Tag Archives: Professional Videographer

Quick Tips for Videography Beginners

Anyone just starting out in Videography wants to make sure that they are familiar with the equipment. There are many small aspects to the process of video production services that may be overlooked by beginners. You don’t just want to just pick up the camera and start shooting. Once you have your idea and shoot planned out you want to think about the little things that will affect your video. You may not be a professional Boston Videographer, but with these tips you can prepare to shoot on your own!

How to Shoot Video

If it’s your first time shooting, you want to be confident with your equipment. You should know the in’s and out’s of using, holding, and moving your camera. You want to be careful of having shaky hands when holding your camera. For this reason, most interview of stand still shots are done with tripods. If you don’t have a good quality tripod already, it is recommended to get one of those perfect smooth shots.

How do You Make a Good Video?

It is important to use your resources to light your scene. There are different ways to set up your lighting to best illuminate your set. Three point lighting the the basic setup for video shoots. Using key lights and back lights to light up the main person of your shoot and the background. Use diffusion to lower the power of the lights against the subject of your video. An important part of lighting for videos is to make sure to white balance. If you forget to use white balance your the colors in your shot may come out a little different than they look in real life. Using white balance is the easiest way to get the colors in your shot accurate to how they look in real life.

How to Shoot Wide Shots

It is important to know how wide you should shoot for the shot. You want to make sure you get close to your subject. There is no reason to have a wide background when you can focus close in on your subject. Be careful not to get too close, because you also don’t want your subject to be too large for the shot. There is a good balance between the two. A good tips to try is having the interviewee hold a fist on top of his or her head. The camera should be focused from the chest to just the top of the fist.

Video Shooting Techniques

You have to be very careful when zooming during a shot. Many people use zoom frequently when they are first starting out on camera. The one issue with this is sometimes it does not look as good as you would picture it to be. People can be very shaky when they go to zoom their camera. Video Production Companies that use 4k are able to zoom in during post, but when you are just starting out you want to work around zooming. Instead of zooming in during your shoot, you can stop recording and move closer to the object to get the more zoomed in look. This can help make your transitions and zooms smoother. If you do zoom, make sure you know how close you want to get before you just hit the button. Zooming in and out quickly can be shaky in your shots.

Whether you are just picking up your first camera or are more familiar with shooting, these tips can help keep you on track to become a great videographer. Find that great idea and work to create your own Boston Video Marketing shoot!

Jobs of a Crew Member in Corporate Video Production

One of the most important components of a video production crew is teamwork. In order to achieve a productive workflow on set, and in order to lessen the possibility of a stressful environment, it is important for every member of the production crew to know, understand, and execute their role to the best of their abilities. This is especially important when working with a deadline, or for a client who is expecting their brand to be portrayed in a professional light.

Regardless of the scale of the production, there are a few key members that are part of every video crew. They include:

The Director is in charge of the video’s creative aspects, and has input on its plot, tone, and the actors’ performances. The director also has a say in the video’s lighting, camera composition, and possible soundtrack, as well as location and maintaining an organized set environment. The director has a direct relationship with the producer, and oftentimes the responsibilities of each overlap, which is why open communication is so important.

The Director of Photography manages the camera crew, lighting equipment, and grips. The director relies heavily on the DP in order to execute the perfect shot, especially because the DP controls and chooses the camera, lenses, filters, shot composition, and light design. All this is done in order to ensure the director’s vision is carried out, and to produce a successful, professional video for the client’s brand.

The Sound Engineer records sound on set and mixes the audio footage accordingly in post production. They are responsible for developing a clear, audible video that allows viewers to hear every word. Sound is one of the most important features of a video, as an audience must be able to hear what is taking place in order to understand the overall message.

The Gaffer controls the lighting. It is important for a corporate video crew to have an AC in order to ensure a clear image and a visually successful video. The room’s temperature must be taken into account in order to film in the correct setting, and the aperture, white balance, and level of exposure must also be modified according to the set’s appearance.

