The Craft of Scientific Films : How to Make Videos of Your Laboratory, Research, or Technical Projects

This book, the first of its kind, helps scientists and engineers of all stages and disciplines share their work in a new way―with movies. Today, much of scientific communication is embedded in papers and presentations, but these documents don't often extend outside of a specific academic field. By adding movies as a medium of communication, scientists and engineers can better communicate with their colleagues while also increasing their reach to students, professors, peers, potential collaborators, and the public. Scientific films help translate complex technical topics into more accessible and consumable messages. By following Lauren Murphy's filmmaking formula - planning, shooting, and editing - readers will create their very own scientific films that look professional and polished. Using tools as simple as a smartphone, readers can develop short, personal stories with no cost or experience needed. This book will guide readers through all steps of the movie making process to a finished product. Readers will evolve their creative thinking skills and use their movies to improve classroom presentations, network across student organizations, present at conferences, recruit students for their labs, secure grant money, and more. Adding a movie to your body of work can be the tool that sparks interest in audiences to learn more―driving traffic to your publications, research projects, and websites. This book will help you develop new skills to become a better communicator while spreading your ideas and research to new audiences. Preface Acknowledgments Contents 1: Introduction 1.1 Reading a Book About Videos Part I: Planning Notes 2: Creating Your Story 2.1 Evaluating Movies as the Medium of Communication 2.2 Choosing an Audience 2.3 Creating a Main Message Notes 3: Structuring Your Story 3.1 Expanding Your Story 3.2 Drafting a Plan Notes Part II: Shooting 4: Gathering Your Equipment 4.1 Choosing Your Equipment 4.2 Becoming Comfortable with your Gear Notes 5: Shooting the Main Content 5.1 Setting Up Your Shot 5.2 Deciding Where Your Subject Will Look 5.3 Capturing Clear Audio 5.4 Acting as the Director Notes 6: Shooting and Collecting the B-Roll 6.1 Shooting Your B-Roll 6.2 Collecting Other Media 6.3 Creating Your Own B-Roll Notes Part III: Editing 7: Editing Techniques 7.1 Setting Yourself Up to Edit 7.2 Creating a Rough Cut Notes 8: Editing Video 8.1 Editing the Main Content 8.2 Editing the B-roll 8.3 Manipulating Your Footage 8.4 Creating Titles Notes 9: Editing Audio 9.1 Leveling Your Audio 9.2 Using Music to Set the Mood and Tone 9.3 Recording a Voiceover Notes 10: Editing the Final Draft 10.1 Setting Your Own Time Limit 10.2 Using Feedback 10.3 Releasing Your Video into the World Notes 11: Conclusion Note Appendix A Example Script Team 1.4’s Etch-A-Sketch Automation Film Script Appendix B Appearance Release Form Appendix C Full Length Sample Videos Glossary Notes Index