How to make a good adventure video

Australian Geographic  Outdoor www.agoutdoor.com  jul/aug 2014


PLAN


RIGHT EQUIPMENT


FEW SKILLS


Tightly edited with a mix of viewpoints, angles, a catchy soundtrack of both music and voiceover.

1. INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE

2. TELLING A STORY
3. THE ESSENTIALS
3.1  ACTION CAMERA      GoPro Hero3+ Black edition   RRP$529  www.gopro.com

3.2  DSLR  Canon EOS 70D   $1275.  Has touch-screen autofcouc, using the rear display screen.  Can shift smoothly from foreground subject to background subject easily.  Large no. of EOS lenses.

3.3 MICROPHONE  RODE Stereo VideoMic Pro   RRP $349  www.rodemic.com
compact, robust, easy to use. the SVMP ideal for outdoor use. An integrated shock mounting system to reduce mechanical noise and vibrations, cool+20dB level boost feature --- excellent audio

3.4  SOFTWARE
Adobe Premiere Pro $19.95/month
Complex.


3.5  MIXING IT UP
Multiple angles of view to keep story telling fresh.  Not just same plane such as eye level. Get down low. Wide angle help "locate"   - people involved too small and hard to see.  "Piece to camera" - person talks directly to camera.  Medium close-ups - person in frame and some background location or surroundings. Mood footage e.g sunrise, sunset, long shot of a big river, close up of a paddle dipping in a river.  Moving image - close-up and more distant footage shows emotion and action.

3.6  SOUND ADVICE.  for $150-300, A CAMERA-MOUNTED MICROPHONE (RODE range mics excellent or opt for lapel mike. Record plenty of audio during trip - can use audio track as a voice-over narration. Along with editing process - not easy to do. Being able to do sound grabs or interviews to camera is NECESARY to add  interest to the final video, together with voice-over narratives.

3..7 THE FINAL WORD.
Edit hours of footage into a 5-10-min adventure video is least enjoyable but most important part of the documentary making process.  Editing  - use higher-end editing software, merge different tpes of footage, cool storyline, variety of camera angles, audio/soundtrack combination to keep viewers intrigued.

Starting out. Apple's iMovie.  Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, Apple's Final Cut Pro are the big ones.





TOP TIPS

1. Some type of mount system for video gear. Add essential stability to your footage and worth their weight.

2. Stick with what you know. What footage will interest your audience.
3. Priority purchase for a DSLR to get an on-camera external microphone - audio quality compared to incamera mic is amazing.
4. Capture different angles of view and perspectives to maintain viewer interest.

e.g.  4 seconds per shot is standard for modern editing. long/wide shots for establishing locations, mid shots for action, close-ups for personal executions like interviews.