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Vorming Most Significant Change – Mirjam Schaap, Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation - 1 maart 2011

Most Significant Change Technique and Video Film Making Tips

PREPARING

get your camera ready

study the manual

know all camera functions

charge batteries

check memory space / empty tapes

try to get a tripod

FILMING

find a good location to film

try to find a location for the storytelling which that will illustrate the story

avoid moving backgrounds (waving leaves), this will prevent compressing into smaller

files

arrange proper light

make sure you have enough light

try to shoot outside in natural light, not inside (if possible)

avoid shooting into the sun or backlighting (your subject wil be too dark)

keep the sun in your back or from the side

get the sound right

be aware of the position of the built in microphone

get close to the person to get better sound (microphones don‘t zoom)

find a quiet place to do the interview (avoid background noise + wind)

use an external clip microphone to improve the sound

composition: frame the picture right

use close ups (CU) or medium close ups (MCU) when you want to share your video

through the internet

frame the eye's of the interviewee on one-third of the frame (rule of thirds)

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ask the interviewee to maintain eye contact with you and not to look directly into the

camera

do not film the front but a little bit the side

keep some space in the direction the interviewee is talking (lead)

when using a photocamera or mobile phone, use landscape only (you cannot convert

your movie from portrait to landscape)

avoid camera movements

don't use the zoom, it will make the video blurry, unnatural and shaky

avoid to move the camera

hold it steady (preferabbly use a tripod, otherwise thuck your arms in your side)

less camera movement will create a video that compresses into a smaller file

EDIT

edit your story using editing software (windows moviemaker, adobe premiere, pinnacle

etc.)

import / capture the video shots into your computer

edit the story (if you made storyboard use it as reference), for instance:

o create a title

o insert the cutaway shots

o insert title ‗slides‘

o insert transitions (be sparse with wild transitions)

o edit the sound (fade in/out, level)

note: save your video project regularly

export (publish or save) the video project to a video file (.wmv or .mov format)

“Make sure you have all the elements of your story in your video-editing

program. If you haven't done so already, import all images, video, your voice-

over, and musical elements.

Next, bring the images or videos down into the timeline to match the layout of

your storyboard.

It's time to create an initial rough cut before adding transitions or special

effects. The draft version gives you an overview of your project and spotlights

areas where images or video are insufficient to carry the story.

Next, add titles to the beginning and end of your story. You may also want to

overlay text onto an image or video. Avoid the urge to get too jazzy with

typefaces or colors: Use a straightforward typeface that's easy to read.

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Now comes the hard part: adding transitions - a simple cross-dissolve

generally works best - and altering the length of each visual element to make

sure it corresponds properly with the voice-over. Often, storytellers find that

the "Ken Burns effect" on a Mac is a good way to add visual interest to an

image, panning across and zooming into a photo to highlight an expression

or important element.

The music is the last element to add (you may want to mute it until you're

ready to tackle the soundtrack, usually by unchecking a small box in the

timeline next to the music clip). When you're ready to add music, iMovie's

controls easily let you adjust the volume to reduce the music volume during

the voiceover. It's generally best to fade the music to a low level but not to

drop it out completely for the sake of continuity.

Expect to spend a few hours editing your story to get it just right. Don't

overproduce: often the spontaneity and directness of the initial drafts get lost

with too much polishing.“

Source: Expert tips on creating a polished, professional digital video. J.D.

Lasica http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/techplan/page5897.cfm

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SHOT TYPES

Very Long Shot (VLS)

The very long shot gives the viewer "geography". There

is no doubt where the people in these shots are.

Long Shot (LS)

The long shot takes in the whole height of the person. It

doesn't show as much background as the VLS but it

does show enough to know the subject's location.

Same as wide shot (WS)

Mid Shot (MS)

The mid shot cuts off at the waist. It is a good shot to

introduce people to your audience. You get a good image

of the subject and their surroundings.

The MS is appropriate when the subject is speaking

without too much emotion or intense concentration. It

also works well when the intent is to deliver information,

which is why it is frequently used by television news

presenters. You will often see a story begin with a MS of

the reporter (providing information), followed by closer

shots of interview subjects (providing reactions and

emotion). As well as being a comfortable, emotionally

neutral shot, the mid shot allows room for hand gestures

and a bit of movement.

Medium Close Up (MCU)

A Medium Close Up (MCU) shows the head and

shoulders of a person or a detail of an object. Offers

more intimacy than a MS.

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Close Up (CU)

You can see the look of concentration in a shot that is

"full face". Also used for interviews - especially when

things are getting personal.

Close-ups are obviously useful for showing detail and

can also be used as a cut-in. Whereas a mid-shot or

wide-shot is more appropriate for delivering facts and

general information, a close-up exaggerates facial

expressions which convey emotion. The viewer is drawn

into the subject's personal space and shares their

feelings.

Big Close Up (BCU )

Very intimate shot. Great in dramatic moments when the

actor is giving their all.

Over the Shoulder Shot (OSS)

Looking from behind a person at the subject, cutting off

the frame just behind the ear. The person facing the

subject should occupy about 1/3 of the frame.

This shot helps to establish the positions of each person,

and get the feel of looking at one person from the other's

point of view.

A variation of this shot can be a bit wider and include the

shoulder of the person facing the subject.

`

CA (Cutaway)

A shot of something other than the current action. It could

be a different subject (eg. this cat when the main subject

is its owner), a close up of a different part of the subject

(eg. the subject's hands), or just about anything else.

The cutaway is used as a "buffer" between shots (to help

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the editing process), or to add information.

