Animation + Video
Animation + Video
This guide provides a general introduction to the process of creating a documentary, informational video, or short film.
Note: Used the attached release form when shooting live action and there are persons recognizable in the shot.
Promotional Reference (by KCAD Students)
Personal Stories Reference
Community Stories Reference
Documentary and informational video is most effective when it engages the audience's brain in four deliberate ways.
Our Tribal brain (The longing to belong)
Our Primal brain (this typically starts with, but is not limited to, a short bit at the beginning that primes the viewer emotionally.)
Our logical brain (Making sense of the information)
Our knowledgable brain (now that we have told this... what action should your viewer take with this new knowledge?)
For detailed guidelines and examples visit the i-See-U Socio-Emotional Design Guide and view the presentation.
Stories don't have to start at the beginning… you can start in a more exciting place, then find your way back to the beginning later.
Every important scene or sequence of scenes should have a set-up and a pay-off and end on something that sums it up or reveals its essence.
Show, don't tell. Describe the actions that create the emotions, thoughts, or information. Don't list them.
Dialogue
Narration
Scene descriptions
Lighting/time-of-day notes
Acting / emoting direction
Media that will be released for public consumption is required to include a version with audio descriptions, or include voice-over and dialogue written in a Audio-Visual-Storytelling Style. See the example below. In the scene a person is on their knees and looking directly into a dog's eyes from 6 " away
Video Writing Example 1 (Standard Form)
(2 versions needed - one with audio description and one without):
Narrator says: Sometimes I wonder what my dog is thinking
Audio description narrator says: Person on their knees looking directly into a dog's eyes.
Video Writing Example 2 (Integrated Audio Description Form)
(1 version needed - because the narrator describes the visual action):
Narrator says: Sometimes I get on my knees and stare directly into my dog's eyes, wondering what she is thinking.
When users are consuming video, they should periodically be supplied orienting devices that reduce cognitive load. This can include:
Title cards.
Establishing scene shots.
A linear story structure.
A clear, narrative-driven visual hierarchy within each scene.
The story needs a premise and it needs a point of view, usually from one of the characters (the protagonist). In many successful films, the protagonist is confronted with a moral dilemma or a physical/emotional hurdle. Antagonists (other characters) can provide conflict in the story. Whether or not these things are resolved is up to the author.
Stories don't have to start at the beginning… you can start in a more exciting place, then find your way back to the beginning later.
Each character in a scene should have a need (motivation). Every important scene or sequence of scenes should have a set-up and a pay-off and end on something that sums it up or reveals its essence.
Opening: Sets expectations (can be a title sequence)
Life in Balance: the world in it's normal state
Set up: the problem is presented
Body: the problem is made worse (can have one, several or many parts)
Resolution: the problem is resolved, and balance is restored ... or not. The resolution should require one of the main protagonists or antagonists to make a moral decision in order to move the plot to it's end point.
Confirmation: The last scene, shows how the protagonist and antagonists feel about how the story ended and/or what situation they found themselves in.
Overcoming an adversary
The quest
The journey & return
Comedy
Tragedy
Resurrection
Rags to riches
More Standard Film Plots
Important and fully developed characters can be complex and have conflict built into them via a persona that does not mesh well with their stereotype. Characters with smaller roles can be built strictly on archetypes and conventions.
Show, don't tell. Describe the actions that create the emotions, thoughts, or information. Don't list them.
Dialogue
Narration
Scene descriptions
Lighting/time-of-day notes
Acting actions
incorrect: 'they felt despair'
correct: 'they held their shaking head in their hands'
Media that will be released for public consumption is required to include a version with audio descriptions, or include voice-over and dialogue written in a Audio-Visual-Storytelling Style. See the example below.
Video Writing Example 1 (Standard Form)
(2 versions needed - one with audio description and one without):
Narrator says: Sometimes I wonder what my dog is thinking
Image shows: Person on their knees looking directly into a dog's eyes from 6 " away
Video Writing Example 2 (Integrated Audio Descriptions Form)
(1 version needed - because the narrator describes the visual action):
Narrator says: Sometimes I stare directly into my dog's eyes, wondering what she is thinking
Image shows: Person on their knees looking directly into a dog's eyes from 6 " away
When users are consuming video, they should periodically be supplied orienting devices that reduce cognitive load. This can include:
Title cards.
