Brian Rapsey

Brian Rapseyhttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/about/contributors/brian-rapseyBrian RapseyVideo: The People of Coquihttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/connection/video-the-people-of-coqui-colombiaVideo: The People of CoquiFri, 20 Sep 2019 23:15:54 GMThttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/connection/video-the-people-of-coqui-colombiahttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/film/video-editing-for-beginnersAward-winning documentary maker (and World Nomads Film Scholarship mentor), Brian Rapsey explains how the right hardware and software ensure a smooth editing process.2013-08-18T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/film/video-editing-for-beginnershttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>I started editing in the early ‘90s, cutting tape on a 16mm Steenbeck flatbed film editing table (a machine used to edit film). Since then, I’ve been through all the major editing systems. My first travel 'micro-doc' job was flying around Australia making stories about the remote places that the Olympic torch relay passed through – all edited in the field on the first-ever version of Final Cut Pro.</p> <p>Now is the best time to be a video editor in terms of accessibility: the free and affordable editing platforms now available online can do things I could only dream of when I started. The drawback is that editors used to require more assistants, which was a great way to break into the industry. Those days are over, but aspiring filmmakers can now look to YouTube tutorials in order to learn their craft.</p> <h2>The hardware</h2> <p>The first thing to remember is that video editing is a power-hungry enterprise. I have a Mac desktop and an old light 13-inch MacBook Pro for storing and reviewing material when on assignment.</p> <p>When you think about editing you need to consider the following: the Central Processing Unit (CPU) processor power (basically the speed the computer processes tasks); Random Access Memory (RAM, the amount of memory storage the computer has); the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU, the size of this determines how quickly images and video can be processed); your hard drive storage size (where your videos and photographs will be stored); and, crucially, the speed between your hard drive and your computer. The best drive is an SSD hard drive (a Solid State Drive – where your footage is stored on computer chips rather than on spinning discs). SSD Drives are fast, small and expensive; Standard 'spinning' hard drives will store much more data for your dollar and are more than adequate – as long as their connection speed to your computer is fast enough. An older USB2 port is too slow, a USB3 port is fast enough, while a USB C port is super fast and now standard on new computers. If you're buying a second-hand computer, the speed of its built-in USB connections is important, so make sure to check that before you buy. Let’s look in more depth at some of the hardware.</p> <h2>Central processing unit </h2> <p>The central processing unit (CPU) performs the basic processing tasks of the computer – the faster and more CPU ‘cores’ your machine has (as computers can run multiple CPUs at the same time), the faster and more responsively your computer will perform tasks. All editing software has a list of minimum hardware requirements, so check out the software links later in this article to find out what you need.    </p> <h2>Random access memory</h2> <p>While the information that is stored on your hard drive stays there, random access memory (RAM) disappears when you turn your computer off. The more RAM you have, the easier you will find editing, as video editing software uses a lot of it. My laptop (featuring 8 gigabytes of RAM) can barely keep up with my editing needs and most modern editing software recommends a minimum of 16 gigs of RAM. The trouble with my laptop is that I can’t add more RAM – so it’s nearly obsolete when it comes to modern editing software requirements. My advice: make sure the computer or laptop you buy is capable of RAM upgrades in the future.</p> <h2>Graphics processing unit</h2> <p>Since the advent of 64-bit processing, computer processors have been able to access the processing power and the RAM available on their graphics cards, which is the part of the computer dedicated to displaying graphics and images on your screen. This has been the real revolution in editing software performance in recent times. <br /><br />Before you buy a computer, find out what GPU it has and read the reviews. A good GPU will have at least 6GB of available memory. You can also add more GPU power by connecting an external GPU via a USB C high-speed transfer port. One excellent external GPU is the <a href="https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicegpu/">Blackmagic e-gpu</a>.