Your goal:
A 3–5 minute video story exploring Maine’s natural resources, ecosystems, and a regenerative future, with inspiration from Miyazaki films, solarpunk aesthetics, and bioregional storytelling.
Pre-Production (Before You Shoot)
- Plan your story structure. Know your beginning, middle, and end. Sketch out how your visuals and sound will express a regenerative Maine future.
- Scout your location. Look for lighting, sound environment, and unique details that highlight place-based storytelling.
- Charge and clear storage. HD video drains batteries and fills memory quickly. Be prepared.
- Gather your tools. Tripod or stabilizer (or DIY supports), external mic (if available), and any props/references (e.g., solarpunk art, Miyazaki-inspired sketches).
Filming Tips
- Lighting is everything.
- Shoot in bright, natural light when possible. Avoid harsh backlighting.
- If indoors, use windows or soft, diffused light. Avoid phone flash.
- Keep it steady.
- Hold your phone with two hands close to your body, or use a tripod/stabilizer.
- Rest it on a table, rock, or tree if needed.
- Sound is as important as visuals.
- Use an external mic if possible; otherwise, get close to your subject.
- Reduce noise: choose quiet spaces, block wind, or even record voice-over under a blanket for clarity.
- Consider recording narration first, then matching visuals to it.
- Frame with intention.
- Always shoot in landscape orientation (easier to crop than vertical).
- Use the rule of thirds or fill the frame with your subject.
- Stay close instead of using digital zoom.
- Camera movement = storytelling.
- If your subject is moving, keep the camera still.
- If your subject is still, move the camera (slow pans, tilts, or tracking shots).
- Capture more than you think you’ll need.
- Film extra seconds before and after each clip.
- Collect b-roll: landscapes, textures (water, bark, moss, wind in grass), animals, human activity.
- Respect pacing and rhythm.
- Leave pauses before/after lines to make editing smoother.
- Think Miyazaki: allow quiet moments where nature breathes.
Editing Tips
- Keep it simple.
- Avoid gimmicky transitions or effects. Let story and imagery carry the video.
- Use effects intentionally if they enhance solarpunk or ecological aesthetics.
- Edit for clarity and flow.
- Slow down on-screen text—let viewers read and absorb.
- Balance sound levels: use compression if needed (free tools like Audacity help).
- Align video to audio.
- If using narration, cut visuals to match your recorded script, not the other way around.
- Think visual narrative.
- Alternate between wide shots (context), medium shots (relationships), and close-ups (details).
- Use editing to build contrast—industrial vs. regenerative, decay vs. flourishing ecosystem.
- Review with fresh eyes.
- Show a draft to a peer for feedback on pacing, clarity, and emotional impact.
Creative Integration for Your Assignment
- Draw visual cues from Miyazaki films: small details of nature, quiet moments, magical realism.
- Use solarpunk aesthetics: bright, hopeful, regenerative futures, blending technology with ecology.
- Incorporate original media capture: Maine’s coastlines, forests, rivers, farms, local communities.
- Add creative references: quick flashes of concept art, eco-illustrations, or archival images (with credit).
- Cite your sources of information & inspiration
These practices will help you create a polished, professional, and creative final video that balances technical quality with storytelling depth.
