The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide

The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide

by Anthony Q. Artis
Released November 2012
Publisher(s): Focal Press
ISBN: 9781136040894

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Book description

The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide is an easy-read crash course in the ins and outs and hundred little details of creating video works for hire. This ultra-friendly visual field guide for freelance videographers picks up where The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide leaves off and gives you more detailed practical production strategies and solutions not found anywhere else on:

* Marketing videos
* Music Videos
* Wedding videos
* Music performance videos
* Live event videos
* Corporate videos...and more!

Covering everything from dealing with clients, production strategies and step-by-step guidance on planning, shooting, lighting and recording the most common video-for-hire genres this book sets out to help you rise above the competition and make more money by doing quality work.

Anthony Q. Artis will instill you with the "down and dirty? mindset that helps you to creatively maximize your limited resources regardless of your budget.

Lavishly illustrated in full-color with real-world step-by-step visuals, The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide is like a film school education in the form of a video cookbook.

You don't need loads of money to make professional-looking videos - you need to get down and dirty!

Includes access to a secret bonus Web site with:
* Video and audio tutorials, useful forms, and case-study video projects from the book.
* Crazy Phat Bonus Pages with Jump Start Charts, online Resources, Releases, Storyboards, Checklists, Equipment Guides and Shooting Procedures