The Hair and Makeup Team is responsible for making the video’s subject look appropriate and put together, which establishes professionalism and a businesslike tone. In order for a video to resonate with an audience, the talent must look proficient.

The Production Assistant assists other crew members on set with any additional duties. Usually, they are there to learn about the dynamic of a set and crew relations, and are responsible for making the shoot run smoothly by accommodating any requests that may come about.

The Teleprompter

Every video shoot is different, and depending on its scale, several members may be assigned the same role. A professional crew can be as little as 1 or 2 members, or as big as more than 10. Nevertheless, it is important for every person to know what their job entails in order to produce an outstanding video.

Skillman Video Group LLC specializes in video production Boston. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Live Shoot at New England School of Acupuncture

On April 4th, Skillman Video Group, a Boston video production company,was asked to shoot a presentation at the New England School of Acupuncture. The presentation was made by Robert Gracey. Mr. Gracey earned his Masters in Acupuncture from the Watertown school. The footage is to be used in helping Mr. Gracey with his video marketing. He will use it on his website and social media accounts to help build his brand. The live event took place over two hours and was shot in two parts: a lecture and a demonstration.

Lecture

The lecture lasted about 40 minutes and Mr. Gracey went through his background, education and methods. It was filmed on an iPhone 7 from a seat in the front row of the class. We didn’t want to get too close to Mr. Gracey as he spoke because he planned on moving out from behind the lectern as he spoke. If we were positioned too close, the camera angles would’ve been bad and the footage would’ve suffered. After he finished speaking about his methods, it was time for a volunteer to go through a demonstration of his treatment.

Demonstration

When the lecture was over and a volunteer chosen, it was time for Mr. Gracey to go to work. He is only one of five acupuncturists in the United States that is certified to practice the Shakuju-kai method from Japan. At first we shot from another desk up by the demonstration. As the demo went on, it was important for us to stand to gain the best footage we could as all the students gathered around the massage table to watch up close. As the treatment was coming to and end, the students retreated back to their seats and we did too to finish up the live event.

Challenges

Since this was a live shoot, a few challenges were presented along the way. During the filming of the lecture, some late arriving students kept walking in front of the camera blocking some shots. Also, as the demonstration was being filmed, the students gathered around the table to watch Mr. Gracey perform. This caused for a quick rearrangement of the camera while trying to maintain a good shot. These challenges were minor but do underscore the nature of a live event. No matter what, you have to be prepared for anything.

Skillman Video Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Professional Video Tools

Skillman Video Group recently worked with one of our clients “PerkinElmer” at their facilities in Hopkinton, MA to create a new corporate training video. We pride ourselves in having a collaborative creative process with our clients; allowing them to describe the ways they’d like their film to look and feel, as well as content and design. Once a script was created, and a goal was set, it was time for us to bring in our professional video production team. While the creative process is collaborative, we like to make sure that we bring our very best equipment to make you look your very best.

Backdrop

It’s no easy job transforming a conference room into a film set, however SVG has all the tools to do so – and quickly! To match the feel of what the client wanted the video to have, we set up our accessories to professionally hang an “infinite white” backdrop; creating an ethereal space that perfectly matched the theme of the corporate training video. A solid, light backdrop also helps the actor in front of it to pop; becoming the center of attention without any distractions or harsh lighting.

Lighting

Next, our Boston professional videographer set up his 5 Aputure lights. This ensured that not only was the backdrop perfectly lit, but the actor as well. Each light served its own professional function: two were pointed to illuminate the backdrop, and three were focused on our actor from specifically different angles. Professional lighting (and the positioning thereof) is essential for a successful video, and utilizing LED lighting ensures perfection.

Camera + Teleprompter

One of the best cameras in the industry, Canon DX Mark II yielded beautiful footage on our PerkinElmer shoot. With a wide assortment of different lenses whenever needed, our professional videographer brought his A-game. Using external microphones in tandem with the Canon camera made the actor sound clear and crisp. He did not need to worry about over-projecting or sounding fake; everything he naturally said was perfectly recorded.

