Create the Story Structure
Lesson 29 from: The Outdoor Enthusiast's Guide to Photography & MotionIan Shive
Create the Story Structure
Lesson 29 from: The Outdoor Enthusiast's Guide to Photography & MotionIan Shive
Lessons
Bootcamp Introduction
06:35 2Storytelling with Stills and Motion Overview
14:35 3Elements of a Well-told Story
22:12 4Storytelling in Motion
34:19 5Choosing the Best Gear for Your Outdoor Project
16:24 6Gear for Drones
02:53 7Gear for Motion
05:23 8Inside Ian's Gear Bag
20:07General Advice for Preparation
14:19 10Virtual Scouting
03:54 11Weather
10:17 12Permits and Permission
03:09 13Model and Property Releases
04:43 14Health and Fitness
03:04 15Checklist
03:20 16Location Scouting Overview
15:18 17Location Scouting in the North Cascades
15:24 18Drone Introduction
14:59 19Drone Safety
03:26 20What Kind of Drone Should I Buy?
02:58 21FAA Part 107 Test: How to Prepare
06:18 22Telling a Story With a Drone
06:15 23Drone Camera, Lenses and Movements
04:34 24Selling Drone Footage
02:39 25Why Does a Photographer Need Motion?
10:59 26Establish the End User
06:35 27Identify Your Audience
03:12 28Build a Production Plan
05:28 29Create the Story Structure
04:26 30The Shooting Script
07:08 31Production Quality
08:37 32Composition for Stills
08:04 33Composition for Stills: Landscape
08:15 34Composition for Stills: Telephoto Lens
14:48 35Composition for Stills: Macro Lens
07:50 36Techniques for Capturing Motion in the Field
25:15 37Lenses and Filters for Outdoor Photography
26:20 38Capturing Landscapes - Part 1
28:12 39Capturing Landscapes - Part 2
23:36 40Capturing Movement in Stills
32:17 41Shooting Water, Sky and Panorama
29:40 42Understanding Stock
20:45 43Editorial vs Commerical
03:57 44Pricing Stock
05:40 45Producing Stock
14:49 46Shooting for Social Media vs Stock
11:37 47Choosing an Agency
08:58 48Assignments and Capturing Stock
13:49 49Stock Photography Market
05:28 50Create A Style Guide
05:30 51Stock Shoot Analysis
21:29 52Workflow for Selecting Final Stills
27:43 53Initial Editing in Adobe Bridge
21:02 54Reviewing and Selecting Motion Footage
11:02 55Keeping Track of Your Story Ideas
22:40 56Script and Story Structure Evolution
04:34 57Editing to the Content
05:00 58Music as a Character
05:41 59Business Diversification
07:07 60Business Strategy
04:57 61Pillars of Revenue
17:09 62Branding
06:36 63Partnerships and Brand Strategy
05:12 64Galleries and Fine Art
03:11 65Budgeting
05:21 66The Future of Photography
26:12 67Q&A And Critique
1:09:39Lesson Info
Create the Story Structure
Generally speaking, I start with a story structure, not a script. Almost always my midway film. I wrote the script on location every day I'd come in at night. I'd write a little down refining when I got back home. Work on it over time. Have maybe a writer come into a polish, something like that. But generally speaking, to start with story structure, I want these few elements. I wanna have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. What do those look like? The introduction is the complexity of the island in the life, the history and nature. The body of this piece is going to be how they're interwoven. And no matter what we think about it, whether we want to preserve history or focus on wildlife, there always going to be interwoven together. And so we need to be able to tell that story and make people realize that both are equally a special, and then the end could be your conclusion. So I usually start with a very simple three act structure. It can grow all the way up to five will show an...
