Edit Foundry

Our story for this post is Miss Doe

In this post we are going to talk about

• How I write a story
  

• How I put the story together for writing and editing
  

• Making changes as I build the story

Sunday Dec 28th Photojournalist Dave Wertheimer sent me a text to inform me he had a story he’d like for me to edit.  I decided not only to edit it but take advantage of my opportunity and write it as well.  I’m going to take you through how I wrote this story as well as how I edited it. 

• I highly encourage anyone out there to try write as well as edit a story
  

• It’s easier than you think
  

What I did with this story is I loaded all the video into my non-linear editor first.  As I was capturing I added locators (F3 in AVID) every time the shot changed.  I also added locators to indicate beginnings of sound bites.

• If you’re using a NLE, locators (AVID) or markers (FINAL CUT) are a great tool in helping you edit
  

When I log sound I don’t write the entire sentence.  I write the beginning of the sentence and then maybe a few key words to help me remember the rest of the sentence.   I’m not writing this on paper or in a script.  I’m just typing it in on the capture tool as I add locators.  Once I’ve captured the entire story, the first thing I do is start putting soundbites down to the timeline.  I do this basic editing element when I edit a natural sound piece like Run Fast Shoot Slow  as well. 

• Put your soundbites down on the timeline
  

• They don’t need to necessary need to be in any order
  

Once I’ve got my sound on the timeline I start building a story with all the sound.  I arrange the bites so I can create a story without any track.   Usually these are very long.  Most of the time they are at least twice as long as the eventual running time of the story.  Now I’ve got a good skeleton of the story.  I start writing elements that are basically bridges that go between the soundbites I’ve chosen.  I tighten other sound bites as much as I can, like if someone is rambling to a point.  I also elimate sound bites that I can replace with simple track.

I’m not a great writer.  I am a good writer.  I’m always trying to keep it simple (although, I’m still learning). 

• I try to keep my language plain and simple
  

• I read it out load trying to make it sound as conversational as I can
  

• I try to apply both these rules to writing this blog as well
  

If you like to see a better example of my writing please watch This Route is Known for the Dogs.  It’s a better example of me trying to to keep in simple.  Not that I’m not proud of this story.  I am.  I just like my writing of that story more.

Allright, back to our story here.   I’ve got a good idea of how I want to build the story.  I know how I’m going to get from the beginning to the end of the story.  I’ve written the story and I know it’s a little long.

The story begins with two elements of sound bites followed by the track

Jack and Lori Cavanaugh spend their mornings watching wildlife.

The script was slightly changed.  The reporter actually wrote something simpler than I originally did.  She improved it.

 

•  If you’re new to writing, a little help goes a long way

 

Obviously, I’m just writing to the video.  Showing and telling what they are doing.  A simple philosophy I always try to have in my writing.  Sometimes the simple things like writing to video is just one of those things that’s not executed very well.

But on Christmas Day.

Here I had a more detailed set up of Lori and Jack watching wildlife.  In the interest of time I condensed it and got right into the story.  When I write a story like this I often feel it’s worth 3 minutes on air to tell.  That’s not realistic.  So, when writing a good story be prepared to make cuts.

A strange sight caught there eye.

I wrote something a little longer, the reporter tightened the story with a few lines.   The reporter and my writing styles are different.  But, we’re both trying to keep it simple

This story is a deer with an arrow in her nose.  We don’t have video of the deer but we do have still pictures.  The question I had for myself was when to reveal the deer.

When Lori’s talking about the deer at [:20] I decided to show a shot of the deer for just a second, but not long enough for your eye to comprehend exactly what’s happened.  I chose a tight shot so as to just reveal the dear and not what’s going on with the deer.

A deer they nick named Miss Doe was clearly suffering.

We are [:29] in to the story.  I’ve revealed her injury.  I felt good that I didn’t drag this moment to far out.

After the track about the Doe suffering the reporter did make some changes I didn’t like.  In the interest of time I decided not to approach the reporter about re-tracking what I had wrote.  Instead I reworked the story.  I utilized soundbites I originally had in the timeline.  

 

• Being the writer and editor can get you out of jams like this
  

 

I show a still picture of the doe again at [:42].  She the story.  But I only have still pictures of her.  The challenge for me in this story was to not over rely on her pictures.  I also wanted to try and make sure I was showing her enough.

Jack and Lori called immediately called the division of wildlife.

You’ll notice when the reporter says Lori I don’t immediately cut to Lori.  On this story here at [:46] and at [:06] I tried to make cuts but the edits didn’t feel right.  They felt rushed.  I was forcing S.W.A.P.  I don’t want to force edits.  Since they are the main people in the story, I didn’t think the viewer wouldn’t understand who they are.  So the edits are where they are for pacing purposes.

Speaking of pacing.  You’ll notice the pacing of this story is very simple.  There’s emotion in this story.  I’m not going to rush it.

At [1:01] Lori get emotional after her soundbite at [1:04] her sound bite ends. I leave her up sniffling for almost 4 seconds.  I never try and cut away from emotion.  

 

• Emotion helps the viewer connect with people in the story

 

I love this shot.  Dave (the photographer) doesn’t try to zoom in.  He stays with the shot just as is.  Good job Dave.

 

• Never ruin and emotional moment with camera movement

 

At [1:28] is this shot.  And behind him are deer.  You don’t really see them unless you’re looking around.  I’m revealing the deer coming to the house subtly. 

My closing shot of the deer leaving.

This part of the story was a little more grand in the original version.  Again, in the interest of time I had to make cuts.  I want to tell a good story.  I also want to make a producer happy so she’ll let me write again for her show.  This story runs [1:52].  It’s a good running time for a story like this.

 

Try writing and editing a story

Don’t be afraid to make cuts

You’re writing will get better over time

You’re storytelling skills will improve with writing

 

This will be my last post until January 20th.  I’m off to my Honeymoon.  Thanks for reading.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 1st, 2009 at 5:16 am Filed under General Assignment and. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.