COMPOSITION - HOW TO COMPOSE YOUR VISUAL

Hi everyone,

I shoot a lot of interviews for the web & wanted to pass on some tips.

The word “composition” is misdefined in most dictionaries in that these definitions
usually state it is a thing in itself.  But composition cannot exist independently of a message.

Composition:  Any or all of the actions necessary to integrate and give
meaning to a message.

And I have gone further in handling it than the many text books with their infinity of rules for composition, some of them valid, many of them false and misleading.  I have the WHY that one should compose properly, and that is:  to make a scene or picture INTEGRATE rather than disperse.  That is why one uses color harmony, geometric design, mood lines, center of interest and other such tools.

Creating a dvd as a type of an interview,, framing and background, depth of your home, outdoors or office environment would be great for future generations…always make 2 masters; one to store away for safekeeping.

A standard composition in interview videos are the person's eyes should be placed on the top third horizontal line of the picture.  The size of the person's face is also important.  Leave about an inch of space above the head and frame the bottom at the chest or just below the shoulder area.  Place the subject more to the left or right so you have room for logo's and graphics in post.  Fade out the background a bit so the audience focuses on the speaker yet the background integrates with the topic.

Lighting and Sound and care of camera are other topics i can post later.  Anyone that needs help on film or videos can write to me and i will help as much as i can.

Know your camera and film and lighting by drilling before an actual shoot.  preconceive the picture you are going to shoot; reducing the lag of seeing it and shooting when you are ready.  Some major thoughts take no more than two or three seconds before they are gone so this helps when filming and creating a comfort zone with the talent.
Kathy