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Halftitle
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Crazy Mad Thanx
  7. About the Website
  8. How this Book is Laid Out
  9. Introduction
  10. 1. Image Control
    1. Video Tech Specs—The Necessary Evils
      1. Intro: My Low Definition of High-Definition Video
      2. Pixels
      3. Resolution
      4. Progressive vs. Interlace Scan Lines
      5. Refresh Rate
      6. Frame Rate
    2. Important Menu Settings
      1. Check Your Menu…First
      2. Video Format
      3. Timecode Menu Settings
        1. Record Run
        2. Free Run
      4. Timecode Preset
      5. Timecode Display
      6. Gain
    3. Freelancers Camera Guide
    4. Why DSLR Cameras Are Lame
      1. Intro
      2. 1. Major Audio Limitations
      3. 2. You Need to Assemble a Franken-Camera
      4. 3. Great Danger of Soft-Focused Shots
      5. 4. Overheating and 12-Minute Clip Limit
      6. 5. It’s Really Not That Much Cheaper
      7. 6. Rolling Shutter Issues
      8. 7. The Depth of Field Is Too Shallow
    5. Why DSLR Cameras Are Da Bomb
      1. Intro
      2. 1. You Can’t Beat the Image Quality for the Price
      3. 2. Super-Duper Stealth Mode
      4. 3. You Can Build the Rig as You Go
      5. 4. More Practical Options for Multicamera Shoots
      6. 5. You Can More Easily Borrow the Lenses
      7. 6. Great Low-Light Sensitivity
      8. 7. Super-Duper Shallow Depth of Field
      9. Conclusion
    6. DSLR Workarounds And Fixes
    7. Anatomy of a DSLR Franken Rig
    8. Digital File Chart
    9. Digital Media Chart
    10. Hot Tip
    11. Exposure And Zebra Stripes
      1. Zebra Stripes 101
      2. Zebra Stripes Are Your Friend
    12. Underexposure And Gain
      1. Gain
    13. What It Looks Like: Gain
    14. White Balance 201
      1. Changing Mood with White Balance
      2. Secrets of the Color Wheel
    15. Making The Most Of Any Camera
    16. How To Shoot Handheld
    17. Focusing
      1. The Problem with HD
      2. Using a Monitor
      3. Peaking…Focus Pocus!
    18. Zooming
      1. Introduction: Who’s Zooming Who?
      2. Pushing In
      3. Pulling Out
      4. Smooth Like Butter, Baby!
    19. The Three Ways To Zoom
      1. 1. Semi–Automatically
      2. 2. Fully Automatic
      3. 3. Fully Manually
    20. Shutter Speed
      1. Shutter Speed 101
    21. Hot Tip: Five Cool Shutter Speed Fix
    22. Focal Length
      1. Crowds
      2. Cityscapes
      3. People and Faces
    23. Hot Tip: Shooting Time–Lapse Scenes
      1. 1. Recording Mode
      2. 2. Interval Times
      3. 3. Use A Tripod
      4. 4. Plug Into Power
    24. 5. Beware Of Daylight Shots
    25. 6. Use Auto–White Balance
    26. 7. Slow Down The Shutter Speed
    27. A Final Note
    28. Anatomy of a Green Screen Interview
    29. Working With What You’ve Got
      1. Constructing an Interview Space
    30. Working With What You’ve Got
      1. A Bare Conference Room with a Great View
    31. 4 Reasons To Enhance People’s Looks
      1. Why Make People Look Good?
      2. 1. Correcting the Harsh Hyper-realities of Hi-Def
      3. 2. Professionalism
      4. 3. Psychology
      5. 4. Mo’ Money
    32. Makeup Makes Money
      1. Introduction
      2. Brands
    33. Hiring Makeup Pros
      1. What to Expect
      2. Cutting Makeup Costs
    34. Makeup Supplies
      1. Translucent Powder Makeup
      2. Premium Brush
      3. Apron or Towel
      4. Brush Cleaner
        1. Cleaning a Makeup Brush
    35. Applying Powder Makeup In Five Easy Steps
      1. Step 1–Clean
      2. Step 2–Choose Your Powder
      3. Step 3–Powder Your Brush
      4. Step 4–Apply the Powder
      5. Step 5–Reapply as Necessary
    36. Common Facial Issues And Fixes
      1. Large Noses
      2. Double Chins
      3. Darker Skin Tones
      4. Taking Off 10 Lbs.
      5. Pale Skin
    37. Been There, Done That
  11. 2. Audio Techniques
    1. Introduction
      1. Why Your Audio Is More Important than Your Video
    2. Sound Tools Of The Trade
    3. Sound Tools Of The Trade
    4. Sound Tools Of The Trade
    5. Sound Department Crew
      1. Sound Mixer
      2. Boom Operator
      3. Mixer/Boom
    6. Audio Recording Strategy
      1. My Mic Sounds Nice …Check One, Two, Three!
        1. Check One!—People
        2. Check Two!—Pattern
        3. Check Three!—Position
    7. Been There, Done That
    8. Analog Versus Digital Measureme
      1. Exceptions to the General Rules
      2. Why Are There Two Different Digital Standards?
    9. Setting Proper Audio Levels
    10. Hot Tip
      1. Bracketing Your Audio
    11. Wireless Mic Units
    12. 5 Wireless Mic Tips
      1. 1. Use Fresh Batteries
      2. 2. Don’t Embarrass Your Clients
      3. 3. Avoid Cheap Wireless Models
      4. 4. Scan to Find Open Channels
      5. 5. Have an Audio “Plan B”
    13. Taming Wind Noise
      1. Wind Noise Is Most Likely…
      2. Blocking Out Wind Noise
        1. 1. Use a Zeppelin with a “Dead Cat”
