Student Tool Kit: Creating a Video Essay

A video essay, just like a written essay, explores a topic and makes a persuasive point about it. Its style can range from simple or as complex as you wish: edited or unedited, with music or voice-over, or without. It can be created on a cell phone, a video camera, a webcam, or any other video device.

The Pre-Production Phase

Start with a plan

First, ask yourself some basic questions about your project:

What’s the message you want to convey?
What visual and technical elements, such as sound or camera angles, will help to get your message across?
What other elements may affect your message? Things to consider include location, people, and props. If these are key to your design, it may be a wise idea to plan your ideas around these elements.

Have a script

Once you’ve worked out the details of your message, and thought about how to get it across to your audience, it’s time to commit your ideas to paper. Your script should identify how the images and audio (dialogue, sound, music) will fit together.

Create a storyboard

When your script is ready, the next step is a storyboard. (Don’t worry about making your drawings look really good! Many talented filmmakers create very simple pictures). Storyboards are important for many reasons:

They help you solidify the mental images you want to capture. The process of creating a storyboard forces you to focus on each sequence, shot, camera angle and camera movement. (For details, see the “Camera shots” in The Production Phase section of this handout.)
They make an excellent communication tool, allowing you to show others (such as the people who are working with you) exactly how you want the story to unfold. Words can cause confusion and leave listeners unclear about your intentions; pictures are much easier to understand.
They simplify the order in which you choose to shoot your project, allowing you to note which shots are similar enough to be covered by the same camera position.

Make up a shot list

Your shot list is the order in which you plan to shoot your essay. List your shots not in chronological order but according to location, and match the ones that have a similar set-up. For example, if your storyboard shows that shots 4, 9 and 15 are all close-ups of someone sitting in the same place; all three shots could be recorded one after the other.

Prepare your technical needs

List the things you’ll need for your sound effects, props, costumes and equipment. Make sure the batteries for your equipment are fully charged. Have extras of everything on hand: batteries, extension cords and power bars, electrical and masking tape, and videotape (if you’re recording in that format).

Review your camera’s operating manual. Before shooting day, make sure you’re familiar with the key functions you’ll need, and get some practice using the camera. Keep the manual with you, just in case you need to troubleshoot. Also, familiarize yourself with any mechanical quirks the camera may have. Some cameras, for instance, automatically roll back the tape just a bit when you stop recording, so you lose some footage.

Choose your location(s)

Whether you decide to film in a public place or a private one, you need to consider technical issues and/or permission issues.

Be sure you have permission to film at your chosen location. If it’s your school, for instance, you’ll need permission from a teacher or principal. If it’s a business or a private home, you must get permission from the owner. If it’s a park or a public location, you may need to get a city permit. If that’s the case, your teacher can help you.
If your location is indoors, check in advance for the accessibility, location and number of electrical outlets. Make sure you have enough power for all your equipment.
Check the ambient light and sound at your location. Are there any elements that will distort your sound, such as a water fountain, traffic, a humming ceiling fan, construction going on? Will you need to bring extra lights to illuminate your scene(s) properly?
If you plan to film outdoors, pay close attention to the weather forecast. You may need to change your shooting day to accommodate the weather.
If you have a crew of people helping you, let them know well in advance when and where you’ll be filming. Make sure they know what their roles will be.
Have your production notes with you at all times. They’ll keep you on track while shooting.

Respect bystanders and copyright

Your scene(s) should not include any physical conflict, violence or weapons. If you plan to shoot a tense scene involving arguments, emotional distress or staged injuries, take extra precautions in a public place. You may need to post a public notice, notify city authorities, get a special permit, or even have professionals standing by. If you plan such a scenario, have your teacher help.

People who appear on camera should avoid clothes with logos or brand names, as these are copyrighted images.

The Production Phase

Camera shots

Every film, whether short or long, is made up of thousands of shots, all of which must be carefully planned by the director. Here’s a brief introduction to the various types of shots, involving different aspects of the camera.

Camera Distance. Depending on how far the camera is from its subject, the three main types of shots are close-up, medium shot, and long shot.

A close-up shows only one part of the subject, usually in great detail: a person’s face, a car’s licence plate, a hand on a doorbell.
A medium shot shows roughly half of the subject: a character from the waist up, or the back end of a car.
A long shot shows the whole subject: a person from head to foot, or the entire car.

Other kinds of shots are the “establishing shot,” used at the beginning of a scene to give viewers an idea of where they are. For example, a long shot of the school’s façade, or of City Hall, establishes the fact that the story takes place at those locations.

During a conversation, or a scene involving more than one person, a “reaction shot” is used to show the effect of one person’s actions on the other character(s).

Camera Angle. The angle from which a director chooses to shoot gives audiences some subtle clues about a scene.

A “high-angle” shot positions the camera above eye level, looking down on the subject. Depending on how extreme the angle is, this makes the subject look small, insignificant, weak or helpless.
An “eye level” shot gives a neutral, factual impression.
A “low-angle” shot positions the camera looking up at the subject from below. This angle makes the subject appear important, powerful or dominating.
A “reverse-angle” shot positions the camera as if it were the subject’s own eyes. So rather than looking at the subject, the camera shows what the subject sees.

