Candids Video – Behind the Lens
Smile! Your Attendees are on a Great Candids Video
Patty Mooney on an early computer
I first learned how to edit about a hundred years ago. Or so it seems, by the exponential way technology has advanced. I learned on half-inch linear machines. If you finished editing a half-hour show and spotted a mistake at the beginning, you would have to start all over again. The process was time-consuming and cumbersome. It did not lend itself to many of the applications so commonly used today, for instance, a candids video.
Now, with the arrival of mobile nonlinear editing systems, the genre of candids – aka “happy-face” – video evolved. And consequently, it’s become routine at many corporate events. The event planner hires a shooter and editor as a sort of “dynamic duo.” The shooter efficiently gather hours of footage. Then the editor distills all those clips into a pithy presentation that reflects the essence of the event. Steer clear of videographers who are not used to shooting candids videos or the editor will be overwhelmed with too much footage.
They Say “Tape is Cheap” – But in the Candids-Video World, Is It Really?
The way it works is this: Over the course of a day or more, the shooter covers the conventioneers and speakers at break-out sessions, gala events, award ceremonies, recreational activities out and about the hosting town, etc. And then, the camera operator delivers the raw footage to the editor who is on-site where a mobile editing system has been set up. Subsequently, the editor copies the footage onto at least two hard drives, along with music, logos and any other desired elements. And the editor then spends the next ten hours or more (sometimes all night long) creating a piece that will be played on IMAG screens for the conventioneers at a designated time, i.e., breakfast or lunch on the final day.
DP Mark Schulze at Carlsbad beach with his Sony FS7 camera and Convergent Designs Odyssey 7Q+ monitor/recorder
In the video production world it’s said that “tape is cheap” and that “you can never have enough B-roll.” However, in a case like this, you do not want to inundate the editor with too much media because time truly is of the essence. The editor can run on espressos and Snickers bars for only so long before losing vitality and the ability to make meaningful decisions (and cuts). And you don’t want any mistakes reflected on IMAG for hundreds if not thousands of eyes to see.
The Editor’s Candids-Video Playbook
Keep these tricks in mind in order to keep the editor happy while creating a robust show.
The future’s so bright we’ve got to wear shades
Prior to shooting, it’s helpful to decide on a tune that fits with the convention theme. For instance, say you’ve selected Timbuk 3’s “The Future’s So Bright I’ve Got to Wear Shades.” Once you’ve got the tune(s), then the editor knows how long the piece will be, and the shooter will keep the lyrics in mind as he gathers footage. The shooter can then go out and collect shots of people wearing sunglasses and panning for the camera. It may seem corny, but believe me, people love that stuff. That is not to say that the entire piece will be loaded with people in sunglasses; a little spice goes a long way.
The idea of shooting break-out sessions or speakers’ seminars is simple. The shooter goes in and gets a couple of minutes of each session or speaker. But it is deadly to try and document every minute of every speech, unless the client specifically asks for it (and this does happen, rarely.) What the editor is looking for is a good animated shot of the speaker pounding the podium or stretching his arms (no backs of the heads or silhouetted figures against Power Point presentations, please!)
Shoot Like an Editor, Edit Like a Shooter
The shooter should videotape plenty of the company’s logos and the signage outside the break-out sessions. It could come in handy if the production coordinator forgot to bring the graphics CD from the head office. A day of shooting should ideally fit on one 30-minute tape. HDV and 4K are the two most popular formats at the moment.
Indeed, the shooter and editor should both find out who the main people are who need to appear in the video. Make sure you get snippets of the CEO, Keynote Speaker, and Guest Speakers. Capture the CEO toasting to a great year or dancing with his wife at the gala event. Scenes like those will provide the cherry on top of the sundae.
In conclusion, keeping these little tips in mind will help you create not just a good candids video but a great one. And who knows? It could not only be a feather in your cap but a step up to a nice promotion.
