YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES. Curriculum. Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

Transcription

1 This project is funded by a grant from the Smithsonian Youth Access Grant in partnership with: Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum

2 Introduction to Media Literacy Production Process Overview Planning your Production Selecting Appropriate Equipment good Setup economy Setup Camera Basics Camcorders Storyboarding Basics of Storyboarding Camera Compositing and Shot Basics Some Rules of Framing Basic Camera Moves Working with Lights Working With Audio Microphone Tips Production Shooting Basics Shot List Making People Look Good Getting Visuals to Support the Story Conducting an Oral History The Setting The Interview Putting It All Together Audio Editing Video Editing Recommended Reading YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 2

3 Introduction to Media Literacy Media literacy is a set of skills that anyone can learn. Just as literacy is the ability to read and write, media literacy refers to the ability to analyze, evaluate and create media messages of all kinds. Today, most people get information through combinations of video, images and text. We are bombarded with messages everyday and in response, we can express ourselves using a variety of media tools and technology. Youth and adults who are media literate are better able to decipher the complex messages we receive from television, movies, radio, books, billboards, video games, music, and the Internet. People who are media literate can also create their own media, becoming active participants in our media culture. The purpose of this document is to help you learn introductory film production, so you can begin to create media of your own. You will learn the basics of preparation, production and editing your own short film or oral history, whichever you choose. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 3

4 Production Process Overview Planning your Production Selecting Appropriate Equipment This section will provide some information about purchasing and setting up equipment to complete your project. Choosing the right equipment is often times the most intimidating part of a project. A basic setup appropriate for an individual or small institution should include: Video camera Microphone Tripod Light kit Computer Editing software Below are two general recommendations for ideal and economy budget setups. Please note that there are several good options at each price point. There are several useful websites such as B & H Video and Amazon.com. Ideal Setup Camera - Canon XA10 Microphone - Audio Technica AT831b Tripod - any that are compatible with your camera and also has a fluid tripod head Light kit - Photoflex Starlite Medium DLX Location Kit 1 Computer - Apple imac. Although pricey, Apple computers are user friendly and well-optimized for media production Editing software - Final Cut Pro Economy Setup Camera - Canon Vixia R400 Microphone Audio Technica AT8004L Handheld Microphone Tripod - any that are compatible with your camera. Light kit - buy a used set. Computer - Generally any computer purchased after 2005 should have the memory and capacity to meet your production needs Editing software - imovie, Adobe Premiere Elements YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 4

5 Software Final Cut Studio is a full and comprehensive production tool that is an end-to-end solution for most filmmakers. Features include: Logging and capturing Editing Clips Multi-clip Editing Compositing and animating graphics Color correction A cheaper alternative to Final Cut Studio is Apple s imovie, Apple s proprietary video editing system. Features include: Audio editing Titles and simple visual effects, such as slow motion Transition clips Facial recognition Editing clips imovie comes pre-loaded for free with the purchase of an Apple computer or may be purchased separately for $ For PC users, Adobe Elements is the recommended cost-effective platform. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 5

6 Camera Basics Camcorders For a more professional output, you will want a high quality camcorder with manual controls and other options. You will want at least an HD camcorder, which can be purchased new between $300-$2000. The camera should include: Microphone input Headphone monitoring High Definition Tripod mount Good video is critical, but good audio is just as important. While built-in microphones are acceptable for most home movies, their sound quality is not generally good enough for quality filmmaking. The most common microphone inputs are 1/4 and 1/8 on consumer level devices. Prosumer cameras also include XLR inputs. XLR inputs are the preferred standard since they provide a better connection and recordings made through the XLR connection will have less audio noise. If a project does not allow for a camera with XLR inputs, an alternative is to purchase a 1/8 to XLR converter. When shooting video, there are often distractions that make it difficult to tell if you are recording acceptable audio. Monitoring the audio with headphones (preferably ones that surround your ear, NOT earbuds) will give you the clear knowledge of when you have recording acceptable audio for your project. High Definition Video recording is now a feature on most cameras available for purchase. The 2 common resolutions are 1280x720 pixels (aka 720p) and 1920x1080 pixels (1080i or 1080p). Pixels are literally the little dots of color that are on the screen. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 6

