Capture your xQ-Mas moments this festive season!

Okay! So we have been talking to you about the mechanics, the model, and the magic of video-making for school children over the past few weeks. You have read our articles and shared your support (thank you!).?

Now, how about seeing some of this magic unfold for yourself?

With the upcoming festive season, I wanted to share some much loved cinematographic techniques that you can learn & share with your family & friends. Come join us for this 2 part series - where we get you off your seats and experience some video-making fun!

The magical ingredients:?

Your good ol’ smartphone + lots of creativity infused with some good Xmas Cheer.?

Whoosh – Swoosh!?!

A lot of us were mesmerised by La La Land – and one of the factors (other than Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone ;-)) that enraptured us, were the beautifully shot dance scenes that transported us into their Jazz wonderland …. And [drumroll] – a lot of these were Whip pan transitions or a series of whip pan shots. So let us learn the basics of Whip Pans!

Whip Pan is a relatively simple cinematographic technique and is usually used as a type of in-camera transition. It is a quick movement that can create a blur and in the process helps reset the orientation of the viewers or even the entire scene setting.?

Shooting the Shoot:

In filmmaking terms, a Pan is simply the rotation of the camera across the X-axis, either to the left or to the right (images below), while the camera remains in the same position. A Whip Pan is a very fast Pan movement creating a blurring effect between the change of scene, thereby acting as the neutral shot. The camera can be on a tripod, gimbal, or even simply handheld.

Function:

A whip pan shot brings momentum and perspective to an item / person / place being filmed thereby making it more exciting and engaging for the audience. Typically, a series of whip pan shots are used in the form of a whip pan transition to enhance the storytelling and teleport the audience across time & space or to show cause & effect.

Use Motion to create some Emotion this Xmas!

Now that we know how to shoot a whip pan shot and know what it is used for, what are we waiting for – let us shoot some Xmas Whip Pans!

Here are 3 fun whip-pan ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Start with a shot of your Xmas tree - whip to a family member opening up a gift and whip back to the Xmas tree
2. Show a PoV (Point of View) reaction by bringing your hand in the frame to motion it in one direction and then whip pan to the opposite showing a family Xmas celebration. Here’s me doing it with my family!?

1. Shoot a friend / family in front of the Xmas tree, doing a hand swipe to then whip pan to another scene happening in the same room - something like getting the youngest in my family to whip pan to the other kids?

Hey wait, this was all fun – can this be applied to Academics too? If so, how?

Learning the science behind these video techniques is building on their technical skills but its application is where a child’s creative & other soft skills come into play. We realise this at xQ and therefore, while we teach students the science of video-making, we put an equal emphasis on the integration of these video skills into their academia. This allows students to express their individual creativity & application of thought in their STEM projects and in the process improves retention & recall of the academic concepts learnt.?

So go on, apply and show off your newly learnt video skill and share your video links here! Merry Christmas from team xQ!