Thursday, January 25, 2007

Begin your video biography now. Here's how you start.

The process of creating your family history video begins with a vision. Your vision. Now, don't be intimidated by the word "vision." All it means is the way you imagine your video is going to look and sound. The clearer your vision, the easier it will be for you to pull together the resources you'll need to make your video. For example, your vision may be for a simple, on-camera interview. Or you may want to create something a bit more involved, including stills, family videos and music.

If you've been watching TV most of your life, you've been exposed to a wide variety of video techniques. You probably just haven't really paid much attention to them. Watch some of your favorite documentaries in the next few days or weeks and take note of what you see and hear. Is the show comprised of nothing but on-screen interviews? Or are the interviews combined with still photos, film and video clips? How do the shows proceed from one topic or scene to the next? What kinds of transitions are used?

Once you have an idea of how TV programs are structured, take the next step and imagine the video biography you'd like to create. Who is in it? What are they talking about? What kinds of things do you see and hear? Make some notes of your thoughts and ideas. Store your notes in a folder or three ring binder to keep them handy and organized.

Congratulations - you now have a vision for your video. You're on your way!