Tag Archives: videographer

A Real World Test of the iPad to Shoot a Video II

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In the last post, I began describing my experience using the iPad to shoot and edit video.  This was my first movie project with the iPad in a “field” setting.  The previous videos were done in a controlled setting (my home office).

So, how did things go in the real world where you don’t have so much control over your surroundings and subjects?  You never know whether there will be problems with background noise or shy interviewees who are self-conscious on camera.  Well, it went better than expected.  There was quite a bit of background noise to contend with, as you might imagine at a conference. However, I got around some of that by scheduling interviews in quiet corners away from the crowds. Of course, I wanted to capture some of the noise and activity surrounding the meeting events, so I did try some interviews in the midst of loud crowd scenes.

I was surprised at how well the microphone on the iPad picked up my subject’s voice in spite of the background noise.  However, I ended up having to import those clips to my full iMovie version on my computer to decrease the background noise and enhance my subject’s voice.  These expanded options are not available on the iPad version of iMovie.  All you can do is raise or lower the audio on the clip, but this will raise the volume of the background noise along with the desired audio track. I may do a tutorial later to show how to enhance an audio track (e.g., someone’s voice) while dampening the background noise (using iMovie 11).

Another thing I noticed with the iPad is that it was easy to accidentally cover the mic openings with my hand, especially when my attention was diverted toward dealing with my interview subject.  So I had to be careful how I held the iPad while shooting video.  If you make this mistake, it will definitely muffle your audio, rendering your interview useless.  This has never been an issue with my camcorders, which are designed for capturing video and audio.

In the next post, I’ll continue my critique.

Making Science Videos with Your iPad: Part 7

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You may have worked with or are currently working with a professional videographer or film crew to do an interview or even an entire documentary about some aspect of your science. If so, you may be thinking that this is the only way to incorporate this type of media into your program.  However, that is not necessarily the case.

In this series of tutorials, I’ve tried to illustrate how you can use equipment you may already own plus inexpensive software to develop your own videos that highlight your research or to augment your lectures, if you teach.  In part 7, I show how to use the iMovie app for the iPad to create a movie trailer for your iMovie project (for best viewing, select the HD version and full-screen options (see menu bar at bottom of player window).

A Real World Test of the iPad to Shoot Video I

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I decided to try out my iPad and iMovie app in a real world situation this week.  I wanted to make a video about some aspect of a conference I attended (SWS/INTECOL) this week in Orlando.  There were several options, but I settled on a video about the SWS Undergraduate Mentoring Program. I was participating as a mentor and was able to do a few interviews with my iPad and additionally shoot some of the events and activities.

Here are my observations regarding the iPad and iMovie app.  I found it convenient to use my iPad to shoot video and stills  because I also used my iPad to take notes during sessions as well as carry the conference schedule (electronic version) and have access to the Internet even when there was no wireless available.  I did not have to lug around a camcorder plus computer plus notebook plus  meeting schedule book. It was all on my iPad.

If I ran into someone I wanted to interview, I was able to whip out my iPad and shoot away.  It was also convenient to shoots clips directly into the iMovie timeline.  The trick was to shoot short clips that could more easily be manipulated or deleted later without having to scrub through long  clips looking for a specific  section.

The downside was that I found it awkward to hold the iPad steady and position the camera lens where I was comfortable and could see my subject.  See these brief clips illustrating what I mean:

I found myself yearning for my Sanyo Xacti, which I can handle with one hand like a pistol (in fact that’s what it looks like) and can hold as steady as a rock.  Granted, I did not practice much beforehand with positioning my iPad for doing interviews….compared with the time I’ve spent shooting interviews with a camcorder.  Although I did not try this approach, I think a possible solution would be to set up your iPad on a stand on a table with the lens facing the subject.  You could then be in the scene I if you chose to without worrying about a wobbly camera.  Of course, you may be going for  that unsteady effect and want some camera movement.

In upcoming posts, I’ll continue my critique of the iPad camera and the iMovie app as well as conclude my series of tutorials.

 

Making Science Videos with Your iPad: Part 6

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As a scientist or student of science, you likely already have the necessary equipment to shoot video and still images that can be woven together to create short videos illustrating your research or a school project.  In this series of videos, I’m showing how easy it is to create professional-looking videos using just your iPad and the iMovie app for the iPad.

In this tutorial, I tie up some loose ends, showing how to do freeze frames, rotate images, and modify transitions between clips (for best viewing, select the HD version and full-screen options (see menu bar at bottom of player window).

Making Science Videos with Your iPad: Part 5

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You may have seen a fellow scientist using the iPad to shoot video, but wondered how they were going to turn those random clips into something useful.  In this series of tutorials, I am showing how to use the iMovie app for the iPad to edit video clips and produce a movie that follows a storyline.

In this tutorial, I show how to shoot video with your iPad and insert the footage directly into iMovie as well as how to import footage you’ve taken with other devices such as a camcorder or digital camera (for best viewing, select the HD version and full-screen options (see menu bar at bottom of player window).