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Shaping the Story

Lesson 14 from: iPhone Filmmaking: From Shoot Through Edit

Cielo de la Paz

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Lesson Info

14. Shaping the Story

With the parts selected, arrange those clips into a storyline. Work with the video app to build a timeline. Learn to build a story arch, to arrange video clips inside the editing software, and more.

Lesson Info

Shaping the Story

after we have included in all of the good bits from the aero we've dropped it in. We weren't paying attention to the order, remember, Now is the time we shape the story. So we have all the parts, not a matter of kind of arranging it. So it's time to think about which parts to really include. And then what is the order that makes sense for the story? Um and then lastly, consider what is the most impactful way to tell the story. So this is where I'm going to contradict what I said earlier. Um, just a little bit and it's that. Okay, we all know we've got really horrible attention spans these days. And the 1st 10 seconds I believe of video are very important. If you don't captivate your audience within the 1st 10 seconds, um, your video would probably won't be watched. It will be a shame you put all this effort into it and so on. So what I do is yes. I consider the story, and I consider the story arc. But I also consider what is going to keep the audience engaged, especially the very first...

few seconds. What is going to get them interested in watching more. So that's what the last part is. What? What can I do to the story so that it's super interesting from the very beginning? Um, OK, so now let's go back to the story. Right? So when we did the interview, um, these were the snippets that I dropped into the April. I don't wanna make you watch all 10 minutes of it, but these were the parts that I pulled out. So the first part was I pulled out the part where they talked about why they began their own agency on. Then I pulled out the parts that talked about their struggles and then their success. So when they're talking about their clients who their clients were, So I pulled that out and then their childhood influences. So Flom had mentioned she grew up in Paris. So I pulled out those bits. And then finally, I pulled out the parts that showed their portfolio worker when they talked about their portfolio will work because that was really important so that it wasn't in any specific order. So what's next then, is to think about that story arc that we talked about in the very beginning, right? So how did those five things map out to the story arc? And this will influence the order in which you police the's sound bites. The 1st 1 their childhood influences, who were so remember we're doing the, you know, the old world and the New World to the old World. Started with you know, who they were, a Z kids or what influenced them in the next one. Why they decided to begin their own agency, right? So that's kind of the desire or conflict line. And then what were their struggles? And then their portfolio work, which is the climactic event that they were getting all these amazing clients and then finally showing that they're happy? Happy ending doesn't always have to be happy ending. Right. But in this case, luckily, iwas um, so given that that was what I was working with, like, Okay, have all these snippets and the way the interview work. So the whole 30 minutes, some things were out of order. Um, So I then went into the edit, and I started rearranging things based on the story arc. Cool. All right, so let's go into shaping the story, uh, somewhere here. All right. Okay. Um, so I will just I won't make us watch. It's like what? I got it down to five minutes. Um, so I remember when I said Let's shape the story. So you'll see here. There are some things before them actually talking about how they started. So let me play. Let us to start our own agency and nonfiction was we worked around in the studio environment. I started with that. They they worked this part where they're kind of introducing, um, who they are and why they started. And you'll see, So it's a little bit out of order. And then the beginning here I put in some B roll of the room, added that in because I thought it was a good introduction into who they were kind of a good Segway into that interview. But then you'll see here. This has nothing to do with the story. But I wanted to include this part right away so that you know that this video is about to them, and it's always good to see who the characters are right away. So that's why I moved this. So this is slightly breaking out of the story are because we are editing for engagement the very beginning. And then as we go through, you'll see I do follow closely that story arc. So for this part, you'll see, because the first few seconds matter, Um, I edited this and hold it music I, um And then? And then that last part was showing their logo. So their branding that was a placeholder because I didn't have their logo just yet at that point, this point in time, Um, so then, eh? So you can see how I edited for engagement and very beginning. And then I went into, um, introducing them to the different rooms that they had. So just you get a feel for the agency and hopefully, but this time for you don't know them. This will pique your curiosity, and you'll be like, Oh, what are all these routes? What? What's it all used for? Why they're so many pipe of a, um And then it goes into, um to them talking about who there are, and then why they started. So then the sea, I break it out to here. So here's where I put markers. And so I know because a lot of this footage kind of looks the same. So I threw in a title here to tell my signal to myself that okay, from here to the next title anyway, is the segment on their childhood influences. Um, so then this is where that story arc really truly begins. So I have I think I have some talking about her time in Paris. I was born in Paris on I lived there for about years of my life. And what's great about being born and growing up in Paris is that you are exposed to the world of luxury. But I knew about brands and I knew about that's when so that's a childhood influences. And I think Martus history really started out in Illinois in a town called Champagne Abandoned College Town. And my father is a contractor, and one of the interesting things about that is, you know, I was pouring concrete foundations with my father, you know, hopefully that wasn't child labor, but at the age of so you can see, the very beginning was for engagement. And then I had a segment of them introducing who they were so you're not confused. Like, what is this video about? And finally I go into the story arc. So now we're into them, their childhood influences. So that was that whole segment. And then I go into their struggle of struggles. So the journey. So there's that. So then I go into, you know, with the crying or not. What made this question? What would going