Post-Production
Copyright © 2019 Cecily Tyler
All rights reserved
How to Tell Your Story in Post-Production
Overview: how to transcode, organize and edit
Downloading footage and making a backup. Either back up a copy of the footage to your computer or to another hard drive from one of the other students if possible. AVOID losing an entire project due to a corrupted hard drive.
Logging your footage – import and screen all footage before organizing it.
Organizing the footage – organize the footage into folders (also known as bins) in the editing software that you choose to use. Be certain to take scrupulous notes in the field while filming as well so this post-production process does not become too labor intensive.
First run-through of footage – in your editing program, string together all interview responses noted as “good” and that shed light on the various perspectives of your film subjects. (Avoid selection bias e.g., silencing voices you disagree with by not using them). This is called the first draft of an audio cut. Here, you further discern what are the critical issues that need to be addressed in the video essay.
Second run-through of footage – start to intuitively decide the most critical parts of interviews. Begin to fluidly edit your interviews together. For example, where one interview ends, another interview picks up the thread. Or, perhaps put two interviews together that speak to two sides of a subject.
Third run-through of footage: fine tune the audio cut and begin to add b-roll.
Fourth run-through of footage: Fine tune, add voiceover, narration, text overlays and music.
For more tips about storytelling, please see Appendix I for examples of videos and Appendix II for tips.
How to Use Editing Software
Prior to the course, arrange with the Lamont Media Lab experts a “how to edit” session during the workshop. They can also offer additional times to help with editing support if needed. They can help to teach MovieMaker Pro, iMovie and, for lengthier assignments, Adobe Premier. Students can learn editing and other software skills via Lynda.com which is offered for free to the Harvard community.
Video Editing 101 Basics
Editing knowledge includes
Choice of editing software
How to import and organize
How to select and delete sections
How to add layers (b-roll)
How to adjust sound
Adding photos
How to add text over footage and text description-only slates
Music
Exporting and uploading
Grading
A videographic essay does not need to be a perfect “film.” Don’t focus too much on photographic quality, sophisticated editing or special effects. Students can receive training in the basic skills that are needed to produce a basic video. More important than the technical quality of the film is the focus on the process of approaching and interviewing people and capturing what they have to say on camera, and presenting their voices along with footage of the environment in a compelling narrative.
Below is an example of as grading structure that was used for a simple video essay assignment.
[2 points] Added Value: does your video effectively complement other forms of inquiry and cognition? Do we learn something we did not know before? Does the video raise questions or stress pain points in a way that helps enrich and advance the process of discovery and diagnosis? Does it raise urgency or provide a counterpoint in our thinking regarding the subject matter at hand?
[1 point]: Topical: does the video present clearly depict the subject at hand? Do we see, or ask new questions about, the links in the issues reflected in this video essay?
[1 point]: Narration: How was the information organized? Does it flow in a way that makes the film easy to comprehend? Is narration via interview responses, editing, and/or text/narration/reporting? Is it coherent, compelling and concise?
[1 point]: Diversity of Perspectives: does the video do justice to a variety of perspectives and actively avoid biases?
For more video training, we discovered a great site that you will find here.
For a downloadable PDF version of this page, click here.