This document provides an overview of the process for creating a video news package from start to finish. It discusses pre-production steps like developing a story pitch sheet and finding story ideas. Production steps include gathering B-roll footage and conducting interviews with open-ended questions. Post-production involves basic editing techniques like cutting together different shots of B-roll and critiquing finished videos as a class before publishing online and sharing on social media. The overall goal is to teach students how to produce video news packages that tell stories with video, audio, and editing.

1. Video News Package
Start to finish
Don Goble
Ladue Horton Watkins
High School
St. Louis, MO
dgoble@ladueschools.net
@dgoble2001
2844

2. Voice of the Cardinals
HTTP://BIT.LY/QFXE8R

3. Goals for the Session
Build a system through common language
Teach you new ideas or validate what you
are already doing
Presentation will be uploaded to my
SlideShare account for review & apply
http://www.slideshare.net/dgoble

4. Pre-production
Story Pitch Sheet
Set a an air date for your show or story
(even if online)
Set deadlines (mid & final)

5. Pre-production - Pitch Sheet

6. Pre-production
Find story ideas
• Keep your eyes and ears open; listen to what your
friends are talking about.
• Read everything you can get your hands on; get story
ideas from other newspapers and magazines.
• Think of a youth angle to a current news story.
• Research a subject that interests you ask yourself what
you would like to know more about.
• Talk to people in a specific field to find out what is
important to them.

7. Pre-production
News gathering
• Begin collecting articles on your subject.
• Talk to friends and associates about the subject.
• Contact any agencies or associations with interest or
professional knowledge in the area.
• Create a list of people you want to interview; cover
both sides of the story by interviewing people on both
sides of the issue.
• Collect government statistics and reports on the
subject get old press releases or reports to use as
background.

8. Pre-production
Class meeting
• Contacts
• Production Schedule
• 5 W’s & H
• “Must-Have’s”
• Review the Video Checklist!

9. Production
Basic Video Production
Location, Location, Location! Videotaping the BRoll AND
interview in the actual environment of your subject is key.
Start your video with NAT Sound and BROLL. Therefore, look
for great NAT Sound and BROLL opportunities on the shoot.
NAT sound is ambient sound that adds to story.
BRoll is supporting video footage of your interview = “Say
it....SHOW it!”
Begin recording any interview with, “Say your name and spell
it.”
Get wide, medium and tight of every single shot, at least 10
seconds from each distance. (Tips for better shooting)

10. Production
Make subjects stand at least 3-8 feet from the backdrop
if possible. (Depth of field)
Establishing shot.(WS or XWS) Get one. Don’t assume
viewers know where you are or what you’re talking
about.
Make sure ANYONE you interview, is also included in at
least a few shots of your BROLL footage.
Light goes behind the camera; don’t leave your subjects
in the dark. (3-point lighting techniques)

11. Interview
Make it a CONVERSATION, not a Q&A interview
Tell me about......
Open-ended questions
Listening is most important - veer off your “list”
“Anything else you would like to add....”

12. Production
Look nice on camera. Dress Professional.
Test your equipment BEFORE you leave for the
shoot.
Check your AUDIO levels on the camera and the mic if
needed.
Always use MANUAL focus on the camera - zoom in
on your subject, set the focus and slowly zoom out.
Always shoot with editing in mind.
Every Action = 1 or 2 Reactions

13. Production
And remember, if there is a technical problem, it is
probably YOU!
The camera is not broken.
The microphone and tripod DO work.
99% of all technical problems are user related. Know
how to troubleshoot/operate your equipment!

14. Post-production
Basic editing techniques
• Edit at LEAST 3 different shots of BRoll together in a
series
• Don’t put 2 of the same CAM angles back to back (MS-
MS or WS-WS or CU-CU)
◦ 3-5 seconds long for each shot.
◦ Show a sequence – WS-MS-CU, or MS-CU-WS, or
CU-WS-MS
■ WS = wide shot
■ MS = medium shot
■ CU = close up (Tight shot)

15. Post-production
■ Editing Sequence

16. Post-production
■Watch & Critique as a class
■2 columns: + -
■Celebrate the + but you get
better by improving the -
■Conference individually

17. Post-production
■Publish to SchoolTube,YouTube or
Vimeo
■Embed in student portfolio/blog site -
Weebly/Wordpress
■Social Media - Twitter, Facebook,
Tumblr.

18. Post-production
■Share web links with entire school &
world!

19. SCHOOL ORGANIZATION PACKAGE EXAMPLE

20. Q&A
Don Goble
Ladue Horton Watkins High
School
St. Louis, MO
dgoble@ladueschools.net
@dgoble2001
Evaluation - 2844