Lighting 101 

Lighting is the foundation of a good video.

Without good lighting, we cannot see our subject and hence, their reviews are pretty much lost. When shooting dark skinned people, you will need to diffuse the light so it doesn't bounce off their skin.  

How do you know if the light is too much or too little? Check how the skin tone shows up on your video. If it’s washed out, then you are probably having too much light on your subject. If one side is light and the other is dark, you need to add light to the dark side. 

• If you want to learn how to properly use 3-point lighting, here is an excellent tutorial from Full Sail University. 

• Now, did that scare the pants off of you!? A bit too complicated? Yup, I felt that way as well. Next, take a look at this video, also from Full Sail University, but this one tells you how to get 3 point lighting at home for cheap! 

Ok, feeling better. I thought so. 

• Here is one last take on how to light your videos. 

• How about tackling some challenging situations. 

Now that you've got the basic 3-point lighting concept in mind, let's talk about challenging situations. You want to make your KIDS FIRST! reporter look as good as possible. Do you ever look at the various videos you have shot of him or her and notice that they're all the same quality? Here's a link to a site that addresses what to do with situations of varying skin tones, hair color, glasses, etc. 

http://www.videomaker.com/article/c13/8315-lighting-faces-with-better-video-results

• My last recommendation addresses creating a Green Screen at home. 

You'll notice that many of our more experience reporters are using a green screen so they can throw up images from the films they are reviewing on the wall behind them. It's not as difficult as you might think it is and, entirely possible to recreate at home. Here's a link to an article that gives you step by step instructions on how to do it. 

http://www.videomaker.com/article/f04/17142-create-a-youtube-studio-in-your-room 

• Next, here is a young man showing you how to make a green screen and how to use it. 

• And last, here's a gent telling you how to use IMovie with Yosemite to make your green screen video. 

Weekly Tip #14

This week’s tip... Checklist for attending Red Carpet and Press Junket Events.

Here is a checklist of items needed for any Red Carpet and Press Junket Events:

• Print email confirmation or have available on cell phone

• Directions (GPS) to event

• Contact information for your event contact

• Fully charged Cell phone

• Camera / camcorder

• Charged battery pack for Camcorder

• Hand held Microphone

• Cords for microphone

• Questions for talent (your child creates these)

• Tripod or Monopod

• Dress Appropriately

• Intro – Tape when you arrive

• Outro – Tape when you arrive

• Background footage

• Still picture & send it in a quick text to Ms. Ranny

• Comb / Brush (Bobbi Pins for Girls)

• Safety Pins

• Makeup – very small amount for the older kids

• Hand sanitizer

• Small sewing kit

• For press junket and you are having an actual sit down interview, please inquire on how you will get footage from the event coordinator.

Hope this helps.

Faith

Weekly Tip #13

This week’s tip... Radio Show Questions:

Below is a list of the most commonly asked questions on the weekly radio show.  It’s not a complete list, but a guideline that your child should become familiar with.  With any questions that are asked, please have them elaborate on the answer and why they feel that way.  Sometimes the interviewer feeds off of the interviewee answers and asks additional questions on that topic. In addition, have them listen to a show that’s previously recorded.

Most commonly asked question on the weekly radio show:

• What’s the film about, plot line.
• Overall Production
• How you genuinely feel about the film
• Who the Actors/Talent’s are and their acting performances
• How is the voice over acting.
• Directors/Writers
• Make up
• Time periods
• Musical Score
• Messages/Lessons
• Cinematography
• Animation
• Who you would recommend this film to
• Rated
• Stars (always out of 5 stars)
• Age Range
• Set location
• Favorite Character
• Favorite Scene
• Anything else you would add/take away
• Genre
• If you could be any character, who and why

Hope this helps.

Faith

Weekly Tip #12

Hello

This week’s tip... Help make your child videos the best they can be.

