I.
Lighting Cloudy-bright conditions are ideal
for videotaping an outdoor presentation. Such conditions
allow enough light for the camera, but not so much that
the audience and the presenter suffer under the intensity.
If bright sun is your only option, try to get the audience
and the presenter to face one another so that one has
sun on the left ear, the other on the right ear. In
most cases, you want to avoid forcing the visitors to
face into the light source anyway, so this is common
courtesy. The camera should have the light source (sun,
window, etc.) behind it, so that it is shooting away
from the light toward the subject.In dimly lit areas,
such as interiors of historic structures, try to do
the presentation near a window, with light on the presenter,
not on the audience, or, if you can arrange it, use
the same left-ear/right ear orientation as above. Be
careful not to block the light coming through the window.
Do not place the presenter in front of a window so that
the camera is facing into the light. The camera's auto-exposure
default setting will make for a well-exposed window
but a silhouetted presenter; arty, but not very useful.
Avoid
on-camera video lights if at all possible. Their glare
is horrible, and they introduce a distracting element
to the program.
II.
Sound
What the presenter says on the recording is more important
than how the presenter looks. If the presentation can't
be heard, the tape is useless. If possible, you should
use an earphone or headphones while taping. Think of
earphones as a "viewfinder for sound." Earphones will
tell you if you are picking up the presenter's voice
well or whether background sounds are distracting, or
worse, drowning out the presenter's voice. The cameras
available from Harpers Ferry's AV Depot come with a
single earphone that fits in your ear. Inexpensive "Walkman"-type
headphones also work well, but with a monophonic camera
you will only get the sound in one ear. Plug adapters
that route monaural sound to both sides of a stereo
headset are available in most electronics stores. This
will ensure that you are hearing only (or mostly) the
sound being picked up by the camera's microphone.
Try,
if possible, to avoid windy days or locations with excessive
background noise. If that is not possible, stand as
close to the presenter as you can without distracting
either the presenter or the audience. Use a wind-sock
on the microphone. Some locations such as large rooms
offer poor acoustics, and audio pickup is a challenge;
best to test the audio before you do the real thing.
If you can't avoid noisy conditions, and space or obstacles
prohibit you from getting close enough to the presenter,
the ideal setup is to use a portable clip-on wireless
microphone system. These are available at camera and
video supply stores. Or, to other parks in your cluster
may have a wireless system that you can borrow.
Try
to avoid running a wire from the presenter's microphone
to the camera. This surely points you out as a part
of the park staff and creates a trip hazard as well.
The microphones on most camcorders are moderately unidirectional,
that is, they tend to be most sensitive toward the direction
the camera and the microphone are pointed. It is a good
idea to avoid "looking around" with the camera during
the presentation since the presenter's sound level will
drop when the camera is pointed in another direction.
Using headphones will help you to know when your microphone
has strayed too far.
Realize
that the person closest to the microphone is you. Be
quiet. Coughs, yawns, snickers, whispers, muttered remarks,
all will be captured loudly and clearly on the soundtrack.
III.
Positioning
Get close enough to hear. Try to be no farther
than ten feet from the presenter. You probably can't
hear if you stand in the back of the audience. Use your
earphones to hear if you are close enough. At the same
time, don't spoil the experience for the rest of the
visitors. Use a tripod or monopod if possible.
Try
to position yourself at the front of the audience, but
to the side so that you can videotape both the presenter
and the reactions of the audience. Again, try to stand
with the light source behind you and shining on the
respective cheeks of the audience and the presenter.
IV.
The Video
Be sure to begin taping prior to the program
start, and make certain the camera is recording! Warm
up and questions at the end are not measured as part
of the review. It is not necessary to include these
sections on the tapes you submit, unless they have specific
relevance to the interpretive success of the program.
Test to be certain all is working properly.
While
the focus should be primarily on the presenter, the
camera should at least once (and briefly) pan to the
audience to show who they are, and sample their reactions
to the presentation. When panning, try to rotate your
body at the waist. Moving just your arms will result
in a less-than-steady video. Keep your feet solidly
apart so you don't begin to sway. Wiggle your toes occasionally
to keep the circulation going. If you are going to be
walking while videotaping, it is a very good idea to
have a second person accompany you to ensure that you
don't step into a ravine, bump into a priceless artifact,
or otherwise create chaos. The video should reflect
as accurately as possible the visitor's experience.
The tape should not be edited, but be one continuous
take.
V.
Preparation As the presenter must practice,
so too should the videographer. Make sure that you can
find all of the camera controls you'll need without
looking. Spend some time with practice speakers at the
same or similar locations to where you will be "officially"
shooting. Check the sound quality, the lighting (remember
the sun does move across the sky and will be in a very
different place in the morning than in the afternoon.
Play your practice video back. Listen to it, look at
it. Determine what worked and what didn't.
Read
the instruction manual.
VI.
Conduct
You and the presenter should decide beforehand whether
you should be introduced to the audience. It is best
to have the videographer appear to be just another member
of the audience. Once an audience learns that the video
is being shot for anything even the least bit "official"
it gives them one more distraction that the presenter
doesn't need. If possible, the videographer should dress
as the average visitor does and make every effort to
blend in with the group. If you wear a uniform, you
will become a secondary (or even a primary) target for
the visitors' questions, even before you raise the video
camera to your eye.
VII.
Equipment The tape should be submitted in
full-size VHS format or on a DVD. If the original was
shot on VHS-C or 8mm, it must be copied to full-size
VHS before it is submitted.
Use
good-quality videotape. Avoid the very cheap tapes which
may have weak casings and easily-jammed tape. Anything
around $4.00 per tape should be safe. Be sure your camera's
battery is fully charged before videotaping. Read the
manual's instructions on battery care and charging to
be sure you have enough power to last for entire presentation.
Excellent-quality VHS cameras are available from Harpers
Ferry's Depot system for purchase. If you have no camcorder
on-site, perhaps another park in your cluster will loan
one for the purpose. To make duplicate tapes,
you will need a pair of RCA-plug cables to connect the
camcorder to the VCR. See your instruction manual for
guidance.
Postscript
With the great variety of parks in the system, not every
presentation situation can be covered here. Feel free
to send along any tips for successful videos that you
have developed in your park to the Training Manager
for Interpretation, National Park Service, Mather Training
Center, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. This document will
be updated as helpful suggestions come in.