Tutorial 4

Q3) Discuss several considerations in shooting and editing video for multimedia. What techniques should you use to produce the best possible video, at a reasonable cost? Which of the techniques apply to all video, and which apply specific to multimedia?

There are many considerations to keep in mind when setting up your production environment, depending on the capabilities of your camcorder:Fast processor(s)Plenty of RAMComputer with FireWire (IEEE 1394 or i.Link) or USB connection and cablesFast and big hard disk(s)A second display to allow for more real estate for your editing softwareExternal speakersNonlinear editing (NLE) software The Shooting Platform
The shooting platform must be steady. Using a tripod or even placing the camera on a stable platform, such as a rolled-up sweater on the hood of a car, can improve a shot. Try to use a camera with an electronic image stabilization feature for static if you must shoot handheld.
 StoryboardingPreplanning a video project is a factor that cannot be ignored without costing time loss, lots of unnecessary aggravation, and money that would be better spent elsewhere. Successful video production, of any sort, deserves the time it takes to make a plan to carry it out. Storyboards are like any sequential comic you read daily. A storyboard can get everyone on one page quickly.LightingWith proper lighting, however, it may be difficult for uninitiated viewers to differentiate between shots taken with an expensive studio-grade video camera and an inexpensive camcorder. Using a simple floodlight kit, or even just being sure that daylight illuminates the room, can improve your image. Chroma KeysChroma keys allow you to choose a colour or range of colours that become transparent, allowing the video image to be seen “through” the computer image. This is the technology used by a newscast’s weather person, who is shot against a blue background that is made invisible when merged with the electronically generated image of the weather map. The weatherman controls the computer part of the display with a small handheld controller.
 CompositionThe general rules for shooting quality video for broadcast use also apply to multimedia. When shooting video for playback in a small window, it is  best to avoid wide panoramic shots, as the sweeping majesty will be lost. Use close-ups and medium shots, head-and-shoulders or even tighter. Depending upon the compression algorithm used, consider also the amount of motion in the shot: the more a scene changes from frame to frame, the more “delta” information needs to be transferred from the computer’s memory to the screen. Keep the camera still instead of panning and zooming; let the subject add the motion to your shot, walking, turning, talking. Titles and TextTitles and text are often used to introduce a video and its content. They may also finish off a project and provide credits accompanied by a sound track. Titles can be plain and simple, or they can be storyboarded and highly designed. Nonlinear Editing (NLE)Top-of-the-line nonlinear editing (NLE) software includes Adobe’s Premiere, Apple’s Final Cut, and Avid’s Media Composer, the “A Team” of professional video editors. These are feature-packed and expensive packages designed to work hand-in-hand with fast and powerful computers and dedicated file servers.