Brianna was just added to the cast of another TV show.  The casting director wanted her to submit a demo reel or a monologue of her choice so they can see her in action.  I had nether that was update.  What does a mom do right?  Well I submitted her review of The Longest Ride video for KIDS FIRST! and she was cast.  They loved it.

Video auditions are the best.  They save time and money.  This is the 4th project Brianna was able to get based off of her video reviews for KIDS FIRST!  I say all of this so that you can help your child make their videos the best they can be.

Here are some things that I make sure Brianna's video include:

·         Great lighting - always doing a white balance check to capture what the lighting should be.

·         Steady Camera - Tripod.

·         Uncluttered and nice background- Personalize it, but not busy.

·         Good clear quality. 

·         Great hair, wardrobe. Not busy.

·         Practices like crazy.  

·         Having fun – she actually looks like she enjoys reporting on the film.

·         Lots of smiles - Always starting and ending video with a nice smile.

·         Looking straight into the camera.

·         If she needs help with a queue word, quickly glancing over at it.  Not reading her script.

·         Her video is in one take.

Hope this helps.

Take Care,

Faith

Weekly Tip #11

This weeks tip... Genre

Genre:  A category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. Pronounced "zhawn-ruh,"

Understanding film genres is really important.  It helps people be honest.  There are tons of genres our film critics see on a daily basis.  Below is a small list but is definitely useful when added to their oral/written reviews.  I’m sure a lot of screenwriters out there all want to write a great script where we can understand the genre and they meet our expectations.  Help your child understand these genres:

• Action
• Adventure
• Animated
• Children
• Comedy
• Documentary
• Drama
• Family
• Musical
• Mystery/Suspense
• Romance
• Science Fiction
• Sports
• Supernatural
• Thriller
• Western

Hope this helps.

Take Care,

Faith

Weekly Tip #10

This week tip... Help your child make their videos the best they can be.

When Brianna started with KIDS FIRST! Ranny instructed the kids, while in training, to make their videos the best they can be. Each video is like an audition.  You can get a following and the studios may request specific critics to attend events. Brianna took this to heart and of course wanted to do everything she could to make them the best.  She focused on content, style, memorization, practice, excitement, eye contact to camera and so much more.  I focused on lighting, wardrobe, hair, camera angle and etc.  Not always getting it 100% right, but trying to improve on each video.

From these video's, Brianna was afforded the below amazing opportunities/experiences:

• Warner Brothers flew us to Dallas, Texas to interview Keven Durant, Jim Belushi and other stars from the film Thunderstruck.  We stayed in a 5 star hotel, went to the pre-screening and had an amazing time.

• Brianna appeared on the nationally syndicated morning show, The Daily Buzz. She was interviewed about the film, Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs Two.

• Brianna booked three paying acting jobs.  I sent her best videos to casting directors and from these videos, she booked the job.  1) Exhibit for the Fire Museum in South Carolina - I was told that this will air for at least 10 years. . 2) 24 Flix.  She is also a reporter for them, where she has already taped a commercial and presented an award at the International Christian Film Festival. 3) A summer TV show where she filmed about 7 episodes as a Kid Chef on "The Outsider's Club". It's airing this summer.

• Sony Entertainment also requested and we had to sign a release for them to use Brianna's review quote for their DVD Release of Mom's Night Out.  So on every DVD of this film, Brianna's quote is on the back representing KIDS FIRST!

I would have never thought all of this would have happened from her videos.  Brianna loves being a film critic and all the opportunities she has.  Ranny has coached her along the way and is still coaching her and we are so very thankful to her and her staff.

I let Brianna go at her own pace and never tell her she is going to do a specific assignment.  I ask if she is up to it and can commit to the deadline prior to giving an answer to Ranny.  I don't want to overwhelm or pressure her.  Whatever dead line she has, we try to make our deadline one day earlier to avoid the last minute rush.

I hope this helps.

 Faith

Here's our new clip reel of our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics. 

Enjoy a little sneak peek at some of our most recent reviews and interviews. 

Tks,

Ranny