This section will focus on video/photography standards while engaging in newsgathering and production.
Scripts for all formats must be submitted to your instructor and/or designated faculty editor for review.
See this section for scripting/writing standards.
For demonstration purposes, we will use an automobile accident documented by Neil Ortiz. This video was shot at 16th and JFK Blvd and later used by Fox 29 News.
Basic Videography Golden Rules:
#1: Capture Action!!! Talk is cheap! Action Speaks! SHOW PEOPLE DOING WHAT THEY DO!
#2: Alternate shots- Wide, Medium, Tight
#3: Hold steady shots for 15 seconds each
#4: Rule of Thirds During Interview Shoots: This is a Big One! See example below
B-Roll:
Anchor Shots: Telling your visual story with three main anchor points
B-Roll is all of the footage that will tell your story from a visual perspective. These shots will validate your narrative & soundbites, along with making your story compelling to viewers.
You should aim to use this b-roll to tell stories with a beginning, middle and end.
Beginning- Establishing Shot: Always shoot a wide or medium shot which captures the essence of your story as soon as you arrive and set up at a scene or during the peak of activity. This is important because as time passes while you are covering the story, these shots will “go away.” Crowds will dissipate. At some point the the peak of action will be gone.
Below is an example of an establishing shot for this story.
Middle- Action Shots: Tell your story with the use of action-based imagery. Alternate using a nice mix of wide, medium and tight shots.
Tip- SHOW PEOPLE DOING WHAT THEY DO!
Below are two examples of Middle-Action shots.
Interviews: Set ups and Framing:
Always get setup shots of interview subjects before or after interviewing them. Show them doing something that relates to why we are hearing from them.
Below are shots of accident witnesses who were students of one of the victims. Soundbites of these witnesses were used in the example piece. These types of shots should be used in conjunction with interview soundbites.
End your story with shots which build on and demonstrate your overall narrative.
Interviews/Soundbites:
Follow the #3: Rule of Thirds: This is very important!!! See more details below.
Frame your interview subject on the left third of the frame while they are looking into the frame such as pictured below or on the right third of the frame while they are looking into the screen. Use a microphone in close proximity to your interview subject to get clean sound.
-Do not have your interview subject look directly at the camera or speak directly to the audience. They are interview subjects- not hosts.
-Video should be recorded/produced using a horizontal frame rather than vertical.
-Sit-down interviews should be shot with a tripod.
Here is a great video elaborating on the Rule of Thirds
Lower Thirds: While shooting interviews, bear in mind that you will need to use lower thirds in production. This will include the names of your subjects and titles relevant to your stories.
Leave enough room in your framing for this information and ask your subjects for this information on camera so that you’ll have accurate info.
Below is an example of one of our lower thirds applied to one of our PN stories. While exact placement and sizing is a subjective call, it should resemble what you is shown below.
Documentary Formats: These are sometimes called “nat sound pieces” or “sound portraits.” You’ll often see this style in Vice and Vox. Since this format generally only has interviews without reporter narration, it is extremely important to break up interviews with brief periods of action shots accompanied by natural sound.
Here is one great example…