Many would-be documentarians get trapped into thinking that only sweeping, epic topics are acceptable fodder for documentaries.  They just get stuck in that Ken Burns’ Civil War mode of thinking.  We’ve written quite a few times that doesn’t have to be the case, that you can find the thread of a good documentary story in even seemingly trivial events and mundane lives.  In fact, that’s often where you find the most interesting documentaries!  Small scale documentaries are easier to fund (always a concern for the indie video creator), but more importantly they also often have an intimacy with their subjects that can get lost on more ambitious documentaries.  If you don’t believe me, take a look at the top five documentaries that investigated some weird topics that most people would not have guessed could sustain a whole movie — and came out with masterpieces.

1 The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) – A good documentary is all about interesting characters and human drama. If you can find those two things in your topic, you know you’ve got something with potential.  And you should never underestimate humans’ ability to invest even the most mundane things with profound meaning.  Take video games, for example.  The King of Kong follows video game enthusiast Steve Wiebe as he attempts to best the high score of world “Donkey Kong” champion Billy Mitchell. Most people would hardly think that a movie about two men fighting over a video game could be riveting, but this documentary makes Wiebe’s quest so sympathetic that it’s hard not to root for him to win!

2 American Movie (1999) — Film fanatic Mark Borchardt dreams of making a big Hollywood blockbuster — despite the fact that he lives in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin.  “American Movie” follows Borchardt as he cobbles together his break-out horror feature “Coven” by hook or by crook.  The film mines a lot of humor from its cast of laconic midwestern locals, who all look upon Borchardt’s obsession with bemused sympathy, but it never treats them as a joke. While on one level “American Movie” is the story of one eccentric director, it also becomes the story of all people who struggled to achieve  an “impossible” dream.

3 Bob Smith USA (2005) – This documentary explores something so ordinary that it almost sounds like a joke. Neil Abramson picked the most common, run-of-the-mill name that he could think of, Bob Smith, and then interviewed seven wildly different men with that name, including a yoga instructor, a junk collector, a Christian minister who preaches at children’s birthday parties dressed as a clown and an evangelical atheist who attends cocktail parties dressed as the devil.  The result is a strange and hilarious cross-section of Americana that tells us more about the country’s rich and varied character than you would have thought possible from a documentary about a name!

4 In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) – During his life, Henry Darger was a reclusive janitor in a Chicago hospital.  But in the privacy of his own apartment, Darger created reams of incredible fantasy collages depicting a parallel universe where  children fought a constant war against evil monsters and, oddly, confederate soldiers.  Through both interviews with his neighbors and excerpts from Darger’s journals, the film struggles to understand what compelled Darger to paint such strange but compelling images — and helps us to understand how the act of creation gives our lives a greater purpose.

5 Winnebago Man (2009) – You may already know Jack Rebney as the viral video sensation “Angry Winnebago Man.”  In the mid-80s, Rebney appeared as a pitchman in a series of promotional videos for Winnebago RVs, but it was the out-takes — in which a frustrated Rebney constantly breaks out in bizarre profanity whenever he flubs a line — that captured people’s imaginations.  The videos spread like wildfire over the Internet.  Austin documentarian Ben Steinbauer was fascinated by the clips and sought out to track Rebney down to find out what he was like in person and what he thought of his unexpected fame.  He was surprised to find Rebney living in secluded cabin in northern California.  What could have been exploitative instead turns out to be a fascinating portrait of a man struggling under the burden of unexpected celebrity.

Those are just a few examples of the subjects that can be fertile soil for a good documentary.  You can probably think of many more, just by looking around you.  Still having some difficulty thinking of a topic? Take a look at Videomaker‘s Documentary Storytelling to get some more hints. (Or for more info on the full process, check out Videomaker‘s full Documentary Production series. )

A wedding videographer is always conscious that a couple’s wedding is one of the most important days in their lives, so he knows that they will choose a form and venue with a special meaning for them.   Some couples hold them in unusual locations — not just in parks or gardens, but even stores like T.J Maxx or Whole Foods Market.  But more unusual are instances where the couple decides that they want to have some unusual theme:  Most readers have probably read news stories about Star Trek fanatics who asked their entourages to dress as Star Fleet officers or Klingons, but in recent years we’ve also seen couples choosing vampire,  superhero or even Super Mario brothers themed weddings.  Last year, a hipster couple invited controversy by staging a 1930s Great Depression hobo wedding, which some considered to be disrespectful to the homeless.  And another wedding where the bride and groom danced down the aisle became a viral video sensation in 2009.

These sorts of weddings can challenge even professional wedding videographers.  Even if it seems silly to you — and, believe me, it will — you have to remember that couples choose strange themes because these themes mean something special to them.

