Video Production Resources

As we start a media project, it's important to understand the goals of the assignment. 

Review your syllabus or grading rubric, and ask yourself the following questions:

Who is the intended audience of this video?
 

Do you have any examples to reference? 
 

Do you know what equipment you will need in order to capture this media?
 

What is the deadline for this assignment?

We recommend you set a "soft deadline" 2 days before the actual deadline for your project

• The easiest way to get an idea of how your video will look is to write a script for it. The script should include the types of locations the scenes take place in, the actions the characters take, and anything they have to say.

  There are a number of ways to write out a script but the most important thing is to write it  in a way that will be easiest for you to understand. Some people work better with a bulleted list and some find it best to follow the formatting of a screenplay.

  Here is an example of how to write a script.

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Once you have your script written out and you have a better idea of what will be happening, it is time to make a storyboard. A storyboard allows you to use both images and text to visualize your video shot by shot, scene by scene. The best way to explain how a storyboard works is to see one, so we have included an example here. We also have a printable template for you to use.

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With your script, storyboard, and locations figured out, you are going to want to build your shot list next. This is a guide to all the minute details of each shot in the order that you want to shoot it. The shot list is usually based on location and time of day rather than story order. We have included an example of a short shot list and a blank template for you to use.

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Your project will always be made of many different parts. These parts are your “assets.”

These may include pictures, logos, graphs, or videos that you already have.  Before you start making and gathering additional assets, you will want to check if there is anything that already exists.

Once you have a collection of assets, gather them together in one place before you start getting more. 

Before you just jump into shooting, you will want to go around and look for the places that either fit the settings in your script, or can be transformed to fit your script.

When looking at these locations, it is good to make note of things like the:
Acoustics: How does the space sound? Is there background noise? Is there an echo? 
Lighting: Does the space have enough light? What kind of light? Is more light needed? 

The environment could change your choice in audio equipment, and you might need to find ways to either darken or brighten a location.

Knowing what your location will be like ahead of time will help you understand what the restrictions of the space are.

Once you have all of this done, it is time to schedule out your shoot.

When scheduling, you want to focus on shooting what you can as each location and anyone else in the shoot is available.

You will want to set what parts of the shot list you want to focus on each day and set the times that everyone should gather.

Always plan to be there earlier than when you expect to start shooting. For simpler shoots, you will want to give yourself between a half-hour to an hour to set up.

Do you need a camera? A microphone? Can you use your smartphone? Is your space quiet enough, or do you need a studio space to capture your recordings? 

These are all questions we need to answer before we can start capturing media. 

Think carefully about everything you will need.

• Camera, tripods, audio recorders, microphones, and lights are essential to any kind of shoot.

Make sure to visit the Media Hub front desk and chat with our staff to make sure you have the right equipment needed for the job.

For a full list of equipment that we offer, 

 Equipment Inventory 

Before you head out; make sure you check that your devices have full batteries, and recording storage (SD cards) before you head to your recording location.

Post-production is the final stage of a video project.

In this stage you will organize the assets gathered in pre-production and field-production, then you will combine the assets together into a final video.

You might be wondering "What software do I use?"

Good news, we have breakdown of the software available in our DIY Open Studio to help you select the best option for your project.

What Software Do I Use?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions in the post production process. While many people are familiar with the phrase "fix it in post," not many people know what they should use to actually "fix it."

Once we have collected the video content from our camera, we need to use a video editing program to cut, remove, add, or alter our footage to fit our vision. This is where our video project really comes together.

iMovie

Difficulty Level: EASY
Comes preloaded with most Mac computers 
MAC OS only

iMovie is a great program to start off with if you are brand new to video editing. iMovie's intuitive design and use of visuals means that you won't get lost in the weeds of what this program can do. This software is easy to use and is Media Hub' first choice for people who are new to the video production process. 
Windows users are out of luck, however, this program can only be found on the Apple App store.

Da Vinci Resolve

Difficulty Level: MEDIUM
Free online download, great low budget alternative to Premiere Pro

While Da Vinci Resolve doesn't have the cult following like Premiere Pro...yet, it's recent updates have made it a strong competitor -- and it's unbeatable price of FREE makes this a tantalizing option. Da Vinci's step by step layout walks you through your video step by step and provides as many free titles and assets as Premiere or iMovie. 

Find it here:
BlackMagicDesign.com

Adobe Premiere Pro

Difficulty Level: HARD
Only available on Media Hub Open Studio computers or Monthly Fee

If you are more familiar with video editing concepts, or if you are eager to begin a career in video editing, we suggest you look no further. Premiere Pro is used everywhere from beginners to Hollywood professionals. The program can be initially daunting, but once you get comfortable, lots of options and possibilities open up.  This program allows you adjust every detail down to the pixel. 

Find it here:
Adobe.com

Not all recordings are created equal, and not every recording is ready for the podcast.

Trimming, cleaning, and adding backing track music can take your project assignment to the next level.

Audacity

Difficulty: Medium

Cost: Free

Adobe Audition

Difficulty: Hard

Cost: Free DIY Studio or Fee per month Adobe Creative Cloud Service