On Monday we shared tips for conducting a successful documentary interview. Today we have a great example for you — this documentary profile video won an NY Emmy Award for Best Arts Segment. As a digital media piece created for the web, close-up images were used for their ease of visibility on a smartphone’s smaller screen. Also, this video’s length is just under 2.5 minutes to keep the viewer’s attention all the way through — an important consideration for web-based videos. The filmmaker used documentary filmmaking techniques to weave in stories from Sean’s interview with a poetry reading performed in the same room, making creative use of the space. Inspired by Sean’s vibe, the music and transitions were carefully chosen to enhance the mood. Edited with Adobe Premiere and After Effects, this was the first of a series highlighting student award winners at CUNY. The campaign was featured in The New York Post, and on large billboards throughout New York City.

This arts break is brought to you by one of our talented Picture House instructors, Laura Meoli-Ferrigon. We previously shared her Essential Tips for Quality Filmmaking at Home. Budding filmmakers would also appeciate her recent post about video equipment that won’t break the bank.

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