Business journalists learn five basic shots in video at Reynolds multimedia training

I-Ching Ng (left) from Asia Weekly and freelancer Rebecca Allen interview the owner of The Downtown Deli in Phoenix in the business news video workshop.

Eighteen journalists from around the nation learned today that there are five basic shots in shooting video for business news.

They are at a free workshop offered by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism as part of the center’s multimedia track at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers Conference. The SABEW conference runs March 19-21 at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix.

Brian Snyder, TV-production specialist for the Cronkite School, outlined the five basic shots:

• Wide shots, or establishing shots, are usually of a landscape or a building. “It is helpful to grab a wide shot of each location where you shoot,” he said.
• Medium shots usually contain a person’s head and part of their torso. “This is the standard framing for an interview,” he said.
• Tight shot is a close-up, framed tightly on a person’s face. “Usually, the face will mostly fill the screen, and some of it may not even be visible, such as the top or bottom of the head,” he said.
• Action shots are critical to the story.
• Reactions shots tell the other side of the story. “For every action, there is a reaction,” he said.

Wide, medium and tight shots provide a sequence of shots. “Its critical that you shoot sequences,” Snyder said.

When recording, each shot should be about 10 seconds long, he said. “You press record, and you don’t touch the camera,” he said. In the edited video, you’ll probably use three to five seconds.

Interviews on video are called SOTs (sound on tape). The sequences you are shooting are called “B roll,” he said.

When capturing a subject in a video interview, leave “talking room” for the person speaking. Frame it so the person is a little bit off the center of the frame and is not looking right into the camera. Have the person look at you, the interviewer, either to the right or left of the camera.

Look for a good background — something that gives the idea of the story. Don’t just put people up against a white or brick wall.

Good lighting is critical. “The one good test I like to do is use your hand to see where the light is hitting your hand. That’s where you want the person,” he said.

The challenge with a hand-held mike is to keep it and your arm out of the camera shot. “You can hold the mike right at the sternum,” or the interview subject can hold it there, he said.

“Sound draws people to video,” he said. To do a video of the vice president of a bank, shoot him going through his day: walking to get coffee, interacting with a co-worker, leading a meeting, etc.

Shaky video equals amateur video; use a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, use your feet to zoom in.

Don’t pan or zoom. “It’s not natural for your eyes or how you look at things,” he said.

Find the characters, and let them help you tell the story. “You interview the subject and then get video of that subject in action,” he said.

“I believe the more you can let the people tell the story with nat (natural) sound, the better off you’ll be,” he said.

“You want a different angle on the video story that makes them want to read the print story,” he said of video on newspaper Web sites.

Two newspaper Web sites with good video that he likes to check out regularly are The Columbus Dispatch and The Washington Post.

Other sessions in the multimedia track are looking natural on air on March 19, producing a business news podcast on March 20 and taking compelling business news photos on March 21.