6. Shoot the Ranger-on-Camera Segments
All the preparation is done and it is time to actually record your ranger-on-camera segments. The first few of these I did, I was so wrapped up with all the technicalities of proper videography and audio recording that I overlooked some very simple problems.
There are many rules to follow for video segments with a ranger presence. Please be aware that these rules were developed as I created the first 25 Inside Yellowstone videos and found myself dissatisfied with some of them. If you look toward those videos as exemplary work, please be aware that there are some truly bad examples there. So, to paraphrase an old adage, “Do as I say, not as I did”.
1. Don’t hesitate to tell the ranger if you see something (anything) wrong with their appearance. During the very first shoot I did with Beth Taylor, she was very worried about presenting her program effectively. While her hair was pulled back, there were many strands flying in the wind that I found distracting. I said to her, “You should check yourself in a mirror”. Her response was “No”.
While I am not the smartest guy on the continent, when a woman tells me “no”, I am bright enough to understand that it means “NO”. So I dropped it. Weeks later, after seeing her fly-away hair on the video, Beth asked me why I didn’t tell her she looked so messy. I guess my lesson in this is, don’t tell the ranger they should look into a mirror; tell them specifically what their appearance problem is. That will lead to less confusion and more cooperation on the part of everyone. After all, nobody wants to look bad when all is said and done.
(Watch the video that still annoys both me and Beth. – Coming eventually)
2. The ranger needs to be big, very big, in a small frame. If you want to create the impression that the ranger is talking to the visitor, make them very big in the frame. I usually try to take up 1/3 of the frame with the ranger when they are on-camera. Remember that the online videos that you are creating will be watched more often as a 320X240 image than at any other size. At that small size, you had better make your ranger stand out if you want them to command the presence they deserve and the presence your viewers believe they deserve.
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
3. Never put the ranger in the center of the frame. I know, you will eventually tell me that there was a circumstance that demanded it but I have to tell you, no matter what the circumstance, if you put the ranger in the center of the frame, you will look like an amateur. It is one of the most common amateur mistakes.
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
4. The ranger should always be placed along one side of the frame. They should also be angled in toward the rest of the frame. Don’t hesitate to tell your ranger-writer to angle their body slightly this way or that way. It makes the difference between a finished product that looks polished and one that does not. If you want to hear the “high production values” compliments, please pay attention.
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
5. Check and double-check your ranger-writer’s uniform. If you haven’t spent years as a uniformed ranger yourself, you are at a serious disadvantage. Those of us who know how to wear it properly also know when they see something wrong with how it is being worn. The uniforms on our ORR videos need to be worn precisely. After all, why should anyone take us seriously if we can’t even wear our uniforms properly?
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
6. Emphasize uniform emblems when possible. I’m sure you know your ranger’s arrowhead patch is on their left sleeve, no matter what uniform item they are wearing. When most practical, have the ranger on the right side of the frame, with the ranger angled slightly to the right, so the arrowhead patch on their sleeve is visible. Be sure to ignore this rule often as a ranger always on the right will wind up being boring and predictable.
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
7. Most of the time, close-ups shouldn’t be too close. Remember, when your ranger appears on the video, you should be trying to remind your online visitors that they communicating with a ranger. Many U.S. citizens see rangers as the people who know about the parks. Others can’t distinguish them from state troopers. We want to identify our speakers as the rangers who know about the parks. Be sure to include their badge and name plate in all videos. In my mind, the perfect close-up cuts off the top of the flat hat and includes the bottom of the ranger’s shirt pockets.
(Good Example | Bad Example – Coming eventually)
Back to Chapter 5 | Chapter Index | On to Chapter 7
Tom Cawley
Online Roving Ranger Video Production
tom@rovingranger.com
© 2007 Tom Cawley
