Pre-production:
We came up with this idea because Cross-Country was in season, and the Mustang News needed a segment on it. I also had a few friends on the team, and they were able to help me find out when the best time to film was, and made the interviewing more fun and loose. I asked 5 interview questions, so I could have some footage to play with, and not be confined to using bad shots because of not having anything to substitute them for. I envisioned the interviews having the background like they did, with the runners running behind them on the track. The interview shots and b-roll turned out just how I had hoped them to.
Production: Quality:
I shot the interview shots on the edge of the track, overlooking the runners and the field. The B-Roll was shot all around the track, using many different angles and distances, which kept the shots interesting. The camera while shooting the B-Roll never moved, and was very stable. The B-Roll was shot hand-held, so there was a little shaking, but it was minimal and still looked good. One of the best shots was holding the camera at the runners' feet while they run by. It was filmed close up to the runners' feet, and excluding everything but their lower leg and shin. It turned out to be an amazing shot. I tried to use the rule of thirds on the interviews, but a few people shifted their weight a lot, so it was hard to keep them aligned. The lighting was the best it could be, as the sun was overhead and not behind the interviewees, so they were properly lighted, and the focus was great too. The audio came out way better than expected, considering there was tons of wind that day. The wind is pretty much inaudible.
Script:
I wasn't able to do a voice-over, as time ran out and it needed to be broadcasted. I think the segment was informative and entertaining, and kept people's attention well.
Editing:
The B-Roll turned out really well, and complimented the piece great. I transitioned the video and audio through each question, but not between each shot, as it didn't need it. The only titling I had on my piece was to introduce each question. No animation was needed, but I did use a montage of the B-Roll to open the piece, which turned out nicely. Whenever I needed to cut dialogue, I put a piece of B-Roll over it to hide the jump-cut.
Overall:
The part that I like best about my piece is the opening. The music and the quick cuts of B-Roll went together nicely, and proved to be a great opening. If I had more time, I would made the edit a little cleaner, and made the opener have rhythmic matches with the bass drum beats in the song, which would've made an awesome effect. The most important lesson I learned was to manage my time religiously, and get the shots in as soon as possible so that the edit looks the best it can be.
