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Shooting and Editing Underwater Video

Why shoot underwater video Memories of places and people Helps to find areas with potential for improvement (trim, technique, ) Provides an artifact without taking something physical

How is shooting underwater different from the surface? Environment is outside everyday experience

o Movement in 3D sense of floatingo Exotic colors and subjects

Lightingo Big changes in light intensity and color with distance from light source

Limitationso Time (gas / deco)o Freedom of movement (currents, distances)o Communicationo Financial (higher cost of gear)o Technical (can't switch lenses)

Personalo Potential for task overloadingo Diving skills affect quality of recorded footage

What do we need to shoot underwater videos? Must have:

o Focus (what are you going to shoot)o Camera with dive housingo Computer with editing software

Good to have:o Story (human element)o Defined target audienceo Video lighto Shot list

Nice to have:o More lightso HDMI video monitor and recorder

Workflow 1. Development

oStart with an idea for a story or a great opportunity

o Describe the story! E.g.: A film about Xs obsession with nudibranches

o Choose audience! Family? Friends? Community? Festival?

o Create story structure! Exposition (Set-up), Conflict (Confrontation), Resolution

o Write dialogs voice over, if any 2. Pre-production

o Feasibility check (availability of story elements, gear, etc)o

Choose locationso Create storyboard and/or shot listo Create gear listo Get buy-in from people

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3. Productiono Charge batteries, inspect and lube o-rings, operate buttonso Configure camera to shoot for editing

! High bit-rate, low compression, progressive, 30fps! Natural/Neutral presets

No sharpening Very low contrast Low saturation Audio

! Sound recording Underwater: Auto levels 48 kHz Stereo

o Format memory cards in camerao Put the camera into housing and keep out of the sun to prevent over-heating

and fogging

o Plan the shot/dive! Communicate objectives and tasks! Everybody needs to know what is expected

o After getting into the water! Clear micro-bubbles from dome and behind filters! Check for water tightness

o Shoot! Exposure quality

Adjust lighting (intensity, angle, spread) Adjust exposure (aperture, shutter, ISO) Adjust focus Adjust white balance

! Shot quality. Consider: Framing and composition Camera movement Screen direction Axis of Action (180 degree rule) Continuity of Action Matching Angles Matching Eye-Line

o After the dive! Equipment care: rinse the housing thoroughly, operate all buttons! Dry yourself and housing before taking camera out! Copy files to disk! Backup files to second disk

4. Post-productiono Review and select clips (e.g. in MPEG Streamclip)o Trans-code selected clips for editing

! Mac: Apple ProRes 422 (LT)! Windows: AVI

o Import trans-coded clips into NLEo Arrange clips in timeline

Initial assembly(all the shots we consider for final product)

o Edit and re-arrange! What new information is presented?! What is the motivation to move to the next shot?!

Does the transition change to a new composition?! Does the transition change to a new camera angle?! Does the transition preserve continuity?! Does the sound develop well across a transition?

Rough cut(shots in more-or-less correct order and length)

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o Add text titles and animations! Display titles not longer then is necessary to read the text

o Add music! Music sets the mood and creates emotions! Free sources for non-commercial use:

http://ccmixter.org/ http://freemusicarchive.org/ http://www.jamendo.com

o Trim/re-arrange (pace, rhythm)! Sounds can motivate edits! Pace of the music should match pace of action! Re-arrange music when necessary (e.g. in Audacity)

o Add sound effects, voice-over, etc.o Add transitions

! Use a Cut Continuous action Change of information or locale

! Use a Dissolve Change in time or locale Strong visual relationship between shots Slow down time

! Use a Wipe Change in time or locale No strong visual relationship between shots Graphic treatment of transition is desired

! Use a Fade Beginning and end of video, chapters, scene, etc. Change in time or locale

Final cut(all the shots in correct order and length)

o Apply color correction! Adjust color temperature! Adjust brightness! Adjust contrast! Adjust saturation

o Color grading (looks and effects)Picture lock(no more changes to visuals)

o Mix audio levels! Sound and vision are partners and not rivals! Balance dialog, music, and ambient sound

Final mix(all done, no more changes)

o Export final mix!

MPEG-4, H.264,! HD: 1280x720, 30fps, 20 Mbps! Full HD: 1920x1080, 30fps, 25 Mbps

o Backup and archive! Original and trans-coded clips! Exported video

5. Distributiono Trans-code final mix for web

! MPEG-4, H.264,! HD: 1280x720, 30fps, 4 Mbps!

Full HD: 1920x1080, 30fps, 5 Mbpso Upload and share

! Vimeo! YouTube! Facebook

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Software Audio(free)

o Audacity Video Converters(free)

o 5DtoRGB (best Quality, only to uncompressed)o Avidemux (many formats, trimming)o MPEG Streamclip (many formats, trimming)o Handbrake (only to MP4)o Microsoft Expression Encoder 4

Video Player(free)o MPlayero QuickTimeo VLC

Video NLEo Apple

! Entry/Free: iMovie

! Semi-Pro: Adobe Premiere Elements Apple Final Cut Pro X

! Professional: Adobe Premiere Pro (US$ 799) Avid Media Composer (US$ 999)

o Windows! Entry/Free:

Windows Movie Maker Lightworks Free

! Semi-Pro Adobe Premiere Elements Corel Video Studio CyberLink PowerDirector Lightworks Pro Magix Movie Edit Pinnacle Studio Sony Movie Studio

! Professional: Adobe Premiere Pro Avid Media Composer Edius Sony Vegas Pro

Books DSLR Cinematography Guide - Ryan Koo (free) How to Shoot Video That Doesnt Suck Steve Stockman Cinematic Storytelling Jennifer van Sijll Grammar of the Shot Roy Thompson Grammar of the Edit Roy Thompson Color Correction Handbook Alexis Van Hurkman