7 Advantages of using an HD camcorder are: Better picture quality More detailed imagery Wide range of features More information recorded (which also means you will need more hard drive space on your computer to store and edit footage) Tripod: It s best to use a tripod when shooting. Handheld recordings are shaky and difficult to watch. A decent tripod is cheap and your audience will thank you. Manual Focus allows the videographer to lock the focus onto one object. This allows the correct object to stay in focus even when the camera (or object) is moving. Storyboarding Basics of Storyboarding Storyboards are tiny drawings that show each scene of your movie, which creates a blueprint for your entire production. Even though storyboards are typically associated with animated features, it is very useful in live action because it forces you to think about how your movie will come together. It can also save you much time and money by helping you plan appropriately what footage you will need. You don t need an art degree or an expensive computer to develop storyboards. You just need a pencil, a paper, and your imagination. Storyboards can be as simple as using stick figures with arrows to designate motion for camera. The important thing is they make a clear and concise plan for what you need to shoot. Storyboards present the visual image of what the viewer will look at on screen. These are shown in a format called a storyboard panel. Each panel is a rectangular shaped box on a piece of paper (each paper may have several boxes). Link to: YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 7

8 You can download a storyboard template here: Sample Storyboards exist Camera Compositing and Shot Basics There are conventions in film, which assign names and guidelines to types of shots, framing and picture composition. Selecting shots helps you begin to tell your film story in a more deliberate and effective manner. Every shot you choose is a decision that affects how you tell your story. The list below briefly describes the most common shot categories. Wide Shot (WS) The subject takes up the full frame or at least as much as comfortably possible. Midshot (MS) Shows some part of the subject in more detail while giving the impression of the whole subject. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 8

9 Medium Close Up (MCU) Halfway between a MS and a CU. Close Up (CU) A certain feature or part of subject takes up the entire frame. Extreme Close Up (ECU) The ECU shows extreme detail of subject. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 9

10 Cut Away Shot of something other than the subject. Two-shot Shot of 2 people, framed similarly to a mid shot. Over-the-shoulder Shot (OSS) Looking from behind a person at the subject. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 10

11 Point-of-view Shot (POV) Shows a view from subject s perspective. Camera Angles Camera angle refers to the way a shot is composed, specifically the angle of the camera relative to the subject. Eye Level Most common view, being the real-world angle that we are all used to. It shows subjects as we expect to see them in real life. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 11

12 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 less powerful, less significant or even submissive. Low Angle This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression of being more powerful or dominant. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 12

13 Some Rules of Framing Look for horizontal and vertical lines in the frame (e.g. the horizon, poles, etc). Make sure the horizontals are level, and the verticals are straight up and down (unless of course you re purposely going for a tilted effect). The rule of thirds is one of the most basic rules of composition. This rule divides the frame into nine sections, as in the first frame below. Points (or lines) of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across) the frame, rather than in the center of frame. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 13

14 Headroom refers to the amount of space in the frame which is intentionally empty. This is often done for strategically maintaining good composition or visual story structure. Everything in your frame is important, not just the subject. What does the background look like? What s the lighting like? Is there anything in the frame, which is going to be distracting to your audience? YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 14

15 Pay attention to the edges of your frame. Avoid having half objects in frame, especially people (showing half of someone s face is very unflattering). Also try not to cut people of at the neck. That makes people look like they have been beheaded. Once you re comfortable with the do s and don ts, you can become more creative and develop your own personal style. Think about the best way to convey the meaning of the shot. If it s a baby crawling, get down on the floor and see it from a baby s point-of-view (POV). If it s a baseball game, maybe you need to get up high to see all the action. Look for opportunities to include interesting and unusual shots. Most shots will probably be quite normal shots from approximate adult eye-level. Try mixing in a few variations. Different angles and different camera positions can make a big difference in the visual interest of your production. For example; a shot can become much more dramatic if shot from a low point. On the other hand, a new and interesting perspective can be obtained by looking straight down on the scene. Be aware that looking up at a person can make them appear more intimidating, whereas looking down at a person can make them look smaller. Basic Camera Moves As with camera framing, there are standard descriptions for the basic camera moves. These are the most common ones: Pan: The framing moves left & right, with no vertical movement. Tilt: The framing moves up & down, with no horizontal movement. Zoom: In & out, appearing as if the camera is moving closer to or further away from the subject. When a shot zooms in closer to the subject, it is said to be getting tighter. As the shot zooms out, it is getting looser. Follow: Any shot where the camera follows the action whilst moving. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 15

16 Note: Most camera moves are a combination of these basic moves. For example, when you re zooming in, unless your subject is in the exact center of frame, you ll have to pan and/or tilt at the same time to keep the subject in the correct place in frame. Working with Lights Without lights, your project will just be a black screen with voices. An important part of the movie making process is to make sure you shoot in adequate light. The following diagrams show two different lighting setups: The first diagram shows a typical 3-point light setup. The first and key light is the main light, which ensures that the person being interviewed is well-lit and the clear focus of attention. You can adjust the amount and distance of this light to create different moods. The second light is a dimmer light. If this light does not have a dim control, you can pull it farther away from the interviewee. Shadows may be unflattering for some people. The purpose of the fill light is to fill in the dark areas of only the person being interviewed. If you do not have a secondary light kit, you can use a reflector to bounce the light from the key light. Reflector kits YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 16

