Profiling individual people and telling their story is a fundamental method of documentary style film making.  In this post, I give you two examples from my own library.  I made both of these videos while working as a field producer/one-man-band video production crew for WSMV-TV in Nashville, TN.  I did everything except narrate.   Our anchor lady and my long time good pal Demetria Kalodimos narrated these pieces.

My job at the station was to produce health-oriented stories.  Healthcast was the name of my segment and no doubt wherever you live the local TV news has a similar segment.

The best, most entertaining videos to make are compelling stories of individuals who experienced whatever issue the story is about.

How do you make a video about an abstract subject like depression?   Tell the story of someone who dealt with it.  That’s what I did with the first video in this post, which I named “Garden Grief.”  (What is posted is just the first half of the story.)

The second video in this post is about losing weight.  As you can well imagine, like any health reporter, I’ve written more than once of the subject of weight loss!  This story stands out to me because I told it through the marriage of  Maria, a lifelong obese woman whom I’d profiled several times before about  weight loss.

Weight loss is a complex emotional issue.  What better way to impart that in a minute and a half than to intertwine it with the most emotional of all events, a wedding!  This video is the full story, just without the anchor intro.

DOCUMENTARY STYLE VIDEO MAKING

In order to do a basic profile story of a person on video, you need a good interview plus video of them doing something. If you are doing a long piece, you can make it more compelling using variety.  Videotape them doing several different activities, not just one.

Interview your subject in more than one location.  Interviewing them while they are doing something, and not just sitting there, is also a good idea although neither of these pieces make much use of that technique.

Hopefully, whatever video you take is perfectly related to the subject matter.  Sometimes it’s impossible to get the video you really WANT so you have to learn to configure the story around what you have.

In those cases, you write the narration in such a way that it makes perfect sense to be seeing the video we are seeing.  In the story on Maria getting married, once I established the link between love, weight loss and her wedding, it made perfect sense to see video of her putting on her wedding gown.

In the same manner with the depression story,  close-ups of bird’s nests and wind chimes make sense in context.

When I made the Garden Grief story, I really would have liked to have added some still pictures of the auto accident which lead to her depression.   If you watch the portion of the story I posted, there is no doubt that at the right time screeching tire sound effects, music and quick shots of the wreck scene would have worked well.

I did not do this because this video was produced in a context of JOURNALISM.  I needed images of the actual wreck, not just any generic wreck.  There was no way I could get them by deadline so I left them out.

If I had not been telling this story in the context of journalism, I would have felt free to use generic wreck shots and sounds. It would have added to the impact of the story, but it would have crossed ethical boundaries of realism in journalism for me.  Now there is not much ethical journalism going on in America today but that is another post!  I sure always tried.

Neither of these stories is anything outstanding, rather they are typical of what I used to do on a daily basis.  They are typical of documentary style film making in general.  No matter what kind of documentary style videos you want to make, chances are real high that profiling people and telling their stories will be one of the best ways for you to accomplish your goal.

I hope you enjoy these examples and can see from them all the different elements it takes to make a quality documentary style video.  Notice the pacing of the editing.  Rarely does any one shot last as long as ten seconds.  There are lots of close-ups.  There are short natural sound breaks between paragraphs of narration.

The video illustrates the story but really does not match word for word with what the narration is saying.  In is more of association type relationship between the words and the video, not a literal one.   People who have been making video forever (like me) consider this type of relationship between our visuals and our spoken words to be a more creative method that tells a more effective story.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips.  as always, drop me a line if you have questions about online video.

Lorraine Grula

In today’s post, I want to take you through the creative and mechanical process of making this video.

My client, the International Institute for Wellness and Integrated Healing, is in the development stages.  They have not actually setup shop yet, so there were no opportunities to videotape their office, their staff, or their patients.  They don’t have any yet!

So as a video producer, I had to create it all out of thin air.  On a tight budget! Here’s what we managed to conjure up.

The subject matter is Mind-Body Medicine.  It’s the integration of many different medical disciplines and schools of thought. Fortunately I know quite a bit about that subject as a former health reporter.

In order for the video to convey the wide diversity of concepts found in mind-body medicine, I looked for royalty free video clips that represented each and every one of them.  Physical health, mental health, spiritual health.   Nutrition.  Exercise.  Meditation.

I then found more clips that represented generalized medical science since M-B medicine is a science and research based philosophy.   (It started at Harvard Medical School in the 70’s with a doctor named Herbert Benson.)

Alone, none of these clips is adequate.  They only tell the story when they are put together.  That’s why I ended up with three shots on the screen at once.  One clip does not have enough meaning.  I used three and not two since the script started out discussing the trio that is Mind/Body medicine:  Mind, Body, Spirit.