        2. 2. Use a Building or Other Obstacle to Block Wind Noise
        3. 3. Filter It Out Onset
    14. Dealing With Shorts
      1. Beware Shorts
      2. Detecting Shorts
    15. Hot Tip
    16. Audio Troubleshooting Guide
      1. 1. Wireless Mic Frequency
      2. 2. Wireless Mic Sensitivity
      3. 3. Wireless Mic Batteries
      4. 4. Wireless Mic “Mute” Switch
      5. 5. Wireless Receiver Frequency
      6. 6. Wireless Receiver Batteries
      7. 7. Wireless Receiver Level Out
      8. 8. Mixer Mic/Line IN Switch
      9. 9. Mixer Phantom Power
      10. 10. Mixer Battery Power
      11. 11. Mixer Input Pot
      12. 12. Mixer Output Pot
      13. 13. Mixer Headphone Level
      14. 14. Mixer Mic/Line OUT
      15. 15. Camera Mic/Line Setting
      16. 16. Camera Phantom Power
      17. 17. Camera Audio Levels
      18. 18. Internal/External Mic Switch
      19. 19. Camera Headphone Level
      20. 20. PreAmp/XLR Adapter
    17. Other Audio Trouble Spots
      1. 1. Audio Monitoring Setup
      2. 2 External Channel Select
      3. 3 Audio Trim
      4. 4 External Power Sources
    18. Been there, done that
    19. Fixing location audio in post
    20. Hot Tip
    21. Voice-Over Narration
      1. Casting
    22. Directing narration
      1. Directing Voice-overs
      2. Voice-over Setups
    23. Anatomy Of A Down And Dirty Voice-Over
      1. 1. Talent
      2. 2. Mic
      3. 3. Camera (or Digital Recorder)
      4. 4. Quiet Room
      5. 5. Water or Hot Tea
      6. 6. Slate
    24. Sound rules to live by
      1. Rule #1 Get the Mic as Close as Possible
      2. Rule #2 Always Use Headphones …Always
      3. Rule #3 Monitor the Sound Levels from the Camera
      4. Rule #4 Scout Your Locations for Sound
      5. RULE #5 Always Record “Wild” Sound
    25. Been There,Done That
  12. 3. Lighting: Getting Ya Shine On
    1. Practicing “Safe Sets”
      1. Introduction
    2. Hot Tip
    3. Been There, Done That
    4. Basic Lighting Safety
    5. Light Is Good
      1. A Word (or Two) about Low Light Conditions
    6. Reflectorology
      1. Let God Be Your Gaffer
      2. Reflector Flavors
    7. Reflectorology
    8. Hot Tip
    9. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    10. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    11. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    12. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    13. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    14. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    15. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    16. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    17. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    18. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
    19. Lighting Cookbook 2.0
  13. 4. Marketing and Promo Videos
    1. Intro: Solving Clients’ Problems
    2. Been There, Done That
    3. Conceptualizing the Video
      1. Creative versus Effective
    4. Start with an Outline
      1. It All Starts with an Outline
      2. A Simple Outline
      3. A Detailed Outline
    5. Creating a Script
      1. The A/V Script Format
    6. Sample A/V Script
    7. Storyboards
    8. Creating a Storyboard
    9. Hot Tip: 7 Tips for Working with “Real People”
      1. 1. Keep them Relaxed and Informed
      2. 2. Give them Constant Visual Feedback
      3. 3. Cheer them on with Verbal Feedback
      4. 4. Work with More Natural or Simple Lighting
      5. 5. Turn Off the Record Light and Beep
      6. 6. Avoid Boom Mics If You Can
      7. 7. Move the Camera Far and Away
    10. Load-In Procedure
    11. Setup Procedure
    12. Rehearsal Procedure
    13. Shooting Procedure
    14. Wrap-Out Procedure
    15. Teleprompters
      1. Working with Teleprompters
      2. Talent
      3. Apple’S Ipad Saves the Day
    16. Been There, Done That
    17. How We Do
      1. “Differenter” Campaign
      2. Project Details
      3. Breaking the Fourth Wall
      4. Traditional Cutaways
      5. Third-Party B-Roll
      6. Text Treatments
      7. Multiple Camera Angles
      8. Using Different Lenses and Focal Lengths
    18. Text and Storytelling
    19. Hot Tip: Five Ways to Get B-Roll
    20. Been There, Done That
    21. Getting “Broadcast Standard”
      1. Slate/Title Screen
      2. Color Bars
      3. Tone
    22. Slating A: 30 Commercial
    23. How We Do
      1. A Web Promo Campaign
        1. Project: Clive Davis Institute Web Promos
      2. Project Details:
    24. How We Do
      1. Graphic Text
      2. Music
      3. Transitional Visual FX
      4. Illustrative Visual FX
      5. Retro Film Look
      6. Student Group Interview
    25. Hot Tip: Shooting Group Interviews
    26. The Freelance Video Workflow*
  14. 5. Music Videos
    1. So, Why Make Music Videos?
    2. 5 Good Reasons To Make Music Videos
      1. 1. Other People’s Money
      2. 2. Learning Opportunities
      3. 3. Exercise Your Creativity
