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2 VIDEOMAKER >>> AUGUST 2019

Analyzing what you watch

One of the best ways to get good at

something is to observe, analyze and

emulate the work of others. If you

want to build farm tables, for instance,

look at farm tables that other build-

ers have created. Observe the type of

wood used, the style of legs and the

way it’s all held together.

To understand both the mechanics

and the artistry of each piece, it’s not

enough to merely look at one farm

table. It is best to study as many as you

can. With a larger sample set, you will

observe a much wider variety of styles

and structures that can inform you as

you make your own design choices.

Before long you will be able to easily

identify shoddy, amateur work as dis-

tinct from quality craftsmanship.

In the world of media production,

opportunities to observe the work of

other producers are all around you.

You can turn on the TV, go to a movie

or simply scroll through your social

media feeds for countless examples

of other people’s edits. In fact, you no

longer have to actively seek media to

observe media. Videos are set before

us in dentist’s offi ces, on buses and at

the pumps at the gas station.

Many people tune out the noise that

media has become, but as makers of

media, we need to tune in instead.

Each encounter with video is an

chance to observe the structure, the

style, the fl ow, the artistry and the

mechanics of each edit. The key is to

not merely observe but to analyze.

Watch videos and fi lms and TV

programs with a keen and critical eye.

Note the shot sequences that storytell-

ers use to move the viewer into and out

of a scene. Look closely at the lighting

of a shot and try to ascertain where

lights were positioned. Listen to the

music and sound effects and observe

how audio is used to elicit feelings in

the viewer. Observe the artistry and seek

to ascertain the mechanics used by the

builder, then decide which techniques

to apply to your own work, and which

to avoid. Don’t assume that everything

you see on a screen is quality media

craftsmanship. There is a lot of shoddy,

amateur work out there.

While watching media as a student

of production can be the best thing for

your development, it can also hinder

your ability to simply enjoy watching

a program, to get lost in the magic of

a movie. Sometimes, we need to turn

off the analytical side of our brain and

enjoy a story. But this is hard, espe-

cially with poor quality productions.

I fi nd it hard not to notice cringe-

worthy camera work or bad edit deci-

sions in poor quality work. The gaps

and fl aws draw attention away from the

message and onto themselves. But, on

the contrary, the best productions draw

even the most discerning observer into

the story and away from the mechan-

ics. The better the work is, the more

invisible the components become. And

that should be our goal as producers: for

the mechanics of our productions to be

invisible to other makers of media.

VIEWFINDER

by Matthew York

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