College Video Intern Taylor in gallery 354. Photograph by Aliza Sena
«Hello, #MetKids! My name is Taylor, and I'm a college video intern in the Digital Department here at the Met. If you've participated in one of our events, such as the 2015 Animation Lab or Museum Mile, or if you came to the #MetKids website launch party a few weeks ago, you might have seen me or the other video interns; we're usually the ones lugging around big cameras, in search of the perfect angle to capture all the action. Who knows, maybe we've even interviewed you for a #MetKids video!»
If you haven't noticed me, don't worry. I almost prefer to be invisible. Why? Because it's often true that the best moments occur when people don't feel like they have to pose for a camera. As one of the people responsible for making sure that the most memorable #MetKids moments are documented on video, it's important that I find a balance between being seen and unseen.
If I'm too in your face with the camera, I might distract you. On the other hand, if I'm too passive, I might not be able to get the best possible footage. So take notes, future video producers: if you want to be good, you have to be sneaky . . . but not too sneaky.
Behind the scenes on a shoot. Photograph by Emily Sutter
Though helping shoot #MetKids videos is a big part of what I do, the thing I love most about my job at the Met is the opportunity to tell stories. As a cinematographer (that's a fancy word for a person that works with cameras and lighting), it is my job to make sure that all of the best moments are captured on video. As an editor, however, it's up to me to take those moments and craft a visual story that captures all of the excitement and fun #MetKids has to offer, as well as showcase all of the amazing kid contributors that make the Met special.
What's the process? When editing videos, the first thing I do is compile the footage (that's all the video moments). Once I've found everything I want to use, I begin sorting and arranging clips so that a story starts to take form.
Have you ever made a sculpture? I like to think of video editing in that way. First, you take a big piece of raw material and then, bit by bit, you start to chip away at the things you don't need. Eventually, you end up with a beautiful sculpture or, in my case, a #MetKids video starring kids like you.
Editing a #MetKids video in Final Cut Pro. Image courtesy of the author
If I've done my job correctly—meaning I've managed to remove all of the things that are unnecessary in the story I'm trying to tell—a video will hold the audience's attention. If I've done really well, however, the video will do more than just entertain: it might cause you to think differently about a topic or work of art, or feel something you've never felt before.
A lot of the joy I get from making videos and telling stories comes from people responding to my work. It is always my goal to make my audience feel interested and excited about what I'm putting on the screen. This is the trickiest part of being a visual storyteller, but also the most rewarding.
So that's a little bit about what a video intern does at the Met. It can be a challenging job at times, but there's nothing that beats the feeling of finishing a video and having it seen by kids all over the world. If you'd like to know more about what it's like to be a video intern at the Met, or if you have a question about what goes into making a #MetKids video, please post a comment below!