Establishing scene shots.
A linear story structure.
A clear, narrative-driven visual hierarchy within each scene.
Note: For documentary films, it's typical to skip storyboarding, go to the location, shoot a lot footage, then 'find the story' in post-production editing.
Sometimes it's helpful to start with a written shot list... that is just an outline description of the shots (in order). If you have a script, you can simply integrate the shot list into it.
Include an establishing shot (usually at the beginning... but not always.
Changing the camera angle 180 degrees between shots can be disorienting... unless the scene environment and character positions have been well established in previous shots.
Leave space in the timing and dialogue for audio descriptions.
Close is intimate
Far is isolating or establishing
Medium is neutral
Up shot empowers the actors
Down shot diminishes the actors
Tilt is disorienting
Mix up the shots to support the narrative. Don't use one type of shot over and over in sequence.
Leave "lead room". For example, if a character is facing left, position them towards the right (leaving room in the scene for them to look into).
Pay attention to the lines of action. For example if a character exits stage left, have the next character in the next shot or same shot enter stage right. In other words, make the eye movements for your audience smooth not jerky.
Try to keep the focal point from the end of one shot to the beginning of the following shot in the same place (as often as you can).
Sometimes sound can tell parts of the story by itself. Example: a small bird on a tree branch hears the screech of a hawk. Even though the hawk is not in the frame, we know the hawk is there.
Include all text under the boards for all narration, dialogue and audio descriptions.
Include notes for special effects, scoring and foley
What is the location setting?
What are the persons, characters, props or vehicles in the shot?
Do you need to include elements that show scale?
What type of shot (close-up, wide-shot, establishing shot, and so on) do you need? Camera Shot Guide.
Do any actors or vehicles need to move within a frame, and what is the direction of that action?
Do you need any camera movement to add motion to this shot?
Do you need any special lighting? The lighting depends on what type of mood you're trying to convey .
Do you need any special effects? Special effects can include gunfire, explosions, etc.
How will we transition from the previous shot and to the next shot?
What is the dialogue?
Linear Cut (smooth & chronological)(use this most of the time)
Jump Cut (abrupt and/or not chronological)
Dissolve
Transition to/from black
Cut on motion (from action to action)
Cut on pause (opposite of cutting on action)
Universal Design Storyboard Template: (includes a google slides and Adobe Animate version)
Hitchcock's hidden scene transitions (look for the black in-betweens adjacent to body close-ups)
All video released for public consumption id required to contain closed captioning. Place important scene element above the 280 pixels from the bottom so the captions do not cover them.
Scenes come and go quickly in live action video. Audiences will not have much time to sort-out the important elements in each one. Creating clear visual hierarchies can optimize the experience. Learn more about cognitive load and visual hierarchy on the I-See-U Imaging Guide.
Find many sources for fair-use and creative commons images on the DLC
When setting up your shots, wether in a studio or on location, pay attention to the visual design.
Set up lights or use existing lighting as much as possible to achieve results outlined on this DLC Lighting Guide.
Color can be controlled trough set design and costuming. It cans also be adjusted in post production.
Learn how to color-correct and color-grade in Adobe Premier on this DLC Guide
The CVSimulator works well for assessing color fidelity for color-blind persons for sets and costumes.
Here is a checklist for everything to keep track of on a shoot
Shoot still and/or super short video, adjust, and reshoot from the camera you will using to create the video to work out the following:
Set Dressing - remove excess items in the shot that distract from the hierarchy of scene and rearrange and add items that would help to tell the story
Lighting - use mood lighting that helps to tell your story - this will may require extra lights on the set. Check extra lights out from Mike Dollar
Sound - capture sound with professional equipment - check this out from Mike Dollar
Model Release Form - filled out by the actor (s)
Rehearse - If you have actors, have them read their lines and provide direction as needed. If you are setting up complex camera moves; practice them.