</p> <h2>Hard drive storage</h2> <p>The major downfall of older computers is the transfer speed of their USB ports: you don’t want a computer that only supports a USB2 transfer speed, as it won’t be fast enough. You need adequate bandwidth (data transfer speed) to transfer high-resolution video from your hard drive to your computer. If you shoot a lot of video, you will fill up the internal hard drive of your computer quickly. I recommend that you have at least two external hard drives: one to play back your video footage, and another as a safety backup. When I’m traveling on assignments, I always hide the backup hard drive under the mattress.</p> <p>My advice is to buy the best computer you can afford. If you are buying second-hand, you can get more bang for your buck, but make sure you do your research. You need to understand CPU, GPU, RAM and storage and how they affect your ability to edit. It's also important to check if you can upgrade your RAM and GPU in the future. <br /><br />If you can only afford a slower computer, fear not, as there is a hack: many video editing programs allow you to create and edit your story from proxy media. Proxy media is a low-resolution copy of the original footage that is easy for a less powerful computer to playback, edit and process effects. Editing with proxies takes the burden off your computer when you are editing. When you make the final master of your video, the computer will generate this from your original high-resolution media. Many editing software platforms make this process incredibly easy – and I use it all the time even on my powerful machine as it will playback even the most effect-heavy edits in real-time.</p> <h2>The software</h2> <p>The good news is that you can start editing on free or inexpensive software and then upgrade later. If you are using Apple, you can start with <a href="https://www.apple.com/imovie/">iMovie</a> for free. You can work on a portable device or computer and learn the basics and do most of your editing work – and it is super easy and intuitive.  </p> <p>If you want to get more professional you can import and upgrade your iMovie project into Apple’s more professional editing platform, <a href="https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/">Final Cut Pro X</a>. You will need to pay upfront for a permanent license, which starts at around $300.</p> <p>Another option is to use <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-rush.html">Adobe’s Rush</a> system, which works on any device. If you decide to upgrade to Premiere Pro in the future, you can easily transfer your files from Rush. Rush starts at US$9.99 a month for students and US$19.99 a month for everyone else.</p> <p>Premiere Pro is probably the most widely used video editing software. Like with all Adobe products you need to pay a monthly subscription fee (starting at US$50 for Premiere Pro), but students can access Adobe’s Creative Cloud services for US$19 in the first year. All of our scholarship winners have used this software to edit their entries. </p> <p>Another option is <a href="https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/">Davinci Resolve</a>, which is one of the most sophisticated editing platforms on the market. Originally, it was created as a high-end color grading software (the film <em>Avatar </em>was graded on Resolve), but it’s now a fully featured editing and sound-mixing platform. There are two versions, Free and Studio; beginners should opt for the Free version, as it’s only missing just a few features. The Studio version costs US$300 and has all the bells and whistles. While some aspects of the program can be intimidating for beginners, it’s relatively easy to learn and the basic interface is the same as any other editing software.</p> </div> <div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"></div>Brian Rapsey 0 A video editor at work

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/filmmaking/master-the-art-of-communication-for-filmmakersExperienced travel documentary maker Brian Rapsey reveals how understanding communication can help your filmmaking practice.2019-08-05T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/filmmaking/master-the-art-of-communication-for-filmmakershttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>I love documentary filmmaking because I get to meet and interact with so many people that challenge and enrich my worldview. I’ve found during my time mentoring the <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/create/scholarships/film/" target="_blank">World Nomads Travel Film Scholarship</a> that the social skills required in the field are the most significant things the winners learn on assignment – far beyond the storytelling or technical skills.