Of course three clips at once makes for a rather busy screen, so I left each shot up for while a while in order to give viewer’s time to absorb it all.  When I started dissolving away to to other shots, I rotated the timing of the dissolves  so it would be less distracting.

When I needed to introduce the Oklahoma clinical psychologist who founded the Institute, I cut to a full screen JPEG of him which completely covered everything else.  Covering it all at once was an easy way to gracefully get away from the 3-shot pattern.

After cutting to the zoomed in JPEG, I slowly zoomed out on that jpeg using key frame animation.

When I came out of the still shot of the doctor, I had backed off to only  two shots up on the screen at once.  I think that looks better  than three shots, but I used three to match the three aspects of the Mind/Body/Spirit concept.

The soft peaceful clip of royalty free music I used, one of Mike Stewart’s, was only one minute long so I looped it.     Looping means I started it over again when it was finished.  I overlap that a bit to make it sound more natural.   You overlap it by putting the audio on separate tracks and then lining them up to over lap.  If you had them all on the same track, it would be harder to get a good blending.

I also looped many of the animations in order to make them last longer.  With so many shots on the screen at once, I did not want to have a rapid pace too.  This video is supposed to convey serenity so it should not move a million miles an hour.

So there you have it.   If the clinic were actually opened, I would have loved to have gotten some shots of their staff at work.  But, of course with all videos, you work with what you  have.  If you h ave to conjure up something out of nothing, using stock footage is the way to go.

Thanks for reading VPT

Lorraine Grula

Lights, camera, action!

Let’s go make video!  I am thrilled to be able to tell you that the Acting For Real Online Video Course will open up this coming Thursday, March 11.

My good friend Thom McFadden, (he really is my buddy, I’m not just saying that!) has put together an incredible course in online video that will be awesome.   He’s gathered a group of experts on all aspects of using video online.  I’m going to be there to help people keep the video production itself cheap and easy.

Others will be there to discuss marketing strategies using video.  Thom, of course, will be there with his incomparable wisdom that will help steer you in the most positive direction possible.

You will discover everything you need to know to become the celebrity in your niche!

Thom has released a little preview, a quick 3-minute video with great ideas for getting rid of that darn inner critic who so mercilessly tells us we aren’t any good!  No doubt any voice that harps on the negative needs to be banished from our lives.

Acting for Real Video Acting Lessons

So click the link and go watch the video.  I know I personally have a really ugly inner critic so I found this advice quite helpful.   On a more technical level, the video is also a great example of using chroma key and characters.

Not only is the tiny “Inner Critic” character a chroma-key on Thom’s shoulder, but the red curtain behind him is actually chroma key too.  It’s done very well though, see if you can tell it’s a chorma-key!

By signing up, you’ll also receive a FREE copy of Thom’s “Survival to Success” manual that’s brimming with empowering ideas

Plus, the video page includes a  “Ask Thom Your MOST Challenging Question” form.  so give it your best shot!  Let’s see if we can stump Thom!  Knowing him like I do, I’d bet he can answer any just about any question in the world.   If he doesn’t know, he’s smart enough to have assembled a team around him who will know.

I encourage you to go watch the video and download the Survival to Success manual.

Thanks for reading VPT

Lorraine Grula

Free Scripts!

This post has some sample scripts that you can copy, swap out the details and use as your own.  Now how is that for an awesome present!

For a basic talking head marketing video, (the kind I keep insisting is the easiest and most effective thing that most my readers can do) these script templates work well.

Script writing using these templates is largely a fill-in-the-blank exercise.

What Makes a Good Script for a Talking Head Video?

Much to the dismay of the creative side of me, writing a script for this kind of video is not an exercise that would put in you  in contention for an Oscar in scriptwriting.  Just something simple and clear to get your point across quickly.

A script like this is just a brief introduction of you and your service to the potential customers.  Say hello and tell them the essential key elements.  Be brief and focused.

Final length should be no more than two minutes.  One minute, or even 30-45 seconds, might be best in most circumstances.  Keep it short.

In your script, make sure you give some kind of reason why your service is the one they should select.  This could be based on experience, superior skills, or because you are giving a great bargain.

Then, add a distinct call to action.  Whether the call to action is “email me” through the interactive button or “buy my book,” (again through an interactive button), be specific and ask potential customers to take the next step in doing business with you.

After reading the examples below, think about your own business then write out your own script.  Practice reading it aloud.  Listen for flow and how easily the words come out of your mouth.  A good video script needs to use words that are easy to pronounce. Even professional narrators do poorly with tongue twisters.  Modify your script as you hear it aloud to make to flow better.   Then, set up your camera and lights and you are ready to record.  Scotch taping a copy of the script to the bottom of your camera lens can function as a low-budget teleprompter.  Print it out in a large font, double spaced, to make it more legible at a distance.

Tacky, but effective! Lorraine's teleprompter.

