Any ideas/experience for this? at DVinfo.net

Kelsey Emuss · June 22nd, 2008, 02:05 PM

This Tuesday I am filming a grade 8 graduation ceremony/ after party/ and private pool party. The ENTIRE graduating class consists of 23 students!! At their ages (13-14) I'm assuming that they may be a bit self-conscious in front of the camera and make for TERRIBLE footage.

I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with something I can bring/get them to do that would "break the ice". At the same time I don't know what kids that age find "baby-ish". So I don't want to bring a pinata or something and have them decide I'm "lame". Which I most certainly am lame, but I'd rather it took a while for them to figure it out!!! lol!

Anyone have any experience with either graduations or pre-teens?
Thanks!

Terry Esslinger · June 22nd, 2008, 08:14 PM

Turn the tally light off and supply a keg :>)

Frank Simpson · June 22nd, 2008, 10:25 PM

Are you taping the party or hosting the party? Terry's suggestion for turning off the tally light is a good one. The one about the keg is a bad one. :)

The best thing you can do is to be a "fly on the wall" and simply capture what happens. If you try to manufacture what happens then you certainly WILL end up with terrible, contrived footage.

If you have direct contact with the students it will seriously affect your relationship, and subsequently their reaction to the camera. If you avoid direct contact with them you'll have a much better chance of "disappearing" so as to be able to capture the proceedings in a candid fashion.

Terry Esslinger · June 23rd, 2008, 12:08 PM

The 'keg' was a joke and I hope it was taken that way. Thats why I placed the face. HOWEVER teenage drinking IS NOT A JOKE. Parents that let their kids drink at home are doing a grave disservice to their kids, to society and to themselves. As a fireman I have seen too often the tragic results.

Kelsey Emuss · June 23rd, 2008, 07:59 PM

Thanks guys!

I will try turning the light off but I think I will skip the keg!! ;-)

Dave Anderson · June 24th, 2008, 07:22 AM

I record the musicals for my local high school and I find the kids usually clam up a bit when I enter backstage. So I usually just become that fly-on-the-wall that was mentioned. But once I did something that really worked and got me great video. I gave my kid, who was in the musical, my cam and told her to get me some footage.

It was great. She interacted with the others and gots me lots of laughing and joking around. It was the best footage and sold the most DVDs.

So if it is possible, maybe you could use a consumer cam and let the kids take turns using the cam on each other. It doesn't have to be perfect video, that's what you take. But the candid stuff the kids get would be something they can relate to and also open them up.

At the same time it gives the kids a sense of ownership in the video and will probably increase sales.

Steven Davis · June 24th, 2008, 08:44 AM

You could set up a photo booth, replace it with an LCD and a video camera, and have it running, so the kids would enter the booth, do what they want, and exit, then you get the footage and they get privacy to ease the nerves.

Dror Levi · June 24th, 2008, 10:20 PM

What usually works for me is to flip the lcd screen and let them see them self
that usually brake the ice

Kelsey Emuss · June 27th, 2008, 04:49 PM

I just filmed this and I don't recommend this job to anyone! The kids were great! Not at all shy...in fact one guy walked by my camera at least forty times, and everytime put the fake "telephone" to his ear and mouthed "call me" on film! And they are 13!!!

BUT...after the ceremony there was a dance. It was SUPER dark and LOUD!! I had to use a light the entire time, and it was too loud to capture much in the way of conversations. So I essentiall have 2 hrs of them dancing to YMCA and Celebration!

Then the pool party...outside in the PITCH dark! Plus the pool had underwater lights so everyone was backlit...UGH! That'll be fun to edit!

For the record..I did flip the LCD.

Peter Manojlovic · June 27th, 2008, 08:40 PM

The Sony PD170s definately have the nack for low light situations...
When i do large dark areas, i stay far back, and use a 300Watt "on camera" light source.
For up close, and on the floor footage, i use a 30 watt "on camera" halogen light, and it's sufficient to 10 feet..
My camera's terrible in low light, so i need all the help i can get...

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes..
I hope your edit works out for you..

Good luck.

Oren Arieli · June 27th, 2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Manojlovic

The Sony PD170s definately have the nack for low light situations...
When i do large dark areas, i stay far back, and use a 300Watt "on camera" light source.
For up close, and on the floor footage, i use a 30 watt "on camera" halogen light, and it's sufficient to 10 feet..
My camera's terrible in low light, so i need all the help i can get...

