Once you are done with audio and video capturing of your video recording, it’s about time to think of logistics of your video recording!

  1. People in your video

a. You need to cover

  • Sign a media consent if you want to share your footage
  • Make sure they understand that setup and prep adds significant time, so a 5 minute interview can easily take over 30 minutes to record. They may have to deal with multiple takes and re-shoots.
  • Try to spend time with them before recording, so set them at ease and review the subject material you want to cover.
  • Always do a countdown when taping, and prep your talent to hesitate 5 seconds at the beginning of taping and 5 seconds at the end. Another gesture at the end will capture their attention.
  • Attire Issues
    • Clothing to avoid
      • Bright white, black, red, orange solid colors (throw off color balance)
      • Tight stripes (moiré patterns)
      • Small prints or patterns
    • If you’re using a lavalier mic – will pick up sounds of movement so avoid
      • Scarves
      • Jewelry
      • Hair
      • Synthetic Fabrics

b.Get a sense of how your talent will act

  • Standing – do they move around or bounce (Try to keep focus on them, with a side enough shot so they don’t leave the frame)
  • Sitting – do they sit up, slouch, slowly-slouch or shift around
  • Do they gesture a lot or a little, and do you want to capture that
  • How can you place them to help
    • Do you want them at a table
    • Leaning forward suggests engagement – but they have to do it
    • Sitting in a chair, on a stool, on a piece of equipment
    • Standing near something of interest
    • Do they need any props (white/black board – something to refer to?)

c. We never offer anything associated with make-up, but powder helps if someone asks (lights can make people shiny)

d. Dealing with Issues – How do they behave on camera and how do you work with it

  • Do they speak particularly fast or slow
  • Where are they focusing
  • Fidgety
  • Lose track of the question
  • Does their voice rise and fall in volume

2. B-Roll

  • Footage to illustrate the main point of your video
  • WALLDO – Tips for interesting B-Roll
    • Wide – shot with much more background with or without talent
    • Angle – odd angled shots can add interest, consider moving from the eye-line, go high and low
    • Linking – moving shot to provide connection. Moving from close-up to wider to add detail around a subject, or from an object to a person to give some sense of the connection.
    • Low – positioning the camera below the eye-line, can make a subject seem dominant in the shot
    • Depth – makes a clear delineation between the foreground and background, especially if only a portion of your shot is in focus
    • Opposite – Lets the viewer see from the point of view of the subject. Shot from inside a mailbox or refrigerator, reaction shot

3. Editing

a. Try to start with the audio and build from there

  • Common procedure is to edit the audio down first and add B-Roll images after

b. Always color correct

c. Beware complicated transitions – they can be distracting – most common are a straight cut and cross dissolve

d. Background music

  • Can set a pace and add interest
  • Lots of free stuff available by mood, length, pace

4. Day of interview – Make sure you have everything you need good to go

  • Camera
  • Media
  • Charged Battery/Power Cord
  • Tripod – lock parts as necessary, secure the legs, level
  • Interview questions

5. When you’re taping the interview, listen to the answers from your interviewee

  • Sounds simple – but actually fairly difficult
  • Think of good follow-up questions

6. Follow-Up

  • If you’re recording on your cellphone, copy your footage to another location and delete it from your phone. This will free up local memory so you’re ready to tape again.
  • If you can, make a backup of your files.
  • Make notes about your files the day you captured the footage. This will help organize the contents of the files, help you keep track of footage that is particularly memorable, and will be a timesaver when editing.

7. Lynda (LinkedIn Learning) has great resources for videotaping

Video Recording – Logistics and Editing
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