How to make a How to video

As we continue to explore the intricacies of filmmaking and video production, an important element to learn well is Continuity. Continuity is the practice of ensuring that visual and narrative details remain consistent from one shot to the next. It’s what prevents videos from looking or feeling jarring or clunky. A type of video that requires continuity are How-To Videos. Creating a How-To Video involves meticulous planning and forward thinking as it can include multiple angles as well as shots to capture the instructions accurately. As I investigate the layers of continuity this week, my primary goal is to create my own how-to video. 

READING & WRITING:  

Chapters Three and Four of The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video covers the primary topics of Basic Sequence and Screen Direction.

A couple of key points I learned from Chapter Three were:

•  It is a lot easier to look at six different images in 30 secs than one single image for the same time
• Each type of shot can be used for a specific action that you’d like to showcase
  • For example: a cutaway can easily serve as an enhancement to mention what the speaker is talking about
• Each new shot should involve a change in both image size and camera angle

A key cut that I realized I’d become accustomed to were Jump cuts. On Youtube, I realized that jump cuts were extremely popular and although it looks a bit jarring, I’m willing to ignore it because of the faster relay in information I get from the immediate cuts. Another aspect I learned this week was Screen Direction: the direction people and things face when viewed through the camera. The book had excellent graphics showcasing the Dos and Do Nots of setting up a shot. Having an incorrect shot can confuse the viewers if the subject is facing the opposite direction or if the camera is setup across the axis of action. 

RESEARCH:

• I specifically chose this video to highlight because I thought how it was interesting to see that although this film was strictly created within the game of Minecraft. It still follows a lot of the same filmmaking principles that are included in many great filmworks. There is a great scene at 50:08 where the creator does a great job in incorporating cinematic clips as well as footage from the livestream of when it happened to showcase everything that happened. In this scene, one character setup a trap to take out multiple members of the community and it showcases a pan down from the trap that was setup to the triggering of it. 

• This clip between Walter White and Gustavo Fring does an excellent job in showing smooth continuity. The scene takes place within a fast food restaurant and includes a variety of different shots. I particularly like the variations between Wide shots, Close ups, and Medium Shots. The producers also made sure to not break the 180 degree rule to ensure continuity. Although the scene seems simple: a conversation between two individuals at a table. This scene is makes it so much more with its variation in shots. 

• Preserving continuity in live events seems extremely difficult. This Netflix series mixes post-match interviews of the participants with live footage of the competition. Cutting back and forth to entertain the audience while also involving many close-ups + wideshots they took during the competition. With this sort of show, they must have multiple cameras setup and focused on all participants to ensure that they have enough footage that video editors are able to use since they can only record the competition once. 

CREATE

For my How-To Video, I chose to focus on a hobby that I felt would be interesting to film. I love baking sourdough bread. It started off as a small passion of mine earlier this year when I woke up with this obsession to bake a piece of bread. At first, I started with a bread maker but eventually worked my way up to making sourdough (a bit more complicated). 

To film an entire sourdough video from start to finish would be difficult in a week so I chose to focus on the specific process of feeding a sourdough starter. Since sourdough starter is  living and active, it needs feeding every week or so to maintain. There are a lot of specificities that need to be addressed when feeding a sourdough such as what temp you are keeping the starter at, what ratio of water, flour, and starter to keep as well as when to know it’s ready to use. 

For the video, I began brainstorming and storyboarding different aspects of the videos. Envisioning what shots I wanted to include, what details and questions I wanted to focus on and answer for this video as well as any additional tips to revive a starter. Hopefully, this video will serve as a guidebook that isn’t too intensive but will give watchers the essential know-how to take care of your own starter. 

During the production phase of this video, I had to film the same action multiple times to capture the angles and match cut certain actions due to the limited camera equipment I had. In order to display some continuity, I had to prepare which actions I wanted to highlight with a different view and edit it in production so the video would flow smoothly.

Learn how to prepare your sourdough starter by viewing my entire how-to video below, hope you enjoy!!