Shooting Video for the Web

Effective Online Video Productionand Distribution

Renee Basick

Matt Howard

Introductions• Matt Howard

– Director, Chicago Media Initiatives Group, University of Chicago

– Background in academic publishing, online learning, web production, blogging, podcasting

• Renee Basick– Senior Producer, Chicago Media Initiatives Group– Background in broadcast and new media journalism;

design, web development, video production• CMIG

– Initiative of our Provost’s Office– Consult on new media and communications strategy

Overview

I. Producing Video for the Web

II. Recording Audio for the Web

III. Distributing Your Content

I. Producing Video for the Web

Producing Video for the Web

• Promotional videos

• Video news releases

• Event recordings

• Podcasts

• Multi-purposing content

Promotional Videos• 3-10 minutes in length• Creative brief and script

– Target audience: prospective students• Lively, energetic, young• Music drops• Fast edits, handheld camera

• High-level skills for shooting and editing• Lot of b-roll• Distribution: Web, DVD, iPod• Examples: MIT Sloan (shot by students), Ithaca College

(shot by students) – http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/experience/video.php– http://www.ithaca.edu/tour/park.php?see=video

Video News Releases

• 90 second spot• Scripted with voice-over talent• Inverted pyramid structure

– E.g., following press release

• Lots of b-roll– Visual grammar

• Distribution on local news affiliates (e.g., ABC)• Example

– http://tiktaalik.uchicago.edu/video.html– http://www.sciencentral.com/

Event Recordings

• 1-2 hours in length• Low-level skills for shooting and editing

– Single camera, basic lighting, simple edit• Distribution: Web, DVD, public radio, public

access television, podcast (for series)• Examples: lecture series such as Poem Present

– http://poempresent.uchicago.edu

Podcasts

• Regular, scheduled communications– Once per week, per month– Set and meet your stakeholder expectations

• Focused communication• Audio or Video• Low to mid level skills• Example: lecture series, class discussions,

student audio journals (e.g., peer-to-peer outreach for prospective students)

Multi-purposing Media• Find opportunities to shoot for multiple audiences

– E.g. Research at Chicago videos primarily for alumni, news media, industry, and secondarily prospective students

– Shoot enough footage to edit for different purposes• Example: Tiktaalik video news release (for media) and fossil

preparator video (for students)• Tailor your edits and messages for stakeholder

• Interviews– Ask questions of subject for multiple purposes

• E.g., Nobel Prize winner talking about research (for industry) can also answer questions about teaching (for prospective students) in same sitting

Shooting Video for Multiple Uses

• Multi-purposing Media

• DV: Online vs. Broadcast

• Shooting Video for the Web

• Shooting for the (Very) Small Screen

• Lighting, Editing, Graphics, Compression

Multi-purposing mediaScale-down, not up.

Some delivery options are:•Web (streaming or download) •Broadcast (probably SD)•Projection (SD or HD)•DVD (home player or computer)•Video iPod or other handheld player

DV: online vs. broadcast

The biggest difference is

COMPRESSION.

Traditionally, this meant, you should:• Shoot differently• Edit differently •Think differently

(That is, until bandwidth caught up with your ambition.)

Web = Broadcast?

Advanced codecs +

increased bandwidth =

Higher quality video=

You can shoot once for bothOnline and broadcast output(and everything in between).

Shooting video for the web

Online video• 16:9 is sexy• Over-saturate color!• What? Make it louder• Make whites whiter• Fun with titles• Use the entire screen

Broadcast• 4:3 is standard• Broadcast-safe chroma• DV = -12dB • Broadcast-safe levels• Title-safe• Action-safe

Quality is key

High quality video will compress cleanly and broadcast well so always start with the best possible source video.

So, should you shoot HD or SD?

The future of resolution…

…is high definition.

• Analog “switch-off” of broadcast signals in the U.S. will be February 17, 2009

• 61.3 - 68% of "active U.S. Internet users” connect at home using broadband(2006 Nielsen/NetRatings)

• The rise of IPTV: 1,300 free channels (as of 06/06) and…HD IPTV.

SHOOT HD.(Don’t be afraid of equipment costs.)

