well-prepared shot list will also help a lot later on during the post-production digitising stage.
For some helpful explanations and ideas about shot sizes and composition go to:
http://atec.utdallas.edu/midori/Handouts/camera.htm.Call sheet
Being prepared on the day of shooting is very important – everybody needs to be prepared for their role and to have the gear they are responsible for ready and on set. No excuses! Be organised and think about what you will need to realise your 'vision' before you need it!
It is a good idea to make sure everybody on the shoot has the same information. You can create a professional call sheet and photocopy it for everybody. This says where the location is, who needs to be there and at what time. It also may give contact phone numbers, what special props the art department must bring, what shots are being shot there and any other special information you need to remind yourselves of.
Looking after yourselves
Filming can be really intense so make sure you bring a drink and some snack food to keep yourself going. If you are filming outside you should also put some warm clothes, sunscreen and other things you may need in a backpack.
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Production – shooting
We learnt how to film properly... just being on to it and more organised.
Now you are all there, you all know what you are doing and you are ready to film your script. Each person on the crew should be thinking about his or her job. See also the video roles worksheet.
- Director:
Are the actors or presenters giving the performance you want? Do they need help or ideas to aid them to do a better job? Sometimes it is easier for a director to 'see' what is happening than for an actor who is 'caught up in the moment'.
Is it worth getting some lines delivered in different ways so you have options in the editing suite?
Movement is good for editing – do you think you have the shots in the scene to edit together so they make sense?
Think about continuity and screen direction and eye lines.
Different angles of the camera can help with the film.
- Camera:
- Is the subject of the shot in focus? Is there anything in shot that should not be there – such as a crew person in a reflection or maybe an electrical cable or prop from another scene – or the director's folder on a table? Is there anything in the shot that is distracting you from the main focus of the shot – such as a bad sun glare or a passerby in the back of shot who is staring right down your camera lens?
- Sound:
- Can you hear what is being said clearly? Is there some bad background noise like a jackhammer? Do you need to wait until it has stopped so you can shoot? Let the director know if something didn't sound right!
It was cool learning about the art department and their role in different movies.
- Art department:
Ask the cameraman to check the shots through the camera. Does everything look the way you want it to? Are all your props on set that need to be? Do you need to have any props ready for the next shot or for another take? For example if the actors are drinking tea in their scene, you will need to have more tea standing by.
Have you collected all the props that are finished with and put them somewhere safe so you can return them to where you got them? You are allowed to ask others to respect the props and set – it is your job to make sure everything is left the way it was found!
- Wardrobe/make-up:
- Are the actors/interview subjects dressed in what they should be for the scene you are filming? Does somebody have a shiny nose or make-up that needs touching up? Do the actors'/talents' hair, make up and clothes match the other shots from the scene?
- Producer:
Have you got the shots you need for that scene/location? Is the crew and cast safe and cared for? They might need water or a break or do they need to be reminded to be careful because you are filming near a busy road? Their welfare is your responsibility.
Who is responsible for looking after the shot tapes? These are very valuable and they are all your hard work. The producer should look after them or make sure the camera person is. Is the crew sticking to the number of tapes for filming - if they are shooting twice as many as you have or budgeted for, you have a problem.
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Post-production
- Digitising:
- This is where you feed all your video footage into the video system. Your well-prepared notes from shooting will help you to clearly identify all your shots.
- Editing:
- The director or the team will work with the editor to put together your story. Editing is where your story can really come alive. You will start with an assembly edit – this is where you roughly place the shots in order as suggested by your original shot list. Then you will start to refine your edit. In refining your edit you need to be watching to see that the story is making sense and that the shots work together.
- SFX:
- Post-production is also where you can use some 'special effects'. Most editing software will let you turn your pictures into black and white if you want such a sequence. Or you can employ other 'video filters'. Have you seen documentaries where they have strange pictures where people look painted? This is done in post-production. This is also where all the CGI would happen (computer generated images). These are time consuming and have exacting technical requirements therefore; none of us will be using CGI in our short films.
- Graphics:
- You can create titles and credits for your video with your editing software or you can create your titles in PhotoShop or another such application and import them into your editing application. The more you experiment with your software the more creative tricks you will learn.
We now know how to make and create a short film.
Final note – experimentation
Experiment and 'play' in pre-production. Many professional film crews try out stuff during this time. You may want to try out lighting techniques. The director and actors may want to 'workshop' different ideas. Perhaps the make-up person needs to play a bit to get the effect he or she wants? The day of shooting or the stressful time you have for editing before a deadline is not the time to experiment!
The more you experiment, the more tricks you will learn, and the more you will be able to fully realise the great video/film vision you have in your head.
Finally, enjoy. Film making can be the best hard work fun you have!