Feature Story

What Makes A Good Feature Story? 

In our recently concluded project of creating a feature story, a winner was chosen to be shown on ONW Now. This video was by a girl named Lina, and the topic was a girl who plays golf. In her video, she used a wide variety of shots, edited correctly, and had a strong voiceover. Overall, it covered the bases a feature story needs to be successful. The components needed for a quality feature story are these: 

A Strong Concept 

To even begin making a feature story, you need a central idea; a concept you want to convey by interviewing someone over a certain subject personal to them. If there is no strong purpose, there is no drawing board and no purpose for the video. The viewer should clearly understand what is being communicated. 

Voiceovers 

Not every part of the context of the video will be expressed in the film of interview that you take- and that's where voiceovers come in. A voiceover introduces the topic separate from the interviewee talking about themselves, gives a little background and understanding of WHAT it is you're about to learn about. 

Balanced Audio and B-Roll

Not only do the videos rely on concepts and communication, but they rely on the logistics of editing and visuals. For a video to be viewed without distraction and with ease, the audio needs to be balanced in DB, and without distractors in the background. Any faults can draw away from the effectiveness of the message. On the other hand, B-Roll compliments the message, showing aesthetically pleasing visuals to enhance the concept. 

A Strong Beginning, Middle and End

Finally, the video needs to have a 'storyline'. First the topic is warmed up, the information gets to a greater depth, and then the message is concluded in the end by a strong statement or phrase- neatly finished with a bow on the top. Without this clarity, it is hard to distinguish the overall purpose and intent of the video's creator, and the impact of the video.

There are many variables that play a part in a good feature story, and these are just a mere few of them- in which the elected winners and honorable mentions of the ONW Now contest all possessed.