first time asking for critique

[pastabowl295]

Hey B-Roll community.

Newcomer here, looking for some tips and advice from people outside my station. Here are a few stories I've done:

Globetrotter goes 1 on 1 with a reporter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABybxYwn80

Cold case solved (there are a few scattered shots of file)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf5MJ6Onihw

and finally, Nursing jobs in demand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFM80XykfBs

thanks a bunch

 

[Latin Lens]

Nursing jobs....(yawn)...and this isn't meant to be harsh...its meant to be honest. Very boring story both visually and storytelling wise. Not well written and not well shot. Its all very wallpapery. Yes you got some nats and placed them throughout the piece but they were way to scattered and didn't "mean" much nor add much to the story. I feel they were nat breaks for the sake of nat breaks. You need to work on your interview placement...you chose very poor locations in my opinion. This story just needs focus. You had the correct subject to center the whole thing around...the former realtor making a career change. Thats so perfect. You couldn't ask for anything better but I don't think it was recognized by either you or the reporter. Stories need to be centered around a main character to draw the viewer in...to help me identify with her/him. That identity leads to understanding and understanding leads to concentration to the story. So work on idenitifying a main character and basing the story around them...add supplemental interviews to help out. Not many tight shots in here...you need tight shots to help with editing techniques and to help draw my eyes in. Starting off with a soundbite is a poor choice...if you have the ability to gather nat sound then build a sequence opening with nats and quick soundbites to set up the story and intro the character. Looks like you need to work on some basics still. But keep plugging away.

 

[Latin Lens]

Cold case...I really don't know what better way to say this but its a good attempt because you are challenged video-wise...but I think the writing and visuals are missing the boat big time. Not sure what market size Ft. Myers is but I am not too impressed with these bland stories. So here's what I got...the sexual assault was against a child? Because you keep you using playground shots so thats what those shots are insinuating...if not you need to get more generic park video. Where are the people? That park looked abandoned. Had you had some movement/action from people doing stuff in the park it might have helped but its just very boring plain video. You overdid the the background/foreground thing...less is more in those cases. So was the lab tech working on the guy's arrested clothes? Because that's misleading if its not. No nats not even underneath track...too quiet...there's noise in the world...your job is to capture and control it. Take me to every scene you go to...both visually and audiowise. Thats how you keep viewers captivated and entertained. You need to work on your interview lighting and placement skills. On the wide shot you can see the mic cord...for that shot you need to let it hide underneath the tie...you need to light your subjects not only because it looks better but you can start to add emotion/feeling to the piece with your lighting. Do you have lights? If so start to use them. Turn the lights off in that room...light the podium with a small backlight...light your subjects with a key light...that only will dramatically improve the look of the piece...same with the CSI guy...labs are cool places to light dramatically....but you didn't do any of that. Why? It seems there's a way to go with the direction of your photography skills...there's still a lot of rookie mistakes going on...how long have you been shooting? If you want to improve (and I hope you do by posting here) then you need to start thinking a little bit differently than you have been.

 

[Teddy]

Globetrotter: First of all, do you have a wireless and a Lav? If you do it would greatly improved the quality of your story to hang it on your subject. If you don't, well that's how it goes sometimes in small markets, we've all been there. Watch your audio levels in the piece. They were inconsistant and distracting. I understand the use of "Sweet Georgia Brown" in the story. The song screems Harlem Globetrotters. It may sound nit-picky, but I think the audio on the song was too clean. It was crystal clear while the rest of the audio was muddy. I think it would have blended beter if you would have re-recorded it through your camera with a little less fidelity. I know that sounds counter intuitive, but I think it would have helped to make things a little more seemless.

Work on your sequencing. I know it's tough in that situation. The guys going to do some crazy tricks and you don't want to miss the action shooting a super tight shot of his shoelaces. Throw in some wide shots off sticks to mix it up. When he shoots his 4 point shots you can sequence like crazy. It's steady repetitive action. Have him pump off ten shots and go crazy.

The story structure was lacking. That will come. Learn to communicate with your reporter to marry your visual storyline with their narritive. Think of a begining, a middle and an end. Work to find those opening and closing sequences. Find ways to make transitions. Even in a story where you basically shooting everything in one room it will help to give the story some life.

You did a nice job of following the action. Don't be afraid to take chances, but always make sure you have the basics down first so you can cover you ass in the edit bay if things don't work out.

One on one with a globetrotter, this job is pretty cool sometimes. Enjoy it.