On that note, to ensure that everything he said was perfectly recorded, we also used a professional teleprompter on location. The QTV FDP 12 Teleprompter is one of the best in the ‘biz. This high bright model allows an actor to read the lines directly over the camera lens (by manipulating the text with mirrors), and can easily be read indoors or outside, day or night. Our professional teleprompter associate used the “Magic Scroll” software for his text, giving him complete control over the size, speed, and quality of the lines.

While this was just some of the equipment used for this particular shoot, we make sure to provide you with any and all the equipment needed to deliver exactly what you’d like for your next shoot. There is no limit to the resources and equipment our professional video production team can deliver, and we look forward to showing you how great your video will look at your next shoot with us!

Skillman Video Group, LLC specializes in Boston video production. Please call 1-800-784-0140 to learn more.

Terms for Every Boston Videographer

“Angle’s” isn’t just a geometry term, and is quite often used in Boston video production terms. Who would have thought we use geometry in video production. Well the truth is we use the term “angle” more than the actual mathematics. Options and angles work incoherently. As a Boston video company it is important to have more than one option of a particular scene, and even so having close-ups, medium shots, and wide angle shots of that scene (just to name a few). What is this point of all of this? Well, it’s simple all of these options are for our editing team in post-production.

As a Boston videographer for Skillman Video Group it isn’t just enough to have the top of the line equipment. Experience and a keen eye on detail makes the difference in an average marketing video and the best Boston marketing video. Although there is a lot of trial and error when first starting out as a professional videographer, knowing the types of shots and equipment needed to get the perfect shot.

Here is an overview of Boston Video Production Terms for Boston videographers just starting out:

Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)- Shot taken from far away where the subject isn’t visible.
Very Wide Shot (VWS)- The environment around the subject is still prominent and the subject is barely visible.
Wide Shot (WS)- The subject takes up the entire camera frame.
Medium Shot (MS)- Shows part of subject in more detail.
Medium Close-Up (MCU)- Closer than a medium shot but further away than a close-up on the subject.
Close-Up (CU)- A feature of the subject taking up the full frame.
Extreme Close-Up (ECU)- Shows extreme detail of the subject.
Cut-In (CI)- Shows other areas of the subject in extreme detail.
Cutaway (CA)- A shot of something that is not the subject.
Over-The-Shoulder Shot (OSS)- Focusing on the subject over the shoulder of another person.
Point-Of-View Shot (POV)- The view of the subject.

Besides types of Boston video company camera shots, here are some other terms a professional videographer should keep in mind while on set for a corporate video production company.

Color-Temperature- The red, blue, and yellow colors given off in the room. The different color temperatures from scene to scene must be consistent.
B-roll– Alternate footage to go with interviewees topic of discussion.
Depth of Field (DOF)- The distance between the nearest and furthest subjects that the camera must adjust to focus on.
Boom Microphone- A microphone attached to the end of the pole. This microphone is used to pick up more audio from the actors without getting into the camera’s frame. Used in conjunction with a lavaliere.
Lavaliere- A small microphone hidden under the actors or interviewees clothing.
Aspect Ratio-The size in which the film has been shot. 16:9 is most common.
Pan-Following the subject either vertically or horizontally
White Balance-The color balance on the camera. Before filming either make sure the white balance is on auto or it is adjusted using a blank white piece of paper

Being a Boston video company like SVG means having a production team that has experience and a great deal of knowledge surrounding everything from pre-production, producing, professional videography, and post-production editing. Although this is just a snippet of some of the most common corporate video production words, it will help any Boston videographer get started in the big city.

3 Basic Tips For Histogram Beginners

Many enthusiastic people starting out in photography and video production services fields jump right into a project without doing proper research on their equipment. Modern digital technology provides access to many cool features; however, some elements can be lost on a complex device. One essential feature on a camera that many do not seem to understand is the histogram.