Cut-In

Shows some part of the subject in detail. Can be used

purely as an edit point, or to emphasise emotion etc. For

example, hand movements can show enthusiasm,

agitation, nervousness, etc.

Noddy Shot

Usually refers to a shot of the interviewer listening and

reacting to the subject,

When shooting interviews with one camera, the usual

routine is to shoot the subject (using OSS and one-shots)

for the entire interview, then shoot some noddies of the

interviewer once the interview is finished.

The noddies are edited into the interview later.

Point-of-View Shot (POV)

Shows a view from the subject's perspective. This shot is

usually edited in such a way that it is obvious whose

POV it is

SHOT ANGLES

low angle

This shows the subject from below, giving them the

impression of being more powerful or dominant. Tends

to be dramatic

Eye-Level - neutral angle

Does not attract attention to itself

This is the most common view, being the real-world

angle that we are all used to. It shows subjects as we

would expect to see them in real life. It is a fairly

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neutral shot.

high angle

A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e. the

camera is angled down towards the subject. This has

the effect of diminishing the subject, making them

appear small, less powerful, less significant or even

submissive.

SHOT MOVEMENT

Panning

Side to side movement with a static camera.

Tilting

Up and down

tracking

Following the movement of the

subject by moving the entire camera

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180 DEGREE RULE

The 180° rule is a basic guideline in film making that states that two characters (or other

elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other.

If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing

the line. The new shot, from the opposite side, is known as a reverse angle.

This schematic shows the axis between two characters and the 180° arc on which cameras

may be positioned (green). When cutting from the green arc to the red arc, the characters

switch places on the screen.

In the example of a dialogue, if Owen (Orange shirt in the diagram) is on the left and Bob (Blue

shirt) is on the right, then Owen should be facing right at all times, even when Bob is off the

edge of the frame, and Bob should always be facing left. Shifting to the other side of the

characters on a cut, so that Bob is now on the left side and Owen is on the right, will disorient

the viewer, and break the flow of the scene.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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COMPOSITION

Rule of Thirds

Apply the ―Rule of Thirds‖. Mentally divide the frame (what you see in the

viewfinder) into thirds, both vertically and horizontally. Place your key subject elements along

those lines. Where the lines intersect will be the best place for your subject. That means that

centering your subject in the frame will create a less interesting composition.

Headroom

Leave some ―headroom‖ between the top of the subject and the frame but not so much as to

waste space; Headroom refers to the amount of space between the top of a person's head and

the top of your frame. Too much headroom makes the person appear to be sinking.

Lead space

Lead space refers to space in front of your subject. Leave extra space in the direction your

subject is looking (looking room) or moving. It is important to balance this compositional space

from shot to shot—too many shots in a row with looking room on the left will be awkward.

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Samples of composition

Subject too centered, block viewer‘s access

to space of the frame.

Subject 1/3 from edge of frame invites viewer

into frame.

Too much headroom wastes space in the

frame.

Proper headroom helps emphasize subject.

Lead space (looking Room) helps the subject

appear to be in natural, conversational space.

In a Medium close up (MCU), follow the rule

of thirds and place the subject's eyes on the

upper third line. Notice the lead space.

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Sources:

Basic Video Camera and Shooting Primer, Prof. Sarah Kanouse

http://www.readysubjects.org/honors/handouts/camera_shooting_primer.pdf (last

accessed 20 July 2009)

http://www.urbanfox.tv/creative/shotsizes.html

Video Camera Shooting Basics or ―Think about this first‖

http://www.yorku.ca/gita/visa2054_0405/docs/camera-basics.pdf (last accessed 20

July 2009)

Shot types http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/

EXTRA TIPS/TRICKS

Preparing for other than Most Significant Change Story videos

prepare the content of your movie

do your research / decide on what you want to film

make a plan : write a script - storyboard

o decide what parts of the story do you want to do on camera,

o in what sequence

o how you can illustrate this

Title Crew and players

Outline

Scene sketch Shot description Audio Comments

Time ………..

Scene sketch Shot description Audio Comments

Time ………..

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brief the storyteller:

o talk the parts of the story through and explain that you prefer a consise (not too

elaborate) telling of the story.

o In case of an interview, decide whether you want the interviewee to repeat the

question.

Storyboards

Storyboards are drawings that plan for a camera person what will be seen and heard in each

―shot‖ in a video or film. If you do a good job on your storyboards, it makes recording, or

―shooting‖ a film or video a lot easier.

A storyboard needs to answer the questions :

Who?

What ?

Where?

Why ?

When ?

How ?

A storyboard is a place to plan out a visual story on two levels: 1) Time - what happens in what

order? and 2) Interaction - how does the voiceover and music work with the images or video?

The easiest way to begin this process is with a small stack of index cards, and draw the

scenes (frames). When using index cards you can lateron re-arrange the flow or easily delete

a scene.

What makes a good storyboard

the drawings fill the whole ―frame‖

everything drawn in the ―frame‖ is there for a good reason – they add to the story

they use a variety of ―close-ups‖, ―mid shots‖, and ―wide shots‖ +

they take composition rules into account

they either show or say in writing everything that you will see and hear in the video

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Elaborate storyboard / script format (adapted from Huub Ruijgrok)

Sequences Images

(descriptive)

Sound Comments

and

questions to

be asked

Speakers Key Messages

(what has to

come out from

the answers or

comments)

Simple storyboard / script format (adapted from shorelineschools)

Scene sketch Shot description Audio Comments

Time ………..

Sources:

http://www.worldreport.nl (Huub Ruijgrok)

http://www.themediaspot.org

http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/techplan/page5897.cfm