Making a film at the CCAG may sound fun - here's how to do it!
Most of our films contain timelapses, which are essentially pictures taken every few seconds condensed into a video. That means every few seconds, the camera takes a photo, instead of taking a video instead of speeding it up. This allows us to see a process that usually takes a long time, except faster. Many examples include clouds/fog moving and plants growing. We also can attach a phone to the window of an airplane/car and capture driving. Other ones that are not used at the CCAG includes fruits rotting/ ice cream melting
When making a timelapse film, make sure that your device is connected to a outlet, as the process you are capturing may take a long time, and your device may run out of battery.
Make sure that the thing you are capturing has constant light.(except clouds, because the sun moves). If the light is not constant, the video will darken at random points, thus not capturing your source correctly.
Run timelapses of sky for about only whole day, because the more photos there are, the more condensed the film gets. You don't want poorly animated clouds. At the CCAG, we pause and restart the timelapse in the middle of the day, so you can see the clouds moving at a steady sky.
Stop and restart timelapses of driving or flying every ten minutes, or the film will condense quickly, and will not look realistic. You can add all of the clips together at the end.
If you don't have a window to capture clouds, flip over the camera and record outside. In our film The Life of a Storm a few clips are filmed that way.
At the CCAG, we also film live action.
Choose an area where there is either a nice scene, nature, or constant motion.
Panning: A good way to capture something is to zoom in, and slowly zoom out, AKA panning. This will give viewers a change to see other parts of the surrounding, such as the trees where the lion lives, or the highway where the cars are moving.
Choose the highest resolution, which should be at 4K 60fps. If it takes up too much space, 1080p is fine.
Film unusual angles, such as the ground where people are walking on a hike
You can also film with an animals perspective. Sit/stand where you think an animal lives, and move the camera around to simulate it walking/looking. This is great with marine animals, especially if you have an underwater camera.
Music (optional)
Choose music that represents the whole film well. "Will You Be There" by Michael Jackson is an example of a slow film that may feature ocean life, with the slow piano notes during the intro. On the other hand, "Workin' Day and Night" can be used for an upbeat mountain biking movie, especially with Michael panting during the intro. "Human Nature," which has a great organ line, can be used for a film about a peaceful drive through a forest. Don't know what I mean? Listen to the songs and picture it!!
Pay attention to the lyrics. If you can't make them out, look them up. An obvious Team Manatee example is in "Goin Places," a song from the Jacksons, where Michael sings about visiting different places on tours. The film made by the CCAG features clips of our first trip to Calistoga, and some trips to North Carolina.
And there you have it! Get to work making a film~!
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