Camcorder Masterclass Index
Holiday videos: Interest - the secret factor

A major advantage of being a member of a video club is the opportunity to view and discuss other people's work. This stimulates ideas and provides a standard to work to. After watching a batch of club members holiday videos, Ron said, "I was in two minds whether to come or not, because most of the holiday videos I've previously seen have been boring and badly made. I'm glad I did. There was quite a variety and even though I haven't been to those places, I found them interesting."

Consider when making any video is who will view it and how can you interest them? This is especially important with holiday videos. Whilst participants might prefer a personal record, other folk will want something of more general interest. If your work might be shown to both groups, then before shooting consider whether to make two differently slanted movies or just one which might suit most viewers. This will help ensure that you obtain sufficient material.

How can I interest my audience?

• Unless vital to the plot and cleverly done, avoid commencing with the holidaymakers looking at brochures, then packing, travelling to their destination and so on, ad infinitum. That approach is "old hat" and yawn provoking.

• Look around for an interesting or photogenic location, a happening, behavioural aspects, any of which can create human interest. Below we've indicated possible lines of approach.

• Select a treatment. Is the movie to be serious, amusing, visually and perhaps musically stimulating, putting across a specific message, or a candid observation of a place or people etc? of course, you might reverse the procedure by thinking of the type of holiday movie you want to make and then look around for suitable material.

Concentrating an a specific location

For the purpose of this article consider a small picturesque fishing harbour. Our approach is to try and capture its atmosphere and activity, particular attention being paid to the fishermen and local residents.

If present, we would include boats with their colourful and ornate prows, which reflect and shimmer on the water which is gently slapping against hulls; the movement and creak of mooring ropes and the sound of greedy gulls swooping and diving whilst the fishermen unload their catch. Others mend nets or engage in various activities. Opposite the wharf, are there kids playing or local residents taking in the sun whilst engaged in handicraft? Don't forget the fish, especially any unusual or particularly ugly species. Maybe the video could start, or end at the colourful fish market with its interesting characters. Provided language problems permit, consider interviewing one or more of the fishermen.

Whatever you do, ensure that there are masses of close-ups. You can decide whether to add a commentary and extra SFX to enhance the atmosphere at the pre-edit stage. Similar material, plus old photographs etc. might be used, to illustrate the decline of the local fishing industry. This documentary approach requires research and might not be acceptable on holiday. After all, there is life after video.

What's the Treatment, Doc?

Is the movie to be serious, humorous, a feast of visuals, or what? As part and parcel of that treatment you need an angle or structured storyline - hopefully an original one. Explore and mull over the possibilities, preferably before shooting, but in any event prior to post-production. Often the holiday itself will suggest an angle. Perhaps the theme might be - this place is over-run by snap-happy tourists; is there life at Stratford-upon-Avon without Bill Shakespeare; City of contrasts, and so on.

Turn it on its head

Turn situations upside down. If visiting a zoo consider how humans seem to behave from the animals viewpoint, or compare the antics of both. The movements of say, flamingos, might be manipulated to simulate a short ballet. It can be done with a little planning, an observant eye, patience and the ability to accurately edit. Get a good angle and your halfway towards making a very watchable movie.

Terry Mendoza's award winning video, The Most Famous Train was more enjoyable because of its humorous tongue-in-cheek story-line. Supposedly, in response to his wife's complaint that he wasn't romantic enough, he decided to take her on the Orient Express, to Venice. The outcome - she reckoned their male train steward was gorgeous, but Terry thought the wine was too expensive and the sleeping compartment hardly idyllic. Romantic - it wasn't. Whilst humour can improve an otherwise average holiday video, you need to be careful. I've found to my cost that whilst some audiences and even judges laughed at the right places, others were less appreciative.

People, people...and people

Having conjured up an innovative angle avoid giving a dull history lesson, be sparing in showing ruins, buildings or other inanimate objects, but be liberal with close-ups and big close-ups, especially of people, their faces, mannerisms and actions. There are many excellent videos made along the latter lines. For instance, whilst on holiday a club colleague found that a clowns convention was in progress. His movie incorporated a cut-to-music montage of the clown's painted faces. The record is far more memorable than would have been achieved by an impersonal - watch-em go by approach.

So far we have suggested confining the video to one location or event but there are obviously many instances when we want to make, and show other folk, a fuller record. No sweat ! Work to the principles previously outlined and ensure that there is plenty of variety in the material (not 1001 lookalike beaches). Let the movie logically progress and incorporate some imaginative links between the sequences or places. (See Editing section) Whatever you do keep it reasonably short - even 15 minutes can seem a lifetime. If your worthwhile material will occupy longer screen time then possibly more than one video is warranted.

Snappy Holiday Videos - the Nitty-Gritty:

1. General viewing requires a product of general interest.
2. Consider concentrating on a specific location or event.
3. Select a treatment and work to an original storyline or theme. This should also assist the structure.
4. People are more interesting than buildings, especially when they are doing something.
5. Shoot lots of close-ups - it helps involve viewers.
6. Link sequences either by visual or verbal means.
7. Don't bore with dull historical facts and statistics.
8. Keep it short.
9. Check out the Hot Tips page.

[For a detailed examination of how one award-winning movie-maker tackles holiday films see Michael Gough's Hawaiian Production Diary