8. How to shoot science (by Šárka Speváková and Carolyn Robinson)
with additional contributions from Mikoláš Herskovič

8.1 Introduction

To make a good science video (or any video) you have to think in three dimensions: First, you have to have a remarkable story in mind; second, you have to have an idea of how to visualise it; and third, you have to know how to support it with sound.

Filming a story requires more hands-on experience than any other journalistic work. You have to not only grasp the story, but also organise the shooting and edit the materials you acquire.

To achieve the final product you have to use many gadgets – cameras, microphones, and computers with editing software. Usually, these are operated by specialist crew members, but there are situations where you may have to do this yourself. Therefore you have to understand the individual stages of science video making, the technology available and how to communicate your concepts to your crew. Even if you don’t have to operate equipment yourself, the more you know about the possibilities and limitations of what you have, the better you will be able to work with your teammates.

By the end of this lesson you will have a basic idea of the stages of work that are awaiting you, which obstacles can arise and how to bypass them.


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