My studio production class was asked to design an advertisement for our school's writing center. The writing center is a place for students to meet with a tutor about a paper or essay. We were given a script and asked to come up with an idea for shooting the advertisement and then to carry that idea out. Because we were given a script but no real direction, we are able to use our creativity to make an excellent advertisement. In addition, we are able to edit the script to fit the shoot if needed. The script that was given to the class is set up so several different people will be speaking. Basically, one person will began saying one line and another person will come in saying the second line and so on. For example, the first person says, "Hello." and the second person says, "Do you struggle with writing?" and the third person says, "Well, you're not alone.". From there, the conversation continues and more and more information about the writing center is revealed. Also, the script has a lot of repetitiveness to stress the most important aspects of the writing center. For instance, the fact that it is free for students is highlighted several times in the script. Overall, I think the script has a great direction but needs to be slightly tweaked. Some of the repetitiveness is too much and actually distracts from the intent. Saying it is free twice is enough to get the message across to the audience. Additionally, the location of the writing center is said too many times and will distract viewers. It should also only be said twice. With the script being edited and the talent being actual tutors from the center, next, the shoot needs to be decided upon.
My class came up with several different ideas for the actual shoot. One was to shoot in front of a black background and use dramatic light to catch the viewers eye. I found this idea to be acceptable, but someone mentioned that it might not be as upbeat as the script is and I completely agree. Another idea was to shoot in front of a green screen and put a copy of an edited essay behind the speaker. This was also an excellent idea. However, the tutoring center focuses more on developing thought out ideas rather then marking up an essay and it may take away from the person speaking. So, we were left with ideas but not a completely thought out plan. Personally, I like the idea of using a white background. It is like the black background in the sense that it is still plain and will not take away from the person speaking, but it is also bright and upbeat and flows with the script. An excellent example of a successful commercial using a white background is the Mac vs. PC campaign. Here is an example.
There entire campaign used commercials with two individuals having a conversation. The commercials were successful and happen to be one of my favorite campaigns. I genuinely enjoy the way the commercials look. It is simple and the most important aspect that the viewers will focus on is the conversation between the individuals. It has been said that sometimes less is more and in this case I would have to concur.
Before going into the studio in my Studio Production class, I had a little amount of experience there. Basically, I had done on-camera work, post-production editing, writing a script, and operating a teleprompter. I had worked in these positions because I had made the decision to. However, for this class, all students were given the opportunity to try any and every job in the studio. To be honest, I was somewhat apprehensive about being thrown into situations that I had no experience doing. I did not want to make mistakes or be embarrassed by my lack of experience. Jobs were systematically assigned based on a number system and my first job was a camera operator. I had very minimal experience operating a camera, but others in the class who had more experience were able to assist and teach me. Now, I feel much more comfortable and confident while camera operating, but it was by no means my favorite position. In addition to camera operator, I also was able to work with the audio, be on camera, and be a technical director. In every situation I learned a lot and gained vital experience. My very favorite job, though, was directing.
A Director's Chair
The director is in charge of communicating with the rest of the team via headset and calling the camera shots. Essentially, the director is in charge of holding the team together, telling the camera operators their shots, and telling the technical director when to switch cameras. Before I had a chance to direct, I decided that directing would not be something that I would enjoy doing or even be very good at doing. I generally shy away from being in charge and telling others what to do. However, once I put the headset on, I liked the fact that I could use my own style to direct the show. I was able to look at the monitors and decide what shots looked best and which shots to use. Personally, I like shots that have very little headroom. Also, I was able to try new things too. At one time, I used a close-up shot on an individual who talked for a longer amount of time. Overall, I realized my personal style for directing. Because this was my first experience in directing, I was far from perfect. In particular, I need to become better at watching the conversation and determining who is going to speak next so the transitions between shots are smoother and more appropriate. I also feel that I can improve by being more vocal about the exact shots I want. I am very pleased that I was able to experience so many different roles in the studio. I found that some jobs are much more exciting and enjoyable and other jobs are not for me. I look forward for more opportunities to direct to become better and try other jobs as well.
Before starting my journey at Shepherd University I was able to experience some multi-camera shooting in high school. Each day I would play a part in producing the morning announcements and I was also able to gain crucial experience in producing a news show and a talk show. From the time I started doing this in ninth grade, I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing for a long time. As my high school journey ended, I was sad to see such a wonderful part of my life ending too. However, I knew that at some point during my college career I would be able to do this again and maybe even make a career out of it one day! In the past several weeks of the semester I have realized that although I gained excellent experience in high school, I have so much I want to learn because I generally enjoy being a part of mutli-camera production and even more I need to learn if I ever decide to pursue a career in the field.
Before my class was able to actually jump into producing any type of show, we were able to watch some of the work of Hamish Hamilton and see the different types of things that really go on behind the scenes of a multi-camera production. Hamilton has directed many big events that have either been broadcasted live, like award shows, or shows that were turned into DVDs, like the U2 concert. Here is the video of a Kanye West performance Hamilton directed for an awards show.
Obviously the work that Hamilton does and the work that I will be involved in this semester lie on two completely different ends of the spectrum. It is important to keep in mind, though, that the basics of multi-camera production stay the same. Audio and lighting are two very important things whether you are directing Kanye West or a small talk show. The audio needs to be checked before hand to ensure that the audience will be able to leisurely listen and a lot of thought needs to go into the lighting to ensure the best quality and look. Also, many people are involved in a multi-camera shoot and it is vital that everyone is on board and is cognizant of their jobs. Everyone must function as a team and corporate with one another.
There are a lot of differences between a shoot like Hamilton's and a shoot my class will be producing, though. While Hamilton's work is broadcasted to millions of people live, the work I will be doing in the studio will be prerecorded and may reach hundreds of people. In addition, Hamilton's work is incredibly fast-paced and really exciting. Although the work I will be doing is exciting, Hamilton's work is on a whole different level. Also, in my setting, there is room for mistakes and error. After all, it is a college class where learning will be taking place and editing can be done. If something does not work, the class can work together to fix it for the next show. However, Hamilton has one chance to get it right and one chance only. His career literally depends upon it.
Overall, the experience I will get out of my class is not anywhere near the experience I would receive if I worked with Hamilton. But, I am in no way, shape, or form prepared to work with someone like Hamilton until I have much more knowledge and experience under my belt. I sincerely look forward to learning all the ins and outs of multi-camera production during the course of the semester and maybe one day I can become involved with award shows, sports games, and concerts.
