The seminar, called "Editing Basics for Underwater Videographers and Photographers," was aimed largely at people who want to understand how video can increase their bottom line (selling dive travel, underwater housings, etc.). While Mary Lynn explained the concept of video-as-marketing-tool, she also did an excellent job including some practical information for n00bs who want to learn how to begin shooting and editing their own dive films. Of course, like with most things, practice is the only way to improve, but Mary Lynn hammered home the idea that:
- Anybody can make videos.
- It's easy.
- It's fun.
I took notes during her presentation. What follows are my notes.10:54 AM
I'm in room S320D, preparing to hear Mary Lynn Price speak on video editing. In her presentation, "Editing Basics for Underwater Videographers and Photographers," she plans to introduce n00bs to video editing. At present, she's going over what she's going to be going over during her official presentation.
11 AM
Mary Lynn introduces herself. A former trial attorney, she opens with some good lawyer jokes (Q. "Why don't sharks eat lawyers?" A. "Professional courtesy.") She discusses Dive.Film.com and briefly explains what it is. She also concisely defines podcast ("alternative content distibution"). She claims shooting and editing video can be done easily, even for people who don't already do it. She also claims the Video Revolution is just beginning.
11:10 AM
Thanks to high-speed Internet access, Price claims more and more people are accessing video online. Moreover, people are creating content and sharing it online. For example, DiveFilm is featured on iTunes alongside Nat Geo shorts -- and she does her work for very little money. Examples of sites that use video effectively include Light & Motion, Eric Hanauer, DUI-Online, and San Diego Shark Diving (a company for whom Price used to work).
11:20 AM
Considering she's selling people on WHY video is important for modern times, she's explaining different kinds of video formats, including videos set to music (the bulk of dive-related videos, including "Sharks and Their Kin with Marty Snyderman," a portion of which she previews), and documentary videos, which include so-called interviews and storytelling without words. Price claims there's no such thing as "B-roll" or cutaway footage; everything you shoot and use is "A-roll." Using a Sony A1U HD camera inside a Light & Motion housing, Mary Lynn shows how to cut a day's footage of shark diving -- or interviews with professionals, like Eric Cheng -- into a short asset.
11:30 AM
What you need:
- Camera (she uses the Sony A1U HD camera but also recommends the new, small HC3 camera, which is roughly half the price)
- External mics for interviews
- Light & Motion A1U Bluefin housing (depends on your camera, of course)
- Video editing programs (she uses Final Cut Pro)
Shoot to edit! -- editing begins before the dive
- Think about what story you want to shoot on the dive
- Get tight, medium, and wide shots
- Leave "handles" before and after the action is going on
- Transition shots
11:35 AM
Editing Basics:
- Capture the footage and put it into the computer
- She uses Final Cut Pro, but she's showing how to use iMovie -- it's so, so easy.
- Edit (build sequence)
- Don't know how to begin?
- Try selecting the music first and choose the images to accompany the soundtrack
- Assembly edit -- put it together so it makes intuitive sense for a viewer (beginning of interview, middle, end...). Perhaps, begin with the audio track.
- Music
- Mark the beats in the music and match the marks to the footage.
- Use legal soundtracks.
- Make your own music.
- Buy it (smartsound.com)
- Get a musician friend to contribute.
- Google "Royalty-free sound effects"
- Output (send final product to storage or delivery medium)
Online resources:
- kenstone.net
- creativecow.net
- 2-pop.com
- wetpixel.com
- apple.com
- adobe.com
- avid.com
- dv.com
- videomaker.com
- videography.com
