The Making of Les Miserables - ID# 433

Libertyville
Natural Audio News Package
Entry Description

Student-produced natural audio news package covering the musical Les Misérables, with exclusive backstage footage and behind-the-scenes interviews.

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

  • 4/30 4:03 pm - Strengths: You used a great variety of b-roll and natural sounds throughout the piece. The different backstage shots added strong visual interest, and the sounds of the set pieces moving helped immerse the viewer in the environment. These details made the production feel active and behind the scenes in a really engaging way. Areas for Growth: I would recommend having your interview subjects wear the microphones instead of holding them. This small change would make the piece look more polished and professional. At times the background audio made the interviews a little difficult to hear, so adjusting audio levels or reducing background noise would help the dialogue come through more clearly. It would also help to think about how the interviews are organized so they tell a clearer and more cohesive story. It was a little difficult to determine the main focus of the piece. At the beginning it seemed like the story was centered on the crew, but by the end it felt like it was about everyone involved in the production. Clarifying the central angle of the story would make the narrative easier for viewers to follow. Finally, I would suggest including an interview that provides context about what show is being performed. While the text on screen did explain this, in a typical news style package that information would usually come from the interviews themselves. Letting the subjects explain the context can make the story feel more natural and engaging.
  • 4/30 3:04 pm - You did an excellent job putting together your story. The interviews flow well, your B-Roll is diverse and constantly giving a different perspective as opposed to recycling the same angle/shot. Your B-Roll did a great job of enhancing what was being said. You did a good job of using sound to break up interviews, the only problem was it just seemed like you kept resorting to singing (Yes I know it is a musical) but it just seemed like the majority of the natural sounds was singing, let me some more dialog, a drill screwing a set together, or the sound the wheels make as you roll a heavy set across the stage. The “snaps” at 139ish were a nice break from all the singing. The only other suggestion I would maybe start with is a line or two up front that says something like as an audience this is what you see (audience perspective of performance) but there is a whole other story(ies) that could be told from backstage. You did a great job, you are good at working with the structure of a good news story.
  • 4/29 6:48 am - The people you interviewed did a great job of telling us about their roles in the musical. But there’s one thing that’s missing from the storytelling - it’s putting a wireless mic on someone and letting us hear about their role while they are actually doing it. Let’s hear the actor when they are backstage getting ready to go on stage. Let’s hear the crew member working with their fellow crew members backstage. You’ve got some great natural audio from your b-roll, but when we’re not seeing the b-roll, we should not be hearing the audio from it. Only let your viewers hear the natural audio when we see the b-roll that goes with it. When we heard from the crew member about “flying” a cast member and how nerve wracking that can be, we see you rigging them up, but we never see them fly. We see some great footage from the show, but then randomly there’s a clip of the actor (or actors) in the choir room. Those shots feel out of place because the majority of the video is from the actual show. If you’re going to include rehearsals, put a wireless mic on them and let’s hear them while they are rehearsing in the choir room. That is part of what this category is all about.
Judge 1

Positives: 1. Your visual shots were very creative. Way to go! I love how you attached a camera on the person running the set onto the stage and later in the piece in the well. That really gave the viewer a glimpse into a perspective they might not otherwise see. Additionally, the traditional shots you relied on during the piece were well shot and interesting as well. 2. Your piece also used natural sound well too. I could hear it clearly throughout the story and it occurred at advantageous times during the piece that helped speed it along and keep viewers interested.

Improvements: 1. While it was nice to hear what students' roles were in the production and why they liked the performing, this story felt a bit too loose. I think toward its beginning, it would have been helpful if you had set the stage a little bit more for the viewer as to what was happening. While we can read that it's a performance of Les Miserables, I think it would have been beneficial to have one of your interview subjects say that and give some more information as to what the play was about and why students were performing it. 2. Some of the interview subjects needed more lighting and were placed to center on the screen. That is to say, remember the rule of thirds and try to place your interviews on either the left or right side of the screen to avoid them making direct eye contact with you and the viewer on the other side of the screen.

Judge 2

Positives: Good job talking to a variety of cast and crew to tell the whole story Lots of great broll

Improvements: I would love some nat pops of the crew working, example at :27 and 1:03 This felt a little long. The sot at 1:30 felt like an ending and then could have gone to the applause I think you did your best with lighting the interviews, but could benefit from another light.

Judge 3

Positives: Your third interviewee mentions 'parallels' in Les Miserables...but I'd say you made your own parallels too which string their SOTs to the VO. Props to the perspective shots too! Lots of footage to enhance the overall story. I thought it was clever in adding the bow at the end of the show to close out your piece. This piece felt quick in a good way to me. In fact, I think parts of this piece could be spun for a social media series. This could be shot in 16x9 and posted to social platforms for a behind the scenes look into the show to promote the schools production...just a future idea for you! Your interviewees are clearly very comfortable in front of a camera and have confidence when speaking...it shows!

Improvements: This is minor...but challenge yourself to try to bridge your interviews more. Maybe something quick from everyone and then expanding. Having one or multiple people mic-ed up while interacting with one another as the hand off to the next interviewee. I think one thing that would take this to the next level would be them not holding the microphone and being centered during interviews. Your interviewee are very well spoken...the setup could be polished up.

Judge 4

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Judge 5

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