Sequence Video

[jajack71]

Ok I know this is photog 101 but can some explain video sequence to me please.

[Tazam77]

I think of it as big picture little picture. If you look at a wide shot of say a mason pounding metal. In that frame you have 3 or 4 tigher shots that you can get inside the one wide shot. Like. . . his face. . the mallet hitting the metal and his hand. You look for shots that are in the bigger picture.

Another way to sequence video is to sequence your shots from some sort of motion like a person walks into a building grabs a broom and starts sweeping. Either you stop the person and set a few shots or you bust your a%^ and get quick shots. Examples include a wide of him walking, his feet, him picking up the broom and finally a low angle sweeping shot. Eventually after doing it for a while you can kinda quickly get the seq shots and know in your head that they will fit together when you edit.

[McFly]

A video sequence is pretty much just that: A sequence! To get more specific, it's an EDITED video of different clips that when viewed, it shows an event.

Lets's say the shot is 'man gets a soda.'

In this sequence, the first shot may be a man walking up to the soda machine.

2nd shot: tight shot of man's hand reaching into pocket.
3rd shot: tight shot of man's face while he searches for change.
4th shot: tight shot of man's hand coming out of his pockets with change.
5th shot: wide shot of man looking at soda machine.
6th shot: shot of soda selections with camera panning from top to bottom. This shot would convey that the guy is deciding what he'll choose to pick to drink.
7th shot: tight shot of putting change into the machine.
8th shot: tight shot of picking 'Mr Pibb' as his selection.
9th shot: tight shot of soda coming out of machine.
10th shot: wide shot of man reaching in to get his drink and walking away.

When this is edited in this order and viewed, it tells a quick, little story.

I hope this is the answer you were looking for.

[b-roll]

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kev

[jajack71]

Thank You Guys

[BluesDaddy]

8th shot: tight shot of picking 'Mr Pibb' as his selection.
It has to be Mountain Dew. Nothing else will do.
:D

[Duffy]

Sequencing video and audio can be many different things. Any photographer can squence a guy or gal at a computer (wide midium tight), or some schmo walking with reporter/wife/kids/dog. But what you really need to know and look for is how to recognize a MOMENT and sequence around that MOMENT. First, a moment is difined as a moment of emotion or a natural sound break or little nuggets of sound, like a quick cry out for MORE WATER from the fire chief. That moment can define your story, from a simple V/O to great package.

Try to find these little nuggets of emotion in every story that you shoot. Also you don't need sound to find a moment. I recently shot a story at our local aquarium, a group of disabled divers were there to scuba dive the large tanks. One of the divers brought his wife along to see the aquarium. While he was in the tank she could view his progress through the large glass wall on one side of the tank. She had found a dry erase board used for classroom education and started to write a note to her paraplegic husband. She never spoke a word but the sequence of her writing the note and holding it up to glass was the most emotional piece I ever photographed.

Find a way to anticipate your subjects next move. knowing what your subject will do next can help you with your next shot, if you are going for a low angle shot or is it better to stay wide for the moment. Anticipating maybe hard to do at first, but if you talk with your subject before hand and you know what will happen next, it will help you tell a better story.

Try to hold your shots for at least 10 seconds. This will help with editing, and always have your head phones on.

Next, try not to forget that this is video. If you are not on a tripod try to steady each shot. the movement from your camera will distract from your subject matter. Thats all I got. Hope this helps D

[Brian P]

Some good examples here but I'd like to elaborate on the lady with the chalkboard from Duffy's post. Sequencing is fine and will add a crisp element to your story, but then get the action/reaction shots.

Example: At the big fire, you shoot a nice sequence of the guys working, unrolling hoses, turning pumps on and dowsing the fire (with the nice SOT of the chief yelling for more water). But now go across the street and get the folks watching and reacting to what's happening. You now have more characters for your story.

From Tazam 77's post, maybe there is a guy standing near the mallet guy who winces everytime the mallet strikes or as the guy fumbles for his change for the soda machine, there is a guy behind him looking very inpatient.

Hope this helps.

[eb]

Duffy....great points. We are first responsible for capturing the moments that communicate truths, realities, the story, the emotion, the facts, etc... Then we need to shoot sequences to make those things visually understandable.

Our pictures should communicate something. Visual sequences put moments, that take place over time, in context, both visually and journalistically.

Establishing Shots are wide shots which establish "where" in the big picture the story takes place. Wide establishing shots are often found at the beginning of the story. A wide shot of a forrest burning. A wide shot of a city with the tornado approaching. A wide shot of an airport. A wide shot of a lake. Those give a sense of "where."

Medium shots can show "what and who." You can use foreground and background to show context - between one thing or person and another.

Close ups or tight shots can show emotion and detail. Close ups can also be used when editing to get from one shot to another without a jump cut. Close ups are more compelling generally.

Composing each shot is important visually. But then editing those shots together is ultimately how the viewer "sees" or understands a story. You want to make that easy...You don't want to inhibit the viewer from comprehending. That's what sequencing is for, to make it easier for the viewer to comprehend.

Knowing how to let people or action come into or go out of frame is also part of sequencing video. Using natural wipes is also a trick that helps. Being in the right spot at the right time is crucial. So think ahead and put yourself in the right spot. Experience, practice, planning. I probably learned the most about sequencing...by watching stories that were shot and sequenced well. The NPPA obviously can help you learn. You can see good examples, and submit stories for critique or competition. www.nppa.org

[jdaunt]

I know this sounds kind of backwards, but lately I've found myself shooting sequences in the opposite order. I'll just be getting random shots and while on a tight shot I'll think this could be a good sequence, then widen out a bit for a few seconds then a bit more. Depending on the situation you can either edit it the way you shot it or reverse it and start wide like a traditional sequence and move in. I know it's unconventional, but it's good for "capturing the moment" as Duffy put it, find the moment in the closeup, then move out to sequence it.

[The Daywood]

I had a card I put on the side of my camera. It read:

1) WHITE BALANCE
2) Hold your shot 7 Seconds
3) Wide Medium Tight SUPERTIGHT SUPERTIGHT SUPERTIGHT
4) Sequences
5) Action/Reaction

With this reminder next to my head, it made it easy to remember. Even after I had been shooting for 2 years and got a new camera, I made a card for that one. Keeping the card in view kept it in mind...

[eb]

That's great. I'll need to do that someday...when my mind forgets things like this. Who knows? ;)

By the way...what else should we write on that card...on the side of the camera:

Always monitor audio!

What else?