Just what you need: another critique of Game of Thrones. In our 10-minute show, things get a bit heated between us, with Dan Chichester almost launching some dracarys fire on Mark Bellusci. We get into the “Once upon a time” story structure, and we discuss an upcoming film Mark is shooting. Listen on your fave podcast app or at https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/episodes/Street-Writers---Once-Upon-a-GOT-e46ksu


#podcast #podcastshow #howtowrite #writingtips #gameofthrones #storystructure

That’s what we discuss in this episode of Street Writers podcast. That’s @danchichester and @makbellusci. Got 10 minutes listen on our favorite podcast app or at https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/episodes/The-power-of-quirks-and-details-e3utev

More tips and tricks to help you make video marketing a reality.Shoot something other other than what you’re shooting (it’s called b-roll).
Interviews, documentaries, narrative films, live performances: whatever you’re shooting, you’re going to need more footage than your main shots. That’s where b-roll comes in (also known as cutaway shots). Think of anything you’ve watched recently. Sometimes the camera will move to the people they’re talking to, sometimes to topics that the main characters are talking about, sometimes to elements around the character, including the speakers’ hands. That’s because we’re trained as viewers to crave motion, and we get bored or lose focus if we don’t have it.

• When you’re shooting, make sure to get plenty of b-roll shots.
• Get your main shots first, then circle back for b-roll on a second pass.
• Once you’ve heard your interviewee (or character if it’s a film), match your cutaway shots to the dialogue, monologue or song you just captured.

Don’t be a shut-in.
Shooting outside is a lot easier than it used to be, thanks to the automatic neutral density (ND) filters in many of today’s camcorders and phone cameras. These filters are like sunglasses for your cameras, and give you the right level of filtering automatically to ensure that your outside shots have the right brightness and contrast.

• If you’re shooting with DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, you can get affordable ND filters at camera stores, Amazon and elsewhere. But there are still a few things you should be aware of when shooting in daylight.
• If you’re interviewing someone, choose a shady spot for consistent lighting.
• If you are shooting in the sun, place yourself with your back to the sun and have your subject face you (so the sunlight is on her face).
• If you’re shooting outside a lot, invest in a bounce. This is a reflector that will bounce the sunlight onto your subject’s face to reduce silhouetting. They are foldable, portable and cheap — find them at Amazon and just about every camera store.

Skype is your best friend for rehearsals.
On-screen talent can make or break your video. So schedule plenty of rehearsals before your shoot. Of course, this can be easier said than done considering everyone’s schedules. That’s where video meeting sites like Skype, Zoom and now even FaceTime come in.

• Schedule video conference calls for multiple people using the free versions of any video meeting app.
• Pre-shoot rehearsals are invaluable for shoot day — especially if you’re in an outdoor location under harsh conditions, or pressed for time in an indoor location.

Before the shoot, test, test, test.
There’s enough excitement, action and pressure on shoot day without having to sweat through a bad battery or malfunctioning microphone.

• Make sure to test everything before the shoot.
• Not only will testing assure you that your equipment is good to go, it will also refresh your memory on how to operate your equipment (which button should be blinking, and which should be solid).
• Of course, you still may encounter a glitch or two on shoot day (more on that in another tip), but at least you’ll know you’ve got all the basics covered.

Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi from Pexels
Remain calm (or at least fake it).
You’ve done all your planning, scouted your location, prepped your actors and tested your equipment. Now it’s shoot day, and Murphy’s Law kicks in: a camera malfunctions, a light fizzes, or an actor/interviewee gets a frog in her throat.

• Do. Not. Panic.
• The entire cast and crew (even if it’s just you and your subject) take their lead from you. If you start sweating, screaming and/or shaking, they will too.
• Smile, shrug your shoulders, laugh and keep your voice steady.
• Think of the people at NASA Mission Control: no matter what happens, they remain calm and cool — and they have a lot more at stake than you (although it may not feel that way on shoot day).
• Even if you can’t achieve Zen-like calmness on the inside, fake it on the outside. You’ll not only keep everyone else calm, you’ll be in a better state to figure out how to fix the problem (hint: duck tape — more on this in another tip).

More tips are on the way. Stay tuned.
Mark Bellusci is an award-winning filmmaker, published playwright and freelance copywriter. The filmmaking and playwriting started as hobbies, became crafts, and are now how he makes his living, along with copywriting. And somewhere along the way, he picked up an MBA from Baruch College, CUNY. See his stuff at markbellusci.com.


#video #videotips #videoproduction #videography #videohowto #videoadvice #makeyourownvideo #makeyourvideo

​More tips and tricks to help you make video marketing a reality.Set up your interview video to look like a pro.
A few steps of preparation before an interview can help things flow smoothly, save you time on shoot day and help you record a professional looking video.

• Think through your interview questions.
• Visualize the progression of the interview, and be prepared with supplemental questions if the interview goes in a different direction than you planned (it happens all the time).
• Decide whether you want to share in advance the questions with the interviewee. The advantage of sharing is that you know the interviewee will be prepared to answer — but you may lose the natural spontaneity of a person answering

Decide if you will include yourself on camera, or just the interviewee.

You’ll need to know this in advance so you can set up your camera to include both you and the interviewee in the frame, or create a two-camera shoot.

• If you choose to have just the interviewee on camera, remind her or him to rephrase the question in the answer, which will help a lot in editing when you need context as you string together answers. 

For interviews, position your main camera over your shoulder, and have your interviewee look at you.
​
If you’re conducting an interview, there’s nothing more disruptive to the audience than having an interviewee’s eyes bounce back and forth between you and the camera.

• Make sure the person looks at you throughout the interview.

Check on your actors (or interviewees) before the shoot.
No matter how wonderful your script/interview questions and location are, the most important thing is your on-screen talent. Yet, with everything you’re focusing on (equipment, logistics, schedules and so on), you might fall into the trap of assuming your actors will be prepared for the shoot. I have made that mistake too often, and was then forced to scramble with actors who didn’t know lines, and interviewees who froze once the camera was turned on. Make sure to check in frequently on those who will be in front of the camera right up till shoot day.

• For actors, rehearse in advance, either in person or remotely (Skype, FaceTime, Zoom: more about them later).
• For interviewees, talk with them in advance to see how comfortable they’ll be on camera, and consider sending them your interview questions in advance (the advantages and disadvantages of providing interview questions in advance are covered in another tip).

No “Um’s,” “Ah’s,” or “Mmm Hmms.”
When you’re interviewing someone you have to stay silent. Sounds simple, but it can be harder than you think. When we have a conversation, we generally use verbal affirmations (the “mmm hmms” and “uh huhs”) to let the other person know we’re actively listening.

• The best way keep your interviewee engaged without making a sound is to use non-verbal cues: appropriately timed smiles, frowns, head nods.
• Non-verbal cues will give your interviewees the affirmation they need, and your audience the clean, focused interview audio they want.
  

More tips are on the way. Stay tuned.

Mark Bellusci is an award-winning filmmaker, published playwright and freelance copywriter. The filmmaking and playwriting started as hobbies, became crafts, and are now how he makes his living, along with copywriting. And somewhere along the way, he picked up an MBA from Baruch College, CUNY. See his stuff at markbellusci.com
#video #videotips #videoproduction #videography #videohowto #videoadvice #makeyourownvideo #makeyourvideo