I once attended a wedding of two historical re-enactors, who decided to hold a renaissance faire celebration with lute players, medieval carnival games, and tarot card readers.  In a traditional wedding, you often expect the entire party to congregate at the reception, making it easy for the videographer to get everyone on camera.  At this one, some guests lingered at the reception, while other immediately wandered off to get their fortune told by the tarot reader or play some game.   It meant that the videographer had to be especially mindful that he sought out all the dispersed guests, since he couldn’t be sure that he’d get them all on camera just by doing the usual reception rounds.  There was also the added challenge of trying to shoot video of guests in situations that they might consider private; several guests objected to having a videographer shoot them during a tarot reading, while others welcomed his presence.

One thing that never changes, though, is that a successful wedding video depends all on the planning. Think about the countless hours that the bride and groom spend fixing every little detail, everything from reserving the church or temple to arranging the catering and flowers. And it’s all to make sure the ceremony goes off without a hitch.  So it should hardly be surprising that the key to successful wedding videography is all in the planning as well. (You can find more info on successful wedding videography and advice to help plan for ANY wedding day weirdness in Videomaker‘s Complete Wedding Toolkit.)

No matter how strange the ceremony, there are a few things that are generally going to be the same for every event.  After setting up your equipment at the church, the first order of business is getting your establishing shots. These shots will set the scene for the wedding ceremony. Here are some to include:

• Exterior shots of the church, temple or hall
• A marquee or sign with the wedding information posted
• Guests arriving and entering the building
• Wide shot of the auditorium as people enter and take their seats

A wedding is a ritual affair. The rituals are different from culture to culture and religion to religion, but they all have highlights. Here are some common highlights a good wedding video must include:

• The symbolic lighting of the “unity” candle
• The couple’s reciting their formal wedding vows
• The exchange of rings
• The pronouncement by the minister that the couple is now husband and wife
• The kiss

You can be reasonably sure of what to expect when you go to a wedding, but you should never assume anything. Be sure to check with your clients to make sure what to expect. For example, those hardcore Star Trek fans have been known to get married while dressed as Klingons, the warrior aliens from the television series. Since they are having a very non-traditional ceremony, they may be apt to throw in more unusual events and you will want to make sure that you capture the parts of the day that are important to the couple, whether or not they seem important to you. If guests move to mock fight each other with Bat’leth weapons, it may seem like an inconsequential diversion from the main event – but it may be the highlight of the day for your Trekkie clients!

Learn more about preparing to handle any wedding with Videomaker‘s Complete Wedding Toolkit.

And for those wedding videographers in the audience, what’s the strangest wedding that you’ve ever shot? Let us know in the comments!

We live in an age were most every family in America owns a video camera and editing software, even if they never sought out either. Anyone with an internet connection can put their video online where it can be seen by everyone on the planet. The web has given anyone who wants it, access to far more information than any film school alone can provide. The world of video production has entered a golden age. There are no more excuses not to pursue whatever goals you hope to achieve with video.

In the late ’90s, when the average middle-class American could purchase video editing software to run on the home computer they already owned, it was clear that we were entering a new era of video production. Consumer camcorders were already common, but with non-linear editors entering people’s homes, so too, was a quality of production reserved only for professionals or those willing to spend thousands on uni-tasking equipment.

Consumer video production stayed at that point for about 10 years, as individuals shot SD footage on their home camcorders and edited on their PC or Mac.  In the last few years, however, we’ve seen a surge forward in the process of consumer level video production. It’s a result of computers and cameras getting cheaper, and moving into every electronic device in the home.

When The Blair Witch Project came out, people were amazed that someone could shoot an entire film that would be released world wide, on a simple consumer camcorder. Today, an iPhone 4S could easily take better quality video and cost significantly less. The only reason, I believe, that we haven’t seen a nationally released film shot entirely on a smartphone yet is simply because an upgrade in picture quality and functionality can be purchased for under a thousand dollars.

It’s not just the cost of quality cameras and accessibility of editing software that is bringing good looking video to the masses, it’s also the size. It turns out that a fluid-head tripod capable of supporting a 3lb camcorder doesn’t cost a lot of money. The same can be said about slider dollies, jibs, and even stabilizers.

Of course some equipment is as pricey as it’s ever been. Lights and microphones, for example, don’t seem to be getting any cheaper, but we live in the age of the internet. It’s much easier to learn from others about how to build your own lighting rig, or even record studio quality ADR straight into your laptop or iPad.

Cameras and editing systems are getting cheaper by the day, and the free flow of information on the internet is making it easier than ever to break into video production. As a result, Hollywood is losing its hold on the film industry, which is a good thing for both consumers and producers of great video.

How can you choose the best video format to make sure that people view and spread your work over the Internet? Find out with our new free guide, What’s the best video format for online distribution?

So you’ve just finished completing the world’s next blockbuster and you want to get your baby on the web fast. The most important preparation is choosing how to format it for the web. Our newest free report explains video formats for the beginning to intermediate user — what the different video formats are and which are the best video formats for web distribution.  You’ll learn the strengths and weaknesses of MOVs, AVIs, FLVs, WMVs, and MP4s, so you can make an informed choice when you decide how the online world will see your movie.

