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SHOOTING AND EDITING VIDEO FOR THE WEB

Part Three: The basics of online news video

Show, don't tell

Print reporters need to learn how to make the leap from telling stories with words to using moving images with sound – to show, not tell.

We all consume broadcast news, so we instinctively grasp that moving images can tell stories in ways words can’t.  But the gulf between understanding that concept intellectually and being able to shoot powerful footage yourself can be immense.

Shooting video for the Web, rather than for TV, also requires understanding the unique technical constraints of the online medium. Web video is far tinier than what we see on TV. A scenic panorama that looks magnificent on a plasma TV screen ;looks dull and flat on a computer monitor. A montage of quick cuts that generates excitement on TV often turns into a blurry mess on the Web.

Shooting news video of the Web has its own set of rules, grounded in broadcast journalism but tempered by the demands of the Web.

Capture all the footage you need

You can't edit footage you don't have. So there's a temptation to shoot everything you see -- twice or three times. On the other hand, when time is tight, wading through minute after minute of useless footage just bogs you down. Beginners should always err on the side of capturing more, not less.

Shots and sequences

A handy guide is that you need to understand the different kinds of shots you can shoot and then learn to capture them in sequences:

  • Types of shots – These are the building blocks of footage that you will need to tell your story.

    • Wide shot (WS) – Camcorders have a button with T (for telephoto) and W (for wide angle). Wide shots show most or all of the scene. You need them to provide context and for visual relief. They can also allow you to capture the full sweep of the action, from beginning to end. There are also times you must shoot the action from a distance (such as when the tornado is bearing down on you).  With Web video today, however, you don’t want to be too far away because of the difficulty of seeing detail in small video images online.

      • This wide shot of the tearing down of the Oldsmobile plant in Lansing is so wide that it can be difficult to identify the action.

    • Establishing shot – These are wide shots that shows the full scope of the scene or the action in context.  You typically put an establishing shot at the beginning of your video, to provide viewers a frame of reference so they can understand what they are seeing.

      • This establishing shot (WS) shows us the full scope of the action.

    • Medium shot (MS) – Medium shots fall between wide shots and close-ups. (If you are shooting people, make sure you don't cut them off at the knees.)

      • This shot focuses on the action of one machine, with another in the background.

    • Close-up (CU) -- This is the equivalent of peering over someone's shoulder to see what's going on.

      • This shot zeroes in on the action of one machine.

    • Extreme close-up (XCU) -- These shots can zero in on the action or they can turn elements into visually interesting abstract images. Depending on your camera and your lenses, it may be difficult to maintain crisp focus.


  • Shoot sequences - Learn to think in sequences rather than individual shots. In editing, sequences allow you to carry the viewer along through the unfolding action. Storyboarding your visuals is the equivalent of outlining for text, and it can be helpful in conceptualizing the sequences you will need to tell your story.
    • The first shot of Jake the Anatolian shepherd is an establishing shot (wide shot) that quickly tells us he's a farm dog. The middle shot is a medium shot that reveals his friendly personality. The close-up gives us a chance to see his magnificent head in detail.

  • B-roll - This additional footage provides color and context that helps you tell the story. As you begin to think in terms of visual storytelling, you will begin to identify the additional elements you will need to show, not tell.


    • B-roll footage of Jake's farm is useful even if it doesn't include images of Jake himself. A shot like this would be great to have when the narration talks about the farm operation.

  • Tips & techniques - A few basics:

    • Use a tripod -- Or a monopod or a steady bag (a beanbag that holds your camcorder steady). This is probably the single most important thing you can do to ensure usable footage. (If you find yourself in a situation without a tripod, try to turn your body into one. Spread your legs to steady your balance. Exhale and then hold your breath to reduce camcorder shake and shimmy.)

    • Hold your shots long enough -- Another rookie mistake is to move to a new shot too quickly. Two or three seconds can seem like a long time, but when you start editing, you will wish you had more. Hold each shot for a minimum of six seconds up to 15 seconds.

    • Forget Hollywood - News video is straightforward -- no pans, no tilts, no zooms.  Most news video is shot at eye level.  The moveimaker's bags of tricks -- fancy focus pulls and endless tracking shots --- are simply not part of the repertoire. This doesn’t mean your footage should be dull.  But the visual interest will depend far more on the content than on artistry.

    • Complete the action – Viewers find it distracting when you pick up an action in the middle, or when the action stops before it is done.  If someone is starting to walk through the scene, let them walk out the other side of the frame before ending the shot. Remember the advice about not panning? Here’s the exception that proves the rule: You should pan to follow the action if completeness demands it, but stop panning at the end of the action and allow the subject to move out of the frame.

Tech tips on tapes: If you are shooting mini-DV tape, let the camera run for a minute or so before you start shooting scenes that matter. These tiny tapes stretch as you begin using them, and a slapback can occur a minute or so after you begin, creating an artifact in both the video and the audio. This helps to ensure a "sparkly" won't occur at a critical point.

You should also stick to using one brand of tape. Mini-DV tapes come in two varieties, lubricating and non-lubricating, and switching types can gum up the tiny recording heads in the camera.

Part Three: The basics of online news video - Lighting

Shooting and Editing Video for the Web

Part One: Exploring news ways to tell stories online

Part Two: Building a plan to produce news video for the Web

Part Three: The basics of online news video
    - Shots & sequences
    - Lighting
    - Basic composition
    - Audio matters
    - Shooting interviews & standups
    - Tech stuff

Part Four: Editing

Online video on a budget

Part One: The camera

Part Two: Accessories

Part Three: Editing software

Part Four: Posting on the Web

 

Bonnie Bucqueroux teaches digital jouralism at Michigan State University's School of Journalism and is a self-described Web geek.