Video Journalism: Shooting Techniques

Course details

Join video producer, instructor, and former TV news reporter/videographer Jeff Sengstack as he presents practical tips on shooting video with shots and angles that support the story and make it more visually interesting. This course explains how to craft the story and plan your production and includes several still photography techniques that work well with video. The course also shows how to achieve shots such as sequences, matched action, reveal, trucking, and point of view, and reminds videographers to keep considering what the video editor will need to keep the story moving forward.

Learning objectives
Creating effective stories
Planning the shoot
Setting proper exposure, shutter speed, and focus
Adhering to the rule of thirds
Framing the shot
Achieving a good color balance
Keeping shots steady
Using smooth zooms and pans
Establishing opening and closing shots
Transitioning from exteriors to interiors
Editing cutaways
Using lights
Using trucking shots
Working with audio

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - Using the exercise files

1. Telling Stories

03 - Creating effective stories
04 - Supporting your message visually and aurally
05 - Planning your shoot
06 - Variety is an editor's best friend

2. Using Standard Still Photography Techniques

07 - Setting proper exposure, shutter speed, and focus
08 - Adhering to the rule of thirds
09 - Filling the viewfinder and framing the shot
10 - Incorporating strong foreground elements
11 - Using diagonal lines and curves
12 - Finding unusual angles

3. Using Basic Video Shooting Techniques

13 - Getting a good color balance
14 - Keeping your shots steady
15 - Using smooth zooms and pans
16 - Avoiding a break in the plane

4. Shooting the Two Most Important Shots

17 - Shooting an establishing shot
18 - Shooting a closing shot

5. Getting a Variety of Shots

19 - Shooting matched action and wide and tight shots
20 - Getting sequences
21 - Editing matched action and sequences
22 - Transitioning from exteriors to interiors
23 - Shooting cutaways
24 - Editing cutaways
25 - Using lights

6. Moving the Camera

26 - Anticipating and following the action
27 - Letting action start or end out of frame
28 - Using trucking shots
29 - Leaning forward or backward and tilting up or down
30 - Shooting point-of-view (POV) shots

7. Working with Audio

31 - Getting good sound bites
32 - Getting plenty of natural sound
33 - Using specialized audio editing techniques

Conclusion

34 - Goodbye

Bonus Chapter - Edited Sequences

35 - Bakery sequence
36 - Chocolatier sequence
37 - Farrier sequence
38 - Horse jumping sequence
39 - Painter sequence
40 - Sushi sequence
41 - Woodturner sequence