Week 4

October 5th

Overview of class: Prior to class, we divided into groups and took photos for our storyboard. I documented these photos at Starbucks with Abby, Sarah, and Paul. In class, with the direction of Doc Chris, we broke into groups and practiced over the shoulder shots. Next, we took footage of conversations between two of our peers. In each group there was a director, video taper, and actors. Our group had to come together as a team to produce this footage.

Evaluation of the class: It was interesting to see how the conversation flowed between two students while being videotaped. It was nice to practice something new in class that we hadn't before. I enjoyed seeing how each group interacted. I think all the group members worked well together to produce the footage. The conversation flowed between the group members. If the group messed up a line, they were able to start over. Most people in the class learned over the shoulder shots for the first time. Overall, I think my classmates did a great job at applying these skills.

What I learned: I learned how to take over the shoulder shots. I learned how to apply this to shooting a video. I learned the roles that are involved in shooting video footage. When we practiced over the shoulder shooting, my job was to videotape the footage. I am now comfortable with capturing an over the shoulder shot. I learned to not leave too much empty space in the shot. I zoomed in on Abby and Paul to do so.
 Smart phones are a third screen.  We also learned how to direct, how to apply light, casting, producing, and camera skills. The ceiling lights acted as our three point lighting. Lastly, it's all about the conversation. It is important to have good conversation between the actors.

Evaluation of the teacher: Doc Chris helped us use the lighting in the room for our footage. He showed us how to take over the shoulder shots. Doc Chris interacted with us to show us how each person can contribute to the filming process. Doc Chris gave us direction. If we did something wrong, he showed us the proper way to do it. For example, he told me not to leave too much empty space in the shot. With this advice, I zoomed in on Abby and I was able to get a better over the shoulder shot.

Shots

over the shoulder footage

Over the shoulder shots