Film workshops with WARC
I've been out in Kakadu running film workshops for the West Arnhem Regional Council sport, rec and youth teams.
The idea is that the crew that have been through the workshop can go back into communities and share their skills with other staff and interested people - so more stories can come out of the very active communities in Arnhem Land. We mainly focussed on short, engaging videos for social media and how to do interviews and capture stories.
I thought I'd take a moment to share a couple of key take home points for anyone out there wanting to make short videos for social media.
Keep it simple: you don't have to create a studio quality video to get good attention on social media. It's about high energy, straight to the point and fun content. Don't try to say and include everything - keep the best parts and keep it as short as possible.
Be creative: don't be afraid to be creative with the angels you film and how you capture footage. Get close and low to the ground, try find a higher spot to film from - anything to make the video looks different and more interesting is worth exploring
Use people: human beings are way more likely to watch and connect with videos that include other human beings. So include faces, people experiencing things, interviews to camera and people smiling and having fun - people always make the most engaging content.
Take your time: the first few times you make short videos you should make sure you have time to play and create - don't put time pressure on yourself at the beginning because then you'll stress and resent making videos - have fun because then you'll learn faster and will be more likely to try it again
Know why: before you even start filming know 'why' you're making the video? Understanding the purpose and the audience will help you get the right footage and edit in a way that gets your message across
Take care of your gear: be gentle and sensible with the camera gear you have, the better you treat it the longer it lasts and the higher quality your videos. And on that - don't worry if you don't have expensive camera... phones are excellent resources and you're better off using something that you're comfortable with.
Love running these sorts of workshops and sharing my skills so if you have any ups killing needs please contact me.
