Introduction to Digital Video Production

Kimberly Hayworth Academic Technology Lab Manager Stanford University

Project Milestones
2/14/1 1 2/17/1 1 2/28/1 1 3/7/11 Storyboard / Interview Logistics Written Feature Rough Cut Final Cut / Video Presentation in Class

Production Team
Director Determines locations for cameras and lights Directs action (calls the shots) Camera Operator Operates camera, selects lenses, maintains focus Organizes cables, tripods, carts, dollies Checks connections and power levels Sets up lights Sound Technician Sets up audio equipment Monitors audio levels

Production Planning
Purpose/Objective/Audience

Story Pitch 1 sentence summary Project Title Storyboard/Shot List Equipment Software

Video Production Workow

Plan production (scout location, get releases, schedule shoot) Create storyboard/overview and shot list Shoot video Capture (transfer) video to computer Import other assets (still images, graphics) Edit video by selecting clips, adding titles and transitions Add audio (voice over, music, location sound) Export nished project video for web, DVD or use in presentations
http://search.creativecommons.org Photos, music, text, and video that can be legally shared and reused for free

Video Production Phases

Pre-Production
Develop concept Create scripts, storyboards, shot lists De Handle logistics cr ea Arrange interviews, scout location, get permissions/releases, sin coordinate crew & equipment availability g

tim

to

iss ue

Production
s& st il
Setup Shoot Video

lm

ee

td

Post-Production
ea dl
Assemble, edit video sequences Rough Cut in Add music, voiceover, titles e Final Cut/Deliver Video

Rough Cut Requirements

Due: 2/28/11 Total maximum length: 4 minutes
Includes all shots that will be in the nal cut

Close to nal sequence of shots OK to have placeholders
(titles, lower thirds - people's names/titles, other graphics) First pass at audio
(scratch track, voiceover, natural sound, background music)

Final Cut Requirements

Due: 3/7/11 Total maximum length: 3 minutes
Video project le is ready to be archived

All content is original or used by permission Includes all edits, transitions and graphics in nal form Audio is synchronized and normalized (volume levels are consistent)

Rule of Thirds
Dont center! Divide frame into thirds vertically and horizontally Place key subject elements where lines intersect Put subjects eyes in top 1/3 of the frame
http://www.digitaljuice.com/djtv/detail.asp?sid=66

Shooting Video
Review shot list before shooting Look for the best angles and good lighting Frame your subject (head room, lead room) Get a variety of shots establishing shot, long shots, medium shots, close-ups, extreme close-ups and cut-aways Let camera record for 10 seconds before and after each shot Always wear headphones to monitor sound
http://current.com/make/training?section=shooting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzKYmr2r1Tc

Shot Descriptions
Wide shot: Allows audience to see a large area. Called an establishing shot when used to establish location Close-up: Shows details such as facial expressions Extreme close-up: Provides striking visual detail Tracking shot: Moves with the action Cutaways: Smoothes transition between edited sequences (e.g., crowd reaction, scoreboard at a game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuGvRu5N9v4&NR=1

Camera Work
Use a tripod or monopod Start with a static, wide angle shot, and hold it for 15 seconds. Next slowly zoom in or pan (move camera left or right), and hold the shot for an additional 15 seconds.
The result is 3 useable shots: wide-angle, close-up and zoom to choose from when editing
http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/video/shooting_tips/panzoom

Interviewing Tips
Turn off cell phones Avoid distracting backgrounds Record 10 seconds of room tone Dont say "action" to cue the subject Instead, count "ve, four, three..." and cue subject after a silent count of two and one Microphones

Use a laveliere (lav) mic (also called a lapel mic)

Production Checklist
Video camera Microphone Tripod Batteries and power supply Extension cord MiniDV tapes (pre-labelled) / Memory Cards Lens cleaning cloth Release forms Camera user manual

Questions/Discussion
Contact Information: Kimberly Hayworth kimhwrth@stanford.edu

Introduction to Digital Video Production by Kimberly Hayworth is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at acomp.stanford.edu/faculty/atl/resources

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