Follow The Storyboards - Have them on set in the director's hand.
Playback each shot - and perform several takes if necessary.
Shoot B-roll - This is footage of related objects and landscape that don't usually involve actors (buildings, streets, newspapers headlines, etc.
Choose your lens - to create the desired perspective. A short lens (24mm) gives a more dynamic, slightly distorted look. A long lens gives a flat look. If you are using a zoom lens, you can simulate a long lens by standing far from the subject and zooming in. Simulate a short lens by doing the opposite.
For documentary films, it's typical to skip storyboarding, go to the location, shoot a lot footage, then 'find the story' in post-production editing. You will fit the found story into a standard progression:
Standard Story Progression
Life in Balance: the world in it's normal state
Set up: the problem is presented
Body: the problem is made worse (can have one, several or many parts)
Resolution: the problem solved, balance restored ... or not. The resolution should require one of the main protagonists or antagonists to make a moral decision in order to move the plot to its end point.
Insert title cards and animation as needed to fill in any story gaps.
Mix up the shots to support the narrative. Don't use one type of shot over and over in sequence.
Leave "lead room". For example, if a character is facing left, position them towards the right (leaving room in the scene for them to look into).
Pay attention to the lines of action. For example if a character exits stage left, have the next character in the next shot or same shot enter stage right. In other words, make the eye movements for your audience smooth not jerky.
Try to keep the focal point from the end of one shot to the beginning of the following shot in the same place (as often as you can).
Sound design does half the work in animation and video.
Sometimes sound can tell parts of the story by itself. Example: a small bird on a tree branch hears the screech of a hawk. Even though the hawk is not in the frame, we know the hawk is there.
Here are some other sound resources in the DLC:
Not every sound type is needed for every segment or scene. Part of the design processes is deciding which will will be used, when and for what purpose:
Environment (traffic, wind, nature, etc.). Establishing place
Foley (footsteps, impact, glass breaking, etc.). Integrating realism
Effects (cartoon boing, laugh track, instrumental accents, etc.). Humor and story-telling.
Voice (narration, live action, lip sync, etc.). Information, dialogue and story-telling
Score (instrumental song, band recording, etc.). Setting the mood.
Theme (song usually played during titles and sometimes in the animation). Branding
Sound can be used to tell parts of the story for the sight impaired.
Prairie Home Companion live radio broadcast video
Theme Song: 00:05 - 00:10 (setting up the cowboy genre)
Foley: 03:07 - 3:15 (traveling by horse)
Scoring: 03:23 - 3:50 (setting sense of mood)
Environment 04:50 - (piano &laughing in a saloon)"The Lives of the Cowboys" - 9/22/2012
A written sound design plan is like a script for sound. This example shows what a sound design plan for an interactive project might look like. For motion graphics, film and video, the designer would break the plan down by scene instead of section.
Start/Next/Prev/Pull Down Menu Btns
Effect: click
All Btns in left side box
Effect: click (different from GUI Btns)
Pause Btn
None
"About Section"
Voice: Narrator reading the text for both pages (female student)
"Next and Previous" section
Score: 3 (2 second) looping instrumentals with different moods (happy)(sad)(angry)
"Play" section: ellipse animation
Foley: car acceleration and tire burnout - 1 second
This is a simple concept: objects/people that make noise of any kind can have their volume adjusted according to their distance from the camera.
Think about the importance of the each sound you are using. Generally, the volume of each sound will be balanced accordingly. This volume hierarchy can be shifting continuously. For instance you may "duck" (lower the volume) a musical score to allow a voice-over narration to dominate the hierarchy. Then when the voice over is finished, raise the volume of the score again. In your sound design plan, list the the sounds in order of importance.
The final step of sound design is balancing, which involves:
Checking and adjusting volumes as the user experiences them. There should be a hierarchy of volume that compliments the visual hierarchy.
Limiting the low and high range for consistent quality on a range of speakers.
Reducing ambient noise when needed
Guide created by KCAD professor Bill Fischer