SD set-up:Panasonic DVX100B

$3995.00

MiniDV tapes

$10/ea

Real-time capture

$/hour

HD set-up:Panasonic HVX200

$5199.00

P2 card (incl. w/ camera)

$0

Drag-and-drop

Priceless

So…what do you need?

Necessities• Camera

• Tripod

• Microphone set-up

• Lights

• WarmCards

• Headphones

• Editing work-station

• Software

Luxuries• Field mixer

• CRT Monitor

• Deck (if using tape)

• Lights

• Dolly

• Gels/window patterns/back drops

• External hard drive(s)

• Graphics software

• DVD duplicator/printer

Recommendations:On a (tight) budget

Panasonic DVX100 $3999.00Cartoni Action-Pro Tripod $699.95Audio-Technica wireless mic $560.75Sony studio headphones $46.50Smith-Victor Light kit (3) $211.95Vortex Media WarmCards $91.00

Apple Mac Pro $2,948.00 Final Cut Express HD 3.5 $149.00

TOTAL = $8,706.15

Ideal set-upPanasonic HVX200 $5199.00Bogen/Manfrotto Tripod & dolly $875.Bogen/Manfrotto leveling head $61.10Audio-Technica wireless mic $560.75Sony studio headphones $78.50

Arri light kit (3) $1,789.95 Vortex Media WarmCards $91.00

Apple Mac Pro $3,783.00 Final Cut Studio $699.00 Sorenson Squeeze $239.00

TOTAL = $13,376.30

Shooting for the (very) small screen

Minimize visual complexityPay attention to color, pattern, light and arrangement of subjects for the cleanest possible compression.Avoid:• Glare• Tight patterns on clothing

(i.e. houndstooth, plaid, stripes)• Bright white, pure black• Busy or moving background• Wearing same color as the background• Gratuitous camera movement

Lighting to make your subject look good

(and you!)

1. Light evenly. Harsh shadows do not compress well.

2. Use a 3 light set-up:

• Key – Primary light source

• Fill – Secondary light source used to fill shadows

• Hair/rim – Backlight used to separate subject from the background

Lighting set-up example:

http://www.arri.com/infodown/light/broch/arri_lighting_handbook_english.pdf

Editing

Here are some simple suggestions if your primary delivery is via web or other small-screen format:– Don’t use graphical wipes—they do not compress

particularly well at low data rates.

– Edit out camera movement as much as possible (without creating jump-cuts).

– Avoid complicated animations and graphics.

– Do not use a lot of text at small font sizes.

Overall lengthFactors to keep in mind:• Type of content

– Interview– Lecture– Promotional

• Viewer attention span– Lecture: 20 minutes average, 70% listened to entire lecture

(WGBH/Boston Forum Network, August 2005)

– Online ads: 21 seconds (Online Publishers Association study, February 2006)

– Other content: About 2-5 minutes

• Hard drive space– HD 1g per 1 minute of video– SD 1g per 3 minutes of video

Great graphics

General tips for title bars (lower third keys), informational graphics, titling

• Short, succinct phrases• Simple, colorful• Repeat information being stated• Do not offer new info while speaker is talking

about another topic• Watch title-safe guides!

Importing Graphics

Photoshop CS offers support for DV graphics. This important because:– Pixel shape/aspect ratio

DV = non-square, Computer = square

• This causes distortion when importing to FCP

How to avoid distortion…

1. Open Photoshop CS

2. Open a new project and select a DV format

3. Open your image

4. Copy your image into the new DV project

5. Flatten it

6. Save

7. Import into FCP

Title bars

• No small caps• Anti-alias type• Apple Motion--great lower third keys• San-serif usually easier to read • Use whole numbers for font size• Rotate information instead of trying to

squeeze too much on one slide• Leave on screen for 10 seconds

FAQ: include Q&A?

YES• Audience amplified• Speaker repeats Q• As substantial as

the lecture in length or content

• Discussion format• Important audience

members

NO• Can’t hear Q• Off topic• Not interesting• Need to limit overall

length• Delivery method =

broadcast

Compression (A fine art)

Software packages:Sorenson Squeeze $239• Fast, high-quality results• $ extra for Windows Media & Flash • Inlcudes iPod presetsAutodesk Cleaner (formally Discreet) $175• Inlcudes WM and Flash• Robust metadata fieldsCompressor 2 (Final Cut Pro) $0• Fewer options• Compatible with DVD Studio Pro (Dolby AC-3 audio)• Poorer compression at lower data rates

Which formats?