300 Watt on-camera light! Gulp!!! Are you trying to light their hair on fire?

June 22nd, 2008, 02:05 PM	#1
Kelsey Emuss Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 259	Any ideas/experience for this? This Tuesday I am filming a grade 8 graduation ceremony/ after party/ and private pool party. The ENTIRE graduating class consists of 23 students!! At their ages (13-14) I'm assuming that they may be a bit self-conscious in front of the camera and make for TERRIBLE footage. I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with something I can bring/get them to do that would "break the ice". At the same time I don't know what kids that age find "baby-ish". So I don't want to bring a pinata or something and have them decide I'm "lame". Which I most certainly am lame, but I'd rather it took a while for them to figure it out!!! lol! Anyone have any experience with either graduations or pre-teens? Thanks!

June 22nd, 2008, 08:14 PM	#2
Terry Esslinger Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sacramento, Elk Grove. Calif Posts: 306	Turn the tally light off and supply a keg :>) __________________ Puttin the wet stuff on the red stuff!

June 23rd, 2008, 12:08 PM	#4
Terry Esslinger Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sacramento, Elk Grove. Calif Posts: 306	The 'keg' was a joke and I hope it was taken that way. Thats why I placed the face. HOWEVER teenage drinking IS NOT A JOKE. Parents that let their kids drink at home are doing a grave disservice to their kids, to society and to themselves. As a fireman I have seen too often the tragic results. __________________ Puttin the wet stuff on the red stuff!

June 24th, 2008, 08:44 AM	#7
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	You could fly on the wall or...... You could set up a photo booth, replace it with an LCD and a video camera, and have it running, so the kids would enter the booth, do what they want, and exit, then you get the footage and they get privacy to ease the nerves. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

June 24th, 2008, 10:20 PM	#8
Dror Levi Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines FL Posts: 331	What usually works for me is to flip the lcd screen and let them see them self that usually brake the ice __________________ www.nostalgicFrames.com

June 22nd, 2008, 10:25 PM	#3
Frank Simpson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bozeman, MT Posts: 217	Are you taping the party or hosting the party? Terry's suggestion for turning off the tally light is a good one. The one about the keg is a bad one. :) The best thing you can do is to be a "fly on the wall" and simply capture what happens. If you try to manufacture what happens then you certainly WILL end up with terrible, contrived footage. If you have direct contact with the students it will seriously affect your relationship, and subsequently their reaction to the camera. If you avoid direct contact with them you'll have a much better chance of "disappearing" so as to be able to capture the proceedings in a candid fashion.

June 23rd, 2008, 07:59 PM	#5
Kelsey Emuss Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 259	Thanks guys! I will try turning the light off but I think I will skip the keg!! ;-)

June 24th, 2008, 07:22 AM	#6
Dave Anderson New Boot Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Mt Vernon, IN Posts: 16	I record the musicals for my local high school and I find the kids usually clam up a bit when I enter backstage. So I usually just become that fly-on-the-wall that was mentioned. But once I did something that really worked and got me great video. I gave my kid, who was in the musical, my cam and told her to get me some footage. It was great. She interacted with the others and gots me lots of laughing and joking around. It was the best footage and sold the most DVDs. So if it is possible, maybe you could use a consumer cam and let the kids take turns using the cam on each other. It doesn't have to be perfect video, that's what you take. But the candid stuff the kids get would be something they can relate to and also open them up. At the same time it gives the kids a sense of ownership in the video and will probably increase sales.

June 27th, 2008, 04:49 PM	#9
Kelsey Emuss Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 259	I just filmed this and I don't recommend this job to anyone! The kids were great! Not at all shy...in fact one guy walked by my camera at least forty times, and everytime put the fake "telephone" to his ear and mouthed "call me" on film! And they are 13!!! BUT...after the ceremony there was a dance. It was SUPER dark and LOUD!! I had to use a light the entire time, and it was too loud to capture much in the way of conversations. So I essentiall have 2 hrs of them dancing to YMCA and Celebration! Then the pool party...outside in the PITCH dark! Plus the pool had underwater lights so everyone was backlit...UGH! That'll be fun to edit! For the record..I did flip the LCD.

June 27th, 2008, 08:40 PM	#10
Peter Manojlovic Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hamilton Ontario Posts: 769	The Sony PD170s definately have the nack for low light situations... When i do large dark areas, i stay far back, and use a 300Watt "on camera" light source. For up close, and on the floor footage, i use a 30 watt "on camera" halogen light, and it's sufficient to 10 feet.. My camera's terrible in low light, so i need all the help i can get... I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.. I hope your edit works out for you.. Good luck.