Amy DeLouise presents ways to save time and money while making better video. Presented to the Interagency Visual Media Group, October 2015.

1. T I P S T O
SAVE TIME & MONEY
& INCREASE QUALITY
OF YOUR NEXT VIDEO
@ b r a n d b u z z
Presented at #IVMG15

2. Today’ Agenda
Tools and Strategies
for a better…
 Story
 Budget
 Process
2

3. Introductions
 Writer/Director/Producer
 Nonfiction Storytelling
 Lynda.com Author
 NAB Speaker
3

4. Getting in Touch
 www.twitter.com/brandbuzz
 www.linked.com/in/amydelouise
 www.plus.google.com/+AmyDeLouise
 www.vimeo.com/amydelouise
 Blog: AmysBrandBuzz
 amy@amydelouise.com
 www.Lynda.com/amydelouise
4

5. Tools That Help Your Story
CREATE YOUR STORY

6. 6
Get Everyone on
the Same Page
@brandbuzz

7. Concept Boards: Pitch the Vision
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8. Why Concept Boards?
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 “Sell” your concept
 Compare/contrast with others available online
 Outline story arc and main characters
 Tie to programmatic goals and audience measures
 They don’t have to be fancy, just help everyone
visualize

11. “I’m Suzanne and politics is my passion.”

12. “I first got involved through my neighbor…”

13. “And we started bringing more people together…”

14. “I do my homework on the issues that matter to me...”

15. “But learning is just one piece…then you have to walk
the walk and meet with your representatives regularly.”

16. “I hate being away from my kids, but I’m doing it for
them…”

17. Concept Boards Resources
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 http://www.storyboardthat.com/
 http://www.cinemek.com/storyboard/
 www.Piktochart.com
 https://animoto.com/
 http://prezi.com/
 Photoshop (obvi)
 Powerpoint
 Build a pool of freelance gfx designers
 TIP: Ad agency experience helps

18. Scripts: Build the Blueprint
 Treatment
 Shooting Script
 Editing Script(s)
 “As Aired” Script
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19. Why Scripts?
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 Build buy-in in advance of shooting expense
 Define any deltas, opportunities, threats
 Build…
 shot lists
 shoot schedules
 interview questions

20. Scripting Resources
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 https://story.adobe.com
 https://www.finaldraft.com/
 Plain old MSWord – templatize your own

21. Formatting

22. Building a Story Arc
22
Have a plan,
but be
flexible!

23. Opportunities/Threats
 Avoiding “black hole” w/o visuals to cover
 Photos or stock visuals
 List assets needed in script!
 Archival opportunities
 Recreate a scene
 Animation

24. Consensus-Building
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 Return to storyboards for reviews
 Review preproduction scripts
 Connect to audience impact measures and
programmatic goals

25. SPEED UP & IMPROVE YOUR EDIT25
Production Strategies & Tools for a Better Post

26. On Location
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 Record room tone
 Use slates
 Take field notes
 Digital releases
 Plan interview transcript workflow

27. Record Room Tone
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 Record tone at start and end of a long interview
 Record the sound that bothers BY ITSELF
 Faster and better quality audio edits

28. Use Field Slates
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29. Why Slates?
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 Faster to scan for slates in post
 Vital scene and take info
 Dumb vs. Smart vs. iPad slates

30. Field Notes
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 GoogleDocs
 Handwritten on
Script
 iPad notes on Script
 Audio notes are
essential!
 Time of Day
timecode with
schedule

31. Releases
 ASMP Releases and
Tutorials
 Easy Release
 iD RELEASE
 iRelease
 Release Me
 Always retain digital
releases with your
interview files
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32. Plan for Transcript Workflow
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33. Why Transcripts?
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 Assess potential soundbites in advance of edit
 Don’t Fear the “Frankenbite”
 Help avoid up-speak
 Tighten long sentences
 Automate the edit process by associating clips with
keywords or phrases
 Make captioning easy

34. From Transcript to Editing Script

35. Interview-Driven Script Workflow
35
1
• Pre-interviews
• Themes and stories
2
• Shooting Script
• Includes “fantasy” soundbites
3
• Editing Script
• Includes actual soundbites

36. Planning for Transcripts in the Field
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 Record Timecode and Track Info (speaker name,
frame rate, sample rate, bit rate)
TC Recorders: Sound Devices 744t, 788t, 664, and
633 and the Zaxcom Nomad and Maxx
Mixer: Sound Devices 552
Need to record TC to audio track: Tascam DR-05
and -07 and the Zoom H4N and newer H5 and H6
 Output mp3 or wav files of audio only

37. Do it Yourself Transcripts
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 http://www.sounddevices.com/products/accessories
/software/wave-agent
 Add your own metadata for faster post and
efficient file archiving

38. AVID Workflow with Scripts
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 Phrase Find and ScriptSync™ for AVID (still in v7,
and coming back soon)
 See Steve Audette tutorials
 https://vimeo.com/17502817
 https://vimeo.com/95543071

39. PP Workflow with Scripts
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 Premiere Pro CS6 - time-based dialogue
embedded in the metadata for the media files, then
import those media files into the new version of
Premiere Pro
 Adobe Premiere Pro CC Classroom in a Book
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&link
Code=qs&keywords=9780321919380

40. FCP Workflow with Scripts
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 ID clips with Keywords
 Create Smart Collections that update while you edit
 Third-party systems can take time-stamped
transcripts and add keywords to it
 http://lumberjacksystem.com/

41. 3 Ways to Improve Storytelling on a Budget
BUDGET

42. Add Motion
 Dana Dolly or Wally
Dolly rents for $100-
150
 Auto-sliders
 Redrock rents for about
$250 for 4 days
 MobiSlyder $40
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43. Get Help
 Grip - $400-500/day – add
multiple lighting setups to
cover more locations in a
single day; add motion
 PA - $250-300 -- move gear,
get lunch, move cars, take
edit notes to save tons of
time in post
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44. Get Help
 Makeup Artist -
$600/Priceless – lets VIP feel
pampered; ensures no
flyaway hairs on
greenscreen, saving days of
agony in edit; checks monitor
so you can focus on logistics
and setups
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45. Add Photos
 Behind-the-scenes
 B-roll coverage
 Build a content library
 Background plates for
green screen
 Online sharing and
promotion
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46. FINAL THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS46

47. THANK YOU!
Follow me @brandbuzz
www.amydelouise.com
www.Lynda.com/amydelouise