out and start their own studio certainly start up costs? That's a big investment for any company. But I also think that as your our clients aren't quick turn clients, they buy a product. We move on their clients that make a commitment for several months at a time. So there a few more segments of them talking about the struggles of starting a small business of starting as a design agency in a place where you know it's so competitive. San Francisco's a ton of talented design agencies, so that's that's that part. And then the last part, um, uh, talks about, you know, kind of getting into their starting their success. You know what? Who were the clients that they were landing? What projects were were they, um, getting and that kind of narrative. So now went from childhood to struggle to getting kind of to that climactic event. And unfortunately, in this case, there wasn't like, you know, this dramatic, like, one time moments climactic event. It was just kind of a slow discovery of Yes, this is working because we're getting more clients and, you know, So there wasn't that one moment, unfortunately, but I did include the parts where they they start talking about their successes, that was gonna lead to the end. So then this just talks about. So here's where Martus think lists out some of their clients rarely worked with, you know, Intel and large tech and Facebook. And, um, the house of Marley we've worked with, you know, Plantronics Comcast. So we've worked out a lot of large scale companies, but then being in the Bay Area, we worked with a lot of companies that you may not have heard off, or you're gonna quickly here up as Halo Neuroscience. They're making a big dent. They've only been around for a handful of years now, but they're really setting pace in this sort of pro Sumer neurosurgeon. You elation area that's exploding. Right now we're having a kind of fun with then. So you see, then Now the story is taking a little more shape. Um, it sounds like that was a fast process. But it and what I actually do sometimes is I will save two versions. So that, um, for this one say, Okay, I think this is a good order, but I will make a copy, and we'll show you to do that. So tap here and this icon here, the plus it's you're making a copy, and then with the copy, I sometimes we'll do a different arrangement, especially would some of the sound bites and then listen to what makes the most sense for the story? So, um, don't be afraid to try a couple of different versions up so that you have the best story possible. Um, I think that's it for that part. So they could go back. Um, for this part, I like to emphasize to spend some time on it. This is this is the story. This is what is, um, you know, this is the basis the foundation of everything else when we drop in. B roll is all to support this story. So spent some time on it. I put a chunk of my work in organizing and creating that story. And then what I also do. It's like writing an essay. Um, you write it. You just kind of like, just get all the words and then you come back and then you'll find that you have edits to make and you'll find that, Oh, why did I include that, which often happens with me as I go? I didn't That part doesn't need to be in there. And so I I highly recommend doing the edit to do a couple of different versions and then walking away, sleep on it. If you can afford that time, come back, then you'll be refreshed and you'll have a much newer perspective. Okay, so were there any questions on that? Yes, a certain studio. And we've got questions coming in from the folks at home, but we'll see if we have time for them. How long did that take you? That's a good question. I think a few hours. It was a couple of hours, I would say, because I was listening to Or just a rearranging part. Oh, yes, One question to France's right, Yeah, My initial question was like, How long are in my mind? Uh, how long did it take you? From the time you can. They contacted you to the time you're able to deliver the final product. The final. Oh, from shoot from the actual when we were in the studio at their place and then to the final shooting is a week. Um, yeah. And it was mostly Yeah, it was about you as like, a week. So the shoot happened in a day. Um, and then the editing probably took me a couple of days, cause A I wanted to walk away, sleep on I walk away. And then I finished the next day. Yeah, so I'd say few hours for that part where I was just doing the culling of the footage and dropping in the April and arranging the story that took probably the most of my time. So that took out of no, like, 23 hours to just brie rage things. You do any voiceover? Great. T up to the next video there. Two videos. Yes, I do do some voiceovers. And this one I did end up music's and voice over. Um, all of the participants in the video seemed really coherent. And they have their thoughts together. But is there an instant instance where maybe they have, like, an idea? But then you have to, like, kind of cut the start to the finish, to really combine the idea and make it. Yeah, yeah. Um, so yes, sometimes there towards end. This happens a lot when you're interviewing people, they finally get comfortable and you're actually done interviewing eso. There are few things in the end that were great, and I wanted to include it. So I cut out some of that, and I put it in the beginning. So yes, there are. There are additional thoughts that I thought were great and wanted to include, especially as part of the struggles that wasn't coming out initially. That came out that So I did a piece a few things together. Yeah, and then you cover a bureau which will go into

Ratings and Reviews

Chrystelle Hadjikakou
 

Being a beginner in all things video, watching this live class left me excited to try out a lot of things on my iPhone, not to mention I learned loads. Cielo showed us the full process from shot listing to gear to preparing the shoot and then shooting and editing, which was very enlightening, also I want to thank the people who were on the chat, because sharing tips and tricks was great too! Thank you for the awesome work!

Linda
 

This class was great! Cielo offered really good information. It was probably more than I needed since I am a beginner, but it inspired me to try and use it for the simple reasons I took the course. But it also showed me what is possible and how I can eventually upgrade what I am doing. It's good for people who are really into photography and telling the story of entrepreneurs (which is so important these days) can use their photography skills to help business owners stand out whether it's your side hustle or main career.

Chaya Emily Baumbach
 

Cielo is a gifted lecturer who explains iPhone filmmaking clearly, easily and in a fun way. I love the way she explains the steps in making videos on our smartphones, along with equipment and app recommendations. So glad I purchased this class as it is immensely helpful to me, a newbie.

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