17 include a white surface to diffuse light and keep it the same color, a gold surface for a warmer looking light, and a silver surface for a brighter, cooler light. You can experiment with what reflector works best for your given subject. If you do not have a lighting kit, you can use natural light or room lighting, so try placing interviewees at an angle facing the brighter side of the location (usually 45 degree facing the sun or existing lighting). A well-lit indoor location also likely will have nice reflective surfaces that will fill in dark areas of the interviewee. Always make sure the subject being lit is most brightly lit. Working With Audio Audio can make or break a movie project. Try watching a horror film without audio. It s actually funny. As moviemakers, we sometimes sacrifice the picture quality over audio because the human ear is more discriminating than the eye. The ear can hear the difference more quickly than the eye can see. Microphone Tips Different types of situations call for different types of microphones. Here are some types of microphones you will encounter and when you might want to use them Lavaliere Microphone The lavaliere microphone is small and unobtrusive. It is the most common type of microphone used in oral history interviews. The microphone clips onto a lapel, so that the person being interviewed does not see nor is distracted by the microphone. This facilitates a more open and trusting relationship between the subject and the interviewer. Handheld Microphones Handheld microphones are useful when you want to record a particular sound up-close. These are used when ambient sound is required for the recording. They are sometimes used for news reporting type of interviewing. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 17

18 Production Shooting Basics Shot List The shot list is a checklist of shots needed to complete the filming of a project. It is the guide for the entire crew for what needs to be shot and when. A shot list groups, combines, and organizes what needs to be shot as opposed to the order the shots may appear in the edited movie or as shown in the storyboard. This makes making a movie more efficient. For example, a shot list might combine all of the night shots to be filmed the same evening, even if in the story they take place over several weeks Conducting an Oral History Oral histories are interviews filmed on camera that can be saved for historical purposes. Filming an oral history is an important step in recording someone s personal story, but even more significantly, this work will contribute towards a larger effort of preserving history. The Setting The best place to interview someone is someplace the interviewee feels comfortable, where there is good lighting, and also quiet for recording good sound. Oftentimes, this will be somewhere the interviewee is familiar with, such as a home or office. The familiarity of the location will put an interviewee at ease and items in the room may facilitate the telling of some interesting stories. There should be few distractions or noises. Small sounds that you may barely hear, such as outside traffic, hums from a refrigerator or other electrical appliances, may be overpowering when you play back your audio. Getting Ready for an Interview First find a quiet place to shoot. There are many little things to consider when preparing for an interview. Here are some to-do items to consider as you get ready to shoot an interview: Decide your interview outcomes. Although your preferred outcomes may change as the interview progresses, it allows you to focus on some concrete goals. Do your research before the interview. Compile a list of questions and areas of focus for the interview. We recommend an YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 18

19 interview of a maximum of 30 minutes in maximum length. In that period of time, you would want to prepare questions total. Use open-ended questions not questions that require yes/no answers. For example use, What was life like growing up in America? instead of Was growing up in America hard? Practice interviewing. Assemble your equipment to fit your needs. Test your equipment! Practice using your equipment with a friend PRIOR to the real interview. Before the Interview On Location Make sure you have help to set up the camera location. Find the best lighting or bring a sufficient lighting kit to make your interview look good. Whoever will conduct the interview should begin by chatting with the person being interviewed to make him/her comfortable. The interviewer should focus only on the subject. The rest of team can focus on technical preparations. While the interviewer is chatting with the subject, check to make sure the microphone and sound is producing adequate results. Film the interviewee for a quick test. Stop the camera and check the quality. Make sure extra batteries are available and extra tapes are ready and marked (unless using a camcorder with hard drive rather than tape/disc). Agree on hand signals for new batteries or new tape. This makes the process less obtrusive. Each interview should begin with a marked visual slate that includes the name and title of person being interviewed. (A dry-erase board with that information is adequate). The Interview When setting up for the interview, listen for ambient noises. Based on what you hear, remove any distracting noises from your interview environment (such as unplugging the soda machine down the hall or closing the door to noisy traffic). Start each recording with a statement of who, what, when, and where you are interviewing. Listen actively and with purpose. Speak one at a time. Let silence work for you. You do not have to fill every second with questions or YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 19

