Hobby Documentary
Learning Target: By the end of this project I will demonstrate my understanding of the video production process including:
You will shoot and edit a short documentary about your favorite hobby. The core will be a quick interview that you shoot with a partner. Then you will go home and shoot additional footage that can be used to make your documentary more interesting. The finished video will be no shorter than one minute and no longer than 3 minutes. Make sure that you do not include any of the interviewer in your finished project.
The Questions (make sure to pause before answering and restate the question in your answer)
What is your hobby?
What do you find challenging about it?
What do you like about it?
What is the sense of accomplishment or satisfaction that you get out of it?
You might ask additional questions or ask them to expand on an interesting part of one of these.
Story: You will need to structure the story so it has an interesting beginning middle and end. Feel free to rearrange the answers from the interview or pull out just short parts of the answers.
Script: Use the questions above to craft a simple script. You might want to have a short introduction (voice over) and then an interview of these questions.
Shot List: Make a list of at least 20 shots you could use to make your documentary interesting. This of multiple angles and distances for the key shots.
Lighting: Try to find a bright place to shoot the interview. If you are inside think about turning on all the lights and possibly getting more or look for a spot with good natural light like outside in the shade. We will try to give you the opportunity to shoot your interview in our studio using a three point lighting setup.
Audio: You need to pay attention to the quality of the interview audio as this will the core of your story. Find a quiet location for the interview. Ask the person to speak with a strong voice. If you are using the microphone on the camera try to get close to your subject (within 2-4 ft). If you have a microphone adapter try using it. If you have headphones, do a test recording and then listen to it.
Video: Make sure the camera is mounted to a tripod during the interview and pay attention to the composition and the background. Your homework is to shoot 10-20 interesting video clips or photographs that will support the information from the interview.
Deliverable: First we will edit the interview together. This will entail finding the best sound bites and putting them in the best order on the timeline. Then we will duplicate the project and add the supporting clips and title (this can be challenging but will make the project much better). When this is done we will export the video and then upload to YouTube.
Examples: http://youtu.be/M3mDe1IKkcI | http://youtu.be/937Ou-cq7EE
Music: If you want to include a little music in the background make sure we can still clearly hear your interview and that you cite the band, album and song title in your credits.
Incompetech: Great source for creative commons music.
Rubric: This is the document that will be used to score your documentary. It is a good idea to review it before you start your project.
- How to plan a production through a script, treatment and storyboard.
- How to shoot quality video and still images, including an interview with good audio/lighting
- How to edit this material together into an interesting documentary
You will shoot and edit a short documentary about your favorite hobby. The core will be a quick interview that you shoot with a partner. Then you will go home and shoot additional footage that can be used to make your documentary more interesting. The finished video will be no shorter than one minute and no longer than 3 minutes. Make sure that you do not include any of the interviewer in your finished project.
The Questions (make sure to pause before answering and restate the question in your answer)
What is your hobby?
What do you find challenging about it?
What do you like about it?
What is the sense of accomplishment or satisfaction that you get out of it?
You might ask additional questions or ask them to expand on an interesting part of one of these.
Story: You will need to structure the story so it has an interesting beginning middle and end. Feel free to rearrange the answers from the interview or pull out just short parts of the answers.
Script: Use the questions above to craft a simple script. You might want to have a short introduction (voice over) and then an interview of these questions.
Shot List: Make a list of at least 20 shots you could use to make your documentary interesting. This of multiple angles and distances for the key shots.
Lighting: Try to find a bright place to shoot the interview. If you are inside think about turning on all the lights and possibly getting more or look for a spot with good natural light like outside in the shade. We will try to give you the opportunity to shoot your interview in our studio using a three point lighting setup.
Audio: You need to pay attention to the quality of the interview audio as this will the core of your story. Find a quiet location for the interview. Ask the person to speak with a strong voice. If you are using the microphone on the camera try to get close to your subject (within 2-4 ft). If you have a microphone adapter try using it. If you have headphones, do a test recording and then listen to it.
Video: Make sure the camera is mounted to a tripod during the interview and pay attention to the composition and the background. Your homework is to shoot 10-20 interesting video clips or photographs that will support the information from the interview.
Deliverable: First we will edit the interview together. This will entail finding the best sound bites and putting them in the best order on the timeline. Then we will duplicate the project and add the supporting clips and title (this can be challenging but will make the project much better). When this is done we will export the video and then upload to YouTube.
Examples: http://youtu.be/M3mDe1IKkcI | http://youtu.be/937Ou-cq7EE
Music: If you want to include a little music in the background make sure we can still clearly hear your interview and that you cite the band, album and song title in your credits.
Incompetech: Great source for creative commons music.
Rubric: This is the document that will be used to score your documentary. It is a good idea to review it before you start your project.
Basic Structure
Title Slate: Name, date, assignment
Introduction: Some broll and your introduction
Interview: You need to have a minimum of one shot of you and a lower third title. Don’t hold the video longer than 10 seconds before you start adding broll over it. Cut the sound for your interview down to just the very best, most interesting parts (1 - 2 minutes).
End with more interesting broll and credits
Title Slate: Name, date, assignment
Introduction: Some broll and your introduction
Interview: You need to have a minimum of one shot of you and a lower third title. Don’t hold the video longer than 10 seconds before you start adding broll over it. Cut the sound for your interview down to just the very best, most interesting parts (1 - 2 minutes).
End with more interesting broll and credits