Shooting Assignment #1 – B-Roll, Coverage

ASSIGNMENT #1

For this week you’ll shoot B-roll. In an ideal world, you’ll be able to use these shots in your final documentary. Before you start, think about your documentary subject, the location you want to shoot, and the list of shots for coverage described by Nancy Kalow, p. 11. You might choose to shoot people (or not).

Think about our introductory discussion of composition, light, and camera movement. In an ideal world, this material will work for your documentary.

You may want help, someone to shoot for you. They are your crew. I’d love to see you helping each other out, crewing for each other, and I’ll give you extra credit for doing so.

You can shoot on your smartphone – or on your own DSLR – or on a COW camera.

When you are done shooting, you’ll need to use iMovie (available on the COW computers in the library) to import your footage, save in a project, and export to a movie (.mov or .mp4) file that you can put on your OneDrive and share.

I’ve defined some goals precisely below. These should be your ideal. If you are not able to film a person that will fit in your documentary you can adjust your shot list to something more useful for your documentary.

THREE SEQUENCES

You will put together three sequences. A sequence is a set of related shots that develop an idea or theme or subject. The first two are  in-camera edits. That is, you’ll shoot the shots in the order and length that you intend to show them.

When you are done shooting you will import the footage to iMovie (or your preferred editing software), insert your footage into an iMovie project, and save each sequence as a movie file.

The third sequence will be a short edited sequence. Rather than just a set of shots (an in-camera edit), you will create a short edited movie in IMovie constructed from the footage you shot for sequence 1 and 2. Note: if you want to shoot additional video for your edited sequence that is fine, but remember, this is just an exercise!

BEFORE YOU SHOOT

I suggest a few steps before you shoot.

  • If you want to use a COW camera – make a plan early to check one out
  • Charge the batteries the night before you shoot. Make sure you have the AC adapter with you.
  • When you are ready to shoot, restore the camera to factory settings and format the SD card. You may need to reset the date and time. (This process will ensure that you don’t inherit problems from a previous user.) How to do this will depend on the camera.
    • On the Vixia cameras, you should set the camera to Manual so that you can access the Menu. Using the LCD screen select FUNCTION, then MENU. Follow the links to Reset camera settings, Initialize Memory and Set Destination.
  • You have your camera and you are ready to shoot – great. But what will you shoot? Take time to think about what and where and when you will shoot. Make a plan.

SHOOT YOUR FOOTAGE

Set up your shots and shoot your footage.

SEQUENCE # 1. A series of six to nine shots that create a SENSE OF PLACE. 60-90 secs

I’ll allow you to choose the individual shots. But think about how to introduce a place to your audience, draw in your viewers, focus them upon some details. Pay close attention to shot selection and shot compositions. So for example, you might shoot a sequence of shots such as: wide shot (establishing shot), close shot on a detail, medium shot that provides fuller context, etc. Refer to Nancy Kalow’s description of shots.

Take some of your shots with the camera locked down on the tripod. Then try some shots that are handheld. For handheld shots, make sure that you have Image Stabilization turned on. Then you might try a few shots with camera movement — pan, tilt, crane — or hand-held camera or zoom. Make your movement very slow! A total of six to nine shots would be enough (though you could create a powerful sense of place with just one shot or many more).

Each shot should last ten seconds. (That is, you are shooting to edit, so you want to hold each shot long enough that you can use it when you edit.)

You can shoot on full AUTO. Let the camera take care of white balance, exposure, and focus.

Don’t worry at all about sound. We’re just trying to get good image here.

SEQUENCE #2. A series of six to nine shots of a PERSON DOING SOMETHING. 60-90 secs.

Film someone in the act of doing something. Perhaps they’re: walking, sorting mail, cooking, lecturing, etc. I suggest you follow this sequence of shots: CU hands, CU face, MS, POV, WS.

For these shots, set the camera to M for manual and see if you can adjust the following on your own: white balance, exposure, shutter speed. You can try manual focus as well if you like. Feel free to get things wrong. This is a chance to learn how the camera works.

For at least half of your shots, the camera should be locked down on the tripod. You can try some handheld. Again, take each shot for ten seconds, shooting to edit. Don’t worry about sound.

IMPORT YOUR FOOTAGE AND EDIT

WHEN YOU’RE DONE SHOOTING, IMPORT FOOTAGE TO IMOVIE

Open iMovie. Start a new project. Attach your camera to the computer – or insert the SD card in an SD card reader – and import your footage into a New Event. Drop one sequence on to the Project Area. Watch your movie by clicking on the play button. Export your movie (Share/Export Movie…/Medium Size) to a file that you can then share.

SEQUENCE #3. Your First Movie! 30–60 secs

After you save the first two movie sequences, clear your timeline. Now, construct a short sequence that includes selections from the different shots you’ve taken. You will take selections of clips from the events library and drop them on to the timeline. We will have time this semester to learn the ins and outs of iMovie. For now we are just trying to learn the rudiments of inserting clips and trimming them to the length we want. Put your shots together in a way that makes some sense to you. Look, Mom, I’m editing! I’m making my own movie. Yes, indeed, you are. The full sequence should be no longer than 60 seconds maximum. Watch your movie in the viewer as you go by clicking the play button. Hurray! You’re a filmmaker now. Export your movie (Share/Export Movie…/Medium Size) to a file.

SHARE YOUR FILMS

WHEN YOU ARE DONE…

Rename your movie files with your last name and description using this model: [lastname]-[description].mp4 (for example, Shaya-Sequence1.mp4).

Upload your movie files to your OneDrive space and share with me. If you are not acquainted with OneDrive see the info from COW Technology. Submit the link to your movie files over Moodle so that I have access.