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TECHNIQUES FOR VIDEOTAPING A PROFESSIONAL
SPEAKER
Here’s a brief list of tips compiled over the years
that you can keep in your files and share with the production company
you choose when planning your next videotaping session. Keeping these
tips in mind at your videotapings can help assure success in obtaining
the best footage of you as a speaker, especially if you’re dealing
with a young or inexperienced AV company. Certainly, if you engage the
services of an experienced production outfit, the professionals on that
crew will be well aware of these simple tips – and much more.
- Always microphone the audience. Use a hypercardoid
– or shotgun – microphone on a stand in front of the room,
placed if possible out of camera range so the microphone will not
appear in your video shots. (Assign this microphone for audience audio
pickup to Channel 1 on the video recorder.)
- Assign the speaker’s wireless microphone to Channel
2 on the recorder.
- Use Beta SP, mini DV or DV cam as the master shoot
format. These are known, good-quality recording cameras/equipment.
(If these particular formats are not available or perhaps too costly
for you, don’t worry. SVHS or ¾” formats are also
O.K.) Cost should be between $600 and $1,200 for Beta, mini DV or
DV cam; $400 - $600
- Use pipe and drape to hide doors, exit signs and fire
alarms.
- Keep the light out of the eyes of audience members
by using photography umbrellas or bouncing light off the ceiling using
white “bounce” cards. Two 1K lights should be sufficient
if set up in the side aisles at a 45° angle to the platform.
- Gather plants from the hall of the meeting facility
or ask to borrow some plants to dress up the stage. Be careful not
to place them directly behind the head of the person in your shot,
since it will look like they are growing out of his head. Instead,
group them in clusters to accent the stage.
- Never shoot into windows or mirrors. Windows will
be a distraction and too bright as a background. Mirrors have the
potential to reveal the camera and other crew or equipment you don’t
want in the shot.
- Always do a test record before beginning the program.
Be sure the camera is white balanced and audio is clean and free from
buzzes.
- Ask the announcer responsible for giving the introduction
to talk to the audience about the following: Ask that all beepers
and cell phones be turned off, tell the audience that energy and enthusiasm
will be appreciated for the video taping and if possible, do a little
warm-up exercise to get the audience’s enthusiasm flowing.
- Always get references from video production companies
or independent shooters. Video production companies can be found in
the Yellow Pages and independent shooters can be found at the local
TV stations. Ask for the production department when calling. Once
connected, ask for the names and numbers of two or three independent
video camera operators to get an idea about what is available to you.
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