View Full Version : Question about shooting news documentary style in this case.


Ryan Elder
June 17th, 2020, 10:48 PM
I have a project I want to do where some portions of the story are told through news footage. It's fiction, but it's told in a news footage style. One thing I notice about the news is that it has weird transitions as it goes from scene to scene sometimes.
Here are two transitions in this news clip at 0:29. and 0:54 into the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LKm76D-Rf0*

And here is another transition at 3:11 into this clip:

Tucker: Black Lives Matter is now a political party - YouTube

I am wondering, do you think I should use the same types of transitions you see in those examples, or should I make up my own, if they just look better? Or should I go with those examples, because those kinds are more realistic to modern news? What do you think, out of curiosity?

Thanks for any input! I really appreciate it.

Brian Drysdale
June 18th, 2020, 12:36 AM
You don't need to use Fox News transitions.

UK news programs just use straight cuts on their news and it's a lot less distracting. I don't recall seeing them on other news channels from around the world.

II would check out how other North American news outlets like CNN and CBS handle the same thing.

Paul R Johnson
June 18th, 2020, 12:44 AM
Bored editor - transition box full of stuff - pick a few.

How on earth did you even focus in on these? It's news. They use transitions - so slides, blurs, pattern wipes are all perzazz to spice up boring material and make it look snazzy, modern and exciting. Usually fails IMHO.

Before you start a thirty page topic. Consider the question? It really does not require our input at all Ryan. If you want to create news footage, there's some much, you just pick your own. Try imagining getting a job as editor. You have three minutes to edit it and stick it on the server for playout. Do have time to think about these things - you just grab one and use it - then move on. It's unworthy of considered thought and discussion. It's the kind of thing you do and immediately decide yes, it works, no it doesn't. You don't prevaricate and you don't even really evaluate it. You might6 not even make a note of the actual effect name. It's a non-event.

Move on.

Ryan Elder
June 18th, 2020, 12:53 AM
Oh okay, well I was just thinking of how to cut bridge the scenes, together thinking if I used transitions, it would look more like American news, but at the same time, I don't want to make them look over-stylized either.

Brian Drysdale
June 18th, 2020, 01:09 AM
I would dump that example, it's distracting.

If you want to simulate American News, look at a number of different channels. However, bear in mind nothing dates faster than the transitions used.

Ryan Elder
June 18th, 2020, 01:41 AM
Oh okay, well I can do cuts instead it's just what if I want to jump ahead, but not have their be a continuity error? Like the news, I want to make the events are shot with just one camera, but if I want to cut ahead with avoiding jump cutting, I thought that using those news-ish transitions would help that. Or I could just jump cut, but you never see jump cuts on the news though.

Brian Drysdale
June 18th, 2020, 01:50 AM
Believe it or not, news video editors use cut aways to make time jumps. It all good practice by the camera people to shoot these, who may also be editing their news pieces, although that depends on the nature and size of the news organisation.

Ryan Elder
June 18th, 2020, 01:57 AM
Oh okay thanks, I don't recall seeing jump cuts on the news. Well I can use just cutting if that's better, as long as it still feels like American news.

Brian Drysdale
June 18th, 2020, 03:22 AM
It's the onscreen graphics and the reporter's voice that makes it look like American news.

Pete Cofrancesco
June 18th, 2020, 05:30 AM
It’s funny I was wondering last night what happened to Ryan, we haven’t heard from him in a while. I was hoping he finally decided to stop trying to micro plan his movie and started making it. Oh well looks like he’s off on another tangent but it’s sounds more achievable than the other project (unless this is simply another part of that same movie he is always talking about).

24hr News channels (Fox/CNN/MSNBC) have big budgets and large departments dedicated to creating these slick looks. For a $50-200 you can buy graphics plugin packages for your editing software to approximate this corporate news look. This seems like another exasperating effort to emulate big budget productions with no budget.

Ryan Elder
June 18th, 2020, 11:01 AM
Oh I was busy with other projects. I could buy the product, but I thought I would just create the graphics myself in the software I have though, unless there is an advantage to that package?

Another thing I could do in some parts of the editing is insert a still photo and then pan and scan within the photo for reveals. The only thing is, you don't see this on the news, so would that TOO different?

Brian Drysdale
June 18th, 2020, 04:39 PM
There's no reason why you wouldn't see a still photograph in a news programme if it's the only visual that's available. It won't be something that they'd shoot themselves, since they shoot video. but a still could be provided by a member of the public or from a newspaper photographer.

Ryan Elder
June 18th, 2020, 07:07 PM
Yep true. I could use still photos in some parts, but I wonder if that looks like it's considered cheating since it's a movie, and are movies expected to have videos tell their stories as oppose to a still once in a while?

Paul R Johnson
June 19th, 2020, 12:43 AM
People won't think anything if it looks like news. You are over thinking again. Movies use whatever is appropriate, so look at the movies about news if you have to, and you'll find they over exaggerate the key features, not recreate reality. Don't get into your rules thing again.

