At Platzi, you can now find an English course for Producers. This blogpost will give you an idea of the kind of things you will be able to practice there.
What do Audio Visual Production and English have in common? They both focus on communication.
Audio Visual is all about conveying messages to the viewers through audio and video. Depending on the emotion you would like to convey, you may decide to change your lighting, or to use specific colours and shot angles.
Language is very much the same; every language has expressions that paint a mental image to the listener. To be an effective communicator, you need to choose your words wisely depending on what you would like to express.
Both AV and English can be fun; especially when studying them together!
Let’s see an example of this by discussing four commonly used English expressions and seeing how we can convey them in an AV production:
1. To be a Happy Camper
A happy camper is someone who is generally happy, content and positive. Happy campers tend to be easy-going and peaceful. How can you depict a happy camper through AV?
Using a warmer lighting can help depict this warm and content personality. Using colours like yellow and green can convey the idea that this is a happy, peaceful person. You could place them in nature, where people tend to feel more relaxed.
Picture composition is crucial. You want to instill a content and peaceful emotion in the viewer, so you could place them in a satisfying “rule of thirds”, implied lines or even use the “Fibonacci” technique.
What about Audio?
Happy sounds that are upbeat would depict a happy camper’s philosophy of being positive and taking life’s problem one day at a time.
Think of: “Don’t worry, be happy” by Bob Marley.
2. To Feel Blue
Someone who is feeling blue is sad. How can you depict sadness?
Use a cooler lighting that leans toward a “Blue” colour. You may choose to use colours like gray, metallic blue and black to convey feelings of sadness.
Shooting the subject from a high angle could convey the sense of inferiority, whereas using a Dutch angle could convey feelings of instability and confusion.
What about audio?
Go for something that is melancholic, a slow beat, something that conveys sadness, regret, or despair.
Try something like, “Happiest Year” by Jaymes Young
3. To Be Head Over Heels For Someone:
This means to be in love with someone. How can you convey love?
Warm lighting leaning toward pink, yellow, or orange.
Focus on the emotions of the subjects by zooming in on their facial expressions and the way they display affection for each other.
You might want to add some curved lines in your frame, conveying a feeling of comfort. You also might want to film this in longer shot intervals, giving the impression that time has stopped, as people feel when they are in love.
What about audio?
Try something upbeat: a warm, happy melody like, “ I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
To Be Hopping Mad
As the idiom already points to, someone who is hopping mad is very angry. How can you convey the feeling of anger? What colours come to mind?
Red is a colour that often conveys feelings of anger, aggression and violence. To be hot headed means to be someone who gets angry easily.
You might decide to shoot the scene from a low angle, making the subject seem filled with anger. You might decide to focus on the anger conveyed in his facial expressions or maybe, to zoom in on his hands which are now in a tight fist.
If his anger is bringing the subject to act in a violent way, you might want to zoom out on him to give the scene greater depth of field. This way the viewer can focus on the actions of the subject. You may decide to shoot this scene in shots of smaller intervals, giving it the feeling of action and energy.
What about audio?
Something with a fast, aggressive beat like, “Headstrong” by Trapt
Both language and Audio Visual need a level of passion invested into them. Language without passion are just words, just as a story without passion is just an image.
Our English for Producers Course brings passion into the learning.
Join me, Alita Zaniolo, for this course and invest in your future as a successful Audio Visual professional!
Curso de Inglés para Producción Audiovisual (2020)