The technological definition of a histogram is a graphical representation of the distribution of light exposure levels in an image. In simpler terms, this chart is the key to never questioning whether an image is underexposed or overexposed.

Here are three basic tips for people looking to advance their knowledge in histograms and produce the most amazing product.

1) Each camera has different locations for the histogram chart but generally it should be under the information or display button. Make sure you locate this feature because it will become a habit to use while taking a picture or video.

2) Understanding what the chart represents is necessary to ensure good exposure on the film. The horizontal axis shows how dark or light the pixels are in the image by showing colors from black, shadows, mid tones, highlights, and white. The vertical axis shows how much of the image is found at that particular brightness level. There are 256 levels that the histogram can show from pure black to pure white.

3) Finally, never judge the thumbnail on the camera. It is hard to see the right exposure of an image just by looking on the screen. By using the histogram provided digitally through the camera, light can be represented accurately.

In most real world situations there isn’t such a thing as “perfect” exposure. To have a well-balanced photo or video, the histogram should show that the mid tones found in the image fall half way between the two extremes of dark to light referred to as a “mountain”. Over exposure happens if the histogram shows too many white pixels and the chart shows the majority on the right side of the screen. Under exposure occurs when the image is very dark and the chart shows the majority of the pixels on the left side of the screen.

In summary, histograms are very easy to understand and are a gift from digital technology to all skill levels of photographers and video producers. The three simple tips provided above will ensure success when looking at a histogram and balanced exposure. This tool will help people on projects ranging from corporate video ideas to still nature photography. All of this can benefit and Professional videographer or Boston video production company.

Skillman Video Group, LLC specializes in Boston video production. Please call 1-800-784-0140 to learn more.

2016 Doctoral Research Forum

Shooting live events is nothing new for Skillman Video Group, and neither is working with MIT. Recently, SVG was hired to shoot the 2016 Doctoral Research Forum held at one of MIT’s campuses in Boston. The forum was based around 8 presentations that would last about 20 minutes each. It always feels good for SVG knowing that we continuously provide the best videos for our clients, and so much so that they keep us on speed dial for other projects or events.

Although we have worked with MIT before, our approach and protocol stay’s the same. SVG’s videographer, producer, and audio crew arrived at the filming location an hour and a half before the presentations began to set up the equipment. Seeing that we would be filming a live event, it was important to arrive at the location early to test the audio, soundboard, lighting, and camera angles.

Audio

When filming live presentations it’s important that the camera is able to pick up all the audio from each presenter. By bringing in our audio team it allowed us to hook our camera up to the sound board so any dialogue coming through over the rooms speakers would also be directly sent to the camera. Three presenters were set-up with wireless lavalieres. When it was one presenter’s turns to speak the sound crew would turn down the audio from the prior presenter and turn up the audio for the next. This allowed for an easier transition from one presenter to the next without having to slow the day down due to micing up the next presenter each time. Having three wireless lavalieres not only made for an easier transitions but also kept the presentations flowing. Our audio crew also set-up two wireless microphones. One was set at the podium for introductions into the next presenter, and another at the judge’s table for questions. The audio from these two microphones was also sent to the soundboard and then into the camera. Although audio can be difficult to understand if we are talking logistics, as long as you have the right equipment and audio professionals, the task is easier done than said. All it takes is one wire to connect the soundboard to the video camera.

Camera Set-Up

Camera set-up can be tricky when filming live events especially because the videographer must anticipate where the presenters will be walking. In order to ensure that our video cameras would capture the presenter the projector screen, we added tape on the floor so the presenters would know what areas he or she were permitted to walk. Although you will have some presenters who wander off past the black tape, our wide camera angle made sure to capture all movement.

