This document provides guidance on basic videography and editing. It discusses important video concepts like aspect ratio, frame size, frame rate, and compression formats. It also covers compositional rules like the rule of thirds. Technical aspects of shooting soundbites like framing, depth of field, lighting and equipment are explained. Basic editing processes like importing, trimming clips, and assembling a timeline are outlined. Different types of video stories like soundbites and voiceovers are also introduced.

1. Basic Videography and Editing
Prepared for KQED
October 17, 2013
Jim Foust jfoust@bgsu.edu

2. Basic Video Stuff
 Aspect ratio—the shape of the video screen
 4:3 or 16:9 most common
 Frame size (resolution)
 Given as two numbers with width first
 640 x 480; 320 x 240 (4:3)
 1920 x 1080; 1280 x 720; 960 x 540; 480 x 270 (16:9)
 Higher numbers = higher quality
 Sometimes shortened to height and i or p for interlaced or progressive
(720p)
 Frame Rate—number of still pix per second
 30 “normal” for TV; 20 or less jittery

3. A Little About Compression
Makes video files smaller
 By altering resolution, frame rate, pixels, etc.
 Often measured by bitrate
Higher bitrate = higher quality = larger file
 Common Formats
AVI, MOV
MPEG
FLV (Flash video)
h264

4. Rule of Thirds

5. Rule of Thirds

6. Rule of Thirds

7. Shooting Soundbites
 Eyes at top third (or thereabouts)
 Lead space in direction they’re looking (frame to left or right third)
 Not looking into camera, but looking slightly off camera (both eyes should be
visible; both ears if possible) NO PROFILES!
 Shoot in medium shot—head and shoulders
Can be exceptions (wider shots) for artistic purpose
As you go wider, eyes move slightly more toward top of frame, but
always in vicinity of top third
 Beware of distracting backgrounds
 Only one person in frame
 Beware of shooting from high or low angle

8. Soundbite Framing

9. Headroom
POOR
BETTER

10. Examples
Soundbite Framing Grid
Soundbite Framing Examples
Story Example: Dangerous Curve
Story Example: Bee Swarm

11. Depth of Field
The range of distance in a given shot in which objects
are in acceptable focus.

12. Depth of Field
Aperture: the more open (the lower the number) the
smaller the depth of field.

13. Depth of Field
Subject distance: the closer the subject is to the
camera, the smaller the depth of field.

14. Depth of Field
Focal length: the more “zoomed in” the smaller the
depth of field.
Video Example

15. Basic Aesthetics
 Separation of subject from background
 Using depth of field
 Being aware of the background
Avoid brick walls, etc.
 Moving subject away from the background
 Ideally, in event-specific stories, the background should have something
to do with story

19. Lighting
 Be aware of light situation
 Don’t shoot against windows or other strong light sources
 Use natural light to your advantage
 Move person around so window shines on them

20. Sound—Technical
 Use Lav whenever possible
 Beware of background noise
 NEVER unrelated background noise

21. Sound—Content
 Set expectations beforehand
 Tell interviewee a little about finished product
 Consider “Tell me about. . .” rather than actually asking
questions
 Remember that the story will have to stand on its own without
narrative/questions

22. Equipment
AC Adapter/Charger
Camera
Batteries
USB Card Reader
SD Card

23. Equipment

24. Lav Mic
Nice long
cable
Removable (and losable) wind
screen
LR-44 watch
battery inside
Power switch: remember to turn
ON when recording and OFF
when done, or it will drain
battery.

25. Recommended Accessories
 Camera light
 Monopod
 KQED Tripod (currently in limbo)
 Headphones

26. Pre-Shoot Checklist
 Batteries charged
 SD Card ready
 Lav mic working
 Do a test shoot

27. Camera Controls: Left Side
Powered Image Stabilization:
press and hold for more
aggressive image stabilization
Zoom Control
Power Button

28. Camera Controls: Right Side
Record Button
Mode Switch:
Set to M

29. Camera Controls: Behind Door
SD Card Slot
Display Button:
toggles how much
info you see on
display
Record/Play: toggles
camera between
record and playback
mode

30. Make sure you’re in VIDEO Mode
Should see video cam Icon here
If not, press the
video camera icon
here to go to video
mode

31. Accessing and Checking Video Settings
Access and check by pressing FUNC

32. Basic Camera Settings
 Auto white balance
 FUNC > WB > AWB (can just check it)
 Auto Focus (usually)
 FUNC > Focus > AF
 Auto Exposure
 FUNC > Exposure > A
 Digital Effects OFF
 FUNC > Digital Effects > Off

33. A Simple SOT
 Green Room Video

34. Editing
Basic Editing Process
1.
Start editing project in FCP
2.
Import Video from camera/card
3.
Trim individual video clips
4.
Assemble clips on timeline
5.
Export finished project

35. Editing
 Jump Cuts Example
 Me with Jump Cuts
 Me with Dissolve
 Me with White Flash

36. Story Types
Soundbite(s)
Soundbite(s) with B-roll
Nat Sound Piece (soundbites, nat, music)
Nat Sound Piece 2
Voice Over (VO)
Narrative story (with reporter voice) not often used online.

37. Shooting B-Roll
Shot Types
The Case Against Zooms and Pans
Some Simple Sequences
Bad Sequence
Soundbite Framing Grid
Soundbite Framing Examples