"Five Questions" with Jordan Beagle and Jaylaan Riley

This is a "Five Questions" segment my students are doing in my Advanced Television and Production and Editing class here at South Carolina State University.

The purpose of this assignment is to build skills and experience with shooting, editing and producing. The students also get to host and be a guest. So there are really three different aspects for them to experience.

Thank you Jordan Beagle and Jaylaan Riley for the fine job with this "Five Questions" interview!   

There is a second part to this "Five Questions" assignment. That is to insert a background image (photo or video) into the interview. This is why it is shot in our TV studio against the green wall. Chromakey is now possible- the layering or compositing of different visual elements.

I used this "Five Questions" jpeg (first created on PowerPoint) to be seen behind Jordan and Jaylaan.

Here are the steps involved in making this video magic happen in Adobe Premiere Pro. 

I really like the job done in this "Five Questions" by Kiiyah Stokes- Jones (producer/videographer/editor), Lynn McGrier (host) and Alexis Rabb (guest). Substantive topics and nicely put together by the talented Kiiyah!

I also want to highlight the job Alexis did with producing her video, with Kiiyah as host and Lynn as the guest. Lynn's audio was low but in editing Alexis was able to boost her level. I also like the writing and use of embedded links by Alexis.

U.S. Army Armor Spotted Along I-26

My daily travels from North Charleston to Orangeburg and back are usually very routine. Tonight was a different story. This transport truck was carrying something you don't see everyday: what appeared to be a tank.

I edited this short video in Adobe Premiere Pro (Creative Cloud 2015). I applied some slow motion effects learned from this tutorial.

I actually pulled off the interstate to videotape this armored beast. Then I got another shot at it when it went through a truck weigh station.

Some research at home later in the evening determined this to be a U.S. Army Stryker Fighting Vehicle equipped with 105 mm rifled cannon. "Oversize Load" to say the least!

I got this shot before I attempted to get video. Everything was shot with my iPhone 5. Not the best still or video, but better than nothing in capturing an unusual scene on the interstate today. 

"Five Questions" in Four Steps

I have my Advanced Television Production and Editing students producing a fun interview segment I called "Five Questions."

This short blog post shows the four parts to the shooting exercise.

The piece opens with a two-shot of the host and the guest. The host, in this case Jordan Beagle, introduced himself, the segment and his guest. The guest is asked to tell a bit about, in this case, herself, who is Jaylaan Riley.

After the opening is shot, the camera operator moves the camera to the left to get a close up of Jaylaan. This is the standard interview head shot. With the camera on her, Jordan asks his five questions.

When the interview is completed, the camera operator then moves the camera next to or behind Jaylaan, and composes a head shot of Jordan. Now, Jordan will ask his five questions. Jaylaan does not need to answer this time. 

The fourth step in this production process, is for the camera to again be on a two shot for Jordan to wrap up the "Five Questions" interview. He thanks Jaylaan for being his guest, thanks the viewers for watching, then signs off giving his name to conclude the piece. 

Once the parts are all successfully shot, then the editing takes place. When finished, "Five Questions" will have a professional polish, with the look of two cameras shooting the questions and answers, not just one. 

Here is the finished product from YouTube! 

"Action Sequence" Project: Christian Manning Walks the Walk!

Who knew leaving a classroom could be so exciting!

"Action Sequence" is a video project I'm having my SC State Television Production and Editing students this semester. It's pretty basic but demonstrates some basic principles of videography and editing: steady tripod shots, allowing the subject to walk in and out of the screen, and editing it all together with music and some text in a smooth, flowing way.

From leaving the classroom, going down the stairs, and leaving the building, each video needs at least 10 shots in this sequence-shooting project. The elevator, water fountain, soda machine, and restroom can be used in the production.  In each shot, after the first one, the students walks in and out or through the camera shot. This and a stable tripod shot will make for easy editing.

When editing, begin the video with a slate (with text) and end with a slate and text. See this YouTube video for assistance with this part. 

Also include music in the background. Consider the free site incompetech.com for the music selection.  Go to the site's royalty-free music part for its vast library of different vibes, themes and genres. 

Thank you Christian Manning for the assistance with this. I look forward to seeing the video you took and produced of me leaving the classroom and building.

The music I used is courtesy of my go-to royalty free site, Incompetech.com.

And here it is.....the sequence video Christian shot of me...

Here's another motion sequence class video. Keith Gilliard shot, edited and produced this with classmate Constance Maybin.