MOS is short for "Man-on-the-Street." It refers to a random, unscientific
sampling of opinion, gathered by stopping people in a public place and asking
them for an opinion or comment on something. (In British TV parlance, by the way, this is known as
"Vox Pop," short for the Latin phrase "vox populi," literally "the people's
voice.") In its worst
forms, MOS can be a highly subjective sampling of uniformed opinion that adds
little context or real understanding to your story. But used thoughtfully, in conjunction with solid reporting,
it can also provide a vivid illustration of how the public is viscerally
reacting to a hot-button issue of the day. MOSs are most effective when used to illustrate
findings that are documented by scientific polling using unbiased questions,
random sampling, and adjusted for standard margin of errors. They are also useful when popular
sentiment is clear, or somewhat uncontroversial, such as illustrating elation
after a hometown sports win, or sadness at a national tragedy.
Here's a sample of a typical MOS from the Morgan Spurlock Documentary, "Supersize me":
Video Assignment #2: Produce and Post a
"MOS" montage (35
points
Produce
a montage of at least three "man on the street" interviews on a topic
that is currently in the news.
Your choice of topic. Interview enough random people in
a public location that you have at least THREE good, pithy responses that you
can edit together into a montage, and post to the blog. Follow the tips below to get the
best possible interviews. Then use Adobe Premiere to pick the best clips, and edit them together. Use about 10-15 seconds of each person,
to produce a montage that 30-40 seconds long. Export the project as a QuickTime movie and upload to YouTube or Vimeo and EMBED
the video on the blog. Make sure the you video
is not private, it can be "unlisted" on YouTube, but not "private," or I can't see
it.
Create
a title graphic with a short version of the question you asked. You don't need to include your questions
in the edited clips, unless they add to the understanding of the responses.
When
editing, don't use any transitions dissolves between clips, just cut between
the sound bites. You can use the
"cross dissolve" to fade into and out of the beginning and end clip,
if you want. No need for
titles or supers.
BONUS: Record your audio separately on an
audio recorder, or iPhone/iPod, and replace the camera audio with the better
quality digital audio files. Or use a external lav or "tie-clip" mic to get better sound. (Note you will need a special adapter to use an external mic with an iPhone. See below)
Here's sample of how a successfully completed assignment might look:
Note how the interviews employ the rule of thirds, with just enough headroom, and lookspace:
Also note the framing doesn't have to EXACTLY match the rule of thirds grid to be composed in a visually pleasing way. If this interview was framed precisely in accorance with the rule of thirds, it would be more like this:
Here's sample of how a successfully completed assignment might look:
Note how the interviews employ the rule of thirds, with just enough headroom, and lookspace:
Also note the framing doesn't have to EXACTLY match the rule of thirds grid to be composed in a visually pleasing way. If this interview was framed precisely in accorance with the rule of thirds, it would be more like this:
While this centers the head on the vertical grid, and the eyes on the horizontal, it doesn't provide quite enough headroom. In the end, it's what looks good. The rule of third is a guide, and like all rules can be broken for good reasons.
HOW TO: Convert Video Files for Edit In Final Cut Express
HOW TO: Get MPEG Streamclip (Free Download) for file conversion
Here's an example from the New York Times, of an entire video story, that is essentially, just a series of MOSs strung together:
TIPS FOR SUCESSFUL MOS INTERVIES:
1. Set up
in a public place with good foot traffic.
Many people will simply not want to be bothered to stop to answer a
question, or will assume you are selling something, or promoting some political
cause or worse, a scam. You
will need a lot of potential subjects because you will often have a high
strikeout rate. Some busy
places are hard simply because people are in a hurry. For instance, catching people on the way OUT of a Metro
station might be easier, than getting then on the way IN, when they are worried
about catching a train.
2. Set up
your camera on the tripod close by, but not right in the middle of, the
pedestrian right-of-way.
Think of where you will have you subjects stand, and what will be behind
them. Is the background too
busy? If you are interviewing people
on a crowded street it's okay to have people walking behind and around
them. Does the background help
tell the story? If you are asking
about high gasoline prices, for example, you might want a gas station as a
backdrop. (Be sure if you shoot at
a business, you get the permission of the proprietor.)