Camera set-up is always important during live events. Seeing that the presenters would be using a projector with slides to show their research we needed to include a close up shot of the presenter, a wide angle shot of the projector and the presenter, as well as a shot of just the projection screen. As stated before we assembled one camera toward the back of the room. We raised the camera up on the tripod to avoid the audience members sitting at the tables in front of the presenter. Having audience heads at the bottom of the screen takes away from the video and is a distraction visually. Another video camera was set-up at the front of the room, but out of the way of audience members. This camera was solely to focus on the presenter and pan to the judges during questions. Finally, a third camera sat on one of the tables at the front of the room. This camera was only set-up to capture the presenters slides. The slides from the presentations were sent to our editor to include into the video. By filming the projector screen it would help the editor in post-production know where each slide is to go.

Natural Lighting

Although the tape on the floor was to stop the presenters from moving outside of the camera shot, it was also to ensure the presenters would not walk in front of the projector screen and cast a shadow. Shadows would ultimately be the problem to avoid throughout filming. The room we were in brought in a lot of natural lighting, which illuminated the room beautifully but can also cause a lot of unwanted shadows across the background and floor. To avoid the shadows, our professional videographer assembled two LED lights (One small and one larger). The LED lights would add extra light but would also offset the shadows. One thing to keep in mind when working with natural lighting is the suns movement through the course of the day. However, having extra LED lights set-up can be adjusted as the natural lighting comes in through different directions, and again can offset the shadows.

On a side note: when filming indoors with natural lighting always make sure to reset the white balance on the camera.

It’s always a pleasure working with MIT, and we hope to continue our relationship with the University down the road. Though there are always some problems that come up when shooting a live event, our crews preparation only makes those problems minimal.

Drafting an Interview

When producing a video it is always important to have professional videographers, crew members and high tech video equipment. As a corporate video production company it is our job at Skillman Video Group to bring a client’s idea to life while also incorporating our own expertise regarding video marketing. However when conducting interviews for testimonial, educational, training, or documentary style videos, the questions that will open up dialogue between the interviewer and interviewee must provide a clear message and an meaningful storyline.

A message and a story is nothing without content; which is why questions for an interview should be thought out. Here are the top 5 most important attributes to think about when developing questions and conducting an interview.

Organization
Research the client’s business
Know your client’s audience
Ask yourself whether these questions will deliver the clients message and compelling story.
Communication

ALWAYS be ORGANIZED

Organize the questions from start to finish. Always ask the interviewee’s name, their job description, and the date. Never go into an interview with random questions on a piece of paper. Treat the questions as if you are writing a formal essay. Each question should lead into the next and flow together. An interviewer should not jump around asking different questions and instead, related topics should be asked together and then there should be transition questions leading into the next topic. Not only does this provide a natural flow for the interview, it makes the editing process easier in post-production.

Research

Would you go into a job interview without knowing anything about the business or position you are applying for? The answer should be no. The same should be said about a video production interview. As the interviewee, you should know everything there is to know about the business. Questions should relate directly to the client’s business and their message. By researching the client’s business, you have a better understanding of their answers during the interview and can even build questions off of their answers. Yet, when conducting interviews there are usually more than one interviewee. When interviewing more than one person it is important to do your research on their individual job descriptions. This can either be done through the company’s website or through direct communication with the client. By getting to know your interviewees jobs beforehand it allows for a more comfortable interview setting, and the dialogue flows more easily because you aren’t force to constantly stop to review notes. Also, not every job description is the same so someone who may work in the warehouse can’t answer questions about working in the front office. Again, know the business and know your interviewees job descriptions.

Nonetheless research also provides a better understanding of the clients audience.

Audience

When developing questions the audience must always be kept in mind. As the interviewer you need to develop questions with the mindset of the audience. Ask yourself what you would want to know about the business. Seeing that you have conducted a large amount of research about the business, you must ask specific questions that delivers information to the audience. In other words, the audience might not know everything that you know about the business and you must pick out specific information that will grab their attention. Also, the audience wants to feel a connection to the business whether it is emotional or comical. Interviews are mostly styled to generate an emotional impact. However, the questions shouldn’t be conducted in a journalistic style and be pounding the client with difficult questions. Instead, the questions should provoke emotion and be relatable.

