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match the character of the ambient light. Explore
what happens when the subject is overlit and under-
lit. Notice how each variation changes the mood.
Audio
Clear, intelligible audio is critical for the success
of any video. Poor audio can be distracting to the
audience and undermine the entire project. Cleaning
up audio in post-production is difficult and time-
consuming. Your best bet is to capture it well and
prevent potential headaches altogether. To get the
best audio, try these exercises:
Experiment with your microphone. Record a short
piece of dialogue with and without background
noises. Repeat it in different rooms, outdoors and at
variable distances from your subject.
If you have access to more than one type of mi-
crophone, record the same sound with each different
mic and then listen for differences in each record-
ing. Try to predict what the differences will be and
see if you’re correct.
Editing
Editing shapes raw footage into a story worth
watching. Most filming is not actually shot in the
story’s sequential order and it’s best to have several
good takes of each scene. Then, in the editing phase,
you’ll take all of these pieces and cut them together
in the right order with the best takes. You’ll also
adjust colors, audio, speed and more to polish the
final cut. If honing your editing skills made your
list, you’ll want to practice these ideas:
Shoot a bunch of random footage and turn it into
a story. You can incorporate stock footage from the
internet or even compose it entirely of random stock
footage. Incorporate some music tracks to practice
editing rhythm, timing and volume. Use a variety of
music styles and observe how it affects the overall
tone of the scene.
Edit the same set of clips into several different
stories. Using the same set of random footage,
rearrange them to create an entirely different
story. When you’re finished, sharing these can be
worth a few much-needed laughs with your peers
and mentors.Graphic Design
Titles and graphics are used in nearly every production.
You’ll see them in opening or closing credits, subtitles,
preface storylines and even incorporated into the story
to inform or entertain the audience. Whether your end
goals are in large-scale movie production or in growing
your YouTube channel, you’ll be using titles and graph-
ics. Use these ideas to be on top of your motion graph-
ics game:
Find a few tutorials on YouTube to learn new software
techniques. Follow along to practice your skills and take
notes. You can save the final results for use in future proj-
ects.
Now, find some of the oldest tutorials and be amused by
the really bad graphics that were cool in bygone eras. It’s
important to know when a font or design has fallen out of
style. Using outdated graphics can quickly discredit your
project so be sure to keep up with the trends and lean on
the classics.
Make a title sequence or trailer for your YouTube chan-
nel or an imaginary movie. Or, better yet, create a title
sequence for any of the other practical exercises you’ve
completed. Then, do it again in different ways to see what
makes the most sense for your piece.Step 4: Keep track of your results.
Consider keeping a filmmaking journal. You can begin
with this set of goals and exercises. Include each of the
steps that you experimented with as well as what worked
and what didn’t. Also, add your general observations and
lessons learned. You’ll be able to refer back to these notes
for future projects. If you ever find yourself in a situation
with extra time on your hands, you can do some of the
same exercises again to measure your progress.
Apart from any sharing you’ve done with peers, remem-
ber that you can expand even more by sharing what you’ve
learned with others. Social media outlets are perfect for
starting conversations within your own circles and expand-
ing your network. Professionals, hobbyists, amateurs and
enthusiasts can all offer new perspectives and insights.
When we collaborate, everyone learns and can be inspired.
Just because we’re quarantined, that doesn’t mean we have
to be disconnected.New video skills to work on during quarantine