FREE SCRIPT EXAMPLE #1

Hello everyone.  I’m Mark Campbell, an attorney in Worchester County. If you’re looking for legal help in the areas of family law, estate planning, wills and trusts, personal injury or bankruptcy, then why don’t you call me for a free consultation?   My law firm has worked with the residents of Worchester County for over fifteen years now, and at least one of them has been you, a friend, or a neighbor.  For personal, confidential service at a time in your life when you’re feeling vulnerable, let my law firm’s experienced team guide the way.  Click the interactive button to send me an email and let’s get your problem taken care of as soon as possible.  Talk to you soon.

FREE SCRIPT EXAMPLE #2

Hi.  I’m Charles Mitchell, with Bug B Gone Exterminators.  Are you troubled by household pests like mice, squirrels or cockroaches?   I can help.  My experienced team of professionally trained exterminators uses safe, reliable, effective methods of getting rid of unwanted pests.  You won’t have to worry about a thing.  We’ll come out to your house, assess the situation for free, then draw up a plan to safely treat your home with the most effective methods available.  When we’re done, your home will be pest free or we’ll come back until it is.  Don’t let filthy insects and rodents spoil your home environment.  Call me, Charles Mitchell at Bug B Gone.  Click the interactive button for a free 10% off coupon for your first treatment.  That’s my gift to you for watching this video.  Talk to you soon.

FREE SCRIPT EXAMPLE #3

Are you trying to navigate the housing market, either buying or selling?  That’s always a tough thing to do by yourself.  Hi.  I’m Gretchen Carlson, Murray County Realtor.  I’ve been helping people like you buy and sell their homes for over ten years now.   My experience can help you get the best deal possible in the shortest amount of time.   Not only do I know this area like the back of my hand, but I market using the most up-to-date practices, like online video.  If you’d like a complementary copy of recent listings for your neighborhood, click on the interactive button to download a PDF file.  Your home is your biggest investment, so it’s vital to get the best deal possible.  I can help.  The contact me button will get you my email address and phone numbers.  Have a great day.

FREE SCRIPT EXAMPLE 4

(Fill-in- the-blank example)

The three example marketing video scripts above all follow this skeleton structure:

Hello, I’m _______________.

My product or service is ____________________.

If you have _______________ problem, my service can benefit you in these ways _______________________.

I am better than my competition for this reason  ________________________.

So take this action __________________________  in order to reach me so I can make your life easier.  You will be rewarded with this _______________.  Thanks, goodbye.

Take the skeleton script, fill in the blanks, then dress up some of the language by using more powerful verbs, more descriptive adjectives, and a bit of professional jargon.  Make it sound true to YOU.    Read it out loud to see if it sounds right.  If it doesn’t, change it around until it does.    You can put a lot of meaning into a script using voice inflection and tone and that can affect what words you use.  So reading it aloud is an essential part of the process.

That’s all you need to do to have a very functional script for your talking head marketing video.

That wasn’t hard, was it?

Not quite the same thing as writing the Great American Screenplay but a very effective form of scriptwriting.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

Citizen journalists and those of you who want to be independent filmmakers, let me tell you about an incredible opportunity.  (And give you tips for winning the grand prize!)

You Tube, along with the Pulitzer Center and the Sony Corporation, are again sponsoring Project Report.

Project Report is a unique video contest that drew thousands of entries in its first year.  The sole winner then, Arturo Perez, used his grant to travel to Jerusalem and document the centuries old religious conflicts through the eyes of young people.

This year, they’ve increased the number of “first place” grants being awarded to five.  So this year there will be a total of five grand prize winners.  Each will be awarded $10,000 grants from the Pulitzer Center to make a documentary-style video of international interest.

Additionally, those five, plus five more, will be awarded Sony VAIO laptops and Sony HD camcorders from corporate sponsor Sony.

Here is how the contest is set up. First, you have to complete the assignment they give you:  Produce a video profiling a person you think the world should know about.

Producing a video to enter is a fantastic opportunity by itself if you ask me.  This post contains some top notch tips on how to make a compelling profile video, so keep reading.    

This Profile Video assignment is due by February 28.

All profile videos submitted by the deadline will be judged.  Prizes will awarded according to standards of journalism, visual storytelling and video production techniques.

If your profile video is one of the ten semi-finalists, you win the Sony HD video camera and laptop.    The top five will also be awarded the $10,000 grant and the ability to work with the famed Pulitzer Center.

Click here to read more about Project Report and how you can enter.  This is absolutely an incredible opportunity for some of you who regularly read this blog.  Working with the Pulitzer Center would be one heckuva way to break into the field.

The qualifying assignment they are giving is a perfect test, really.  Profiling an interesting individual is the core of documentary video making.  How well you can do that would say volumes about your ability to tell a more detailed story involving more people.

What Does It Take to Make a High-Quality Profile Video?