</p> <p>The kind of relationship that you establish with your subjects is absolutely fundamental to the tone and quality of the film you will make – so it’s important to communicate effectively, tactfully and efficiently in the field. If you do that well, everything else should fall into place, and the filming of interviews, observation and action sequences will be a breeze. You will save time by not following false trails or unnecessary leads, and you will also be less likely to give your subjects false expectations about how they are going to appear in your film. </p> <h2>Understand what you want, but be flexible</h2> <p>You are still forming your ideas, so your initial meeting with the subject of your <a href="/create/learn/film">film</a> is an opportunity to research them. You need to strategically communicate and interact with your subjects from the moment you arrive. It's an opportunity to test your ideas about your film and your subjects’ role in it. Filming a documentary can be a brilliant process of discovery, not just an exercise in executing a preconceived filming plan. I do a few things:</p> <ul> <li>I talk about myself and my intentions as little as possible</li> <li>I seed the conversation with topics and subjects relating to the themes of the film and see where the conversation takes us</li> <li>I fossick for ideas and opportunities to film that may better illustrate the themes of my film</li> <li>I infer what things I might be able to film that can create a portrait of their character. I do this by observing their environment, the things they physically do or how they interact with others.</li> </ul> <h2>Be vague</h2> <p>Documentarians need to be deliberately vague about their intentions so they don’t lock themselves into promises they may not deliver on as well as giving themselves scope to refine their directorial ideas. It's also important not to give away too many of your ideas about the project – so that subjects second-guess you and merely tell you what you want to hear rather than reveal themselves in an open way. So, when you first sit down with your subjects, keep it simple and don’t try to explain the whole grand plan. However, it is important to answer any questions they have, and tell them that you will ask them to sign a release form (permission to use their filmed material) at <em>the end </em>of the process: this will hopefully allay any fears they have of being filmed as well as hold yourself up to a high ethical standard.  </p> <h2 class="p1">Keep it fresh</h2> <p>You also need to manage the conversation so your subjects don’t give away the emotion or details of the story that you want to capture fresh in the actual <a href="/create/learn/film/interview-with-jenny-nichols">interview</a>. What you need to do is pick up cues about what will be good in an interview and save the actual telling of those stories for the right moment. People will almost always want to tell you their story when you first meet them. You need to tell them to save it for later during a filmed interview.</p> <h2>Strike a balance</h2> <p>You want to establish a genuine connection (by establishing rapport) but also be focused and directed on the task at hand. You need to scope out what you’ll film with them (activities, action sequences, <a href="/create/learn/photography/portrait-photography-etiquette">portrait </a>shot moments) by looking for opportunities that you may not have been able to research beforehand and then control your commitments to film ones that actually have a thematic purpose to your film. Do all this scoping in casual conversation so it appears natural when in reality you are actually carefully guiding the interaction with all this in mind. This will hopefully not make them too self-conscious, with the result that they ‘put on a performance’ of what they think you want to see. </p> <h2>Segue into filming</h2> <p>At a certain point, I will segue into filming sequences in an observational way – simply by being able to predict what is likely to happen (or by subtly cueing an activity to take place). At other times there is often a predictable structure of events, which I have clarified and prepared myself for via my conversations with the subject. Also, I often attempt to “naturalize” my subjects to being filmed – as they will most often be self-conscious at first – by filming the less important material first.   </p> <p>This also applies to <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/create/learn/film/15-pro-tips-for-getting-a-great-interview" target="_blank">filming interviews</a>. I usually start by chatting casually before segueing into the real interview content – without drawing attention to the fact that the camera is rolling. I don’t ask questions but guide the conversation along areas of interest. Most amateur filmmakers interview their subject as if it’s a news interview, and this usually doesn’t match the style of travel documentary that they are trying to make. Your subjects usually mirror the energy you project out to them – so you need to be a bit of a chameleon to reflect the sort of person you know they are.</p> </div>Brian Rapsey 0 Filmmaker doing an on-camera interview

