Mark Saunders explains Spectacle’s Participatory Video Practice, Despite TV, London #Situationism

Spectacle’s Participatory Video practice - 17 Jan 2022
A journey through participatory workshop practices from community Video, Despite TV, Battle of Trafalgar, Truth Lies in Rostock, Brussels workshops and When the Papers Arrive.

Participatory Video Sessions

Mark Saunders obituary
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/10/mark-saunders-obituary

PART 1 - Production: filming, videography (online or in-person)

SESSION 1

Intro to Smartphone Filming
Smartphone as a camera kit: potentials and limitations
Setting up your phone

Filming with Smartphones
In-built apps: best settings and good practices
Controlling Focus and Exposure
Shooting selfies and framing ‘talking heads’

Recording sound with a phone
How to achieve 'radio quality' audio
Microphone: different types for different uses
External recording devices

Accessories and software
Grip Equipment: frames, clamps, tripods, gimbals
Lighting tips

SESSION 2
Principles of video production
Manual settings vs Automatic Settings
Focal Length
Focus, Iris, Shutter speed, ISO

Video Interview
How to approach video interviews
Framing a ‘talking head’
Best practices in setting up interviews
Aesthetic conventions: eyeline

Filming a talking head Practical Exercise

SESSION 3
Practice: filming a talking head
'View and crit': workshop analysis of 'talking head' exercise (60 min)

Filming to edit
What is a "shot"?
Jump cuts and B-roll
Framing principles and moving shots: tracking, pan, tilt

B-roll practical exercise

SESSION 4

Exercise Review: B-roll
'View and crit': workshop analysis of B-roll' exercise

Filming indoor/outdoor
Lighting
Light temperature and white balance
Principles of 3 and 4 point lighting
Conclusions and Q&A

Grip and permissions
Grip equipment
Tripods, monopods, gimbals
Permissions

PART 2 - Post-Production: Editing and webinars (online only)

WEBINAR 1
How to share video making
Collaborative production: commissioned work and grassroot challenges
Video in Social research: from data collection to participatory approach
Participant’s projects and Q&A

SESSION 5
Story telling
Shot list
Storyboarding
Use of Archive
Copyright

Intro to Video Editing
What is non-linear editing?
Understanding Premiere Pro software
Premiere Pro architecture
Basic tools and functions

SESSION 6
Workflows
Industry phases and roles: assistant editor, online and offline editor
Getting ready: backing up, importing media

Assistant Editor
Setting Up a project
Cataloguing your rushes
Selecting clips

SESSION 7
Off-line editing
How to efficiently achieve your 'fine cut'
Use of sequences: themes
Channels: inserting and layering

WEBINAR 2
Editing in PV: how to share editorial control

SESSION 8
Online Editing
Editing sound
Effects and transitions
Resizing clips
Key frames
Animating still images
Creating captions
Fixing clips: color, cropping

Exporting and Sharing
Rendering and exporting
Codecs
Video platforms and social media
Copyrights

SCREENING: A Journey through 30 Years of Spectacle's Participatory Video

https://www.spectacle.co.uk/onlinecourses/participatory.html