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Posted by Laurie Brown
Friday, 19 February 2010

Seems like being still is odd advice for performing in "moving pictures." But if you watch actors in movies, you see that the most compelling performances are generally very still. The actor's face and body movements are minimal.

Extraneous movement can distract an audience. This is not to say that you should never walk or use your hands, only that all movement should be purposeful andvisible within the screen shot.

The framing of your shot will determine the range of movement that is appropriate. When you're being filmed up close (just your head and shoulders), avoid all movement of your body. In a close up - sometimes called a 'tight' shot - any body movement outside of the frame will create shoulder movement that will seem disconnected. When more of your body is in the shot, you can move whatever is visible on camera.

Also, be careful of movement toward and away from the camera. A slight movement toward the camera can help your audience feel as if you are really connecting intimately with them. But be careful — swaying toward and away from the camera can make your audience feel uncomfortable.

Your posture communicates a great deal to your audience. Bad posture will leave a negative impression. When seated, sit up straight, knees at a forty-five degree angle, and feet planted squarely on the floor. When standing, keep your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, and head lifted. Women can choose to stand either with feet hip-width apart or in a slightly modified ballet fourth position (The front toe is pointed toward the camera. The heel of the front foot is in front of the instep of the back foot. The back foot is perpendicular to the front foot.) These stances provide you with a firm base in order to avoid unwanted movement. If you move a bit, don't go crazy with worry. Video editors can easily help gloss over any imperfections with careful editing techniques.

Stillness will help your audience connect with you and be receptive to your message. Stillness, without stiffness, will make you appear confident and trustworthy.

Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and coach who works to help people improve their presentation skills. She is the author of The Teleprompter Manual, for Executives, Politicians, Broadcasters and Speakers. Laurie can be contacted through www.begreatoncamera.com, or 1-877.999.3433, or at laurie@begreatoncamera.com

Posted by Wendy Fine
Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Brad McCorkle, founder of Local Eye Site, pitched his business idea to Adidas using both a paper document and a video edited by Pixability.

Local Eye Site is a web business with the goal of improving the quality of eye care by enhancing communication, increasing educational opportunities, and fostering professional development in eye care.
We interviewed Brad McCorkle about his experience in creating a video. 

Pixability: How did video help you in your pitch to Adidas? 

Brad: Video helped us connect on a deeper level than words. It also helped introduce Adidas to the corporate culture of Local Eye Site.

Pixability: What prompted you to initiate a proposal that had both a written and video component?

Brad: I had the desire to demonstrate creativity because creativity is going to be central to Local Eye Site's relationship with Adidas.

Pixability: How was Pixability helpful?

Brad: The Pixability team didn't just edit the video; they helped us achieve the creative outcome that we wanted.

Here's the video we edited for Local Eye Site:

Posted by Wendy Fine
Monday, 23 November 2009

I recently put myself in the shoes of a Pixability client and filmed a video advertising my side business of conducting beading workshops and parties.

At first I worried about how I was going to accomplish this, where I should begin, what types of shots would work. The task before me seemed daunting, but I did it. It easier than I thought and I'm proud of the result.

Here are some helpful tips I gathered from my experience:

  1. Familiarize yourself with the camera before you set out to shoot the actual video. The Flip Camera is dead simple to use but you still want to be as comfortable as possible on your actual shooting day, so practice using the camera. This is especially important if you use a more complicated video camera than the Flip.
  2. Decide beforehand if you want a handheld look or the more steady look of a tripod. You can also mix both. For handheld shooting remember that keeping your hand steady is the key to good footage.
  3. Think through the goals and objectives of your video before your scheduled shoot. Write out a list of shots that will help you accomplish this.
  4. Think about your sources of light. Turn on all the lights. Use as much daylight as you can. Recognize the difference between good light and bad light.
  5. Make sure to shoot the outside of your location, which will help viewers understand your subject.
  6. Vary your shots: a) Shoot from a distance; b)Take a step forward; and c)Get close to your subject.
  7. Remember to a) Keep your hand steady; b)Avoid filming in front of a window or c) into the sun.
  8. Have confidence because you can do it!

Here are two videos:

The first is "Tips for Shooting a Business Video" to demonstrate all the helpful tips I discussed above.

The second is the final video advertising my beading workshops and parties.

Posted by Wendy Fine
Thursday, 15 October 2009

 

I wanted to share with you a nice experience we had here at Pixability. We recently edited a video for Lora Canary's meditation website Everyday Oasis. Her site is a place for relaxation, renewal and reconnection, and an escape from chaotic day-to-day life. Lora was very pleased. Our team just received a gift of delicious brownies and a card from Lora praising the video and our work, and I'm including it here: 

 

So I'm going to try to analyze the experience with Lora to glean an understanding of what it takes to make a client happy. What were the ingredients of Lora's project that made it a success? 

 

From her end:

 

1. Lora knew exactly what she wanted

She knew what videos, what photos, and what message she wanted to use.

2. Less is more

Her footage was less than an hour and all of it worked well to tell her story. 

3. Sense of style and mood

The music and wording she chose created a meditative and relaxed feeling.

4. Being organized

She researched and uploaded her materials in a timely manner.

 

From our end:

 

1. We understood her goals

We helped her create a video that reflected her objectives of creating a calming place for people on the web. She wanted to contrast the craziness of everyday life with the relaxing space of Everyday Oasis.

 

2. We listened to her comments and suggestions

We incorporated her choice of soothing music and thoughtful wording for pictures.

 

3. We delivered her video in a timely manner

Lora was on a deadline. She wanted to show the video at the IRIS conference, and she did!

 

These ingredients--from both the client and Pixability--produce the synergy necessary to yield a successful video. 

 

Watch the video: 

 

 

 

Posted by Bettina Hein
Thursday, 15 October 2009

Wendy recently joined the Pixability team and I sat down to talk to her.

  1. Wendy, tell us how you became involved in video editing.
    I grew up and went to college in the non-digital age and thought of myself as an untechnical person. When I was in my early 40s, at home raising children, I was asked to put together a tribute to my parents. I decided to self-teach myself a slideshow production software program that had come with my PC. I found it challenging, and had many doubts along the way as to whether or not I could accomplish this, but I did. Over time, I became quite proficient at this software program and sought out training in more complex video editing software.
  2. What kind of training have you had?
    I'm a graduate of the filmmaking program at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. There I studied the entire process of filmmaking from camera and lighting, through video editing and DVD authoring.
  3. Tell us about the kind of projects that you've worked on.
    Well, I've worked on a number of projects for a private school in Brookline, Massachusetts. I did a promotional video for them which they use to recruit students, and a couple of tribute videos for graduating senior classes. I've also done celebratory video montages for a number of clients. Last Spring, I was a freelance editor at MIT's Academic Media Production Services.
  4. What are some of your professional goals and aspirations?
    I'm an aspiring documentary filmmaker, currently working on a feature about the Jewish exodus from Iran at the time of the Islamic Revolution. I have a number of ideas for other documentaries that I'd like to do in the future.
  5. What do you like about being a filmmaker?
    I like the excitement and variety of opportunities that come up. This field could involve working as an editor in a dynamic start-up like Pixability or producing a movie for Hollywood. One never knows what opportunities lie ahead. Last week I was asked by a real estate developer to produce a script about the history of a property he owns.
  6. What do you hope to gain by working at Pixability?
    I enjoy video editing and the only way to keep up with it and improve one's skills is to do it--working at Pixability gives me this opportunity. Also, it has been exciting being a part of the development process of a start-up that focuses on video production.
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