It depends on your mode of delivery.

• Streaming vs. progressive download vs. download

• Podcast

• iPod compatibility

• Embedded in website vs. player

• What about Flash?

The skinny on codecs

• QuickTime– Progressive Download– iPod

• Mpeg-4

• Windows Media– No progressive download

• Real

• Flash

Compromise

How do you determine the ideal balance?

• Size• Bandwidth• Quality

Solutions• Alternative data rates

Making your video findable

• Searchable video is key to getting the most value out of your content.

• Search engines are indexing video content.– Metadata– Transcript

• Which standards, format, software?– QuickTime– Windows Media– Flash 8

II. Recording Audio for the Web

Recording audio(The ear does not forgive!)

• Record audio that can stand alone– Are there slides?– Is it discussion-based or lecture format?– Are there demonstrations?

• Record broadcast-quality– More and more public broadcasting outlets

are looking for academic content to include in regular programming.

– Sound bites for news

What you will need:

Equipment• Recorder

• Microphone(s)

• Software

Recommendations• Marantz professional

solid-state recorder• Audio-Technica

wireless microphone

• Sound Forge, Adobe Audition, Apple Soundtrack, Audacity etc…

Some options…

• Wireless vs. Wired

• House sound?

• Microphone types – Pick-up patterns:– Omnidirectional– Bi-directional– Unidirectional– Shotgun

The outdoor audio challenge

Obstacle: BACKGROUND NOISE!– Wind– Cars/trucks/traffic– People (and their pets)– Clothes rustling

Solutions:• Use a “woolly”• Have someone “run interference”• Mic placement: sternum• Test, test, test, test

Tips & Tricks

Recording• Get room tone• Record 3x closer to

subject than any “reflective” surface

• Use good headphones

• Do not peak—keep monitor at -12dB

Editing• Edit out coughs, hic-

ups and noise (even when there’s video!)

• Use waveforms• Crossfade• Extend abrupt edits

with roomtone• 911 filters

III. Distributing Your Content

Distributing Your Content

• Viral Marketing– Case Study: Research at Chicago

• Content Sharing Relationships

• Reaching Public Audiences

• Reaching Professional Audiences

• Pulling together a cohesive communication whole– Case Study: Mind Online

Viral Marketing (WOM)

• Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing– Enable access across connected devices:

• RSS feeds (podcast, vodcast)• iPod compatible video• Blogs• Social bookmarks• Email

• Develop and launch marketing campaigns that are “immersive” (print, email, web, iPod, mobile).

Case Study: Research at Chicago

• Collaborated with our VP for Research to create “Research at Chicago” Web site in 2003

• Interviewed over 30 faculty; video interviews and post-production

• Offer podcast and vodcast feeds• Integrated with other campus projects (News

Office, Mind Online alumni project)• http://research.uchicago.edu/highlights• In process of adding social bookmarks

Content Sharing Relationships

• How to extend the life of your content?– Create once, distribute infinitely– Immersion

• Viral marketing– YouTube, Google Video, iFilm, Ziddio

• Broadcast distribution:– Annenberg– ResearchChannel (http://www.researchchannel.org)

– University Channel (http://uc.princeton.edu/main)

– Public/cable Access television, PBS– Public radio

Reaching Public Audiences

• Public access television

• Museum kiosks

• Television news

• K-12 Classrooms

• Community centers

• Web, podcasts, vodcasts

Reaching Professional Audiences

• State and Municipal Forums

• NSF / NIH program officers

• National / regional association meetings

• Publishers

• Web, podcasts, vodcasts

Building Tools for Campus-wide Use

• Central feeds site

– http://feeds.uchicago.edu

• Central video repository

– http://mindonline.uchicago.edu

• Links from homepage

Case Study: Mind Online

• Collaboration with Alumni Association http://mindonline.uchicago.edu

• a Web portal of samples (audio, video, writings) from the University's intellectual life

• Automatically produces RSS feed

Thanks!

Matt [email protected]

773-702-5071

Renee [email protected]

773-834-7955

http://cmig.uchicago.eduhttp://research.uchicago.edu/highlights