Shooting a Testimony Film
Shooting B-Rolls of Louie reading the Bible. Shot on Canon C200, Sigma 18-35mm F1.8, Easyrig Minimax.
I had the joy of interviewing a man who came to US in pursuit of American Dream. This is a story of a man who experiences void in his heart and lack of purpose in life even in the land of freedom and opportunity, but ultimately he finds the true meaning of life after hearing the Gospel.
Watch Louie’s story below:
THE PROCESS
I would like to share a gist of my process of shooting a testimony film in this post. I am constantly growing and changing my process but here’s what I learned.
Pre-Production
Even before I met Louie for lunch to hear more about his story, I looked online to find all the information about him (i.e. his company profile, news articles that was written about him, history of cultural revolution, etc.). When I met him for lunch, I told him my intention of telling his story that dealt with the theme of freedom. The purpose of this lunch meeting was to find the core of his story so that I can ask the right question during the interview. It also helped to build trust in each other.
Production
The interview took place at his house. I asked him to show his house around and decided to choose this location which had huge window that brought nice soft light as well as red background which really fit the context of his background.
The interview setup included two cameras (C200 as wide, C100 Mkii as closeup). I used the Falcon Eyes light as the key light to fill more of his face.
Two Cameras Setup. One Key light.
Prior to the interview, I had memorized all the questions I was going to ask. That way the interview felt more like a conversation than Q&A time. Pre-production process helped me to narrow down on the key questions that will move the narrative along and focus on the theme of freedom.
After the interview, I shot some b-roll sequences (i.e., Louie reading the Bible, looking over his childhood picture albums, looking out the window, etc.). Other b-roll shots (i.e., Louie walking along the freeway, etc.) were decided and shot after I made the first cut of the story.
Post Production
This is where the story is made. After going over his interview multiple times, I realized that I could not get a clear sound bytes that described the lack of freedom he experienced in China. So, instead, I focused more on his desire to pursuit American Dream.
Here’s a quick breakdown of my post-production process:
Sync both cameras to the audio. Color correct and match both cam.
Cut down the story little by little (i.e. 1 hour of interview down to 5 min)
Add music and some sound effects.
Add B-rolls.
Smooth out video and audio transitions.
Color Grade
REFLECTION
Every project is a learning experience. Not only have I learned what to improve technically in terms of shooting and editing, I learned about a topic that I had barely any idea on. I learned about the history of China. I learned about how much I took freedom for granted because I have never experienced oppression. Louie reminded me through Scripture that God had put eternity in everyone’s heart (Ecclesiates 3:11). We all have this longing to know God personally. Even though we try to fill that God-shaped hole with other worldly things, we will eventually come back to that place of feeling hopeless and void.
If you are looking for purpose and hope in life, I pray that you will take the first step of acknowledging that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. And believe in Jesus Christ who came to die on the cross for our sins. By trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior, our sins will be forgiven and we can have eternal life in Christ. It’s only in Christ we can have true peace, hope, and purpose in this life.
If you need a prayer or someone to talk to, feel free to visit https://chataboutjesus.com/.