20 answers. Wrap up the interview with lighter topics. You want to ease the interview subject out of the session. At the end of each interview, capture a minute of quiet room tone. Mark this on the slate. This may be used later in editing to help with pauses and blank spaces. If possible, have someone take notes of key answers. This may save time later during transcription or logging. Make sure all permission and image release forms are signed and filed for your records. After the interview, write your notes about the interview. They will come in useful in the editing phase. Copy each interview tape or disc. Store them in a separate location. For additional resources on preparing and handling an oral history interview, you can go to the Oral History for the Digital Age Resources page. Putting It All Together Audio Editing Adding Music to your Project This section provides only a brief overview of resources for adding music to your productions, including some of the legal considerations. Using other people s music may be ideal, fun and easy, but it s tough to do legally. You can produce your own music, find music that is royalty free (available for use publicly sometimes with minimal restrictions), or write your favorite music band s corporate label lawyer and begin the process to get a license. Using Copy-Protected Music Copyright means all rights reserved. Not some or most rights, but all. Simply put, in order to use the music, you must get legal permission from the copyright owner. Using Music Created with a Creative Commons License Another option for using recorded music from others is called a Creative Commons license. This new shared rights license strategy was created by a group of concerned authors, musicians, educators, and producers for people who want to share their work, but still maintain YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 20

21 their ownership. You can find music created with a Creative Commons license at sites like In today s world, understanding the different ways to use, share, and distribute creative work is more important than ever. Creating a Soundtrack with Apple Software If your organization, like most, can t purchase expensive music licenses, or if you can t find appropriate royalty-free music, you can take advantage of Apple s tools for adding music to movie projects. From Final Cut Pro, you can send your movie to be scored (set to music) in Soundtrack Pro. Although Soundtrack Pro is a loop-based music sequencer, it may be sufficient for your movie s needs. (Loops are already-created music pieces that you can loop to expand the duration of a piece.) Sometimes sounds or a simple looped sound bed are enough to help guide the movie along as well as hide some irregularities in the sound or help with transitions from scene to scene. The capacity of Soundtrack Pro to produce a solid solution is ideal for producers who have limited time. You can use GarageBand loops with Soundtrack Pro as well. Composing your own music with GarageBand is another option. Although you cannot send your movie directly from Final Cut Pro to GarageBand like you can with Soundtrack Pro, you can export your movie and then import it into GarageBand as a scored movie project. GarageBand places your movie and its audio track on the top track, allowing you to create the necessary composition for your movie. Like Soundtrack Pro, GarageBand has a loop library that the non-musician can use to create a soundtrack. And musicians can plug in a guitar, a keyboard, or a microphone and record their own creations, adding loops in GarageBand to create additional tracks. Video Editing Editing is the process of creatively selecting shots and combining them into sequences to create a finished movie. In the past, editing was done by literally cutting pieces of film strip and glueing them together into a new reel of film. Today, editing is done on a computer using editing software, such as Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or for those on a budget, imovie. These software systems use non-linear editing, which is a method that allows access to any frame in the digital clips, no matter what YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 21

22 sequence in the clip. (you can go directly to a frame at 1 hour into the clip without having to watch the first 59 minutes). The basics of editing are the same no matter which software you choose. That said, it is HIGHLY recommended that you read the instruction manual of your specific software in order to maximize your proficiency with the software. When editing, also look to do the following: 1. Import your footage: Getting the footage you shot into your editing software. 2. Set up your project: This is where you set up your footage format, output resolution and compression standards. 3. Connect the camcorder to the computer with the cable. 4. Export your finished masterpiece: Basically saving out your finished product into a file that will live on your computer. The following instructions are for imovie, but Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere follow very similar processes. The imovie interface is made of 3 main panels: Event Library: Where all your source clips appear once you import the files into imovie Project Window: Where you edit your source clips into a sequence that represents your final movie Viewer: Where you watch your media (source clips and final movie) Import your footage: To create movies in imovie, you first import your video clips from your camera to your computer. You will do this by connecting either a USB cable or a FireWire cable to the appropriate inputs in your computer. imovie stores imported video as an Event in the Event Library (the lower left panel). You will use event footage as your raw material in your imovie projects. 1. Locate the cable that was included in the camera s packaging (likely USB or FireWire). The cable should have one connector that plugs into your camcorder and one that plugs into the computer. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 22

