In the first video DJ talks through the course and introduces the assignment he will be undertaking that day.
Packing the bag
In the second video DJ opens up his kit bag and explains the different equipment he will be using for this assignment and why having the right balance between having enough equipment to do the job and cope with between unforeseen circumstances, and having too much equipment that will slow you down.
Shooting an interview
For many videos designed for online the interview is crucial as not only should it provide a great visual you feel comfortable to come back to if you don’t have other suitable visual material to cover what the subject is talking about, but also because the interview will drive the story and so getting the audio clean is vital.
Shooting B Roll
With the interview done the next task is to shoot B Roll to help visualise the narrative. Choosing a good time to visit, and trying to find variety in B Roll is key to keeping the audience engaged.
Getting creative
Having solid B roll is important but once that is in the bag DJ recommends allowing a little time for some creative experimentation in the hope of getting a few unexpected images into the story.
End of the shoot
In the last video for the shooting stage DJ sums up what has happened so far on the shoot.
Organising your files
Once you are back to the hotel or office the first task is to get all the files you have created onto backup disks and organised so you can start working with them.
Editing the story 1
In the first of two parts DJ talks through the process of turning an interview and lots of B roll, audio and images into a single story.
Editing the story 2
In the second of two videos DJ talks through the final stages of agreeing a story structure for a short news video.
Using favourites for B Roll
There are many good tips to speed up the process of getting your story edited. One of the great functions of FCPX is the use of favourites to quickly choose your best shots and then focus just ion them in the edit process.
Adding B Roll
Once the favourites are chosen then it’s just a case of dropping the best clips into the right place. DJ talks through this jigsaw assembly process for the film he shot earlier.
Audio smoothing
Almost finished the last process before you show it to an editor is to go through the audio on the story and stretch them out so they ease in and out without the viewer noticing. Being careful to not cut picture and sound is a trick that goes back to the early days ion film making.
Editing images
If you are working for online, no doubt they will need still images as well to go with the story and here DJ shows his technique for quickly sorting out the still images he shot on the shoot earlier that day.
Final video
Here is the final edited version of the video from this course before it was published.
Different platforms
In the final video DJ shows all the different platforms the final video appeared, from broadcast to Facebook, Tumbler and an APP. All slightly differently designed using the different media elements created on that day.
Continue on to the following short video news sections in this module: