Videography Tip - Recording a Live Cooking Class on Video

Over the weekend, we had the privilege to record a live cooking class at a Eurasian restaurant.

The client wants to record snippets of the class instead of recording the lesson as a whole.

The goal of the video is to highlight the success of the event in terms of participants satisfaction.

The video will be used as a promotional or marketing material for future classes and workshops.

With the goal and audience in mind, we planned the shots to emphasize the desired message.

First, the 5 basic types of shot apply. The same way we shoot a full length instructional video.

1. Wide Shot

Begin with a wide shot of the cooking instructor, with his head to feet visible on the screen. Include in the same screen the table with the ingredients laid out and the cooking utensils. This scene establishes the location. One look and you know the instructor is in a set up similar to a kitchen and is about to cook. The wide shot is best used when the instructor is giving the introduction.

2. Mid Shot

The mid shot follows the wide shot. While the wide shot establishes the location, the mid shot establishes the subject. In this case the subject is the cooking instructor, the main actor. The instructor is visible from the waist up and his eyes on the upper third of the screen. Include in this screen the items on the table which the instructor is chopping or stirring.

3. Close Up Shot

The close up shot starts from the shoulder up. You can see the instructor’s face big and clear on the screen. Close up shots of faces are usually used to portray emotions when used in dramas. In a cooking class the instructor is a chef and chefs always explain passionately how food is cooked. We want to capture that passionate joy of cooking.

4. Cut-in Shots

Cut-in shots come after mid shots or wide shots. As the name imply, it is a shot that is a cut-in of a previous shot. If the previous shot is a mid shot the instructor showing his skills in slicing vegetables, the cut-in shot will be a close up of just his hands holding the knife with the blade visibly slicing through the green leaves. The audience want to have a closer look to learn.

5. Cut-away Shots

Cut-away shots are scenes that are not in the previous shot but in the same location where the action is taking place. In a cooking class, the cut-away shot will the students. Point the camera away from the instructor and towards the students who are listening intently and taking notes. We want to capture the success of the event, which is measured by the positive reactions from the audience.

Those are the 5 basic and essential shots for any instructional video shoot. However, since the client’s objective is to capture snippets for use as promotional video for future classes, we have the liberty to move and position our camera in any part of the room.

Unlike an instructional video, a promotional video have to be more creatively shot. We have to play with framing and angles to create interesting visuals that enhance branding. Promotional videos are marketing videos and branding is critical. We will angle and frame the subject with a hint of the event banner or excited audience in the background.

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Adrian Lee
Founder & Director
VideoLane Pte Ltd
http://VideoLane.com
Helping Businesses Record & Edit Videos

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