      4. 4. Learn Your Weaknesses
      5. 5. Learn Your Strengths
    3. 5 Tips For Finding Your First Act
      1. 1. Hanging Around a Music Venue
        1. 2. The Internet
        2. 3. Do It for a Friend
        3. 4. Other Options
        4. 6. Follow Through!
    4. Before The Gig Starts
      1. Things to Keep in Mind Going into the Gig
      2. Cost/Benefit of Using Your Own Money
      3. Be Reasonably Transparent
    5. Preproduction—The Pitch
      1. Preparing to Pitch
      2. First things first…
    6. Preproduction—The Budget
      1. A Word on Budgets
      2. Under-Promise and Over-Deliver: Words to Live By
      3. Do It for Real
      4. Be Honest with the Act and Yourself
      5. Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems
    7. What Goes Into A Budget?
      1. Preproduction
      2. Production
      3. Postproduction
      4. Contingency
    8. Sample Music Video Budget
    9. Dreaming Up A Video
      1. Dreaming
      2. Get to Know the Song Super Well
    10. Brainstorming Notes
      1. Some Things I Did Well When I Wrote These Notes:
      2. Some Things I Could Have Done Better:
      3. An Aside
    11. The Treatment
      1. Distill Your Ideas
      2. Your Treatment
    12. Putting The Treatment Together
      1. Put It All Together
        1. Cover Sheet
        2. Treatment
        3. Budget
        4. Production Timeline
        5. Expectations and Questions
    13. After You’Ve Been Approved
      1. What Do I Need to Do to Prepare?
    14. Scripting Your Video
      1. The Patent-Pending Benjamin Ahr Harrison Music Video Scripting Process
      2. Fundamentals of the Process
      3. In Preparation, Hire an A.D.
      4. The Four Key Documents
    15. Scripting: The Outline
      1. Outline
        1. Sample General Music Video Outline
    16. Scripting: The Location-Based Outline
      1. Location-Based Outline
    17. Scripting: The Shot List
      1. Shot List
    18. Scripting: The Shooting Schedule
      1. Shooting Schedule
    19. Prepping Your Music Video Shoot
      1. A Few Things to Consider as You Prep Your Shoot
      2. Locations
      3. Studio Space
      4. Test Shooting
    20. Production
      1. The Day Before
      2. The Day Of
    21. 5 Things to Always Do on Set
      1. 1. Delegate
      2. 2. Dress the Part
      3. 3. Learn Names
      4. 4. Pitch in Where Reasonable
      5. 5. Have a Diverse Crew
    22. 10 Pro Tips For Shooting Music Videos
      1. 1. Slate Your Shots
      2. 2. No Faking
      3. 3. Get Full Performances at Every Location
      4. 4. Film a Concert
      5. 5. Get a Great Performance
      6. 6. Be a Good Communicator
      7. 7. Use a Field Monitor
      8. 8. Drink Water and Eat Fruit
      9. 9. Maintain Your Composure
      10. 10. Know When to Quit
    23. Postproduction
      1. Introduction
      2. Kill Your Baby
      3. Notes on Media
    24. Managing The Postproduction Process
    25. The 3 Review Edit
    26. Review Edit #1: Rough Cut
      1. Getting Synced
      2. Getting Rhythmic
      3. Send It to the Client
    27. True Music Video Confessions
    28. Review Edit #2: Compositing
      1. Review Edit #2
      2. The Basics of Compositing
    29. Music Video Tools Of The Trade
    30. The Process Of Keying
    31. Review Edit #3: The Final Cut
      1. Review Edit #3
      2. Intro to Color
      3. My Approach to Color
      4. Nota Bene
    32. Down And Dirty Color Terminology
    33. Color Grading Options
    34. What It Looks Like: Color Correction
    35. The End Of The Edit
    36. Music Video Exhibition
      1. Television
      2. The Internet
    37. Going Viral Online
      1. Okay, Go!—“Here It Goes Again”
      2. Beyoncé—“Put a Ring on It”
      3. Rebecca Black—“Friday”
    38. Ben’S Final Thoughts On Music Videos
      1. In Conclusion
    39. How We Do
      1. A $150* Music Video
        1. Project: “Bluffin’ Ain’t an Option”
        2. Hard Costs*:
        3. Preproduction:
        4. Equipment:
        5. Crew:
        6. Labor Costs:
        7. Postproduction:
        8. Transportation:
      2. Project Details
      3. Establishing Shots—Adding Movement
      4. The Bridge—Enhancing the Look and Fixing My Screwup
      5. The Murals—Adding Production Value with Location
      6. Documentary Street Scenes—Film Look
      7. The Studio Scenes—Projection FX
      8. Special FX in Postproduction
      9. The Abandoned Harbor Pier—Baltimore Money Shot
    40. Hot Tip
  15. 6. Weddings
    1. “Introduction: The Video Is The Memory”
    2. In The Beginning
      1. The Golden Rule of Wedding Videos
      2. The “How They Met” Montage
    3. Approach and Style
    4. I Been There, Done That
    5. Scouting The Wedding Venue
    6. The Wedding Video “Cast”
      1. Get a Point Person
      2. Identifying Key Characters
    7. Before The Wedding
      1. The Rehearsal
      2. The Celebrant
    8. Wedding Lighting Conditions
    9. Tips For Shooting In Low Light
      1. Add More Light