On the Trail of the Namibian Black Rhinohttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/transformation/on-the-trail-of-the-namibian-black-rhinoOn the Trail of the Namibian Black RhinoFri, 07 Jun 2019 21:29:25 GMThttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/transformation/on-the-trail-of-the-namibian-black-rhinohttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/scholarships/film/2018/marissa-chabriaOn her first assignment as a travel filmmaker, Marissa's learnt some valuable lessons she's willing to share.2019-06-04T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/scholarships/film/2018/marissa-chabriahttps://www.worldnomads.com<h2>Marissa shares with us the lessons she learned while filming the communities of Tanzania. </h2> <p>As soon as the plane landed in Tanzania, tears ran down my cheeks. I couldn’t believe one of my dreams was about to come true. Everything was so familiar<span>—</span>a clear sky full of stars, the wind blowing in my face, the dry weather, the scents, the people’s warmth<span>—</span>except for one thing, the experience I was about to live.</p> <p>When I met Brian, it was late at night, so we didn’t have much time to talk. The next day, I confessed to him that I was frightened and stressed out about the documentary. I didn’t completely apprehend the idea of the story, nor did I have much experience as a filmmaker. <br /><br />There were so many technical concepts that I did not understand, after all, everything I had learned had been through trial and error and YouTube tutorials. Brian looked at me and said, “The reason you’re here is not because of your technical abilities, it’s because you know how to tell a story and have the passion to make other people connect to it too.” </p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/learnimages/film18/marissa-on-assignment/tfs18-marissa-on-assignment-article1.jpeg " alt="Marissa filmming a woman making clay pots" /><figcaption>Marissa filming at Safe Water Ceramics, an Anza supported start-up. Photo credit: Katrina Greeves</figcaption></figure> <h4>Lesson #1: Passion is key</h4> <p>It wasn't until this moment with Brian that I had understood the first of many lessons. Although I had not studied filmmaking, I knew I had the drive for telling stories. Techniques and visuals are important, but they are nothing without an appealing story. You can have high-quality visuals, but if you don’t have a story, you really don’t have anything.</p> <h4>Lesson #2: Practice makes the master</h4> <p>The second lesson appeared on the third day. Brian’s mentorship went beyond my expectations, it was an actual hands-on mentorship; nothing I had ever witnessed before. He showed me how to get different shots from various angles in such creative ways. When I wasn’t getting the shots I wanted, Brian told me "you get the shots you want with practice".</p> <p>We all start from the bottom and as we grow, we eventually get to the top after a lot of effort, practice and determination. If I wanted amazing shots practice was going to make me the master.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/learnimages/film18/marissa-on-assignment/tfs18-marissa-on-assignment-article4.jpeg" alt="Marissa asking a woman in a pink top questions while Brian films" /><figcaption>Marissa and Brian interviewing Victoria from Datasky, an Anza supoorted start-up. Photo credit: Katrina Greeves</figcaption></figure> <h4>Lesson #3: Connect with people</h4> <p>The third lesson was persistent throughout the entire scholarship. I realized the difficulty of conducting a real and sincere interview. I was asking questions in an intense and journalistic manner, but Brian explained the importance of connecting with the people and genuinely feeling and understanding what they’re saying.</p> <p>Sometimes we forget to listen. Connecting with others is about being "all ears" on the subject. There were moments when Brian and I were interviewing someone, and we caught each other’s eyes and laughed because we knew we had obtained such a genuine and beautiful answer. <br /><br />For me, one of the most beautiful moments of the scholarship was meeting and connecting with the locals, understanding their culture and listening to their stories. It makes you empathetic and humane. Everyone you meet in life has something to teach you and the best part of the journey is the people you meet along the way.</p> <h4></h4> <h4>Lesson #4: Pole pole</h4> <p>The most important lesson I learned was <em>pole pole </em>(meaning “slowly” in Swahili). When I heard the meaning of <em>pole pole </em>during my first time in Africa, it made a huge impact in my life, and this time I had to apply it quite a lot for the editing process. Editing was one of the best, yet most frustrating experiences of my life. <br /><br />I had to surrender to the idea of a slow-paced process. Even though I wanted the final product, I had to go through all the stages of editing to get to where I actually wanted to be, and the comprehension of this lesson was pretty <em>pole pole </em>for me.