Storytelling

Eric Hanauer · Issue 82, Jan/Feb 2015 · pp. 53–58

Products mentioned: Nauticam RX100 system

The mechanics of shooting video underwater is fun and relatively easy. If you are in the right place at the right time with the right equipment, you should get some usable footage. What’s hard is assembling that footage to tell a story. Yet this is what separates watchable video from failure. Telling a compelling story is the most essential element in successful films. I’ve judged a few video competitions. Invariably, the winners are the people who tell the best stories, not necessarily those with the most sensational footage. The entries that rank in the lower half are what we call “moving stills.” These are simply clips of marine creatures organized in no obvious manner, accompanied by music that may or may not fit the imagery. Although the artistry may be there, the story isn’t. At the bottom is the cringe factor. These videos lack focus, color correction, are shot from above looking …