 A-roll = story narrative (what sources or narrator are saying.)  B-roll = video transitions added to avoid having talking heads.  Remember 80:20 ratio (80 percent should be B- roll and 20 percent should be A-roll interviews – you will always need more B-roll than you think you will.)

 Good audio is critical.  Wear headphones and monitor the levels to be sure.  Avoid “stepping on” interviews – be quiet.  Get the mic close to the subject.

 Use rule of thirds to frame the interviewee.rule of thirds

 Pay attention to background  Watch for poles or other objects coming out of their heads  Avoid lining up people against walls

 Shoot lots of it – and get a variety of shots  wide (helps establish)  medium  close up  For a 1:30 minute video, you will need 35 to 60 shots to keep your viewers interested.  When shooting B-roll, try shooting wide, medium and tight shots of each scene or image.  Some examples

 A sequence is a series of images that flow from one to the next -- not just wide/medium/tight.  A sequence sets the scene, shows details, has motion and completes an action.  BBC’s Five-Shot Method BBC’s Five-Shot Method  A good rule of thumb:  50 percent of shots will be close ups  25 percent medium  25 percent wide More examplesexamples And more heremore here

 Be sure to get an establishing shot – something that sets the scene in one image

 Your opening shot should grab the viewer’s attention and help set up your story.

 Get a closing shot (someone closing a door, capping a pen, petting a dog, turning out the lights, releasing a butterfly)

 Always think about how to get from one shot to the next.  Try to get some kind of transition shot with either an entry or exit.  Close-ups are especially helpful in editing to get from point A to point B.

 To avoid jump cuts – some examples

 Shoot within 180 degrees around a subject. In other words, don’t walk around your subject when interviewing them.  Some examples

 Always pre-roll and post-roll your tape. Record 20 to 60 seconds of black at the beginning and end of your tape. Why?  Hold every shot for at least 10 seconds  Stop recording before you move to the next shot  Don’t move the camera -- avoid zooming and panning  Use a tripod

 Brainstorm the idea  Make sure the story is worth video.  Action  Emotion  Something people want to see  Visualize the story  Think about which shots you’ll need – make a list  Think about what will be visual  Keep focused on the story – keep it simple

 Consider creating a storyboard before you shoot.  After shooting you can revise the storyboard to help you focus in the editing process.  Or you can write a script, based on transcription of your interviews.

 Script example – video tab on class blog

 Write to your video. Don’t include information in your story unless you have the visuals to back it up.  When you’re done editing, turn off your speakers and watch your video. Does it still make sense? If so, you’ve done a good job at telling a visual story.  Now turn on your speakers. What you hear should add an entire new layer of information: You don’t need to include information that is already conveyed in the visuals.

 From NBC’s Bob Dotson:NBC’s Bob Dotson  Make sure you know what you want the audience to take away from the story. Formulate this theme to yourself to help guide the story creation.  Then use your images to prove that theme visually. Very seldom will you state the theme verbally in any story.  Write to your pictures first. Write a strong lead that instantly telegraphs the story to come.

 Allow for moments of silence. Stop writing occasionally and let two or three seconds or more of compelling action occur without a voiceover.  For a writer, nothing is more difficult to write than silence. For viewers, sometimes nothing is more eloquent.  Build in surprises to sustain viewer involvement. Surprises help viewers feel something about the story; they lure uninterested viewers to the screen.  Surprises can be visuals, wild sounds, short bites, or poetic script. Always, surprises are little moments of drama.

 Everybody Has a Story Everybody Has a Story  Art of Compassion Art of Compassion  Daddy dentistry Daddy dentistry

 Baseball player Baseball player  Chicago snow Chicago snow  Neighbor in snow Neighbor in snow  Roping the Wind Roping the Wind  “I want Luis back” “I want Luis back”

 Michelle’s DeliciousDelicious

 Rubric  Gowns Gowns  Haymarket Park Haymarket Park

 Before you start writing text or editing video, you need to have a very clear idea of the focus of your story.  Your story should be so focused that you can describe it in one sentence.  Once it’s complete, you need to be able to sit back and look at your project as a reader/viewer would. Is your story coherent?

 Knight Digital Media Center Knight Digital Media Center  Video Journalists Toolkit Video Journalists Toolkit  Shooting tips Shooting tips