Whether it’s a question of finding the best compression for YouTube or choosing a format that allows your users to interact with the video, there is a video format out there for your exact purposes. Choosing the best video format for web distribution is absolutely vital for getting people to watch your videos on YouTube, Vimeo or other video sharing websites. We asked filmmaker/videographer Chelsey Grasso to decipher the mysteries of getting the best compression for YouTube and the web. Download this all new free report to have all the different video formats explained in plain English.  You’ll never have to worry about your format choices adversely affecting your finished productions again.

Learn:

• Sharing Your Video Masterpiece with the World
• Why Video Formats Are Important
• Getting Down to Business: The Types of Video Formats
• Common Mistakes in Choosing a Video Format
• Tips for Selecting the Best Video Format in Any Situation
• Video Formatting: Wrapping It Up
• Additional Resources

Download your free report What’s the Best Video Format for Online Distribution?

Looking for Props for your next movie? Check out After Halloween Sales!

So I was at my local department store shopping for a storage bin and I stumbled upon my biggest pet peeve this time of year, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a long row of Halloween items on sale while Christmas music blared happily overhead.

I always wish we could have a rest from exposure to both of these over-saturated events between Halloween and Thanksgiving, but I’m also a savvy shopper. Anyone who makes videos that might need movie props or makeup should consider the Halloween sale aisle. If you have a fake fight, you’ll need scars or makeup. If you have an ethereal fairy or wizard making magic, you’ll need tiaras and wands.  This time of year you’re going to find wigs, fake swords, zombie makeup and more – all at 50% to 75% off. What a deal. Facial scars, skin putty and glue, fake teeth even fake blood props are all on sale – and you probably won’t find them again until next year.

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The sun can cast harsh shadows on faces when you’re shooting outdoors, but this quick lighting tip can help you find a good angle for shooting on a sunny day.

Shooting outdoors, especially in the summer, can be miserable – the sun is hot, it’s bright and it’s very harsh and doesn’t cooperate with diffusion. When you shoot people outdoors under the full noontime sun, their eyebrows and nose will cast shadows on their faces, making their eyes dark pits and giving a shadowed “mustache” above their upper lip.  Most of us know this, but many people don’t realize you can align the sun at an angle that is more flattering, without any special tricks, tools, or advanced lighting knowledge.

It’s not always possible to avoid shooting outdoors at the worst time of day: noon to 2:00pm or so. I learned this from a reporter when I was shooting news, and it works. News shooters tend to be down-n-dirty run-n-gunners, and rarely have time to set up lights, use a tripod, or follow proper gear use, but we’re usually the best at getting in and out of a situation while catching all the action.

Sometimes, the reporters felt their presence took a back-seat to the event we were shooting, and they were right. The majestic waterfall behind the reporter during her standup, or the burning building that the reporter wants in frame when we shoot his commentary are more important, and the standups still need to be shot, but some angles aren’t flattering at all in natural light.

Sometimes, you don’t have a choice where the most flattering angle for your on-camera talent will be – you have to wing it. So here’s the tip I learned, I’ve used it for framing subjects for video or still shots, and for framing myself, and it really makes a difference: use your hand as a “barometer” to find the smoothest most flattering light for your skin. I’m going to lose dignity and use my own hands in these photos as examples.
First: When you’re outside in full daylight, hold your hand in the air a bit above your head and about a foot from your face and look at the skin on the back of your hand. [see photo at left] At the sun’s harshest angle, you’ll see wrinkles and cragginess at worst, and gorges and valleys from the knuckles and tendons at best. But…

Next: Slowly rotate your entire body around, keeping the hand in the air, and watch the sun “play” across your hand. On my 50+ year old hand, it looks grotesque at one angle where the sun shines down on it, but it can actually look almost smooth at another rotation. [see image below]

That exact spot where the skin looks the smoothest is the exact angle you need to have your subject’s face angled, for the most flattering shot when you don’t have access to lights, reflectors, diffusers, or shade. (Trust me, these images are in clear focus, too, the compression doesn’t show the “extreme cragginess”!)

The skin on the back of the hand is very thin, but quite pliable because we move our hands and fingers so much, so holding it up like this lets gravity pull the skin down some. Of course, as we age, well, you know, your hands can begin to look haggard, so the examples are good illustrations for trying to smooth the wrinkles that the harsh sun shows on someone’s face. But wait, even on young people the gravity will pull this flexible surface down a bit when the hand is in the air and you can see a dimpling effect in harsh light as well as the slight creases that look shadowed along the knuckles.

This next example is of a young child, and you can still see the difference between a hand with the sun bearing down at a harsh angle [left] and a smoother looking less-minute detailed image. [right]

The idea is to find the best angle for your face, or your subject’s face, and it doesn’t mean ALWAYS having to have the person squinting into the full sun. But consider your background, too. If the background is extremely bright, your camera’s iris is going to want to close down, and if your subject is in partial or dappled shade with a bright background you’re never going to get a good exposure for both. The best background outdoors would be dark, like with trees, but that’s not always what you want. There’s that awesome sunset teasing you!

Try this trick next time you’re outdoors – I can imagine hundreds of people holding their hands in the air right now, just to test my theory – and let me know what you think.