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Videos often call for "sequences" which basically means a series of events shot in order. I had two shoots that called for sequences last week: one was for narrative purposes (telling a story) and the other was for an instructional video where it was very important to show how to use a product step by step.
If you're a newbie, shooting a sequence can be tricky. You may think you're shooting everything correctly, but once you get to editing the mistakes reveal themselves. Keep in mind:
Switch Up the Focal Lengths
The focal length is how wide or tight the shot is on the subject. A wide shot may show an entire room, while a tight shot would show just a person's face. Let's say you're shooting a person checking out at the supermarket. You may want a wide shot of the of checkout lane that includes the belt, the cashier and the customer. The natural sequence includes the items on the belt, the customer swiping their credit card etc. Shoot the action several times, first staying wide, then zooming in closer to catch the smaller details.
Use Lots of Angles...
You can make any project look bigger budget by shooting sequences from different angles. It makes it appear like you had two or three cameras on set even though you had just one. Obviously, this takes more time and effort but it's well worth it in the end. Also, the more angles, the more fast paced and visually interesting the sequence will feel when you cut it together.
...but Don't Break the Axis!
Breaking the axis is the easiest misstep to make when shooting and you likely don't realize you've done it until it's too late: in editing. There's a mathematical calculation to it, but basically breaking the axis is shooting from a second angle that just feels wrong when the sequence is cut together.
Let's say you're shooting two people talking, a man and a woman; they're facing each other and you're perpendicular to them so you're shooting each of them in profile. The man is to your left and the woman is to your right. Picture it? Ok. You need to stay on that side of the couple so you don't break the axis. You can move left or right at different angles as long as the man is always on your left and the woman is always on your right. If you cross the axis to the other side so she's on the left and he's on the right, it's disorienting to the viewer.
Make a Match
A great sequence needs "matched actions". That means that the action is performed exactly the same way from every angle and focal length. Think back to that supermarket scene. Every time the customer swipes her credit card, she needs to do it with the same hand. The food needs to be on the belt in the same order. If you're shooting you've got your hands full, so it's best to enlist someone else to be in charge of double checking these details. Personally, I like to ask the one of the clients to take on this responsibility if the crew has their hands full. It's a genuinely important job that doesn't take technical skill and it makes them feel very involved.
Both of the sequences I shot last week will be up for you to view in the near future. I look forward to sharing them with you!
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