1 Project Start | Introduction | Get Topic Approved |
2 Pre-Production | Organize | Google Doc | Approval |
3 Production | Interviews | B-Roll |
4 Post-Production | Organize | Sound Bites | Transcript |
Reporter Track | Complete the Script | Voice-Over | Stand-Up |
| Graphics | Final Edit |
5 Distribution| Export | Promotion |
In addition to recording interviews for your news story, you need video clips to use for b-roll footage. B-roll is video that will appear when you, the reporter, are speaking. Depending upon the story topic you have chosen the type and source of the clips will vary. Remember that video is always preferred. When creating video clips with a phone or other camera, record in 1080HD landscape mode.
Gathering B-Roll
Family Shelter-in-Place
Use a phone to record video of your story subjects while they are at home during the pandemic. Also ask them to help you gather photos or video clips of what their life was like before the pandemic.
For family members talking about activities outside your home, ask them to record short video clips to represent what they do.
Video is preferred, but still images may be used, if absolutely necessary. However, still images will require more work for you during your story’s editing stage.
Family History
This story will include past life events, such as growing up, employment history, and raising a family. If video exists, use it. Most likely still images will be the only choice. They may be used to tell the story, but they will require more work for you during your story’s editing stage.
Many family history photos will be physical prints. Make sure you take high quality photos of them. A scanner app will help.
To show current activities of your story subject, use a phone to record video examples.
Education Changes
You should record representative clips of zoom meetings, and take screen captures of online assignments and tutorials.
Ask each of the people you interview to find someone they live with who can use a phone to record video clips of them showing their distance learning activities. Remind them to use the phone’s highest quality video settings and use landscape (wider than tall) mode.
Organizing B-Roll
Create a folder within your news story Google Drive folder and name it B-Roll.
For all video clips and still images created by someone else, make sure they send you the highest quality version available.
As you place items in your B-Roll folder, rename them to something that clearly describes what they are. For example: img-9374.mp4 may be a video of a student working at home in during a zoom meeting. This could be renamed george-in-class.mp4 (if the student is named george.)
Remember: whenever you rename a file your must keep the original file extension. There are many file extensions including .mov .mp4 .jpg .png and they all start with a period.