23 2. Turn on the camcorder. 3. Connect the camcorder to the computer with the cable. 4. A Dialogue box will appear on the computer s screen: Select Large or Full and click OK. 5. If the import window doesn t open, choose File > Import from Camera 6. Set the Automatic/Manual toggle to Automatic, which will import all the video on the tape and rewind the tape again. 7. Click Import 8. A Dialogue box will appear on the computer s screen. Select where to store the video. The Default location is typically acceptable. 9. A Dialogue box will appear asking whether to create a new Event or Add to Existing Event. Choose one depending on your project s needs. 10. Click Import This could take awhile depending on how much footage you are importing. Take a break, because you can leave the computer and return when the import is complete. (The tape will usually eject upon completion of import). Set up your project: Go to the File Menu Bar Pulldown and click New Project. Give your project a name and choose the following settings in the dialogue box: - Most newer cameras sold in the US will use the following pulldown option: Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:9) Frame Rate: 30 fps NTSC Click on the Create Button Edit and Add titles and transitions: Add clips to your project: In the Event Library, 1. Click and drag portion of clip you want to use. 2. Drag selection into the Project Window. 3. Click and drag another portion of clip you want to use. Place either before or after previous clip. Repeat with as many clips as you want in your movie. The movie will play clips sequentially in the order you place them. Exporting your movie. 1. Select your project. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 23

24 2. Go to Menu Bar: Share > Export Movie 3. Select the size you wish to export. Click OK 4. If you wish to share your movie on social media, you can also click on Share > Youtube or Share > Facebook. Viola! You have a completed movie ready to show the world! Reference Manuals: imovie Final Cut Pro Adobe Premiere Some Quick Video Editing Do s and Don ts Do s for Video Editing: Be concise. Today s audience has a short attention span. Unless there is a specific reason for allowing some leisurely paced storytelling, try getting to the point sooner than later. Do use titles to identify your subject. Today s viewer has grown up watching 60 Minutes and the nightly news and expect a title bar identifying your subject. Do vary your shots. Using only one type of shot (such as the talking head ) can get monotonous to watch. Don ts for Video Editing: Don t use too much text (especially small fonts): Titles can be important in identifying your subject or giving context to the video s scene, but because so many users watch video on mobile devices, they may not be able to read super-small text. Don t use fancy editing transitions, animated text, or other dazzling effects. Less is more. Let your story be the focal point of your video. Don t over-narrate or tell everything. If you can let images tell the story, please do. It makes the video more interesting. Don t break the 180 degree rule. When watching a video, imagine a horizontal line between you and your subject. Your video should let the audience feel like he is always on this side of the plane. Breaking the rule during the editing process can be jarring for your viewer. If you find it necessary to break the rule to tell the story, try inserting neutral footage in between the clips to lessen the impact of the break. Don t have 2 consecutive cuts with the same setup but a different take/subject. Rather than a hard, jarring cut, try a fade-out/fade-in to lessen the impact. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 24

25 Some Tips for Videos for the Web: In today s media, most of your audience will at some point view your production online. Keeping that in mind, here are some tips to engage your audience: Up Close and Personal: Because of the size of the screens many people watch video on today, you should feel free to use lots of close-ups shots. It will be easier for the viewer to see any emotion and facial expressions of your subject. Big Personality and Authenticity: Being shy doesn t work in today s media. Find your voice and go for it. Wow them in 60 seconds. Studies have shown you have 60 seconds to catch today s viewer s interest or they will switch away from your video. If you have something interesting to say, just jump right in and say it. Social Media Multimedia and Social Media Proficiency The advent of the social media revolution has dramatically changed how information and stories are created and distributed. Blogs, photo sharing sites, Facebook,Youtube and other social media sites encourage your audience not only to share your project, but also engage in real conversation about it. One new aspect of storytelling using today s media is that the audience can oftentimes shape and transform your project in new and innovative ways. Blogs A blog is just a website where an individual or group of individuals post content on a (hopefully) regular basis. Historically, the primary content has been online personal journals and reflections, but today blogs pretty much refer to any content in a consistent category that is updated frequently. You can learn more about blogging at wordpress.org, which is one of the most popular blogging sites in the world. YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 25

26 Additional Resources Here are some sample oral history movies posted to the internet: From Combat to Kentucky: Interviews with Student Veterans Asian Pacific Americans: Going For Broke: Stories from the Veterans History Project Oakland Chinatown Oral History Project Recommended Resources Oral History in the Digital Age: A website detailing best practices for oral history practitioners Oral History in the Digital Age Youtube Channel: Vimeo Video School Acknowledgments Curriculum developed by Brian Gee Designed & Photographed by Jim Choi YOUNG HISTORIANS, LIVING HISTORIES Curriculum 26