RE: Demo camera

[Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

I used to have a job where I helped film videos for
training computer field repair techs. There are some
cases where having a first-person POV is useful but
many where it is not. It demands a lot of thought in
scripting and production.

No matter where you try to position a head camera,
there's always going to be at least a little bit of
parallax. What you see will never be exactly what the
camera or the viewer sees. Because of that, many times
you will have to do things in a slightly different way
in order to ensure the camera gets the shot. It can be
something as simple as having to hold your hands in a
slightly different position from how you normally
would have them, to changing the order in which you
work. It often requires you to perform extra shots
that require you to build normally-not-done actions
into the script. You have to think about the sequence
even more carefully.

For example, suppose there is a flange over a nut you
want to turn. If you aren't filming from a first
person POV, you don't care. You just put the wrench
under the flange and turn the nut. But in the video,
in order to make sure the viewer gets it right, maybe
he has to see the nut. So, do you bend your head down
into a position you would normally never use, so the
head camera can see the nut? Or do you tell the user
where the nut is and show him the obscuring flange,
then cut to a scene where you've removed the flange
and show the wrench turning the nut?

You need to remember that whatever the viewer sees on
the screen, he's going to expect to see in the real
world. So if he sees a POV that indicates you're
moving your head around to certain positions, he's
going to think he has to move his head in a similar
way, and maybe that's not always the case. If he sees
you holding your hands in a particular position, one
that you had to use in order for the camera to see
what you're working on, he'll have a tendency to put
his hands in the same position even if he doesn't
really have to.  

As for "This Old House," remember it's easier for the
guy doing the work if he doesn't have to try to
include camera angles in his consideration while he's
working.

Don't you want to be a video star?  :-)

Where I used to work, we figured an hour of production
time - filming, editing, sound recording, rerecording,
refilming, etc. - for every minute of tape time. It
can be fun but oh boy it can also be maddening. Good
luck.


--- Lauren <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net> wrote:

> > From: Nancy Allison
> 
> > Is anyone using a wearable camera to record demos
> of physical 
> > activities? I have a chance to create demos about
> household 
> > repairs, and for at least some of the footage, I'd
> like to 
> > wear a camera close to my eyes that would see the
> same things I do. 
> > 
> > Anybody doing this? What kind of hardware did you
> use?
> 
> I haven't done anything like this, but I think a
> regular digital video
> camera would work fine.  Also, I think some videos
> are easier to follow when
> you can see the person doing the work, rather than
> seeing the work from the
> person's view.  Like on This Old House, the guys are
> shown doing the work.
> http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/
> 
> If you wanted a wearable camera, you can look at Spy
> Cameras Glasses,
> http://www.personalarms.com/surveillance/st137.htm.
> 
> It sounds like you have a fun project.  I want to
> know how things turn out.
> 
> Lauren
> 
> 
>
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