Brian Drysdale
June 19th, 2020, 01:27 AM
No such thing as cheating in a movie, the whole thing is a cheat, a slight of hand.

"La Jetee" is made using stills, so no rules regarding that.

Ryan Elder
June 19th, 2020, 09:28 AM
Oh okay thanks. What about skipping ahead in someone's speech? I've noticed they used flashes of white to do that. I can just cut ahead, but then that's jump cutting, but maybe jump cutting on the news is okay, even though you never see it?

Paul R Johnson
June 19th, 2020, 10:54 AM
News edits frequently just stuff together clips edited for the audio, and sometimes they'll slap all kinds of transitions on them, often with a whoosh or other SFX. If you watch just one or two hours of a con sinuous news channel, you'll see edits done for speed, and if the cut jolts too much, they simply soften it with something suitable.

Ryan Elder
June 19th, 2020, 11:16 AM
Oh okay thanks.

I also noticed this type of transition at 0:49 into the clip:

Stunned Harvey Weinstein jailed after guilty verdict | WNT - YouTube

The do a fade to white and back to avoid jump cutting. I could do that or just have jump cuts intentionally for style.

Brian Drysdale
June 19th, 2020, 11:48 AM
There are no rules, it really depends on what you're doing and on each news station's requirements. Some insist that you show that speeches have been edited,, others allow cutaways in order to avoid jump cuts.

I'm not sure why you're asking these things. Your editor will be the person creating these news bulletins (even though it's you) and the style may have changed in the meantime. They' used to cut to black, so these the things go in and out of fashion. This one simulates a flash frame, which what happens on film cameras when they're stopped filming and a couple of frames get over exposed before the reflex mirror on the shutter is lined up.

Use the transition effect that best suits your story and the action, you don't need to set it in stone for the moment. .

Ryan Elder
June 19th, 2020, 02:03 PM
Oh okay thanks. It's just that I was planning the shoot with the edit in mind, because I thought that would be better, rather than not shooting for the edit.

Brian Drysdale
June 19th, 2020, 03:57 PM
It doesn't make any difference during the shoot if you plan to use a jump cut, a flash frame, a cut to black or everything spins like one of those old newspaper effects.

Pete Cofrancesco
June 19th, 2020, 05:49 PM
The only thing you need to make sure when you film is that you leave few extra seconds at the start and end for the transitions. The Weinstein clip has bunch of common transitions mainly fade to color either white or black. This is really basic stuff.

Brian Drysdale
June 20th, 2020, 12:02 AM
Yes, remember your overlaps.

Paul R Johnson
June 27th, 2020, 12:45 PM
Ryan has been missing for a while and this news jump cut topic has appeared on the DVX forum, posted by JimS2 - who oddly, starts every post with "Oh, OK, Thanks......" I'd bet Ryans' started anew over there.

Zooming vs. speedramping, which looks better? - Page 3 (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?367647-Zooming-vs-speedramping-which-looks-better/page3)

is a typical Ryan topic. Things might be quieter here if he's jumped ship.

Pete Cofrancesco
June 27th, 2020, 04:52 PM
Ryan has been missing for a while and this news jump cut topic has appeared on the DVX forum, posted by JimS2 - who oddly, starts every post with "Oh, OK, Thanks......" I'd bet Ryans' started anew over there.

Zooming vs. speedramping, which looks better? - Page 3 (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?367647-Zooming-vs-speedramping-which-looks-better/page3)

is a typical Ryan topic. Things might be quieter here if he's jumped ship.
I kinda miss him but maybe if JimS2 spends most of his time on dvx forum might not be such a bad thing. Ryan errr I mean Jim could use a fresh start

Brian Drysdale
June 28th, 2020, 12:55 AM
It would seem that he's getting the same range of answers to the same range of questions.

Paul R Johnson
June 28th, 2020, 08:50 AM
Trouble is, he's not moved forward - he's doing the cheap lens crash zoom thing again, the topic about his script and the policeman and the current news cuts.

I did kind of think we'd been helping and guiding him OK, clearly he still hasn't got the answers he wants.

Brian Drysdale
June 28th, 2020, 09:16 AM
What you want and what you can get can be entirely different things, especially if you don't have or are unwilling to spend the money required. Paraphrasing John Boorman's book title, it's about turning money into light.

Unfortunately, he keeps on painting himself into a corner without noticing the ground floor window beside him.

Paul R Johnson
June 28th, 2020, 03:47 PM
DVXuser.com -- The online community for filmmaking (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/search.php?searchid=23726698)

They spotted that Ryan was previously Ironpony, and they mentioned he'd posted the same things before.

Brian Drysdale
June 28th, 2020, 04:51 PM
I had a quick search and Ironpony seems to have the same issues that Ryan has in hearing things and (apparently) not really understanding. Plus the suggestion (in 2013) that he has done this on a number of other forum boards.

There's a definite pattern that been going on for years and this film (seemingly) hasn't yet gotten to a festival.

