Shoot Your Video

Here are a few tips for making sure your shoot goes smoothly.

Positioning The Camera

  • You can make your shots more interesting by moving the camera around the scene.
  • If you want a smooth, rolling shot, position your camera on something that rolls and is fairly stable, like a wheelchair.
  • Keep the camera on a shot for at least five seconds, even if your subject exits the frame. Holding shots in this way will be a big help when you begin editing.
  • When you finish a shot, shoot it again from another angle so you’ll have more choices when you edit. If you’re interviewing a person, always shoot "cutaways" that you can later edit into the scene to avoid long scenes of “talking heads.”

Light

  • If you’re shooting outdoors, arrange people and objects to take advantage of available light. Early-morning or late-afternoon sunlight can give your video a beautiful “golden” look.
  • If you’re shooting indoors, place a few electric lights around your subject. (Lamps with clips, which you can find at a hardware store, are especially helpful.) Try to balance out any shadows on people’s faces. Using a large piece of white foam-core can help you bounce light onto the shady part of someone’s face.

Composition

  • Think about what you want to convey before you frame the shot. For example, wide-angle shots show a person’s location. Use medium shots and close-ups to show someone’s expressions and emotions. You can vary your approach to scenes by using a wide, establishing shot that shows the viewer where you are, then cutting to a closer shot.
  • Cover up any brand names and/or logos on clothing, background items, props, etc. or just use plain, generic non-branded items.

Sound

  • Avoid shooting in locations with lots of background noise (including wind). If you hear a sound problem when you’re shooting, stop and fix it right away.
  • In each location you use, let the mic record some silence, with no one talking or any background noise. You can use these “room tones” to bridge cuts from one scene to another when you edit.