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/learnimages/film18/marissa-on-assignment/tfs18-marissa-on-assignment-article10.jpeg" alt="Marissa sitting in front of a laptop and monitor, editing her film" /><figcaption>Marissa editing in Tanzania. Photo credit: Katrina Greeves</figcaption></figure> <div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet"> <h4>Lesson #5: Learn to fall in love with the process</h4> <p>Everything in life is a process and it can be frustrating, but just as you embrace the laughter and knowledge, embrace the frustration and confusion as they come. Although I thoroughly enjoy editing, there were days when I was completely fed up with it, but with Brian’s constant support I learned how to fall in love with both the tedious and exciting parts of the process.<br /><br />No matter how professional we are or how much we think we know about a topic, we never stop learning and that makes us grow both personally and professionally. At the end of the day, life is an unknown path and a non-stop learning process, we just have to learn how to enjoy the ride.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/learnimages/film18/marissa-on-assignment/tfs18-marissa-on-assignment-article6.jpeg" alt="Marissa filming as a group of people look on" /><figcaption>Marissa filming with Kate from OneSeed Expeditions and Katrina from World Nomads. Photo credit: Brian Rapsey</figcaption></figure> </div> <h4>Lesson #6: Live in gratitude</h4> <p>I am beyond grateful for World Nomads, Brian and his constant support, the whole production crew, and the great friend of mine who tagged me on the scholarship’s post. This experience taught me more than any course could have. I feel more confident and prepared as an independent filmmaker than ever before.</p> <p>To anyone out there reading this and wanting to apply, don’t hesitate. I honestly never thought I’d actually win, but I applied because I knew I had nothing to lose. Before applying I remember watching the 2017 winner’s interview and reading his article at least 10 times (Jigar if you’re reading this, I’m a fan of yours). It gave me so much motivation to apply because deep down I thought there was a tiny possibility that I could win too<br /><br />Even though I didn’t have much experience as a filmmaker, I knew this opportunity was for aspiring filmmakers and I definitely was an aspiring filmmaker eager to learn. If there’s one last lesson I learned, it would be...</p> <div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <h4>Lesson #7:</h4> <p>Find your passion and hold on to it, because with hard work and effort, dreams do come true.</p> </div> <div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <h4 class="segment-centered">Could you be our 2019 Travel Film Scholarship winner? <a href="/create/scholarships/film/2019">Learn more</a> about the opportunity.</h4> </div>Katrina Greeves 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/film/behind-the-lens-interview-with-filmmaker-brian-rapseyWe sit down with Travel Film Scholarship judge and professional filmmaker Brian Rapsey to discuss the lifestyle, industry and how he first started out.2013-09-01T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/film/behind-the-lens-interview-with-filmmaker-brian-rapseyhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <h2>When did your passion for filmmaking begin?</h2> <p>I became hooked on photography from a young age and won a book of photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson from a community photography competition. Then my family migrated to Australia in the mid-80s where we had relatives working in film and TV – and so I began to love the moving image. In my first Anthropology tutorial at the University of Western Australia, our teacher asked us what we wanted to become and the first thing that sprang to mind was “Documentary Filmmaker." I still carry my stills camera everywhere to keep my eye in practice.</p> <h2>Did you have a mentor when you began in the industry?</h2> <p>I’ve had many mentors at different stages in my career. My mum, a costume maker, always critiqued my photos and encouraged me to be less clever and more direct. My dad, a scriptwriter, would read my scripts and give me professional feedback. At the Swinburne Film School, my teacher Peter Tammer instilled in me a passion and purpose for filmmaking. When directing a documentary for Australia’s SBS TV my editor Rochelle Oshlack (Series editor – First Australians) inspired me with her ethics and excellence in her craft.</p> <h2>How would you describe your style?</h2> <p>My style is defined more by how I go about projects. I try to marry a visual style with a story or script. When shooting travel films my approach has a lot to do with skills I learned when trying to be a documentary photographer – always being ready, working quickly, and having sharp reflexes. I’m best at observing and capturing the movement with minimal interference. My aim is for people to become naturalized to my presence (or forget about me) and behave more or less naturally. Henri Cartier-Bresson said something along the lines of: “I put myself at liberty with chance” – and that’s what I try to do in capturing something special.