Pete Cofrancesco
June 28th, 2020, 06:14 PM
DVXuser.com -- The online community for filmmaking (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/search.php?searchid=23726698)

They spotted that Ryan was previously Ironpony, and they mentioned he'd posted the same things before.
Because of his limitation I can't see him having success in filmakng or to following anybody’s advice. Maybe it's enough that he has something that occupies his time that he enjoys doing... I'll just have limit my responses to encouragement and leave it at that. Knowing what I know now I feel like I've wasted a lot of time

Josh Bass
June 28th, 2020, 09:54 PM
Sad but probably true. He wasnt bad as an actor from the pig sitcom. Maybe potential there...work on movies AND be told exactly what to do and how to do it.

Ryan Elder
June 28th, 2020, 10:10 PM
Well I think now that covid is starting to die down, I will try another shot at making a feature film maybe. I mean I was told before that I need better actors and a better DP and crew to pull off a much better product, so I will use my money and get those things, and hope it pays off and that the next product is much better as a result.

Sorry, I didn't mean to make anyone feel that the advice was a waste at all! I have received plenty of great advice on here, and I really appreciate it! Thank you everyone, for all the great advice. I am going to take the advice on here, and try to apply it the next project, and hope it turns out well.

Josh Bass
June 28th, 2020, 10:56 PM
Covid starting to die down you say? We're just gettin into our groove in Texas. Make room, Ryan. Daddy's movin' in.

Ryan Elder
June 28th, 2020, 10:59 PM
When you say make room, what do you mean by that?

Josh Bass
June 28th, 2020, 11:03 PM
Sorry friend. It was a dumb joke. I was saying that since you're saying Canada's about to be Covid-free and here in Texas we're just ramping up (AGAIN), I was going to move in with you.

Ryan Elder
June 28th, 2020, 11:04 PM
Oh, sorry for not understanding. Yeah it's too bad how covid has not calmed down as much in other places, for sure.

Brian Drysdale
June 29th, 2020, 12:40 AM
The film and TV industries are slowly beginning to start moving again, however, there are about 50 pages of guidelines for doing so. Just because Covid-19 has quietened down, doesn't mean that it has gone and there's a real risk of the so called 2nd wave come the flu season.

I don't know about your state, but British Columbia has published guidelines; https://deadline.com/2020/06/the-flash-hollywood-north-coronavirus-vancouver-production-safety-guidelines-riverdale-good-doctor-quarantine-1202969995/

If you're going to make a film, go and do.it at an appropriate time. However, if you haven't found out how by this stage, with the endless threads running over at least 7 years on forums, the odds aren't that good.

Ryan Elder
June 29th, 2020, 12:57 AM
Yeah I will have to wait for some more things in the pandemic to be lifted, I am just saying I am going to go for it. Or maybe if it keeps up I will have to attempt to do it somewhere else...

I mean I could try to cheat and just have a couple of actors to shoot half of a scene, then bring in another few to shoot the other half, but I really prefer to have my master shots, where everyone is playing off each other in the scene, for safety.

Brian Drysdale
June 29th, 2020, 01:12 AM
Please download a set of guidelines and make your plans from there.

Personal preferences may not work out in the current situation, plus the shooting schedule is likely to be longer.

Ryan Elder
June 29th, 2020, 01:17 AM
Oh okay, why is the shooting schedule likely to be longer though? The guidelines don't say anything about having to spread out your events longer.

Josh Bass
June 29th, 2020, 01:26 AM
It's not about directly spreading the schedule out...it's all the extra hoops with masks, handwashing, maintaining distance, etc etc etc. All of this will slow down the process as you add extra seconds and minutes to each little thing you do all day, over a 10/12 etc hour period. Think about how much crap people touch every day and how close they normally are on set...now realize all of that has to change.

Ryan Elder
June 29th, 2020, 01:33 AM
Oh okay I see. Well if I have to, I could postpone if I have to then. I'm trying to make my shoots faster than before, to save money and time.

Brian Drysdale
June 29th, 2020, 02:05 AM
Given your films to date, I would concentrate on improving the quality of your films, rather than shooting faster.

Ryan Elder
June 29th, 2020, 03:25 AM
Oh okay, but one of the things I have to improve in the shoots is getting the schedule faster. Or I could stick to the same type of schedule I have been doing, but I don't want to be slowed down too much though by covid, and may need to wait then, if that's the case.

Of course I will try to improve the quality as well.

Brian Drysdale
June 29th, 2020, 03:54 AM
It's hard to take you seriously, you already do fast shoots and don't seem to be that demanding in creating reasonably good performances from your current actors. Good DPs and actors will want the time to do their jobs to a suitably high standard.

Is this just another case of forum ping pong messaging?

Have you read the message from the moderator on DVX User and their advice?

Ryan Elder
June 29th, 2020, 11:46 AM
Yeah he said to start at the script, so I can do that, if that's the advice you meant.

Brian Drysdale
June 29th, 2020, 01:06 PM
The one I saw didn't mention scripts.