Newbie Videographer

[Belushi]

I have bought u/w video stuff. Housing, lights, filters, wide angle lens etc.

Me and Scubababy went to the Red Sea for our hols and I came back with some good stuff - turtles, morays, rays etc.

I edited it to a reasonable size and got some suitable music to go over it, and it looks ok .... but thats the problem ... it is only ok.

I dont know much about videography. I dont want to be the one where my freinds sigh when I return from hols with the standard stuff you see on the Discovery channel (I should be that good)

Could someone point me in the right direction on a book on videography techniques underwater. Or some form of guide. I am looking for guides on composition, framing, what to video and what not to .... y'know usual stuff on using a camera, but with a video cam

When me and Scubababy move out to the Red Sea, I want to be able to make the most using the vid cam almost immediately. Filming the environs and stuff like that.

Thanks in advance

 

[TDunbar]

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Underwater Video is a good place to start.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Also, be very critical of your editing if you want others to enjoy. Don't have really long clips of rather static and boring scenes. 20 minutes is usually about max for a video of your trip, any longer and people get bored.
I agree with the Jim CHurch Guide. ALso, just watch some underwater things from Discovery with a critical eye after reading the book, you will notice they do a lot of what he says

 

[fbosch]

is it a quality issue or a composition issue? firewire and dv should solve the quality issue

 

[Barracuda2]

Could someone point me in the right direction on a book on videography techniques underwater.

Thanks in advance

Belushi,

Books are a good start, but nothing compares with actually doing video work. As you shoot and review, shoot and review, shoot and review, your skills in movement, (panning, drawing, and pushing), composition of scenes, setting up of close ups or macro, panoramic shots, and many other points will get better and better with practice. Books are good for the more technical info like setting white balance, using sun light, using on board lights, iris control, shutter speed, etc., etc, but hands-on shooting and critiquing can't be beat for improving video skills. I would highly suggest that if your cam housing has the capabilities to support an on board 3 or 5 inch monitor, this in itself will improve your composition. Plus, it gives you much more flexibility because you're not having to continually squint through a viewfinder. Also, if helps if your controls are lanc controlled; electronically controlled. More controlled shooting takes place because you are making adjustments via thumb push buttons rather than reaching to various parts of the cam housing for knobs. Man, I could go on and on about this topic.
Editing is another animal. Editing makes or breaks a production. There is so much involved here, I couldn't possibly cover it in this thread. If you would want to send me a copy of your program, I would be glad to give you an over all critique Bottom line---practice and review, and critique. My $.02

Barracuda2

 

[ChrisA]

I have bought u/w video stuff. Housing, lights, filters, wide angle lens etc....

Could someone point me in the right direction on a book on videography techniques underwater. Or some form of guide. I am looking for guides on composition, framing, what to video and what not to .... y'know usual stuff on using a camera, but with a video cam

When me and Scubababy move out to the Red Sea, I want to be able to make the most using the vid cam almost immediately. Filming the environs and stuff like that.

Thanks in advance

I think the best thing is just to shoot a lot. Don't wait untill you dive to shoot. Do little projects at home and make sure the camera ges used at least weekly.

For example. Try making a video of someone washing the car. Get all the shots then edit them Close ups of wipping off crome, filling the bucket, long shots and so on.... Then make a "cooking show" and so on and son on.... If you can't make a good car wash video then how can you do a good UW video as UW is so much harder.

You want to study film making and learn how to tell a story with pictures. That's why so many vaction videos are boring - there is no story, just "shots" Even if the plot is stupid you need one like "John is going to go look for lobsters he looks finds none but sees a turtle," Even that will creat some interrest.

 

[Albion]

Also, be very critical of your editing if you want others to enjoy. Don't have really long clips of rather static and boring scenes. 20 minutes is usually about max for a video of your trip, any longer and people get bored.

yup, i used to come back from a trip with 2 hours of video and edit it down to 1 hour, yawn, great if you are one of the divers who appears every few miuntes but bascially a snooze for everyone else. Now 2 hours of raw gives me about 20 minutes of interesting stuff. Also i get some non diving friends to watch and see if it keeps their attention.

 

[Belushi]

Thanks for the replies guys ...
To answer some questions
Firstly it is not a quality issue, it is a composition issue.
I am very computer-literate and technolgy and I are old friends.
But I am a complete dweeb where it comes to anything artistic. As an example almost all of my wardrobe is white, blue and black ... no straining with colour coordination!!!

I like the idea of doing on-land projects, I will try that.
I have heard that storyboarding is a good idea ... is that where you plan your shots before you do them?
I am going to scour the archives for this JC book of vid stuff.

Barracuda2, thanks for the offer, but the file is about 600Mb and I am sure that both of our computers would cough blood transferring that sucker

I am loving this being a newb again. it is like having christmas all-over again.
You guys are superb
Thanks :multi: :multi:

 

[Barracuda2]

Thanks for the replies guys ...
To answer some questions
Firstly it is not a quality issue, it is a composition issue.
I am very computer-literate and technolgy and I are old friends.
But I am a complete dweeb where it comes to anything artistic. As an example almost all of my wardrobe is white, blue and black ... no straining with colour coordination!!!

I like the idea of doing on-land projects, I will try that.
I have heard that storyboarding is a good idea ... is that where you plan your shots before you do them?
I am going to scour the archives for this JC book of vid stuff.

Barracuda2, thanks for the offer, but the file is about 600Mb and I am sure that both of our computers would cough blood transferring that sucker

I am loving this being a newb again. it is like having christmas all-over again.
You guys are superb
Thanks :multi: :multi:

If you want, PM me your address or P.O. Box # and I'll send you a production titled "Just Beneath the Surface" It's a half hour program, but there are hours of raw tape shot to create it. I'll also include a short music video using a variety of UW scenes put to "Let There Be Light" song. The title of that program is "The Maker". Tell me if you want DVD or VHS.

Barracuda2