>>MICHAEL: The first step, and arguably the most important step in making a
successful video, is having a plan. As an Architect would never start constructing a
building before first drawing a blue print, a Videographer shouldn't start recording
video before first identifying what the purpose of the video will be, and who the
target is going to be.
In my video "How to Use a Canon Vixia" my purpose was to effectively show the
basic operations of the Canon Vixia, as well as to demonstrate some of the best
practices for video production. My target audience was students, faculty, and staff,
who have little to no prior experience using a Vixia or making a professional video
project.
With this in mind, I knew that I should avoid using highly technical industry jargon,
and that I should only show basic techniques, staying away from more complex
techniques that would be overwhelming for most beginners.
After I had identified the purpose of the video and my target audience, it was time
to figure out the information that I was going to convey.
There are a lot of different ways to begin laying out the exact content of your video.
However, in order to truly make your creative vision a reality, there are two things
you must do in planning your video: write a script and create a storyboard.
These two tools combine to create the blueprint for your video.
The script is the backbone of your video. It details EVERYTHING that will happen for
the duration.
The storyboard illustrates the script how you wish it to be portrayed in the video.
Mainly, it serves as a guide to the shots you want to get during production.
The script and storyboard work together interchangeably to help direct your
creative vision.
You can start generating ideas by writing down parts of your script and assigning
images to them in your storyboard.
Or, if you already have some images in mind, you can add them to the storyboard
and then put them in the script.
For my "How to use a Canon Vixia" video I began drawing the storyboard, then
created the script based on what shots I thought needed to be included.
Here is a compilation of all of the sketches that I made. Each sketch gives me a lot of
information about what I am going to capture, and how I am going to capture it.
Reviewing the first shot in my video you can see that I decided to do a basic
establishing shot, capturing the entire Canon Vixia. It is always a good idea to start
out with a shot that gives your audience a frame of reference for everything else
they are going to see in the video.
After my establishing shots of the camera, I utilized many extreme close up shots to
show as much detail as possible about each step in using the camera. (Show some
example extreme close up shots from your movie.)
Extreme close ups can be challenging with the zooming limitations of the Vixia. In
order to get them I often had to manipulate the tripod to get my camera as close to
my subject as possible.
Another piece of information included in the storyboard is the motion that you want
to capture in the shot. For this video, I didn't plan on using camera motion in the
storyboard, but upon shooting found it made some shots appear more dynamic.
I also did a few things stylistically I felt would be beneficial to the video.
When attempting to portray specific functions like opening the lens cover and
zooming the camera in and out, I decided to use a split screen to directly display
how they are done.
I also utilized stop motion to show how the SD card is inserted and where cords
need to be plugged in. I could have simply recorded myself doing these things, but
that wouldn't have been as interesting.
Stop Motion is also incredibly easy to do. All you need is a camera on a tripod, some
movement...
and cuts made in editing...
And Viola! You've got stop motion.
When it comes time for production, you don't have to shoot your scenes in the order
in which they are going to appear in the video because you can edit the order later.
If you're unsure what the best shot will be for a certain scene - feel free to record
it more than one way. You can always select which
approach worked better once you start editing.
A best practice is "Say Dog See Dog" There is no reason to make your audience try to
imagine what you are referring to in a video - when possible illustrate exactly what
you are talking about with either still images or video.
So, now that you know how to make a successful video, you're ready to start making
your own videos that should hold true to your creative visions. Just remember to:
Identify your videos purpose and the target audience it is being made for.
Plan out your video as much as possible using a script and storyboard.
And get creative with your shots. Make it interesting, using techniques you feel add
something to your video.
To watch my video on how to use the Canon Vixia, follow this link.
And if your interested in downloading creative commons media for your video, this
link right here will tell you everything you need to know.