Shooting and Editing Underwater Video

Why shoot underwater video

Memories of places and people
Helps to find areas with potential for improvement (trim, technique, )
Provides an artifact without taking something physical

How is shooting underwater different from the surface?
Environment is outside everyday experience
o Movement in 3D sense of floating
o Exotic colors and subjects
Lighting
o Big changes in light intensity and color with distance from light source
Limitations
o Time (gas / deco)
o Freedom of movement (currents, distances)
o Communication
o Financial (higher cost of gear)
o Technical (can't switch lenses)
Personal
o Potential for task overloading
o Diving skills affect quality of recorded footage

What do we need to shoot underwater videos?
Must have:
o Focus (what are you going to shoot)
o Camera with dive housing
o Computer with editing software
Good to have:
o Story (human element)
o Defined target audience
o Video light
o Shot list
Nice to have:
o More lights
o HDMI video monitor and recorder

Workflow
1. Development
o Start with an idea for a story or a great opportunity
o Describe the story
! E.g.: A film about Xs obsession with nudibranches
o Choose audience
! Family? Friends? Community? Festival?
o Create story structure
! Exposition (Set-up), Conflict (Confrontation), Resolution
o Write dialogs voice over, if any

2. Pre-production
o Feasibility check (availability of story elements, gear, etc)
o Choose locations
o Create storyboard and/or shot list
o Create gear list
o Get buy-in from people

3. Production
o Charge batteries, inspect and lube o-rings, operate buttons
o Configure camera to shoot for editing
! High bit-rate, low compression, progressive, 30fps
! Natural/Neutral presets
No sharpening
Very low contrast
Low saturation
Audio
! Sound recording
Underwater: Auto levels
48 kHz Stereo
o Format memory cards in camera
o Put the camera into housing and keep out of the sun to prevent over-heating
and fogging
o Plan the shot/dive
! Communicate objectives and tasks
! Everybody needs to know what is expected
o After getting into the water
! Clear micro-bubbles from dome and behind filters
! Check for water tightness
o Shoot
! Exposure quality
Adjust lighting (intensity, angle, spread)
Adjust exposure (aperture, shutter, ISO)
Adjust focus
Adjust white balance
! Shot quality. Consider:
Framing and composition
Camera movement
Screen direction
Axis of Action (180 degree rule)
Continuity of Action
Matching Angles
Matching Eye-Line
o After the dive
! Equipment care: rinse the housing thoroughly, operate all buttons
! Dry yourself and housing before taking camera out
! Copy files to disk
! Backup files to second disk

4. Post-production
o Review and select clips (e.g. in MPEG Streamclip)
o Trans-code selected clips for editing
! Mac: Apple ProRes 422 (LT)
! Windows: AVI
o Import trans-coded clips into NLE
o Arrange clips in timeline
" Initial assembly (all the shots we consider for final product)
o Edit and re-arrange
! What new information is presented?
! What is the motivation to move to the next shot?
! Does the transition change to a new composition?
! Does the transition change to a new camera angle?
! Does the transition preserve continuity?
! Does the sound develop well across a transition?
" Rough cut (shots in more-or-less correct order and length)
o Add text titles and animations
! Display titles not longer then is necessary to read the text
o Add music
! Music sets the mood and creates emotions
! Free sources for non-commercial use:
http://ccmixter.org/
http://freemusicarchive.org/
http://www.jamendo.com
o Trim/re-arrange (pace, rhythm)
! Sounds can motivate edits
! Pace of the music should match pace of action
! Re-arrange music when necessary (e.g. in Audacity)
o Add sound effects, voice-over, etc.
o Add transitions
! Use a Cut
Continuous action
Change of information or locale
! Use a Dissolve
Change in time or locale
Strong visual relationship between shots
Slow down time
! Use a Wipe
Change in time or locale
No strong visual relationship between shots
Graphic treatment of transition is desired
! Use a Fade
Beginning and end of video, chapters, scene, etc.
Change in time or locale
" Final cut (all the shots in correct order and length)
o Apply color correction
! Adjust color temperature
! Adjust brightness
! Adjust contrast
! Adjust saturation
o Color grading (looks and effects)
" Picture lock (no more changes to visuals)
o Mix audio levels
! Sound and vision are partners and not rivals
! Balance dialog, music, and ambient sound
" Final mix (all done, no more changes)
o Export final mix
! MPEG-4, H.264,
! HD: 1280x720, 30fps, 20 Mbps
! Full HD: 1920x1080, 30fps, 25 Mbps
o Backup and archive
! Original and trans-coded clips
! Exported video

5. Distribution
o Trans-code final mix for web
! MPEG-4, H.264,
! HD: 1280x720, 30fps, 4 Mbps
! Full HD: 1920x1080, 30fps, 5 Mbps
o Upload and share
! Vimeo
! YouTube
! Facebook
Software
Audio (free)
o Audacity
Video Converters (free)
o 5DtoRGB (best Quality, only to uncompressed)
o Avidemux (many formats, trimming)
o MPEG Streamclip (many formats, trimming)
o Handbrake (only to MP4)
o Microsoft Expression Encoder 4
Video Player (free)
o MPlayer
o QuickTime
o VLC
Video NLE
o Apple
! Entry/Free:
iMovie
! Semi-Pro:
Adobe Premiere Elements
Apple Final Cut Pro X
! Professional:
Adobe Premiere Pro (US$ 799)
Avid Media Composer (US$ 999)
o Windows
! Entry/Free:
Windows Movie Maker
Lightworks Free
! Semi-Pro
Adobe Premiere Elements
Corel Video Studio
CyberLink PowerDirector
Lightworks Pro
Magix Movie Edit
Pinnacle Studio
Sony Movie Studio

! Professional:
Adobe Premiere Pro
Avid Media Composer
Edius
Sony Vegas Pro

Books
DSLR Cinematography Guide - Ryan Koo (free)
How to Shoot Video That Doesnt Suck Steve Stockman
Cinematic Storytelling Jennifer van Sijll
Grammar of the Shot Roy Thompson
Grammar of the Edit Roy Thompson
Color Correction Handbook Alexis Van Hurkman