      2. Shoot Wide
      3. Decrease Your Shutter Speed (Slightly)
      4. Use the Gain Function
      5. Use a Camera Light
      6. Use a Fast Lens
    10. Positioning Your Camera
    11. Covering The Ceremony
      1. Anatomy of a Good Camera Position
    12. Establishing Shots
      1. The Establishing Sequence
      2. Setting the Mood
    13. Capturing The Whole Wedding Story
      1. The Bride’s Preparation
      2. Candid Interactions
      3. The Guests
    14. Stealing Cutaways and Reaction Shots
    15. Smooth Moves: the Reveal
      1. The Pull-Out Reveal
      2. The Rack-Focus Reveal
    16. Transitioning from Point A to Point B
      1. A Simple Transition
    17. A Dozen Ways to Get Artsy with It
    18. Details Details Details!
    19. Been there, Done that
    20. The Ceremony Money Shots
      1. The Rites and Rituals
      2. The Vows
      3. The Kiss
    21. Handheld Vs. Tripod Camerawork
      1. Why You Should Use a Tripod
      2. Why You Should Go Handheld
      3. Why You Should Split the Difference
    22. Wedding Audio Strategies
      1. Wireless Lav Mics
      2. Plugging In
      3. Placing Hardwired Mics
    23. A Few Words About Wedding Video Music
    24. Other Things to Keep in Mind
      1. The Most Important Part: The Vows and Kiss
      2. Tape and Media Card Changes
      3. Getting Establishing Shots
    25. Been there, Done that
    26. Capturing Intimacy
      1. Look Out for the Little Tender (Semi) Private Moments
      2. Hang Back and Zoom In
    27. Storytelling Sequences
      1. The Groom Awaits His Bride-to-Be
      2. The New Couple Steals Away for a (Semi) Private Walk
      3. Bridal Prep Close-up Montage
        1. Capturing the Fun
    28. Getting Paid
    29. Covering the Reception
      1. Covering the Spread and Decor
    30. Incorporating The Photo Shoot
    31. Wedding Videographer and Video Checklists
      1. Wedding Videographer Checklist
      2. Wedding Video Shotlist
  16. 7. Live Events
    1. Introduction
    2. Hot Tip
    3. Shooting Live Music Shows
      1. The Performance vs. The Video
      2. Audio Quality
    4. Live Event Audio Cookbook
    5. Been There, Done That
    6. Hot Tip
    7. Make ‘Em Move!
      1. You’re in the Band Now, Baby!
    8. Live Event Camera Techniques
      1. Pull-Out from Instrument CU
      2. Push-In for Solo
      3. Push-In from Performer’s POV to Audience
      4. Handheld High Angles
      5. Raise It Up
      6. Showing Off Technique
      7. Lens Flare
      8. Rack Focus to Pull-Out
      9. Whip Zoom
      10. Whip Pan
    9. The Art Of The Close-Up
      1. Getting Up Close and Personal
      2. Detail Close-ups
      3. Emotion Close-ups
      4. Action Close-ups
    10. Hot Tip
    11. Miscellaneous Live Event Camera Tips
    12. Covering A Musical Performance
      1. Making Single-Camera Coverage Work
    13. Hot Tip
    14. The Anatomy of “Shooting for the Cut”
    15. Covering the Whole Performance
    16. Three Single-Camera Coverage Strategies
      1. 1. Shoot for the cut
      2. 2. Let the whole event play out in realtime in one long well-shot master take
      3. 3. Shoot a section of the event and shoot cutaways plus neutral and reaction shots during another part of the same performance
    17. Shooting the Audience
      1. 1. Permissions
      2. 2. Energy
      3. 3. Audio
      4. 4. Lighting
      5. 5. Size
    18. Seven Tips for Shooting Stage Plays
      1. 1. Learn to anticipate actor movement
      2. 2. Shoot with multiple cameras
      3. 3. Don’t forget about reaction shots
      4. 4. Get close-ups to show detailed action and emotion
      5. 5. Be prepared for dramatic entrances
      6. 6. Shoot above the audience
      7. 7. Know your stage directions
    19. Hot Tip
  17. 8. Handling Ya Business
    1. Business Basics
      1. Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
      2. Form a Business Entity
      3. Bank Account
      4. Production Insurance
    2. How to Get Paying Clients
      1. 1. Do the First One for No Money
      2. 2. Develop Strategic Partnerships
      3. 3. Offer a Kickback
      4. 4. Hand Out Cards and Brochures
      5. 5. Create a Website
    3. Been There, Done That
    4. 5. Things to Clarify with Clients from Go
      1. 1. Will You Just Shoot or Also Edit?
      2. 2. What Is the Rate?
      3. 3. When Is Payment Due?
      4. 4. What Will You Shoot?
      5. 5. What Do They Have to Do?
    5. What Should You Charge?
    6. Hot Tip
    7. Calculating Your Crew’s Rate
    8. Been There, Done That
    9. Hot Tip
      1. Working Remotely with an Editor
        1. 1. Email
        2. 2. Skype, Ichat, and Other Streaming Video Programs
        3. 3. Final Cut Pro/Ichat Theater Preview
  18. Glossary
  19. About the Author
  20. End Credits
  21. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide
  • Author(s): Anthony Q. Artis
  • Release date: November 2012
  • Publisher(s): Focal Press
  • ISBN: 9781136040894