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Lesson #1:
For this past Christmas I was asked to help put together a video for our Christmas Eve service. Since we were not meeting face-to-face, the video was the next best step.
We got together video recordings of previous music services. But we also planned a couple new performances and readers that needed to be recorded. Editing the previous videos was not the main issue but still provided learning situations.
Most of my learning came from the recording sessions and post production from those efforts. Let me share some that may help you as you start into projects and make your plans.
Plan!
I don’t think there is any limit to how much planning benefits a production. One can do amazing things in post production, and the software is now extremely advanced in order to make sound and video into anything we can imagine. However, that takes time (and training and practice, and sometimes more money and more powerful computers and . . .). It is so much simpler to plan ahead.
How did I plan and not plan? I had a good idea in my mind on how I wanted to shoot the video, and I knew the limitations I had. First, I had my camera and one iPhone available (from the other person involved – and he has created simple videos with his iPhone before). We didn’t have a lot of time with the talent, so I thought two run-throughs of the song would be all we have. I would use the iPhone for wide shots, and I would get side shots and close-ups with my camera.
Good plan. How did it not work? Well, I did not plan specifically when I would move around during the first and second take, so I noticed that I was in the wide shot at the same time in both takes – meaning I better have a good close-up or I would be in the video. I should have looked more closely at the music to see who would be singing/playing and who would not at certain times. Then, I would know when and where to move instead of guessing or going by my gut while they were performing.
It is not like a professional music video where the sound track is already recorded and the group lip synchs several times to get a variety. This was more like recording a live performance – I was just lucky enough to have two tries at it.
It worked out OK, but I do see myself in one song even though most people probably wouldn’t notice me behind the organ.