Week 3: Shooting to Edit

We will be editing this footage in class. Please download it:

Due: YouTube Channel

Create a channel (or homepage) for broadcasting on YouTube. By default, the latest videos and recent shared activity will be automatically delivered to your channel. The page contains the upload location of your videos, your favorites, and your playlists. Customize:

  • Custom URL

  • Channel Art (Image Header)

  • Featured Video (Unsubscribed Trailer)

  • Avatar/Profile Picture

  • Two educational playlists on your channel

As always, submit your YouTube Channel on the 514 Submit form.

Shooting to Edit

Shooting Video With an iPhone

Wistia is designed for small businesses, but has great resources for educators. Here are four of Wistia’s tips for iOS videography. Read/watch all nine tips at http://wistia.com/library/shooting-video-with-an-iphone.

1. Don’t shoot vertical video
We’re living in a widescreen world! Laptops, televisions, your Twitter feed, and your website are all examples of places where a vertical video probably won’t look great. So make sure you shoot horizontally!

2. Don’t use the iPhone’s zoom
Avoid the temptation to use the iPhone’s built-in camera zoom. Since the lens isn’t zooming optically, you’re just enlarging the picture digitally, which means you will quickly enter the world of unsightly pixels. If you want to get a closer shot of your subject, just move your feet closer until you find the perfect shot!

3. Use the exposure lock
The iPhone will automatically focus and expose your shot. This can be a great function for quick photos, but when you’re shooting a video of one person talking to the camera, it can really complicate things. The iPhone tends to keep adjusting and refocusing, which can lead to jittery-looking footage. That’s why we recommend using the exposure focus lock. This will help to keep the focus and exposure constant throughout your shot.

4. Use a clip-on lens adapter for wider shots
Sometimes, you just need a wider shot, and the iPhone’s fixed lens will limit how wide your shots can be. Being able to capture a wider shot is especially handy when you’re shooting indoors or in small spaces.

Ten Minute Film School

Robert Rodriguez talks about shooting to edit. Pay attention to how he cuts to a different shot, then back to the same shot (A-B-A).