example of this. But midway edge of tomorrow, this is This is my structure in a sentence or two. Right Midway Jaguars A documentary film explores the rich history of the island in the vibrant natural world that is ex there to themes natural world in history. I know when I go there, those are the two things I'm going after natural world in history. I've already begun outline my shoot. The balance of National War Memorial and National Wildlife Refuge makes a story complex and interwoven. How did the to me? So when you think about, like the new generation of flyers, the birds and then the people who flew during World War Two, that's how you interweave it. But at the time, I didn't know that till I got out there and start to see it. But I knew I wanted that complex, interwoven story. And then history and future represent the island, and he can co exist. That's our conclusion. Very simple. Same thing with Rob Krar. You have these runners. It's fast bubble. The entire project was about the Grand Canyon. That's why we were there. That's why our crew was contacted to go out and tell the story for the Sierra Club. But it wasn't just about the Grand Canyon. I wanted a human story, so we had to figure out who's the human wise, the story compelling. And why will people care? And so I articulated that right from the get go, the documentary you may only ever really have an outline and ideas of how you want to film something story itself may not begin to take shape. Do you get to the location to get meeting people in seeing it for yourself? It's a documentary. It's a journalistic approach, having outline be open to change. A lot of documentaries also have a shooting script in an act structure, and I'll show you my act structure in a second, Um, but if you weren't shooting a documentary and a scripted show that the structure completely changes for most nature photographers, documentary spaces most likely avenue, as I just said. So, generally speaking, you know, act structures really do vary. I might have 1/5. Um, I may have something that's actually I may actually break out. Uh, this toe have a something here in the beginning. That's an introduction. A very brief introduction, maybe, is like a 32nd introduction and a 32nd wrap up or conclusion and then actually have well developed acts in the middle. It is is something that can fluctuate. I mean, generally my act structure. This is typically what I would follow for a larger show for something smaller. It probably like 2.5 minutes. I wouldn't go beyond three. I would probably spend 30 seconds introducing it. I spend the bulk of the piece actually digging into the topic. And I'd spend a little bit of time on the way out wrapping things up. Excuse me. Wrapping things up. So this is the structure that I built on this. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it, but this is the next step for me is building out the act structure. And then this also starts to inform the shoot right in depth history. Okay, so we've got a historical component. We know we want to do some interviews. We can start planning that building a schedule turning point of war. We want the Japanese perspective. All I knew was I wanted the Japanese perspective on World War Two. I didn't know I was gonna get there. And ultimately, the way I got there was. There were some remnants and there was ah ah, War Memorial on the island that was incorporated throughout and talked about that. And then we weren't able to actually interview any people who were still there from Japan. But I was able to ask the other veterans about the Japanese perspective and get that make that part of it. But I had to begin here. I knew this was something I wanted, so I just banked it. Didn't get it to near the end of the shoot. 18 months later, 16 months later. Transition. How do you show that transition? How do you show the future? So building these acts really sets me up for figuring things out.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
monica4
Ian was an amazing instructor.; very fun, enthusiastic, encouraging, and comprehensive. I hope to be able to return as an audience member for another of his classes. It is a privilege and a gift to have access via Creative Live to such a wealth of expertise. Thank you!
Cindy
What a great class this has been. Thank you Ian Shive and Creative Live! Recently retired, I have set out to learn everything I can about photography and pursue this passion to capture the beauty in the outdoors. Creative Live has served as an amazing educational platform to help me learn everything from how to use my camera, the fundamental technicals, and learn about software and tools. This class brought it all together. At the end of this class my approach to photography and my images are different. Ian shares so much valuable knowledge that will change the way you go about taking a picture; from scouting a location, to thinking through the story and adding elements to an image to evoke an emotional response. My personal growth has been significant and I have changed to the way I approach creating an image from an Outdoor Landscape to an Outdoor Experience. Loved every minute of it, sad the class is over.
Cindee Still
Ian Shive is a dynamic speaker with a wealth of knowledge he is willing to share. He has had a magical path that led to his success. He touches on so many aspects of making, selling and creating images as well as how to market them and make an income from your work. It is so much fun to be part of the studio audience. The Creative Live staff are always so warm and friendly and they feed you like your on a cruise ship! Wonderful experience.