Have you heard the wounds from a friend are better than kisses from an enemy? It’s a proverb. Variations exist but the meaning is friends are likely to tell you the truth because they care about your well-being whereas enemies will flatter you to ruin you.
In business school, best practices include doing a post-mortem. This is a briefing of what went right, what went wrong and what are the opportunities for improvement for next time.
Here is a post-mortem that our Editor-in-Chief Renee Marchol shared with the team as SGL Media. Why? Because our editorial team believes in being in the creative trenches with our readers: we wouldn’t ask our readers to do what we are unwilling to do ourselves. In other words, if we ask our followers to consider independent digital shorts production we will also DIY along with you.
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| Photo Credit: Peninsula Personalities Production Ted & Kim at Royal Pin Donuts in South San Francisco |
Consider “Peninsula Personalities Starring Ted” a video production business case. Think of the answers below as a behind-the-scenes interview with the producer.
Our friends asked the following at a focus group:
To give setting in the briefest way possible. Where is the Peninsula? It is a region in Northern California that includes Silicon Valley and stretches to the San Francisco Bay Area. What is distinct about the region? Technology innovation on the streets. The self-driving Google car is a common sight. This gives a sense of place and time outside of the donut shop.
He is a naturally funny guy and viewers see him with his friends in this slice of life video. He is cracking jokes and in turn his friends tease him. He balances the poignant with the light-hearted in a narrative less than 2 minutes long.
Why is the audio so quiet?
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| Photo Credit: Producer Renee Marchol Audacity Low Audio |
Because I used a camera mounted microphone and I was too shy for my first student video documentary project to step in much closer with a handheld camera. This is fair feedback. As a producer, I had many other options. I could have hired a camera operator to capture audio from a second camera who would be comfortable within 6 “ of the interviewee’s mouth. I did not have the confidence yet to Gaffer tape a length of cable leading from a lapel microphone to a camera on a tripod. Now that I’ve learned that lesson, audio will be better for future indoor interviews.
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| Photo Credit: Producer Renee Marchol Improved Audio Capture |
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| Photo Credit: Peninsula Personalities Production Firefighter Jim |
This was a non-commercial documentary focusing on the narrative of how someone in the setting of the busy Peninsula could slow down and have meaningful interactions with neighbors. This educational project gives credit to the location but cannot advertise for the business as per agreement with the class.
Producer’s Extras
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| Photo Credit: Peninsula Personalities Production Airline Evacuation Safety Instructor Verne |
Though Renee received talent waivers also from Ted’s friends Jim (also named Jim but not Kim’s spouse) and Verne, their still photos did not make the final edit because the stills did not fit this narrative. At a later date, it would be fun to get funding to feature a video essay with Jim and Verne, retired firefighter and current airline safety drill instructor respectively. Jim also carries a prank California photo I.D. identifying himself as Dean Martin.
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| Photo Credit: Dean Martin via Pinterest Firefigher Jim’s alias |
Comment below for some of your fave YouTube digital film tutorials. So far, our staff likes watching IndyMogul, TheMeejahChannel and Flula.