by Kirk Starratt
kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca
NovaNewsNow.com
It’s an interesting take on videography that makes you think about motion pictures in a whole new way.
Group Creativity Facilitator Kimberly Smith, a veteran videographer, says the real key to the success of his “Movie Games” concept is to make it accessible and affordable. The great thing is it has never been more affordable to get involved.
You probably already have access to a TV set. With two camcorders and two tripods, you can have two “Movie Games” teams up and running for about $800.
Smith introduced the “Movie Games” concept to a group of eight participants from across the Valley at the first Kings Community Video-Making Workshop at the New Minas Baptist Church Saturday, Jan. 26. He split the group into two teams and got them to play “Movie Games”, which Smith describes as a team sport you can play with a video camera. Because it’s a team activity, Smith said it’s more fun.
“It’s a demanding activity requiring attention to detail and precision, the same as other sports,” he said. “It’s a physically demanding exercise requiring constant attention to detail.”
“Movie Games” is a series of team activities. Each activity results in the production of a short video package. “It’s improvising video as a team, collaboratively,” Smith said.
All the editing is done on the camera so you don’t need a computer or expensive edit controllers or video switchers.
Proper framing of shots
For example, in the entry-level game “In the Moment”, participants pretended to be part of a TV news team. One team member would operate the camera and shoot a “talking head” shot of another team member. The camera is paused while recording and handed off to another shooter and it’s another participant’s turn to play reporter. One lesson learned through the exercise is the proper framing of shots.
Smith said people understand TV news, but when they try it, they’re often surprised at how challenging it is. If a team rises to the challenge and nails it, Smith said you should be able to rewind the tape and the sequence of video clips should play seamlessly. To play it back, all you need is the audio-video connector cable that comes with the camcorder to plug the camera into a TV set.
Smith said people often come to his workshops focused on their camera and wanting to know how it works. His answer to them is to read the manual.
He teaches the language of motion pictures. A lot of the time, courses focus on the technology involved, but not the language. It’s like giving people pencils and paper, he said, and explaining how they work then asking them to write essays without first teaching them a language.
“That’s the step forward I’m taking,” he said. “It’s about discovering the language of motion pictures and learning to play with it in a group context.”
For example, the Film and Video Production 12 curriculum from the Department of Education never mentions the language of motion pictures or what it means. Smith said we’ve got wrapped up in the idea that it’s all about technology and less than one per cent of the general population is literate in the language of motion pictures.
“If we empower people with the language, they won’t be hemmed in by technical limitations,” he said.
Another game played, “First Shot, Last Shot”, taught participants the importance of continuity editing in visual storytelling.
“A video camera is like a musical instrument. Learning to play it is as challenging as learning to play the guitar or the clarinet,” Smith said. “People don’t think about a video camera in that way.”
Smith said “Movie Games” is a community-building tool that can bring all demographics together in a wonderful social exercise. It’s a relatively new idea that grew out of the tradition of improvisational theatre.
It’s a literary initiative as well. Smith has been working with Literacy Nova Scotia to empower adult learners and educators across the province with the language of motion pictures.
“It’s not Hollywood, it’s being yourself. It’s very rewarding when you nail it,” Smith said. However, he points out there are no instant results. “For me, making TV is way more fun than watching TV.”
Participants’ eyes opened to new language
Kings County councillor Wayne Atwater, who participated in the “Movie Games” workshop, said he never understood how important it is to take a square picture.
“I learned a lot this morning,” he said.
Participant Ken McRae of Kentville said it’s good to get guidance and ideas and the workshop covers a lot of ground. He said he believes it’s better to dive in and try to get the context first before looking at the details.
He said he had fun and learned a lot, and is interested in applying his newly acquired skills to family documentaries and scrapbooking.
“It’s a matter of putting all the pieces together,” McRae said, adding that the learning process is kind of like adding spokes to a wheel. “It’s about having a theme and being able to fit the pieces together to get a product.”
The workshop grew out of a presentation Smith made to Kings County councillors in November. The recreation departments of the County of Kings and villages of Canning, Kingston and New Minas partnered to sponsor the workshop. Another one is coming up Saturday, April 12 at the New Minas Baptist Church.
For an explanation of the history of “Movie Games”, visit
www.creativeaction.ca
