Documentation:IPad Kit/DIY Media

From UBC Wiki

This page documents the process for using the iPad kit for video recording.

Examples

CTLT's interview with Dr. Steven Barnes - Psychology - about his DIY Media project in epigenetics.

CTLT's interview with Dr. Judy Chan - Land and Food Systems - about her [Course:FNH200 wiki-based course] in Land & Food Systems.

Equipment

The following equipment comes with the iPad kit from CTLT, and is available for loan through your Faculty Liaison.


Additional resources can be borrowed and include:

Pre-production and Setup

Pre-Production

  • interview questions were prepared in advance and discussed with the interviewees.
  • in the Steve Barnes video - we also wanted to capture his DIY studio set up so some footage was captured during the initial tour - before we sat down to interview.
  • ensure that the iPad set up is tested for sound/recording and that the iPad is fully charged.

Room Setup

  • Lighting. In the Judy Chan video, there was a large window facing the interviewee allowing for natural light. The ceilings were high allowing the overhead lights to be a lot softer on the subject. In the Steve Barnes video, he had a 3 point lighting set up for his purposes, so we used that.
  • the iPad can be mounted with the C-Clamp mount to a table (as in the Chan video) or a tripod (as in the Barnes example).

iPad Setup

  1. Mount the iPad on a table or tripod using the C-Clamp Mount.
  2. Connect the rode mic to the iPad.
  3. Attach the mic to the interviewee (using the extension if necessary).

Post-Production

Tools for Editing

You can use any video editing software (like iMovie or FinalCut Pro) however, we will focus on Camtasia for our purposes since it is a free, supported tool for the UBC Community.

  • to access the license (for Mac or Windows) you will need to login to Connect using your CWL.
  • The license information is under the Resources tab once you log in.
  • Download the appropriate version of Camtasia for your system.

Video Transfer

  1. Transfer the footage from the iPad to your computer.
  2. Import the footage into Camtasia. To learn how to do this in Camtasia, you can watch the tutorial by Techsmith for Windows and Mac.
  3. Watch all the footage and look for sections that highlight the points that you want to convey.
  4. Cut the footage into different segments based on a category of your choosing, e.g. by questions, by topic.

Mixing/B-Roll Content

Mixing in other media (often referred to as b-roll content) is not necessary but it adds both context and interest. For example, with the Steven Barnes interview, we added in clips from his actual animation to highlight the points he was making in the interview. Each additional element is another layer on the timeline in Camtasia.

Add Video Clips

  • If the clip you intend to use is from YouTube, you access a web service to assist with the download. Try ClipConverter.cc.
  • Choose a file format that will import easily into your video editor. If using Camtasia, try MP4.
  • Import file to Camtasia (or other video editing tool). To learn how to do this in Camtasia, you can watch the tutorial by Techsmith for Windows and Mac.
  • cut out any unwanted scenes from the footage you have imported. To learn how to do this, watch the techsmith tutorial for Windows and Mac.

Editing

  1. Arrange the clips in the Camtasia timeline based on your desired story and flow.
  2. Cut or exclude unnecessary footage or repetitive questions and responses.To learn how to do this in Camtasia, watch the Techsmith tutorial for Windows and Mac.
  3. (Optional) Add transitions between scenes and footage. To learn how to do this in Camtasia, watch the Techsmith tutorial for Windows and Mac

Music

  • Background music can be added as desired. The music from the video was from http://jamendo.com.
  • Strike a good balance between the volume of the background music and how audible the interviewee is.
  • It's advisable to cut music while the interviewee is speaking.

Text and Graphics

  • Add some text to explicitly present particular details in the video such as additional information or the start of a new segment.
  • The icon used in the opening credits of the video is from http://thenounproject.
  • Choose your typography, colours, placement based on legibility. Not everybody will be able to watch your video in High Definition.
  • Use solid backgrounds for text to increase contrast and legibility.

Export

  • Save and export the video for YouTube High Definition.
  • See the Camtasia Toolkit Tips on the DIY Media site for information about export options.