This sequence looks like simultaneous
shots from different cameras, but looks are definitely deceiving in this
case.
We’ve seen it
a million times on TV during coverage of football games, gymnastics
competitions and other events. The camera focuses on the competitor,
say the gymnast preparing to launch her vault. Then, before she
starts down the ramp, we see quick shots of the nervous parents, exhorting
coach, supportive teammates and the intense, hushed crowd.
She sticks the vault and you see parents and coach
beam, crowds and teammates cheer and the proud, happy athlete striding
confidently back to her team. It’s a polished, effective presentation
because while the vault is the central event, it’s not the complete
picture. The reactions of others and the shared experience is a large
part of what makes the event worth remembering, especially when it’s your
child and spouse.
Of course, ESPN and CBS Sports have multiple cameras
on hand so they can quickly switch among all views. Can you, with your
single DV camera in hand, produce the same effect?
The Art of Deception
Well, in most cases, yes. While the networks have
their unique advantages, you have two they usually can’t claim. First,
you’re not producing in real time, you’re going to edit the footage before
showing it to friends and family. This frees you to let one camera do the
work of many and edit footage together later to produce your cohesive
whole.
Second, you typically don’t have to capture the
entire event; just the part involving your child. This frees you to shoot
the necessary ancillary footage while your kid is warming up and off the
floor.
Here’s how it works, using our gymnastics event as an
example. Shoot all of the general shots, the processional, pep talk, warm
ups and award ceremonials in total. Then, shoot all of your child’s
individual events from start to finish. Don’t try to get the crowd
reaction shots, your spouse cheering or any other ancillary shots – just
get the best possible shots of your child.
Then, when your kid is off the floor, start getting
the other shots, shoot the crowd cheering, the coach exhorting, the
teammates jumping up and down. Technically, these shots are called
cutaways, and the general rule is that you can’t get enough of them. More
specifically, if the shots of your child performing total five minutes,
try to get at least ten minutes of cutaways.
Why? Because while you’re editing, you’ll be piecing
together the footage into a smooth presentation and you’ll want lots of
options. One time when you’re filming the crowd, the applause may be
substandard, or the coach may turn to smile at her assistant while you’re
filming her.
What about your spouse? Well, that’s the key issue.
Obviously, if you try to do too much, and swing the camera wildly to catch
both child and spouse, you’ll likely end up with poor footage of both. So
want you shoot your wife while she’s smiling proudly or cheering wildly –
for someone else's kid. Typically, your spouse will cheer the loudest for
other children that they know, especially if they’re sitting near their
parents. So shoot your spouse when your neighbor’s kid is performing, and
you’ll get the most ardent reaction.
Audio
is Your Friend
So you took all the shots, you’re back at your
computer and you’re ready to edit. How do you piece these shots together
in a way that makes it look like they were shot simultaneously with
different cameras? Intuitively, if you simply piece the clips together,
in sequence, the difference in audio feeds will clue the audience that
you’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
The answer is to enlist the audio as your partner in
this deception. Using a technique called insert editing that most
consumer and all prosumer and professional editors support, you use the
audio from the actual clip of your child performing the event, and simply
paste the cutaways into the scene before and after your child performs.
Technically, it’s like dropping different slides into a slide show, no big
deal.
Note that this technique isn’t just effective for
athletic events; it’s also helpful during performances like the magic show
my wife arranged for my eldest daughter’s recent birthday. Obviously,
when you bring in a performer like a clown, you want to capture your child’s
reaction to the performance as least as much as the performance itself.
In the frame sequence above, and video
below, I pieced together
sequences of the children and adults watching with shots of the performer. Using the
audio feed from the magic act as the background audio, it looks like it
was shot with multiple cameras, but of course, was just me and my trusty
DV VX2000.
Here's what it looks like on the Studio
timeline. Note the one, unbroken audio file beneath the six separate
videos that make up the sequence. For me, planning for and shooting
sequences like these make the whole process a lot more fun and adds a
touch of polish to my productions.