3. Check
the light. Set up so the sun
hitting your subject. It
doesn't have to be shining directly in their faces, but it should not be
directly behind them, unless it just can't be avoided. In this case you'll have to "iris
up" and the background may be washed out. (Some iPhone apps have limited exposure controls. Tap on the face to get the iPhone to try to compensate. Or move to the shade, and make sure the entire shot is in
the shade, so you don't have a sun patch in the background that is too hot.
4. Smile,
be friendly, look confident. Since
you are using an iPhone or pocket camera with a built-in mic, try to get your subjects to
speak up, and keep the camera as close to them as possible, consistent with
good framing and composition.
Identify yourself right away as a student journalist, and quickly try to
hook them with your question, something like, "Hi, I'm Jane, a journalism
student here at Maryland. We're
just asking people today what they think of President Obama's job performance. Can we get your opinion? It'll only take a minute…" You can use a little charm or
gentle persuasion, but don't get too pushy or demanding. These are not public officials, and
they have no responsibility to talk to you, or be on camera. If they wave you off, just go to the next person.
5.
Don't roll the camera until you get their permission or
acquiescence. This is not an
exercise in ambush journalism.
Ask the person to step in front of the camera. Take a moment to check the shot. You may have to ask them to move slightly so the framing is
right. Or you may have to adjust
the camera or tripod, to make the composition look right. Have your subject look to one
side or the other, not directly into the camera. The best way to achieve this effect is to stand to one side
of the camera yourself, and tell your subject to look at you and ignore the
camera.
6.
Switch things up. Change
the background and direction after each good response you record. Remember you may be editing these into
a montage, so you want people looking in different directions, and for that
matter, you want a variety of people.
Look for a diversity of views. You want a mix of different gender, race, ages…
especially if you are asking about an issue that cuts along a particular social
or ethnic line.
7.
Make a note of when you have a good response. It is not absolutely necessary to get everyone's name,
but it's not a bad idea either.
Ask them on video, so you have it just in case. Just say something like, "Do
you mind if I ask your name? Can
you spell that? And may I ask
what's your year and major? "
You probably won't need that, but you never know when you might get a
response that merits a follow-up.
8.
Pick a simple, easy-to-understand question on a high interest topic, and
generally don't ask it in a "yes or no" format, unless you follow it
up with a quick "why?"
WRONG:
Do you think President Obama is doing a good job?
RIGHT:
How do you think President Obama is doing after his first year in
office?
9.
Watch, listen, or read the news to find a good MOS issue, keyed to
something going on in the news this week.
EXAMPLES:
a) How do you feel about the ballot question on same-sex marriages in Maryland?
b)
Some professors want to ban laptops from the classroom so students will
pay more attention in class. What
do YOU think?
c) Basketball players here at the University of Maryland,
have one of the lowest graduation rates of the 65 teams playing in the NCAA
tournament. How big a problem do
you think that is?
d)
Do you think we need newspapers anymore?
e)
How 'bout those Terps?
Upload your video to the class blog, along with the
text. Post before the next Friday class. Title
the post with Your Name, Video Assignment 1.
GRADING CRITERIA
This is your
checklist for success. If you can
say "yes" to all of these questions, you get an "A." It's that simple!
1. Does your MOS have a title graphic that
is centered and concisely relates your question with no misspelled words?
2. Are there at least three people
interviewed?
3. Do they alternate which direction they
face?
4. Are each of their answers :15 or less,
but at least long enough to make a point?
5. Are they framed with the proper amount
of headroom and look-space?
6. Are their faces well lit, with light
hitting them from the front or the just a little to the side of their face so
as to create a pleasing shadow?
7. Is the audio clear?
8. Did you dissolve in and out of the
title graphic, but NOT between interview clips?
9. Did you shoot on a tripod so there is
no camera shake or movement?
10. Bonus: did you record the audio
separately and replace the camera audio with a better quality recording from a
separate recording device? Or use an external mic?
9-8
Yeses = A (95/90%)
7-6
Yeses = B (85%-80%)
5-4
Yeses = C (75%-70%)
3-2
Yeses = D (65%)
1-0
Yeses = F (50% (Assuming an assignment was posted)
Here's some examples of iPhone adapters for use with external microphones:
Here's some examples of iPhone adapters for use with external microphones:
Peterson 3.5mm - 1/4in iPhone/iTouch Adapter Cable White, from Musician's Friend.
iPhone 1/8 inch microphone adapter - 3.5mm 4 conductor TRRS Male to 3.5mm Microphone Input Jack, from KV Connection
Here's a lavalier "tie clip" microphone that will work with the above cables.
