What is the WAVE competition?
The WAVE competition is an opportunity for participants to gain an understanding of the importance of small businesses to the local economy by spending time in a company with fewer than 20 employees.
Entries to the competition will be judged on the understanding of the business and its marketplace shown by the participants as well as the quality of the video.
You must only use music that is royalty free or your own creation. Search "royalty free music" on the internet. Claire Batchelor who composes music for TV and film has offered a library of her own music for use, royalty and copyright free, in WAVE videos. You must credit Claire in your video if you use her music.
Contact jenny@makeourday.co.uk for details.
Google "video format converter" for a selection, many of them free. I use YTD, the YouTube Downloader.
Apply early to Bucks New University for places on their training day. Email scl@bucks.ac.uk for details.
Contact the Federation of Small Businesses via jenny@makeourday.co.uk.
How do I make it good?
Have a good idea. Research your company, plan a lot, use a tripod, test your sound recording system, review what you have filmed before everyone goes home. Video enough so that you have choices when editing.
Contact Karen Pawlowska at Take One TV karen@takeonetv.com.
Contact Louise Girling at Buckinghamshire New University scl@bucks.ac.uk.
It helps prevent mistakes about who made the video.
All of the films will be judged to some extent on:
Awareness of the intended audience
How effectively the intended audience was targeted by the film produced
Consider the viral potential of the film, asking the question: What are the chances of the person viewing the film forwarding a link of it to another potential customer? The key aspect here is whether the film is entertaining, but as important to the business concerned is whether the appropriate message is effectively delivered. Lots to think about here!
Best Business Promotion
The best films will contain a clear message that will reach its intended audience efficiently. It is important that the visual style is designed to appeal to the intended audience too, so you must carefully consider what sorts of elements might appeal to the audience concerned.
Best Camera Work
The quality of camera work relates to elements such as:
camera placement/positioning
steadiness of shots (use of a tripod is advised for almost all shots, with exceptions including deliberate hand-held point-of-view shots etc.)
careful framing
effective lighting of the subject
appropriate movement (considered use of pans, zooms and tilts)
Best Editing
Key to good editing in most cases is continuity. The flow of the edit is vital, and if you are trying to create a natural sequence where the audience focuses on the content (the product or the action) then the editing should not really be noticed. There are exceptions though, such as where you want to create a fast exciting pace using lots of short shots and quick cuts. Key to every decision should be factors such as the clarity of the message, and the appeal of the film in the eyes of the intended audience
Best Sound
Location sound is a vital element, and the most common flaw in the films produced for the 2012 WAVE. Using an external microphone and getting this as close as possible will create cleaner audio (a better signal, with less background noise). This will be marked positively, as will effective choices and editing of music (fade ins and fade outs are recommended in most instances, as opposed to abrupt cuts). A well recorded and suitably edited voice over would score well and, where appropriate, any use of sound effects too.
Best Use of Video Media
This award will be offered for a film that contains a high level of technical as well as creative skill. Marks will be awarded where there are particularly good (and hopefully original) ideas that have been executed well in the making of the film.
Best Animation or Graphics
Again good ideas and fresh concepts will be marked positively. All forms of animation are technically challenging, especially when we consider the age range of the entrants to WAVE. We will bear in mind the degree of difficulty of each production when marking, but would be delighted to see more great animation work this year. Production design will be a vital element and we would encourage entrants to be ambitious and inventive.