Watchable Video Guidelines

The building blocks of TV-quality video are very accessible. You simply need to follow a few guidelines (see the sidebar on the left).

Shooting for success

A key point to keep in mind in creating watchable video is the goal of your production. Let's start with one assumption: that not all occasions demand the same level of attention in either shooting or editing. Sometimes you bring the camera just to capture the day or the event and really just want to have fun without the pressure of creating a masterpiece. Still, you want the video you shoot to look as good as possible, so you definitely want to use the proper camera settings and compose your shots carefully.

Other times, for weddings, significant birthdays and anniversaries, graduations, and other events, you want to weave in advanced shot combinations that captivate and impress your viewers. You may even want to develop a short list of shots so that your video can follow a definite storyline. This takes a bit more planning up front and more editing time at the back.

Even though you don't need to concern yourself with advanced shot composition each time you dust off your camera, you should gain a fundamental knowledge of the basics that will improve all of your videos. Then you should learn some more advanced techniques, for those special occasions when you want to spread your creative wings.

Guidelines for Creating Watchable Video

• Use a feature-rich video editor.

• Develop strong nonlinear editing skills.

• Choose the right camera settings.

• Apply basic shot composition.

• Apply advanced shot composition.

Let's start at the top of the guidelines and then work our way through the other elements.

Definitions 101

Here are some terms that are critical to video production. I'll try to stick with the following definitions in this chapter and throughout the book to ensure that we're speaking a common language.

Shot composition: Composition is the arrangement of the primary subjects on the screen. The goal is to present the most aesthetically pleasing image possible without exceeding the ambitions and time constraints of your project.

Shooting, taping, or videotaping: These terms all refer to the process of pointing your camera, pressing the red Record button, and recording on tape. I may slip up sometimes and use the term filming, a definite faux pas since we're using a DV or other tape-based camcorder that doesn't have film, but the process described is the same.

Scene (during shooting): During shooting, the scene is the key area where the action takes place. In a crime drama, the murder scene takes place in the bedroom or boardroom or library. In a football movie, you'll have locker room scenes (tasteful, of course), scenes on the field, and finally the tickertape parade scene, in the center of town.

Shot: A shot typically is described in terms of what you're doing with the camera when you're shooting a particular scene. So in a long shot, the camera is very far from the subject (unless you're at the race track), while in a close-up shot, the camera is close to the subject. An establishing or wide shot typically shows the entire scene so that the viewer understands the environment relevant to that footage. You'll learn more about the different types of shots later in this chapter.

Scene (during editing): During editing, a scene is a discrete chunk of video composed of one or more shots. Typically, during editing, you identify the scenes you want to use in the final project and then assemble them with your video editor.

Clip: A clip is a generic term for a chunk of audio or video that you're editing in Studio's Movie window. It is often used interchangeably with scene.

Sequence: A sequence is a group of scenes pieced together. In a wedding video, for instance, you might have a sequence for the rehearsal dinner, a sequence for the ceremony, and a sequence for the reception. You piece these sequences together into a finished movie.

Movie: A movie is the end product of your shooting and editing what you end up with after you've pieced together the various scenes and added all the transitions, titles, and special effects; it's the creative fruit you serve up to your audience.

Video: Typically refers to what's transferred from your camcorder to your computer. Video is also used interchangeably with the term movie.