Impact

After developing a list of questions that flow together and relate directly to the audience, the interviewer must ask themselves if these questions are impactful. Or in other words, “Will these questions address the clients message and contribute to the video as a whole?” If the questions are not impactful and do not relate to the clients message this is probably a result of lack of research on the business and audience. Also, have the client review the questions and ask them if there are specific things they would like to be touched on or if there are topics they would like to be taken out.

Communicate

Know your questions before you go into an interview, and don’t just write them up the night of. Think about the questions and know them so that way when the cameras start rolling you aren’t constantly glancing down at your paper and delaying the interview. This is not saying you should have every word of your question memorized but know the question topics and know what you are going to be asking. Also, listen to the interviewee’s answers. Not all interviews have to be robotic and just go down the list of questions. If you are a well equipped interviewer who did research on the business you should be able to tell if the interviewee only spoke about a topic briefly and needs to go into more depth. An interview should feel like an open dialogue or a conversation to some degree. It doesn’t always have to be mechanical. Listen to the answers and build questions off of them, for it results in a natural dialogue.

Skillman Video Group LLC is a Boston video production company. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Video Terms

Video terms can be hard to understand if you aren’t a professional video production company. Skillman Video Group is with our clients every step of the way when it comes to producing a video, so we have put together a list of terms and their definitions to help our clients and potential clients better understand the production process and styles of video.

Video Terms:

Post-production

Post-production is defined as the work done following a video production shoot. Everything that was filmed and recorded during the shoot will now be cut down and fixed into a final product for the client. The process includes arranging video clips, sound effects and sound design, and adding special effects if needed. This is where the editing process takes place.

Coverage

Coverage is the process of filming and video production. It includes shooting different camera angles and getting enough footage for each scene so that there is usable content for post-production.

Editing

Editing is the work done on a video in post-production. Editing is comprised of cutting and fixing video clips and audio recordings as well as adding special effects.

Producer

A producer is like the playmaker or coach on a sports team. He or she is in charge of overseeing a video project from start to finish, and this meaning everything from making financial decisions to planning the video shoot and making the final decisions in post-production. The producer is the one who communicates with the client to put together a video that displays their message and story.

Professional Videographer

A professional videographer is the cameraman in simpler terms. He or she is the one capturing the shoot through the video camera and digital recordings. He or she is also in charge of making sure the lighting, camera angles, and audio are perfect to ensure the best environment for shooting.

Legal Videographer

A legal videographer is the term used to describe a type of videographer who is hired to capture legal proceedings. The role is the same as a professional videographer except there is less control over the working environment.

Video Animation

Video animation is done in a post-production setting. There is no video shoot, but audio recordings are taken in most circumstances. Instead of filming and using real people or images, people or environments are created on the computer. It is the use of pictures or frames to replace a video production shoot. Cartoons are an example of animation.

Although there are more video terms regarding video production, we hope a few will help our cliental better understand the steps and styles of production.

Skillman Video Group LLC is a Boston video production company. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Shooting for PerkinElmer

What do the movies “Stranger on the Third Floor”, “The Big Combo”, and “Touch of Evil” all have in common? Film Noir, which is a term used to describe Hollywood crime drama movies, is a low-key black-and-white shooting style. Although film noir was mostly used in films from the 1940’s to the1950’s, similar techniques were used in the PerkinElmer video production shoot.

PerkinElmer wanted to create a sales video that would be dramatic while also humorous. Together, Skillman Video Group and PerkinElmer decided on a scripted video where two men, who are seemingly from a competing company, are breaking into the PerkinElmer warehouse after-hours to see if the new product launch rumors are true. The video would then be changed to black-and-white in post-production.

