Shot transition ideas for commercial in current production phase

[PeterR]

I'm producing a 5-6min information commercial/promo for a non-profit (shot like a documentary with interviews cut in between scenes of user participating in the programs) and I'd like some ideas for creative and thoughtful shot/scene transitions. The interviews are already filmed and in a couple days we'll begin filming the location footage of people participating/interacting within the programs offered by the non profit.

To be perfectly clean, Im not looking for suggestions that have to do with editing the footage (i.e., swipes or fades, etc). What Im looking for is natural transition ideas from one shot/scene to another shot on location. Here are a few I thought of off the top of my head. Please add:

• swish pan or whip pan: slow pan as usual and then at the end, do a fast pan. For the scene you want to connect it to, do the same. Can also do a whip pan in the direction the character turns head (comic effect). The recent Birman movie used pans as transition points to give the DP a break, but in editing they were able to make it look like one long continuous take.
• walk through camera: character appears to walk into the lens and when the screen fills with their body, cuts to shot of character walking out/away from camera.
• Zoom transition.

Any others? I'm also looking for general ideas for shot design if you care to add/suggest.

[Scott F]

walk through camera: character appears to walk into the lens and when the screen fills with their body.....

Yup, that's what I was thinking. Ha, or the old trick where the subject covers up the lens with their hat. So on that note, with the subject matter, are there any objects/props that the subject could black out the lens with?

I think we would need some more specifics on what the promo/non profit was.

[clang]

Don't forget the classics:
- fade to black, then un-fade to next shot. (The fade to white equivalent is also becoming more popular, although some viewers don't like it)
- blur one shot then un-blur to next shot
Personally I'd only use 'flashy' transitions like 'walk through camera' very sparingly, as they tend to draw too much attention to themselves if overused.

[David W. Jones]

It's been my experience that if viewed for any length of time, all those cute transitions that you thought were über cool at the time, tend to border on ultra cheesy. And I end up wishing I had used cuts and dissolves which in my opinion are timeless.

Good luck with your project!

[FrameFarmMedia]

It's been my experience that if viewed for any length of time, all those cute transitions that you thought were über cool at the time, tend to border on ultra cheesy. And I end up wishing I had used cuts and dissolves which in my opinion are timeless.

Good luck with your project!

I tend to agree with David here. I was watching a food show on Apple TV called 'Day of Gluttony' on Tastemade and they had a lot of well thought out transition moments between scenes. At first I really had to commend the amount of thought and work that went into making them happen but by the end of the show they were coming off cheesy and seemed forced. I guess like every technique when overdone it draws attention to itself.

Here is a charity piece I just finished for a Drop in centre called The Stop. I kept it very simple.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eyBnk4i7tM
https://vimeo.com/124631119

[PeterR]

Thanks all. I agree now that gimmicky and overused transitions are bad. But I believe that a few well placed, well thought of transitions within the scene (not fades or anything that can be done in post) adds some polish to the finished video. We'll see. I definitely won't overdo it.

[PeterR]

I tend to agree with David here. I was watching a food show on Apple TV called 'Day of Gluttony' on Tastemade and they had a lot of well thought out transition moments between scenes. At first I really had to commend the amount of thought and work that went into making them happen but by the end of the show they were coming off cheesy and seemed forced. I guess like every technique when overdone it draws attention to itself.

Here is a charity piece I just finished for a Drop in centre called The Stop. I kept it very simple.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eyBnk4i7tM
https://vimeo.com/124631119

Nice work. I'm curious: did you plan the video entirely in preproduction or was the story/approach more a discovery during editing?

[FrameFarmMedia]

Nice work. I'm curious: did you plan the video entirely in preproduction or was the story/approach more a discovery during editing?

It was planned in pre-production. I knew I wanted to do 3 moods and end on a positive. No one wants to donate to a lost cause. Getting the story and b-roll sorted ahead of time makes it so much more efficient. Time is money and a clear storyboard will speed up your shooting/post time.

[clang]

"Unusual" transitions can work well in the right place, e.g. a 'walk through camera' or zoom could be perfect for somewhere in a title sequence, where the audience is used to seeing a bit of flash and dazzle. But as scene transitions, they're usually clunky or too show-off.

[PeterR]

It was planned in pre-production. I knew I wanted to do 3 moods and end on a positive. No one wants to donate to a lost cause. Getting the story and b-roll sorted ahead of time makes it so much more efficient. Time is money and a clear storyboard will speed up your shooting/post time.

There's just so much to plan in advance. I had done quite a bit of preproduction on this one commercial but failed to nail down a solid storyboard and shotlist. Now I'm suffering as I have a TON of interview and b-roll bts footage, but making it into a cohesive 5-6min docu-mercial is daunting. I can find ways to blame the client for continually putting up roadblocks and changing my original concept mid-way, but in truth, I guess I'm to blame. Lesson learned: ALWAYS location scout, storyboard, and client sign off on everything.

Despite this realization, I have to make what I have work. Anyone interested in helping put a puzzle together?

[FrameFarmMedia]

There's just so much to plan in advance. I had done quite a bit of preproduction on this one commercial but failed to nail down a solid storyboard and shotlist. Now I'm suffering as I have a TON of interview and b-roll bts footage, but making it into a cohesive 5-6min docu-mercial is daunting. I can find ways to blame the client for continually putting up roadblocks and changing my original concept mid-way, but in truth, I guess I'm to blame. Lesson learned: ALWAYS location scout, storyboard, and client sign off on everything.

Despite this realization, I have to make what I have work. Anyone interested in helping put a puzzle together?

I find it very helpful to get to the basics and distill the message your trying to get across to simplest terms. Then toss out anything that doesn't further the message and pick only the best bites. Other than you no one knows they exist be ruthless. I often will start by organizing sound bites via message or point being made and then play a game of 'Who said it Best' and just pick one or two and toss the rest.

[PeterR]

I find it very helpful to get to the basics and distill the message your trying to get across to simplest terms. Then toss out anything that doesn't further the message and pick only the best bites. Other than you no one knows they exist be ruthless. I often will start by organizing sound bites via message or point being made and then play a game of 'Who said it Best' and just pick one or two and toss the rest.

Great advice. Thanks Frame!