</p> <h2>What is the best and worst part of your job?</h2> <p>The thing I love most is meeting people, traveling to new locations with a sense of purpose, and exploring ideas. The worst part of my job is being stuck editing for long periods on projects that weren’t <a href="/create/learn/film/documentary-filmmaking-planning-your-story">properly thought through</a> in the first place.</p> <h2>What do you get most excited about shooting?</h2> <p>The best thing is when the circumstance comes together that brings together people, a subject or location that I feel the passion and where style, story and purpose all seem to work in harmony. The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/travel-scholarship/sets/72157634367851368/" target="_blank">best moments when filming in Brazil</a> earlier this year were pure serendipity: <a href="http://journals.worldnomads.com/extraordinaryexperiences/story/106548/Brazil/Rio-The-Heart-of-Carnaval" target="_blank">seeing a children’s Samba parade go past through the streets of a favela</a> while shooting a story about DJs or <a href="http://journals.worldnomads.com/connectlocally/story/106184/Brazil/Pedra-do-Sal-Birthplace-of-Samba" target="_blank">filming a song at Pedra Do Sal</a> (the birthplaces of Samba) on the night before Carnaval. I played in a street Samba band “The Sambanistas” in Perth 20 years ago – so this was so special for me to witness and to capture.</p> <h2>What would be your dream assignment?</h2> <p>I care about the underlying purpose or politics of a story as about a particular destination. Going to <a href="/create/scholarships/film/2013/andres-brenner">New Orleans</a> would be a dream assignment. Years ago I got hooked on an HBO TV series called <em>Treme</em>, a show about a community trying to rebuild itself in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It brings together everything I love – music, community traditions, politics, and social justice. I would also love to go to Cuba to experience these same things from across the Gulf – especially now in the last days of Fidel Castro. I’ve also always imagined traveling to visit the three kids living in Sri Lanka, Honduras and Brazil that my family sponsors through the charity Childfund.</p> <h2>What are some of the challenges of filming on assignment in another country? </h2> <p>Fatigue! It’s such hard work and so exciting on assignment. I recommend making solid plans and doing research in advance of your trip – you’ll often be too tired in the field to do this well. You can also easily get tripped up with language barriers, but hopefully, you’ll hook up with locals on the ground who can help you get through.  </p> <h2>Where do you see things heading in travel filmmaking?</h2> <p>I’m interested in what I call “modular content” – films that can be purposed in many ways. For example, this could be <a href="/create/learn/film/meet-katy-roberts-documentary-producer-at-vice">short-form stories</a> that can be plugged into websites, airline in-flight entertainment and social media – that can also be woven together with other stories to make longer-form pieces for broadcast distribution. The idea is that shorter stories can be used to build an audience for a future long-form version. Being able to be flexible in your formatting of the content is crucial, especially when working for in the digital world.</p> <h2>What tips do you have for aspiring filmmakers?</h2> <p>There are so many great examples of travel filmmaking styles on the internet. My advice? Study all of the different approaches... and then practice as much as you can!</p> </div>Brian Rapsey 0 Brian Rapsey on a scholarship shoot

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/film/travel-filmmaking-are-you-doing-it-rightTravel Film Scholarship mentor and professional filmmaker Brian Rapsey shares advice from his years in the field, from working with a premise to building rapport in interviews.2019-09-01T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/film/travel-filmmaking-are-you-doing-it-righthttps://www.worldnomads.com<ul> <li><a href="#premise">Work with a premise in mind</a></li> <li><a href="#quick">Be quick on the draw</a></li> <li><a href="#headphones">Always use headphones </a></li> <li><a href="#editor">Shoot for the editor </a></li> <li><a href="#rapport">Rapport is essential </a></li> </ul> <div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <h2 id="premise">Work with a premise in mind</h2> <p>What is your story about? Don’t be merely descriptive, for example: "We are going to see a soccer match in Rio on the first day of <a href="/travel-safety/south-america/brazil/tips-for-surviving-carnival-in-brazil">Carnival</a>". Try to think of a premise that can be encapsulated into a single word like: "Passion!" Brazilians LOVE their soccer. As a traveler, you may not know a thing about the teams or allegiances, but you can experience and participate in the passion that they have for this game. Passion became the guiding principle for how I framed and filmed everything on the last assignment in <a href="/explore/south-america/brazil/14-crazy-things-about-brazil">Rio</a> – always trying to capture this quality. This was also what guided the editing of the story.