Obviously, you need an interesting “character,” but in addition to that you need to produce a visually-rich, personality-driven video that paints an accurate, yet entertaining image.

Good profile pieces often include more than one interview of the person.  If you do this technique, videotape the interviews in different locations.  Also think about using two cameras that are set to two drastically different shots.  For example, you could have one camera on a three-quarter profile medium shot and the second on an extreme close-up full profile.

Not all interviews should be sit down affairs either.  Get them up walking and talking.    Interview them as they work (or play) so you can get a demonstration at the same time.  This technique can take what might ordinarily be a boring talking head and turn it into something much better.

Add Visual Variety

In addition to the interviews, video your person in at least three different settings or activities.  Videotape sequences of them doing whatever activity is relevant to the subject matter.  If the person you are profiling is a mother and that fact is important to the story, videotape them playing with the kids, preparing lunch for the kids, and cleaning up after the kids.

If you get that much visual variety, then edit it together with narration and a script that ties all your important information together, you will absolutely have a top-quality video that just might win a contest like this!

Good luck.  Let me know.

Lorraine Grula

If you want to have some fun and study video creation at the same time, take a few minutes to go look at all the finalists and vote in the online video contest being sponsored by Doritos.

It’s called Crash the Super Bowl and is part of an ongoing marketing campaign Doritos cooked up as a way to integrate online video marketing with more traditional video marketing, TV commercials.

For a couple of years now, they have been integrating the Super Bowl, the premier place for innovate (and traditionally expensive) TV spots with an online video contest encouraging anyone to make an original spot for Doritos.

The prizes are monumental.   Millions in cash and your spot played on Super Bowl Sunday.

Needless to say this marketing strategy has generated huge interest.  Last year, two guys now well-known as  “the Herbert brothers” won and took home the $1 Million prize.  This year it’s been upped to $5,000,000.  The Herbert brothers were hired by Vimeo to help pitch this year’s contest and no doubt their lives were changed radically after winning.  They put a lot of effort  into their winning spot.  So did all the entrants who made it as one of the six finalists.   The production values were fairly high even though budgets were low.   The six finalists are named:

• Casket
• Kids Today
• House Rules
• The Smackout
• Underdog
• Snack Attack Samurai

The most interesting thing to me was watching the variety of story lines.  Like all good 30 second spots, the finalists relied on easily recognizable character-types people could relate to.   Sex, humor, violence and cuteness were all tossed in liberally.  That’s always a winning formula folks.

Now I must be honest.  As I watched further down into the pile beyond the top six, they got really sucky really fast.   Wow, they sure did.   They deteriorated in both production value and storytelling value.  The characters in one spot of a couple trying to get engaged on the beach were so obnoxious the “off” button was my only option for relief.

Here’s a link on Vimeo to my personal favorite video.  Gave me a huge belly laugh and I cheered the young hero.  That won my heart and I voted for it in spite of the fact that there was a big-time production mistake.  They crossed the line of axis!  For shame.   Oh well.  I forgive them cuz the kid was totally adorable.

Which video do you like best?  You can vote up until January 31.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

Take a break from the hectic holiday rush to enjoy An Enchanting Holiday, a delightful 10-minute Christmas video created by my advanced video production students.  This is one of my favorite video projects of all time.  It was a ball to make and the finished product wowed people.     I had the opportunity to stand at the back of the room and observe several large crowds view this video, which is the best way to gauge audience reaction of course.  It can be very  nerve racking since for all you know they’ll hate it and this video went out on several limbs.    I was always so gratified to see people laugh throughout the video and then cheer at the ending.

We made Enchanting Holiday several years ago when I was working as a high school video production teacher in a rural Tennessee high school.  It was a massive undertaking for this small class of 9 kids.  We spent about 3 months planning, creating and producing this ten- minute video.

We came up with all kinds of original characters, costumes, settings and story lines.   Making this video was tons of fun and a fantastic experience for the kids.   Much to my surprise, Enchanting Holiday ended up winning about twenty  regional and national awards, including a high school Emmy.  We won a free trip to New York City and got on the local TV news.  Even the school board and county commission gave us all medals!

Here we are at the Emmy Banquest in NYC. Two of my students and I won free trips courtesy of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, NATAS, the group that sponsors the Emmy Awards.

You never know which projects are going to take off land achieve extreme success.   Honestly, when we were working on Enchanting Holiday, I wondered if we’d EVER get it to come together.    Sometimes it seemed like nothing but a big fat mess of crazy ideas.  But we kept at it, evolving the project, adding layers and improving the overall story.  In the end, it worked!

This video has so much depth to the production of it, I built my free home study course in video making around Enchanting Holiday.  If you want to know more detail about how we created this video out of thin air, then sign up for my free video making course.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips.   Merry Christmas.