Essential Video Production Skills for Research Students (Beginners Level) 

8th Oct 2019 10:00am - 9th Oct 2019 5:00pm 

To sign up please email techne@rhul.ac.uk

In recent years audiovisual research assets have move from being viewed as ‘non-standard outputs’ due to the advent of high quality and low cost equipment, and the increase in audiovisual literacy. The audiovisual now plays a much more central role in academic research and direct outputs.

This 2-day introductory course, delivered by specialist staff from Learning on Screen, will enable doctoral students to develop video productions skills for research purposes (outputs and presentation) and will enhance general employability.

By the end of the course attendees will have developed an understanding of the equipment and techniques required in video production and will have utilised this knowledge to have produced and edited a film

‘Learning on Screen –the British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council’ has been opening up access to moving image and sound since 1948. We are a membership organisation representing 94% of the UKFHE sector and our charitable object is “the advancement of education by promoting the production study and use of moving image, sound and related media within education and research.”

 

Course Location

Learning on Screen premises: 77, Wells Street, London W1T 3QJ (by Oxford Circus tube).

 

Day One - Introduction to Pre-Production and Principle Photography (production)

Day one will focus on providing attendees with an overview of the elements necessary to plan a low-budget production before filming commencement.

Topics will include:

Planning

• The aim of your film
• Equipment choice (cameras, sound, lighting)
• Crews
• Reconnaissance
• Legalities (disclaimers, licences, permits)

Sound

• The importance of sound
• Recording methods

Composition

• Basic framing techniques
• Shot types
• Using composition to enhance and influence psychology
• Resolutions and Aspect Ratios

Interview Technique

• Compiling questions
• Conducting an interview

Hands on Practical

• Shooting B-Roll
• Three point lighting set-up
• Shooting an interview
• Recording Sound

 

Day Two - Introduction to Post-Production

The second day of the course puts the focus on editing, giving attendees the opportunity to shape and define the assets shot on Day One, culminating in each individual exporting their work.

Editing - Part 1 (preparation)

• What is editing?
• Types of cuts
• An introduction to Non-Linear Editing Software
• Importing assets and organising workflows
• Syncing audio to video

Editing - Part 2 (the cut)

• How to cut and reshape an interview
• Using B-Roll to add visual context
• Creating graphics (lower thirds, captions, credits, etc)

Editing - Part 3 (audio)

• Sourcing music
• Levelling audio

Editing - Part 4 (delivery)

• Codecs and Bitrates
• Exporting projects for online delivery (YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, etc.)

 

Feedback on the course

 

“The course was fantastic on all levels. Well organised, lively but at a good pace. It was extremely useful in breaking down some of my fears about how complex filmmaking is. Frazer delivered an informative and stimulating course, which was broken into easily digestible sections. Any questions were followed up by useful visual and verbal examples. I will thoroughly recommend this course to all my colleagues."

“It was wonderful to learn from a filmmaker who has so much attention to detail and enthusiasm for filmmaking while being patient with beginners as well as generous with all his knowledge and a very good listener!”

“Some very good hands-on tips were given and it’s encouraging that so much care was put into aesthetic concerns and to have a discussion about the ethics involved as well.”

“Really excellent intro to filmmaking, with all aspects covered to a sufficient degree, and some great detail in places. Teacher clearly passionate about the subject which was infectious and made it a stimulating and exciting experience.”