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Hello, Graduates, and congratulations!
We are Final Focus Productions and we have the privilege once again of being the production company to support REACH and this year's Graduations Ceremony. It's much easier to file up on stage and receive your recognition - all the microphones, lights, and cameras are ready to go. In this virtual time, that tech gets put on your plate. We're here to make this process as easy as possible to make you look and sound your best! So I'm asking for patience in order for you to help us accomplish this. Please review the images below for proper camera orientation and framing. You will be submitting 2 videos, not still images.
We are Final Focus Productions and we have the privilege once again of being the production company to support REACH and this year's Graduations Ceremony. It's much easier to file up on stage and receive your recognition - all the microphones, lights, and cameras are ready to go. In this virtual time, that tech gets put on your plate. We're here to make this process as easy as possible to make you look and sound your best! So I'm asking for patience in order for you to help us accomplish this. Please review the images below for proper camera orientation and framing. You will be submitting 2 videos, not still images.
- Be sure to record in HORIZONTAL/LANDSCAPE perspective.
- Wear your cap and gown if available.
- Avoid white or black, and deep, solid colors like red, green and blue.
- Fine pinstripes, patterns or checks are not pleasing to the camera.
- Staying with neutral or muted colors and designs works best.
- Noisy jewelry is very distracting. Bangles, charm bracelets or a watch banging on the desk is an issue for men and women.
- Be aware of ambient noise in the room. I’ve heard it all: dishes, kids, pets, construction. Do your best to schedule around that.
- Reflections in eyeglasses from lights.
- The lens is your audience, maintain eye contact.
- Raise your camera or laptop so the camera is at eye level. We see that horrendous up-the-nose shot every day.
- Keep the microphone as close to you as possible. It's probably located in your webcam and definitely on your phone.
- Don't put a window behind you, this will cause difficult silhouetting. A window behind the camera is good.
- You can be next to a window for natural lighting. But avoid a direct sidelight.
- You can light yourself with a lamp placed 3' to the side and 3' in front of you. This will take some experimenting.
- Center yourself in the frame from left to right
- Keep roughly a fist-sized space above your head. Your eyes should not be in the middle of the screen.
- The bottom of the frame should be between your armpits and elbows.
Use the General guidelines above to make you look good in your environment. Please set your video camera/phone/tablet to record a minimum of 720p HD, 1080p is better.
You will be recording 2 videos: The first you are smiling at the camera for a full 10 seconds (plus the extra time as noted below) and a second video where you will be turning your tassel (again following the instructions below for additional time at the start and end of your video).
- Your phone or webcam will be approximately 18-24" in front of you.
- Be sure to record in HORIZONTAL/LANDSCAPE perspective.
- Use a tripod or have a friend hold the camera and try not to move around too much.
- Level the tripod. Find a vertical line in your shot such as a doorframe, piece of furniture, etc. so the image and edge of the viewfinder are parallel.
- When recording, hit the record button, stabilize the camera, wait 5 seconds while you are smiling at the camera, please continue looking and smiling at the lens for 15 seconds,, hit stop.
- For the tassel turn, hit the record button, stabilize the camera, wait 10 seconds while you are smiling at the camera, turn your tassel from RIGHT to the LEFT, please continue looking and smiling at the lens for 10 seconds,, hit stop.
- Editing will be done by Final Focus Productions.
Your image should look like this
This is a well-framed shot:
A bit of space above the top of your head Bottom of frame is between armpits and elbows Centered left to right Horizontal/landscape format |
Your image SHOULD NOT look like this
This is a not-so-well-framed shot:
Too much space above the top of your head Vertical format does not match other students and presenters |
To submit files to Dropbox
Naming convention of your video file. Please help us keep things organized by naming your file in the following manner for your bio:
If you update any of your files, please append the word "revised" Last name_First name_(add any suffixes)_revised so I know you have a revised presentation.
Dropbox will ask you for your name, please enter LAST NAME FIRST NAME.
The link works on mobile (smartphone & tablet) or desktop. Click the link and then "choose files", then "files" folder. On mobile, typically this will show what's in your photo library. Click the file you want, then add your info, click "upload". Best to do this on WiFi.
PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR VIDEOS BY MAY 28.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us directly 717-697-2622 or Art@TrustFFP.com or Steve@TrustFFP.com
Naming convention of your video file. Please help us keep things organized by naming your file in the following manner for your bio:
- Last name_First name_tassel
- Last name_First name_smile
If you update any of your files, please append the word "revised" Last name_First name_(add any suffixes)_revised so I know you have a revised presentation.
Dropbox will ask you for your name, please enter LAST NAME FIRST NAME.
The link works on mobile (smartphone & tablet) or desktop. Click the link and then "choose files", then "files" folder. On mobile, typically this will show what's in your photo library. Click the file you want, then add your info, click "upload". Best to do this on WiFi.
PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR VIDEOS BY MAY 28.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us directly 717-697-2622 or Art@TrustFFP.com or Steve@TrustFFP.com
For our other presenters recording remotely with Final Focus Productions
In preparation for your remote presentation and recording, we’ll take about an hour to prepare you and your equipment to provide the best-possible video quality, sound quality and speech delivery. This is done a few days in advance of your recording or live session to reduce stress and help you focus on your presentation and delivery.
I appreciate your patience during this setup time and acknowledge you have to become a bit of an AV tech and this can be frustrating. Bluntly: Help me help you. Do not kill your brand and credibility by rushing through these steps. I could not possibly do your job, and now I need to mentor you in a short amount of time to do mine.
Your actual presentation recording will take just slightly longer than the actual delivery time.
Could you please provide me with:
What I will be helping you with:
More tech stuff:
Other things to consider:
I am here to make you look and sound your best!
Depending on the scope, this will be working with equipment you have available, or a client may have me send equipment to you. My goal is to make you comfortable and make you look and sound as professional as possible. We want you to look great! We simply have a conversation.
Whatever I help you with, it is valuable for every time you are on-camera in the future. You will look and sound better than everyone else in that zoom gallery!
I appreciate your patience during this setup time and acknowledge you have to become a bit of an AV tech and this can be frustrating. Bluntly: Help me help you. Do not kill your brand and credibility by rushing through these steps. I could not possibly do your job, and now I need to mentor you in a short amount of time to do mine.
Your actual presentation recording will take just slightly longer than the actual delivery time.
Could you please provide me with:
- A screenshot of what your webcam sees
- Speed test of wired internet connection - 5Mbps is the absolute minimum for HD video. A wireless connection is unreliable.
- Are you using a Mac or PC?
What I will be helping you with:
- Camera - position, color balance, framing - a low camera will be looking up your nose
- Sound - microphone position and delivery, quiet space
- Lighting - using existing, artificial lighting, avoid windows, no window behind you
- Background - keep neutral with few distractions
- Possibly download software to help with camera settings
- Connecting to vMixCall for recording
More tech stuff:
- We connect with a utility called vMixCall. You will get a web link that connects to our computers directly.
- Chrome browser is preferred, we will help you select camera & mic
- Safari browser is preferred on Mac with Chrome second
- Keep everyone off your internet during your recording. No movies, no youtube, no zoom calls. This includes computers AND phones, wired and wireless. I suppose they could text.
Other things to consider:
- Dresscode - black robes & hoods for graduations, wearing the proper clothes reduces distractions. Avoid white or black, and deep, solid colors like red, green and blue. Fine pinstripes or checks are technically not pleasing to the camera. Staying with neutral or muted colors and designs works best.
- Noisy jewelry. Very distracting. Could be bangles or a watch banging on the desk.
- Ambient noise in the room. I’ve heard it all. Dishes, kids, pets, construction. Do your best to schedule around that.
- Reflections in eyeglasses from lights.
I am here to make you look and sound your best!
Depending on the scope, this will be working with equipment you have available, or a client may have me send equipment to you. My goal is to make you comfortable and make you look and sound as professional as possible. We want you to look great! We simply have a conversation.
Whatever I help you with, it is valuable for every time you are on-camera in the future. You will look and sound better than everyone else in that zoom gallery!
