SoloJourno

Today was Day 3 (Video Reporting) of the multimedia training at The Toronto Star. Topics included fundamental of producing video stories, how to shoot a visual story, interviewing and script writing tips. The workshop also introduced concepts like basic edits and story planning to speed up production time.

photo credit: Robyn Doolittle
(can you tell which attendee is yours truly?)

For this workshop, Robb was set up with a mac and Final Cut Pro, but it’s not so much the tools - which one can learn at any time - but the way that they’re used that’s important. MovieMaker comes with WinOS, while iMovie comes with MacOS. They’re both pretty good little programs, and additional plugins and widgets (titles, transitions, effects, etc…) can be downloaded for them, but a more robust program that a journalist can grow into might well be the way to go when choosing an editing program. On the Windows side, Sony Vegas Vegas Movie Studio Platinum, http://www.sonycreat … oftware.com/vegaspro and Adobe Premiere Pro are popular choices. Mac Users tend to favour Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro.

Helpful tips:

• Before you leave for your interview, make sure you have everything you need. Lay your equipment out on table if need be. Make a check list, and check things off.
• Test your equipment ahead of time. Check and double-check. Then check again. Take spare batteries, spare cables, etc.
• Use a tripod. And if you're not going to use a tripod, hold your camera firmly in front of you with two hands, much like a soldier would hold their weapon.
• Remember 3-6-9: for 3 shots (wide, medium and tight/closeup) that are each 6 seconds which will make 9 sequences. This sort of shot-making is the grammar of videography and photography. Don't pan and zoom, walk the line between the subject and the camera.
• Start recording a few seconds before talking, not at the same moment there's going to be talking. And wear headphones so that you're not recording blind.