Camera Moves. A camera isn’t a fixed observer; it can also move in and out of the action. When the camera moves left or right, it’s called “tracking” (sometimes also known as “trucking”). Moving forward or backward is known as “dollying.”

When the camera stays in the same position and turns left or right, it’s called “panning,” and turning up or down is “tilting.” Focusing can also make the camera appear to move closer to its subject or further away from it, by using the lens to “zoom” in or out.

All these camera moves are useful, but they should not be overused—or they’ll distract the audience and diminish the intended effect. Camera movements should always be planned and rehearsed ahead of time, so they’ll be smooth and in tune with the action.

Using your camera

If you’re not used to working with a video camera, it pays to keep a few guidelines in mind:

When setting up for filming, it’s always wise to tape down extension cords and electrical wires. This prevents people from tripping over the cords, and either injuring themselves or unplugging or damaging the equipment.
Check the lens periodically to make sure it’s free of dust and hair. When you stop recording, even briefly, put the lens cap back on.
Every time you change location, do a “white balance”: zoom the camera in on a sheet of white paper, and use the camera’s automatic white balance setting. This ensures that the camera registers colours properly. Every location has its own idiosyncratic lighting and hues, and this helps you to compensate.
Use a tripod for steady, professional-looking shots that are easier to match at the editing phase. (However, if your story needs a realistic feel, like a home video, a documentary footage or a police drama, you may prefer the slightly wobbly hand-held approach.) Practice all camera movements before you shoot. When you record, don’t stop until you’ve completed all the motions.
Use manual focus. Although automatic focus ensures that everything is sharp, you risk losing your focus if there’s movement near the lens, or a change in lighting. To avoid these problems, set the camera to automatic focus to zoom in on your subject; then, once you’ve focused properly, switch to manual and zoom out again to re-establish your original framing.
If your subject is moving across the frame or out of it, wait until she or he leaves the frame completely before you stop recording.
Keep a log of all your shots. Include information such as shot number, duration of the shot, and whether you felt it was a good take. Again, this saves time during editing.
Record longer versions of each shot than you think you’ll need. You can always edit a shot down in post-production, but you can’t make it longer.
Take extra shots for “cutaways.” These come in handy during editing if you find you need some extra material to insert between sequences that don’t quite match up. An extra shot can be a close-up of a person, a prop or even just a hand movement. Also take some “establishing” shots of settings, such as an exterior of a building, to make it easy for your audience to identify the location.

Working with light

Knowing how to use lighting properly can help your project look really professional. Here are some “how-to” tips for creating good lighting.

When it comes to natural light, trust your camera’s video display rather than your own eyes. Human eyes automatically adjust to light levels, which lenses can’t do. That’s why a bright sunny day appears clear and crisp to our eyes, but on film it looks overexposed and washed-out. If you’re shooting outside in daylight, it’s best to do it when the sun isn’t directly overhead.
Avoid windows during interior shots, since the bright light from outside will make it hard to see your subject. Never place your subject between a window and your camera. If you’re shooting in daylight, you may need to cover the windows and turn on some artificial lights.
The main light used to illuminate your subject is called the “key light.” It’s usually the most intense light in the set-up, and should be placed at a forty-five degree angle to both your subject and the camera.
The “fill light” is a secondary light used to offset any shadows created by the key light. For that reason, it should be placed on the opposite side of the camera from the key light.
A “back light,” pointed at your subject from behind, distinguishes your subject from the background.

camerashots

Working with sound

Sound is extremely important, since audiences are often more ready to forgive poor-quality video than bad sound. To get the best sound possible, follow these tips:

If you place your subject too close to the microphone, the sound will be too loud, or may sound distorted or cracked. If you use an independent recorder and have those problems, then your levels are too high.
If you place your subject too far away from the microphone, the audio will be too soft, and will blend into the background noise. The sound will be unusable during editing.
If you record some background sound on location, it can often be useful in helping to fill in gaps in the soundtrack at the editing phase.

The Post-Production Phase

Editing

Editing is a complex process that involves turning your raw material into a polished final product. Fortunately, new technology—such as specialized editing software—has made the process relatively simple. The computerized tools you use will define some of your options, but here are some general tips on editing:

Give yourself a lot of time. You’ve worked hard to get your project to this point, and you don’t want to be rushed during the important final phase.
Make sure your computer has enough space for all your project files: original footage, extra files such as sound or music, and your final version. Video production is a space-gobbler, and can easily overload your system. If disk space is limited, edit the project piece by piece, using only the footage you need to work on at any one time.
Keep your story simple, and don’t be tempted to include a shot just because it’s interesting or was hard to get. Keep your focus on the story. Remember, the final product should only be 60–120 seconds long, so don’t spend too much time on fancy transitions or special effects.
If things aren’t working well, try experimenting a little. Sometimes just changing sequences around can enhance or clarify your story.
When it comes to adding in background sound, don’t get carried away. You want your sound effects to enhance the scene, not to distract the audience. (Don’t turn the volume up too high, for example.) If you want to use background music, you may need to create the music yourself, or with friends, to avoid paying royalties. Failing that, use royalty-free music.