Lighting

PerkinElmer allowed the SVG crew to shoot the video in one of their many warehouses, which can be found all over the world. Shooting in a fully operating warehouse did have its difficulties, such as making the warehouse look as if it was after-hours, while also balancing lighting. We were able to shut off lights in one section of the warehouse to give the impression it was night time. However, the most difficult part was lighting up the actor’s features enough to be able to see what is going on while also giving off the impression that they are in a pith black warehouse. SVG’s videographer wanted to create high contrast using low-key lighting, which is also known as chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro is a term used to describe hard shadows and harsh lighting to create depth and a dramatic look in paintings, and is a technique cinematographers sought to recreate in film noir’s. Like these cinematographers, SVG’s videographer sought to create a similar look using battery powered LED lights. However, unlike most film noirs that use 3-point lighting (key, fill, and back lights), we used just 2. Because SVG and PerkinElmer wanted to warehouse to look pitch black, using 3-point lighting would take away from that. Instead, we used one large LED light for the key light and a smaller LED light for the back. The larger light was set up about 6 feet away from the actors and the smaller light was anchored high behind the actors. Using two lights and not 3 gave the dramatic feel of the warehouse being broken into. Yet, the lights were tampered with each scene as they were moved around. The videographer wanted hard lighting in order to create shadows, but also had to be careful that the lighting wouldn’t illuminate the actor’s faces too much.

Syncing Audio

There are many other techniques that can be used in a film noir to create a dramatic look, but another thing our video producer had to keep in mind when filming was audio. Because the video would be seen on a global scale, meaning to all the PerkinElmer companies nationally and internationally, audio would be synced in for that countries prime language. For instance, audio would be recorded in German and would replace the English version for those who work at PerkinElmer in Germany. The same would be done for the other PerkinElmer companies, so it was important that the actor’s faces were not the main focus when shooting; and that way when the languages are synced in later on it will look natural.

Audio Recordings

Audio was also taken at the end of the shoot to be synched in for the English version. Some may wonder why SVG did not just use the scratch audio taken during the shoot, but the answer is simple: warehouse noise. Separate audio recordings had to be taken due to the loud noises in the background. Again, the purpose of the video was to make it look like a break in after-hours, and any work noise in the background would ruin that. Audio was taken in a quiet room where neither workers nor air ventilation could be heard; however, recreating the emotion and speed of each line proved to be a challenge for the actors. Yet, the scratch audio taken from the shoot provided reassurance and a look back on how each line was said, but after a few run through it was decided that the audio should be recorded as if the actors were back in the warehouse feeding off each others emotions. By doing this it made the dialogue sound more natural and not as if it was being read off a piece of paper.

Camera Angles

Along with the audio challenges came the difficulty of shooting the actors without seeing too much of the faces. As discussed earlier, SVG’s videographer wanted to use a low-key style by using 2 LED lights. Less lighting helped shade the actor’s faces and drew the attention away from their mouths. But to reinsure minimal mouth movement would be seen, wide angle and close up shots were only taken during certain actions or sayings. Shots of the actor’s feet walking down the isle of the warehouse and their hands moving the flashlights around would provide a distraction from the actor’s faces when there are longer versus of dialogue. There were some close up shots of the actors faces but were only done when a saying or action wouldn’t be changed in any language; like a gasp for instance is the same in any language.

Besides focusing less on the actors faces, the limited space and workers in the background provided some challenges with the shooting angles. The SVG crew did not want to break the point of view rule, but after evaluating the space it was decided that stepping over the boundary would be the only option in order to get certain shots while also keeping the lighting perfect. At times the warehouse crew had to move boxes so the videographer could get specific shots without seeing the workers in the background, but overall the video was a success. Capturing the perfect film noir can be difficult when it comes to lighting and camera angles, but SVG’s crew knows what it takes to make a clients ideas come to life, even if that means shooting in a dark warehouse.