Online Video: Creating new programming

Online Video - Creating new programming

(above: Jonas Lie, Harbor Sails, oil on panel, 8.2 x 9.7 inches, Heritage Auctions, Dallas. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*)

Project Checklist

Pre-Production:

type of event: interview, lecture, tour, symposium
rationale and goals
identifying staff, community, and media assets
audience considerations for program: children, students, adults
marketing plan for event: audience selection, invitations
budget preparation and approvals
review and approval process
selection of in-office team for design, review and approvals: marketing, public relations, curatorial, development/grants, education/events (for an example of collaboration see the Georgia Art Museum's "Andrée Ruellan's 100th Birthday" video project)
speaker selection: preparation of introductory biographies, securing written releases (see copyrights and releases)
rights management for on-screen images (see copyrights and releases)
selection of type of presentation: online audio, illustrated audio or online video, or a combination of types
scouting for scene locations: auditorium, gallery, studio, outside of building, podium or no podium setting, access to sound equipment and electric outlets for lighting, props including chairs, tables, etc.
hiring of outside videographer or training of in-office camera operators (see planning)
web cast or time-shift replay or both
live mixing or post-production editing; if live mixing, selection of equipment and production plan; if post production editing, selection of editor, in-office, outside vendor (pro bono editing by PR firm, paid contract), plan for sequence of segments and effects (see technical considerations)
equipment selection: purchase of equipment, rental, package contract with outside videographer (cameras, tripod, microphones, cables, mixers)
rendering: consultation between program planners, camera operators and video editor to ensure that frames per second camera speed, aspect ratio and interlaced or progressive scan choices allow for rendering of desired distribution options

Shot list and editing considerations:

planning of cut-ins and cutaways for scenes to prevent dryness and enhance image quality
on-screen image video shots vs. still image cut-ins. Note: In shooting narrated slide shows, the on-screen image quality from live video is often of poor quality; insertion of still images during scene editing may produce a much better rendition of on-screen images.
introductory panel content: museum name, title of event, date of event, speaker names; still image and video footage integration
inclusion of archival still images and video segments relating to art (artist photos, locale, influential events)
audio dubbing: voice over for still images, background music
credits list

Equipment setup for a production:

camera plan: camera and cable placement, tripods, primary digital or analog camera, second camera option (consideration for live or post-production editing), video capture tape
lighting plan: darkened room for slide projection, natural gallery light, podium lighting, spotlight, fill, background
audio plan: wired or wireless, lapel, podium microphone, hand held microphone, camera jack or conversion box, earphones, cables and batteries
pre-shoot camera white balance, audio level, and wireless microphone battery power checks
for more on equipment setup see Apple Learning Interchange's Videography for Educators

Scene direction:

equipment placement and setup
guidance to camera operator on wide, medium or close framing, pans and zooms
speaker cues, teleprompter option
orientation of speaker to audience or camera
framing of speaker (head, waist up)
audience reaction shots
environmental footage within and outside a scene
image detail cut-ins
audience management for cross-camera traffic
for more on scene direction see Apple Learning Interchange's Videography for Educators

Distribution of content:

web page design
length of video segments, selection of accompanying images, text selection, consideration of viewer attention span for audience (children, adults)
link placement in site: single link, multiple links; link from home page, education page, exhibition archive page
streaming or download
audio only option for podcasting (see podcasting)
pop-up vs. in-page video player
video player choices (e.g. QuickTime, Real Player, Microsoft Media), image quality and size (dial up, broadband)
derivative use considerations: CD, DVD, VHS, kiosk, Public Service Announcement
contracting for web hosting service: costs for storage and broadband usage, multiple clips versus whole program delivery pricing (for tips see digitizing previously produced analog videos)

While this checklist is not all-inclusive, it provides a useful starting point for preparation of a museum's own project checklist.

Angelfire.com has a page on field video taping techniques which gives the following tips on shooting events such as lectures:

To make an interesting video of these events have this shot list

Introduction - and title area.

1. wide shot of location

2. Interior shot of groups before the event

3. Wide shot which pans the room and centers on the podium at the end - you will dissolve to the event speaker(s) from there.

Body of the Video

4. There will be more than one speaker. the Camera will make a series of shot changes using the zoom function.

...a. Start with a wide shot that slowly zooms in to the first speaker

...b. Hold on one shot and both follow and lead the speaker if he moves - do not go closer than a head and shoulder shot, and wider if the speaker is a walker.

...c. When the speaker changes - you will get the cue from the introduction - Widen out to pick up the new speaker - then zoom back in to a good shot of that speaker.

...d. You will not change the shot often - but - when you do let the camera stay on that shot for a while. You are not trying to make an interesting video with lots of camera movement - you are documenting a speaker and the message.

...e. Lighting - seldom will you have the ability to set lights, and you will have to deal with the existing light set ups - refer to the section on in camera manual controls.

5. If you have a second camera - have it at the front of the room and shoot cutaways of the crowd reacting to insert for interest.(you will have an assistant shoot them)

You will want to take a few shots of the main speaker talking with the groups after the event and you will run the final credits over this section.

You may be asked to make one of these event videos into a complete program. You will build that program by listening to the speaker and shooting video, which illustrates the speaker's message. This video will be inserted over the delivery. If you are requested to perform this type of work remember it will be very time consuming, and will be difficult to project the finish time or the expense required.

Some considerations for these projects:

1. transcribe the speaker's delivery.

2. Make a shot list - from the speaker's clues

3. the inserts may interrupt the delivery and have its own sound

4. shoot many more scenes than you think you will need. you will want them.

5. Ask for photos that you can copy to insert into the video.

6. Video Documents for interest.

7. Books displayed attractively - close up on the titles

(above: Charles Linford, September Morning on Lake George across from West End of "Sagamore Bridge" to Buck and Pilot Mountains, New York, oil on canvas, 38.5 x 61.5 cm, Christie's. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*)

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rev. 1/14/06

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