In Plain Sight: Finding Inspiration for Set Design
I have been designing studio scenery for TV productions for a very long time, close to 2000 productions, from the grand to the prosaic. Just like any person who has ever had to put a pen to paper or a brush to canvas with a deadline clock ticking, I have my personal sources, computer folders, scrapbooks and old books. But I often find my best inspiration in the aisles of my local home center.
Veteran’s Day Project from Hoover High School
Our next documentary called “My Grandfather’s Story” and it will premiere November 8th, 2019. It is the story of William E. Pilati, who served in the 275th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, and will be told through a documentary featuring Mr. Pilati and his granddaughter Siena Pilati. Pilati fought at the Battle of the Bulge with his fellow soldiers in a halftrack vehicle.
Back to Basics: Framing Good Shots
As your foundation, some thought and planning should go into how your shots are composed. A well-composed shot grabs and holds your viewer's attention. It also influences the mood of the scene or the comfort level of the audience.
Jumping Into The Unknown
As for graphics, I am going to go with Titler Live from NewBlue FX. I am actually pretty excited about this. Here’s the plan. The actual graphics operator will be in the “control room” with the tech director and me but I will have another person in the gym keeping time and score updated. Titler Live allows you to control their scoreboard tools remotely via a web interface.
The Game Has Changed: Video Production is Not What it Used To Be
The demand for video content has grown exponentially in the last five years. It’s everywhere. In the past, if students put out some video products the response was “that’s cool” or “man I wish I knew how to do that.” Now video products must flow from the classroom immediately and consistently. News, sports, clubs, administrators, community entities, and more all want video and they want it now. If you are in a small community, they not only want it now, they want it for free and from you. Video has permeated every aspect of life and this is the biggest thing that has changed about our jobs.
Georgia Tops Nation for Online Sports Streaming
In 2013, the National Federation of High Schools teamed with Atlanta-based PlayOn! Sports to form the NFHS Network, a subscription-based streaming service that broadcasts high school sports on the internet. Today, the network is turning a profit, and the state of Georgia is a big reason why. That’s because the Peach State is the network’s top revenue-generating state in the country.
Shooting Great Footage in Outdoor Lighting
The fundamental principles of good lighting apply whether you shoot video indoors or out. However, sunlight presents unique challenges to videographers. On almost any given day, there is more than enough light outside to shoot a scene. At first, an abundance of light seems like an asset. However, the hundreds and thousands of lumens cast by the sun can actually cause problems for your camcorder. Not technical problems, but aesthetic ones.
Blackmagic Design Announces New ATEM Mini
Blackmagic Design has announced the ATEM Mini a new low cost live production switcher specifically designed to allow live streaming to YouTube and business presentations via Skype. ATEM Mini will be available in November 2019 from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$295.
Great Opening Shots For Your Video Project (And Your Storyboard)
The human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s….about 6-8 seconds. And there’s a lot of stuff in the world trying to get our attention. Whether you’re making a short film or long video, it must compete to get it. Starting your project with a boring establishing shot was fine for last century, but not anymore. Good first shots are unique. Capture my attention. Compel me to watch. Don’t let me look away.
Reeds Spring High School
Late in the Spring of 2015 I was asked to work on some video projects for our high school graduation ceremony. You know the ones, they are, “no big deal” until a parent or two feels their kid was overlooked or neglected. I always like a new challenge (if you do then video is a good place for you!) so I jumped in with both feet.
How Maple Elementary Live Streams Morning Announcements for FREE
Morning announcements during our adolescent years involved listening to an intercom, or at best, getting to see a pre-recorded video on our classrooms’ CRT TVs every morning. But today’s students get to experience morning announcements in a truly live and high-quality setting. For the K-6 students at Maple Elementary in Smithville, MO, this comes in the form of live streaming.
The Streaming Chronicles - Chapter 2 Graduation
Graduation. For some video teachers, it is a complete nightmare. I was one of those several years ago. I would literally spend three or four days prepping for graduation. I had three to produce each year but I still spent way too much time fretting over an hour long show. Seriously, don’t fret about graduation.
The Streaming Chronicles - Introduction
The world of live streaming has changed in a million ways since I started streaming high school sporting events.
Case Study: Transforming Complexity Into Flexibility - UMiami Upgrade
How Midtown Video designed and built a centralized, ESPN-compliant HDTV broadcast production facility enabling University of Miami Athletics to Contribute Live “Hurricanes” Games to the ACC Network.
More Powerful Shot Design for Your Storyboard (like the pros do)
Sure, you can just wing it when you get on location but when you do that, you’re missing the opportunity to do something great
Making the Investment in Live
Kent State University School of Journalism & Mass Communications Add LiveU Technology to give students more opportunities to produce live news. What happens when Journalism students are willing to produce live reports, but the technology is holding them back?
A Look at BMD’s Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
The Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is a small, lightweight, cinematic camera that is perfect for student users and professionals alike. It is easy to hold, easy to operate, and easy to see why this is one of the most popular cameras on the market. Inexpensive at $1295, this camera fits nicely into new or existing workflows especially for users who want high-end cinematic style camera on a low-end budget.
Making Money with Your Video Production Department
The equipment I had was barely consumer grade. I needed to replace it with higher grade equipment as well as massively increase the quantities of everything I had so more students would have access to gear at the same time. I could get everything I needed but for one thing – I needed funds. The following story has a happy ending and it is filled with ideas that you can adopt to create the same solution to the money problem while at the same time giving your students a real-world education.
Want to Major in Sports Journalism? Now You Can
With the expansion of broadcast networks, the rise of heavily trafficked niche outlets, and ever-popular local coverage, sports journalism is one of the few beats that can be called a media growth industry. This fall, Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication debuts its bachelor and master degree programs in sports journalism, its first standalone degree programs for a specific beat and perhaps the first of their kind nationwide.
Sophomore Slump - The Beginning
Last year, we produced over 120 newscasts and over 130 live sports broadcasts. We received a ton of support from the community via social media and brought home a couple of awards from the NFHS Network. A colleague called us the “Rookies of the year” for bringing home the “Best New Program” honor and I called us lucky for bringing home the best highlight. Now that the new school year has started, I have a new concern… how do I follow last year? What can I do to continue to build the program and take it to new heights?