So I’ve been cranking away on the Framelines clips. For the fake demonstration scene, I got all the ADR in, some visual effects correction since some shots are daylight and others are nighttime out the big window, and added the ambient sounds and even some foley. Since the purpose is to use these to show concepts and that entails intros and on camera talent, I thought I’d go into some more detail on that aspect. So we have 3 types of instructional videos with Framelines. The INDIE FILM TECH TIPS, which are generally camera related and Scott does those, and I used a GREEN INTRO. Then there are the MOVIEMAKING TECHNIQUES which are more about theories and film concepts, which I host and use the BLUE INTRO for those. Finally, there are the MOVIE SET JOB DESCRIPTIONS for which I am using cute girls for those. The initial idea was to use a different girl for each one, but elizabeth McPerson did such a great job and the RED INTRO graphic goes to those.
Your Guide to FRAMELINES TECH TIPS: RED INTRO = Hotness GREEN INTRO = Scottness BLUE INTRO = my Fatness
I have a template already setup with the blank intro graphics for each of the 3 types, already cued with editable titlers with consistent fonts and placement. I like the film-burn type transitions over quick cuts to go into the hosted segments.
B-Roll, of which we compiled a lot over the last 2-3 years for the show, usually matches pretty well. Again, these represent more of a ‘news’ style editing of A-Roll (interview/on camera person talking) and then the B-Roll (behind the scenes footage) doesn’t have to be perfect.
Wiksell/Mallory provided us with great music to lay under several of these too. Yeah, I re-use some of the tracks. They’re great tracks and the segments tend to be under 2 minutes.
I prefer to have the On Camera portions shot in a wide shot and a tight over multiple takes. That way if I don’t have great B-roll to put over any particular segue the straight cut with the alternate angle can still work. Now I do take the time to take the animated backgrounds and enlarge them 25% and add a slight blur to go under the close up shots. It’s a subtle thing, but it’s important to give even abstract backgrounds a sense of perspective.
As I have discovered, good Chroma Keying (aka Greenscreen/Bluescreen) means a lot of lights. Lighting the greenscreen evenly makes everything easier, but the backlight on the subject makes it the easiest. That means sometimes 4-5 lights on the greenscreen alone, then 3-4 lights on the subject separately – placing the subject as far away from the screen as possible. Because of the number of lights, I really don’t mind making a “garbage matte”, meaning leaving lightstands in the frame as long as they aren’t covering the subject up. I can crop them out in the computer so easily, I never worry about it.
As much work as all this seems, most of my time editing winds up being playing the clip, then tweaking the edit. Playing the clip, then tweaking the edit. I do that probably 10-20 times at least, staring at the footage on the timeline to reassess the cut.
At this point, we have edited 4 of these new ones. There are 3 more MOVIEMAKING TECHNIQUES with me to edit, and 3 more MOVIE SET JOB DESCRIPTIONS that are all shot and the A-roll is cut on all of those. We’re plotting out another 10-12 tutorials outside of these too.
So we have 3 types of instructional videos with Framelines. The INDIE FILM TECH TIPS, which are generally camera related and Scott does those, and I used a GREEN INTRO. Then there are the MOVIEMAKING TECHNIQUES which are more about theories and film concepts, which I host and use the BLUE INTRO for those. Finally, there are the MOVIE SET JOB DESCRIPTIONS for which I am using cute girls for those. The initial idea was to use a different girl for each one, but elizabeth McPerson did such a great job and the RED INTRO graphic goes to those.
I prefer to have the On Camera portions shot in a wide shot and a tight over multiple takes. That way if I don’t have great B-roll to put over any particular segue the straight cut with the alternate angle can still work. Now I do take the time to take the animated backgrounds and enlarge them 25% and add a slight blur to go under the close up shots. It’s a subtle thing, but it’s important to give even abstract backgrounds a sense of perspective.
0 Comments