Photograph copyright: Ctrl minds
Anyone in the media industry either masters
or stumbles through the modern day expectation of using different media forms
to complete your once-so-much-simpler work.
Here are some basic tips, derived
from Andy Bull's book Multimedia
journalism: a practical guide, on filming, photography and audio recording,
for those who find themselves bomb shocked amidst of multi-media expectations. Here's
how to recover, nicely.
Taking nice
photographs
1. A 3.2 megapixel camera is suitable for a
pic printed 180mm x 130mm, like a standard snapshot in a newsprint publication.
If you want to print it larger, use a camera able to shoot with more
megapixels, proportionate to how large you want to publish the pic.
2. Get into the habit of taking lots of
pictures whenever you're out on duties, especially when sequenced photos can
tell can convey stories, like at events
3. Make sure you've got proper lighting
using natural light or a flash or a combination of both. You can use a
reflector: silver of white surface as well to get natural light on a dark side,
when a flash is too bright.
4. Fill the frame with your subject. Make
sure there's breathing space around the subject, but not excessively to spare
yourself crop-work.
5. Keep your picture simple and
uncluttered. Focus on one element and try to get a person into the picture to
liven object pictures.
6. The rule of thirds
7. Shoot both vertical and horizontal
versions of a image
8. Shoot people in action rather than
people in poses
9. Be wary of what's in your background:
background objects can often interfere with your subject making them seem oddly
shaped.
10. Edit a copy of a picture
11. Compress large images for web use
12. Use jpeg formats, their small, can be
high quality as well and is suitable for both print and web formats.
Shooting videos
nice enough to broadcast
1. A video package can include interviews,
reporter footage, video and stills of people, locations, events or a scripted
news bulletin with a news reporter.
2. You can use Windows Movie Maker (on
Window pc's) or IMovie (on Macs) to edit video foo tage.
3. If you're going to use the footage for
web, you can use a standard 1CCD, charge coupled device (a device with one
computer chip), but if you're going to broadcast it on a television you need a
3CCD (a device with 3 computer chips).
4. Use a tripod for steady footage.
5. Use a microphone (a handheld or
directional "shotgun" mic) to get better sound. Your camera's audio
recorder cannot distinguish between background and subject sound - a mic can
aid in this.
6. When you only have a camera phone, place
it close to the speaker and use a phone tripod (their about 15cm or shorter,
but will keeep the recording source stable).
7. Use autofocus except of there's fast
moving subject you do or don't want to film in your filming area.
8. Use the rule of thirds
9. When shooting footage of an interviewee
or following (panning) subject,
shoot from your one side when - this gives
the sense of a conversation.
10. Shoot roughly at eye level. You can
improvise on getting your camera higher if your tripod is too short.
11. Use Medium Close-up shots (MCU) - make
sure your subject prominently feature in your shot.
12. Avoid a distracting background: people
doing other things or distracting elements like a dustbin.
13. Record a view second before starting an
interview and after for voice overs and easy editing.
14. You can use panning - moving shots - or
zooming in or out shots. Some think zooming shots ruin films and that one shoot
cut and shoot from closer angles immediately.
You can create an audio package, a podcast
or use audio to accompany stills or a part of a video.
Recording nice
audio
1. Use MP3 format, because most programs
and computers can use this format, - you are limited with program use by other
formats.
2. Choose a recording device that has an
USB port, excessive recording time and is easy to use with a one-touch record
button.
3. Record somewhere quiet. Be aware of
background sounds that will distract your interviewee or a listener listening
to the audio, for eg. a ticking clock.
4. Record in a place with natural sounds.
It gives the audio a sense of place. You can record the natural sound separate
to the interviewee speaking if you like.
5. Consider how you are going to conduct
your interview: by doing a practice interview first, by recording straight away
or by using a combination of structure and spontaneity.
6. Ask open unbiased questions in an
interview.
7. Ask non-controversial questions first
and difficult questions last for in case the interviewee terminated the
interview when these difficult questions are posed.
8. Keep your focus on what you want to know
by writing down relevant questions, but be sure follow-up interesting answers
even if it means deviating from your questions.
9. Tell your subject how long the interview
will last
10. Record your interviewee clearly saying
his or her personal details, where after you test the quality of the recording
with headphone.
11. Check the audio after the interview, if
the device failed to record, humble apologize and rerecord.
12. You can use vox pops, an interview, a
discussion and a voice over or audio diary to make audio material interesting.
All the honor to Andy Bull: www.multi-media-journalism.co.uk - this is merely a summary of his work
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