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Improve your video using cinematic language techniques (Podcamp Boston 3 presentation)

Events & Screenings, Filmmaking, New Media, Presentation, Video on the Web / by

For over a hundred years filmmakers have been evolving a language for communicating efficiently using visual and audio elements over time. This session consisted of examples and discussion covering the fundamental elements of cinematic language which can help dramatically improve the effectiveness of any video production, regardless of budget. Appropriate for media makers at a beginner to intermediate level who want to improve or fine-tune their expressive potential.

View slides (on Slideshare): Cinematic Language PC3

Download slides as a PDF document (from SlideShare): Cinematic-Language-PC3.pdf

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Comments

  1. Thanks for the great set of slides. I wish I had been at your presentation. I’m particularly interested in the relationship between particular techniques (e.g., hand held camera, jump cuts) and perceived authenticity.

  2. Ryan, slick, corporate messages are losing some of their power these days, as end-users are using internet video to provide counter-points that can blunt traditional commercial messages. Many companies are starting to rethink their marketing and sales strategy, and authenticity is at the core of the challenge. All the ads for SUVs can’t change the fact that at 15 miles per gallon it’s going to cost a bundle to operate the big thing. Time for the American ego-driven bigger is better aesthetic to take a back seat to environmental and economic concerns. Same thing with ads that shout at us. Time for a two way conversation, a more authentic exchange.

    Well, this is a topic that deserves a lot of ink, but in a nutshell, aesthetic issues (noisy images, existing light, not-so-great sound, hand-held camera work, etc.) they all provide evidence of authenticity, but they don’t create it, it’s also the “voice” and “tone” of the video that creates a sense of authenticity, in other words, you have to start with an authentic message, production values, or lack thereof, can enhance the message, or enhance the feeling of authenticity, but it’s not enough on it’s own. Whatever is in front of the camera has to be authentic. It’s possible to fool some of the people some of the time (lonelygirl, war of the worlds) but most of the time people are very smart, especially when you aggregate group opinions.