</p> <p>Note: Often, I start with one premise in mind and decide on a stronger one as the experience unfolds (sometimes a truer premise only becomes apparent in the editing process).</p> <h2 id="quick">Be quick on the draw</h2> <p>Be ready to capture the moment without too much hassle in setting up your kit; you want to be able to pull your camera out quickly fully loaded and ready to roll. There is a lot of forethought that can go into keeping it simple and taking just what you think you need. Last year in Rio it was hot, humid and the crowds were huge (not to mention constantly having to watch out for pickpockets and petty thieves). The last thing you want to do is draw too much attention to yourself with a big cumbersome camera setup. </p> <p>Note: Everybody loves shooting on <a href="https://expertphotography.com/what-does-dslr-stand-for/" target="_blank">DSLR cameras</a> these days (I’ve personally been shooting on a Canon 5D Mark3 DSLR camera). The look is amazing – but they are fiddly and unless you have them totally under control, you can miss the moment before you get your sound gear connected. </p> <h2 id="headphones">Always use headphones</h2> <p class="Letterheading">Sound is greatly underrated, but its quality is key to how well your audience will connect with your story. In documentary-like filmmaking, you can get away with average-looking pictures – but if your sound recording is bad then you won’t have a film. Always wear your headphones in order to judge whether you are capturing the necessary sound. Wearing headphones you will hear if the sound is clear or whether you need to move closer to your subjects – or get them to move somewhere quieter.</p> <p class="Letterheading">Note: A classic mistake is to forget to switch on the microphone: without wearing headphones you can film for half a day and not realize you’ve recorded nothing. We've all done it before! You need at least a ‘directional” shotgun mic mounted on your camera (I like <a href="http://www.rodemic.com/mics/videomicpro">Rode's Video Mic Pro</a>) so that you don’t rely on the crappy internal microphones on the camera. Mic's like this use a 3.5mm input (great for DSLRs) but they can be plugged into any professional XLR sound input using a <a href="http://www.rodemic.com/accessories/vxlr">simple adaptor</a>. I always have a radio mic at hand – but there are cheaper options if you can’t afford them (check out the <a href="http://www.rodemic.com/mics/smartlav">Rode Smart Lav</a> that can plug into an iPhone).</p> <h2 id="editor">Shoot for the editor</h2> <p>I’m always thinking about what the editor will want or need to craft a strong story. As I'm usually the editor, I make sure I film multiple shots to give myself options – especially if the story isn’t panning out the way I initially thought it would (so that I'm covered if the story changes).</p> <p>My advice for getting a range of shots?</p> <ul> <li>Get a wide shot of the subjects in a crowd to put the character in the social landscape as well as shots of the subjects interacting or listening to each other.</li> <li>Consider the necessary contextual information the audience must have to understand the story – then seek it out and film it.</li> <li>Shoot like a <a href="/create/learn/film/telling-heartfelt-stories-in-documentary-film">dramatist</a> – using camera moves and framing to visually punctuate the emotional experience of the people you're filming.</li> </ul> <h2 id="rapport">Rapport is essential</h2> <p class="Letterheading">Rapport occurs when two or more people feel that they are in sync or on the same wavelength because they can relate well to each other. In documentaries, and by extension in many types of travel films, the quality of the rapport the filmmaker has with their <a href="/create/learn/film/15-pro-tips-for-getting-a-great-interview">subjects</a> is fundamental to the tone and success of the film. Conversely, as the presenter, there is also the rapport you have with the camera – which is, by extension – the audience. Often the camera person stands in for the audience by virtue of being there (behind the camera).</p> <p class="Letterheading">Note: when presenting to the camera or recording voiceover it often helps to imagine that you are talking to someone in particular (your mum, your best friend, a group of your mates) – play with it until you strike just the right tone. This is how you will find your particular “voice” in front of the camera – one that hopefully allows you to connect with your audience.</p> </div>World Nomads 1 World Nomads On assignment shooting the Argentina Discoveries series in Argentina