Shooting & Editing Video - a course for journalists

Course Description:

Increasingly journalists are being asked to shoot video footage to accompany their reports. Often they are required to do this alone. This course is designed to provide the skills required to shoot and edit video sequences and interviews. The first day of the three day course looks at basic video camera technology, how to capture footage and record interviews. Days two and three cover using Final Cut to edit footage, add sound and voiceovers and how to export your report for the internet or for broadcast.

This course includes a comprehensive introduction to using Final Cut (or Final Cut Express) including techniques for capturing footage and how to prepare video for broadcast or for the web.

Key Topics:

• Planning a shoot
• Shooting on location
• General introduction to editing
• How to use Final Cut Express
• Editing your footage
• Adding sound, images and titles
• Exporting for broadcast or internet

This course includes the following modules:

Planning and shooting your footage

• What is the story?
• What type of footage is appropriate?
• Selecting ideas that work
• Preparing for the shoot
• Release forms - when do you need to use them?

Different Types of Shot

• Basic shots
• Framing shots
• POVs (Points of View)
• Close ups
• Considering eye line
• Panning shots
• Tripods and camera shake

Techniques for shooting on location

• Establishing shots
• Creating context
• Working with natural light
• Tips for capturing movement

Preparing to shoot an interview on location

• Planning your interview - researching your subject
• How long do you have?
• Framing questions and eliciting answers
• Questions that create soundbites

Shooting interviews on location

• Background for the interview
• Natural vs artificial lighting
• Working within time constraints
• Shooting a piece to camera
• Problems to avoid

Capturing audio

• Different noise considerations when using an on camera mic or external mic
• Recording sound
• Working with background noise

Introduction to editing digital video and Final Cut

• Shooting terminology
• Understanding non-linear editing
• Setting up a project
• Final Cut and its interface
• Choosing preference settings
• Working with bins
• Transferring your footage from the camera to the desktop

Reviewing your footage and making editing decisions

• Capturing and playing digital video in Final Cut Viewing and marking clips
• Working with your story
• Selecting footage to use
• Creating a piece with a start, middle and end

Editing your footage in Final Cut

• Understanding the Timeline and the Canvas
• Editing in the Timeline
• Viewing edit points
• Inserting clips
• Deleting clips and gaps
• Trimming, dragging and fine-tuning edit points Editing for impact
• Using the trim edit window
• Adding video transitions

Adding Audio

• Adjusting audio in the timeline
• Editing sound clips
• Creating Voice overs
• Combining location recordings and voice-overs Making audio-only edits
• Applying audio transitions

Incorporating still images

• Adding logos, maps and diagrams
• Animating still images

Working with titles

• Adding titles
• Animating titles

Finishing your project

• Exporting your sequence and clips
• Preparing video for broadcast
• Preparing your video for the web
• Compression issues