Using your wireless as a weapon

[MMrozinski]

Just an example of what I have been telling a lot of you guys about "using your wireless as a weapon" among other things I've been preaching. I shot this a few weeks ago.

Note how I placed the moments, nat sound, story structure, sequences, action/reaction and mic work. It's not the best nat pkg ever done but solid example none the less.

I'll take any crit if you feel like it. I beat you guys up enough.

http://www.b-roll.net/tv/view_video.php?viewkey=acdfb3687181f2031765

 

[Latin Lens]

MMrozinski...great job....I would feel weird critiquing you but I want some people take away somethings I noticed that you do/did so well in this piece...so here goes. There wasn't much in the way of gathering nats besides the water...which I heard as nat breaks to transition...as well as underneath everything because its obvious we are close to water...so the sound help me feel like I was on location...and thats what nat sound does...it helps bring the viewer to the scene with sound...the images will help too...but sound is so important it can be more effective as a scene setter than video...when you can add the nicely composed shots to the sounds...then youre well on your way to making a good story....look at all the variation in the editing...from all the angles he placed the camera...sequence after sequence after sequence...my rule of thumb is if you don't shoot it, you can't use it (in the edit bay) so its very important to shot sequences from every angle and find apporpriate tight shots to help get from side to side without it looking awkward or completely wrong....the subject wasn't all that exciting (I mean that in the way the whale was obviously not going anywhere)...but it became very interesting because MMrozinski found proper characters to put the piece together...their sound was natural so it really had an impact on the piece...had it been anyone else...it probably wouldn't have been as memorable so find the characters that will give good sound and stick with them for while before moving onto another...great piece.

 

[MMrozinski]

I appreciate any quality critque and I almost always take everyones opinion seriously. No one is beyond a beating! haha... These days I'm just a bit more particular who I'm taking advice from. I engage in critque weekly but with indivuals who I trust and those folks I respect as shooters. I notice mistakes and sloppieness in even the best photographers shooting and editing... that's how I know I'll always need outside advice.

Thanks for the comments. I just hope that the rest of the gang here can see from my example what I've been suggesting.

 

[white_balanced]

This is definitely helpful. A visual aid to the advice you frequently give us not-so-seasoned photogs. Thanks! Great pkg too if I do say so myself.

 

[one eye open]

nicely done and thanks for the very helpful critique, latin lens! i truly enjoy reading what you all have to say and it's nice that you all post your work on here for examples!

also, i believe i heard your name at the AP awards, mmrozinski, so i wanted to say congratulations as well!!!

 

[MMrozinski]

Yeah, I think WAVY turned in a couple stories I did. I wish I had more of a heads up. I felt like I had a lot more stuff to send in. I was going to be there but had a family emergency. Sounds like I missed out on catching up with a few old friends too. Oh well...

 

[David R. Busse]

Very well done. I was expecting a little more "conclusive" ending, but the story ended just fine for what you had. Maybe I was expecting the old "body bag in the coroner's wagon" shot...

I have been preaching a lot about how one should vary interview angles, framing, locations, etc., if the same interviewee appears more than a couple times in the same story. This was a good example of how you do that...thee guy stayed in the same place, but the framing/angle etc., varied. Very, very nicely done.

 

[MMrozinski]

You know what you are sorta right about the ending. It needed resolve and just a little sot from the wildlife team. I waited around for those buttheads for the entire hour or so I was there looking at my watch and tapping my foot. When they got to shore they declined comment and reffered me to the PIO who was coming at some point that night. So rather than jeopordize a great story for sound and info we could put in the tag I bailed so I had enough time to produce and edit the nat pkg. Sure enough those jerks interviewed with the competition minutes after I left. VERY UPSET. It didn't make their story better but it hurt mine. not a happy camper bout that.

 

[Sasquatch]

Interview overlap

I loved the way you had the next interview clip pick up on the last word of the previous interview clip. I'm guessing after finishing the first interview you had some key words in mind and phrased the questions for the subsequent interviews to achieve this objective. That kind of magic doesn't happen by magic does it?

Nice work.