Right before quarantine, I auditioned to take a four-week acting class over the summer. I was thrilled when I got in, and began dreaming about all the fun I would have staying in the city for a month, seeing shows, and meeting new people. You can imagine my dismay when they announced that the program would be held over Zoom. It definitely wasn't the same as it would've been if it had been in person, but it gave me the opportunity to film a whole scene on Zoom.
Filming on Zoom is an awesome way to stay creative during quarantine. It may seem pretty simple, but filming a scene with someone miles apart and making it look like you’re actually in the same room is super difficult to set up, film, and edit together.
Setting up
I recommend doing some preparations before jumping right into the filming, so that your video is as high quality as possible.
Before setting up your devices, get your scene partner on the other end of the call to figure out where you’ll be filming. This is a critical part of your set-up process. If your backgrounds are different, it’ll be a constant reminder to you and the viewers that you’re not actually in the same place. It’s easiest to find a similar-colored wall since most people have white walls in their house, and then build from there with background objects. Consider everything. Will you be sitting in the scene? Standing? Is it in a bedroom? A kitchen? Does your character mention a specific object you might need? (Oh, also consider costumes and makeup!). This is where your script comes in handy.
Ok, now that you’ve set up your space, it’s time for a more technical part of the process: setting up your devices! Having 2 devices can be very useful; I used a computer for Zoom and my phone to film. It’s pretty crucial to have both so that you can see your scene partner while you’re acting, instead of just hearing their voice and looking off into the distance at a random object…
Like I’ve stressed in a number of my previous articles, a tripod for your filming device is a lifesaver. At the time that we filmed our scene, I didn’t have one yet, so I continuously had to adjust my skyhigh pile of books that I was propping my phone on. However, check with your scene partner to clarify if they are doing the same thing, rather than having someone film them. You can of course do either one, but you should both do the same. When someone is holding the camera, there is always a little bit of movement so it will be obvious to the audience when going back and forth between shots.
I’m a theater person, so this was actually my first time filming myself. Standardly, make sure your phone or camera is eye level. If it’s not, it’ll look off (unless it’s an artistic choice, of course!). Also, I highly recommend wearing airpods or some sort of wireless earbud when recording your scene. This will help you tremendously in the editing process later. Otherwise, your scene partner’s voice will be heard coming from your Zoom in addition to the part they recorded. You will still be able to edit the sound out, but it’ll be more of a tedious process.
Filming
Filming can sound relatively straightforward, but there are some details I want to address that I initially had no idea I’d need to consider. This has to do with basic shots you can take with your filming device.
Medium Shot: you’ll probably use this one the most. Set up your phone so that when you’re on camera, you see your chest up (and not too much space between the top of your head and the top of the frame)
Close-up: this gets coverage of just your face, used for intimate moments.
Wide shot: gets coverage of your whole body to get a feel for physical presence and the space itself
B roll: covers an inanimate object that helps tell the story
It can be harder to take some of these without the help of another person, but it’s totally possible when you prop up your filming device. You can do the scene multiple times together, adjusting your device between takes so that you can edit them later.
Editing
If you’re on a time crunch, keep in mind that editing will be time-consuming. There are so many editing apps and websites out there. I used Final Cut Pro, but others work very well too! Editing is great because you have the chance to not only cut the scene how you want it, but also to cut out any lags that may have occurred on Zoom, causing awkward pauses. You can also take the different angles and shots you filmed with and combine them into your final piece.
These tips are just an overview of how to begin the filming process, but by knowing these basic skills, you’ll be able to create a true work of art :)
Xo, Weezy