Michelle Obama Hula Hoops

I've found that I'm partial to shorter sequences that convey a message quickly and quietly. I feel that if a series of images are sufficient enough to show an audience exactly what is going on without much more than ambient sound, it is stronger than any other type of video. This sequence from CNN demonstrates exactly that. It captures the scene and the feeling without really doing much at all.

The sequence begins with a wide shot (:00-:04 seconds) of Michelle hula hooping that zooms out slightly to become even a bit wider. She is hula hooping with other children, and cheering them on as they try to keep up with her. It's clear from the very first shot that she is working with the children in an effort to heighten their health awareness.

Then, there is a close-up that quickly turns into a medium shot (:05-:12) of Michelle continuing to hula hoop and then clapping in encouragement. This shot is the only one that has faint music in the background. It was fitting to have music behind this shot because it is the middle of the first sequence and it sets the tone for the following shot.

The final shot in this first sequence is a close-up (:13-:19) that runs from Michelle's feet up her body to her face. I really like this shot because it shows her body's full range of motion as she is hula hooping with the children. It makes her seem like a real person and shows that she wasn't just at an event for publicity. This shot definitely sets the tone of the short video because it is detailed visually and shows a range of emotion.

There is a second sequence of the children hula hooping that follows the Michelle sequence. I like the first one better simply because it focuses on the main subject of the video, but also because it was clearly more carefully shot than the next.