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Do it yourself: shooting video
Modern camcorders produce good quality pictures in almost any lighting situation, so anybody should be able to become an Alan Parker - and you can if you follow a few rules.
These are much the same as a broadcast cameraman uses, except that broadcast cameras don't have gizmos and gimmicks like steady shot, fader and effects. They don't need them as the shot footage will go to the edit suite where all sorts of wonderful things can be done.
Apart from news gathering, where the cameraman has to shoot whatever he can, most other TV formats, like drama and documentary, are shot to a plan. A shooting script.
Each scene has been worked out, timed, planned and rehearsed before the cameraman presses the record button, and that's what you will need to do if you intend to get suitable footage for us to edit. So here are some rules.
Shooting for editing
1. Make sure the date reference is turned off. It records onto the tape and will cause continuity problems when editing as well as looking amateurish.
2. Check that the camera is set to SP (standard play) mode. Tape is cheap and picture quality is seriously reduced if you record on long play.
3. White balance the camera for each different lighting situation, eg. indoors, outdoors, fluorescent lights etc. This is important to make sure that the colours recorded are correct. Check the manual for details.
4.Set the camera on a tripod. Stable pictures make for better viewing and provide more options during editing.
5. Let the camera run for at least 10 seconds before any action starts and leave it running for a few seconds after the shot to allow for flexibility.
6. Do not talk or have radios on during the shot. Background sound is very important in a video but it needs to be consistent. When editing, you are cutting together shots taken at different times so any music or voices would be disjointed. We lay the background sound and music down in the edit suite.
7. Let the action take place within the frame of the shot. Use the zoom button to adjust the frame for wide angle, mid or close up BEFORE you record the shot, then leave it alone!
8. Avoid using zooms and pans unless they have a specific purpose and always rehearse them first so that you know where to start and stop. Don't rush.
9. Lock the camera in position on the tripod and rehearse the action within that frame. When you are happy, record it, remembering the roll-up time.
10. Initially take a wide-angle shot of the action. If, for example, you are filming an industrial process, film the complete process from this locked off position.
11. Next take a mid shot of exactly the same thing. Check for continuity with the previous shot as this could be important during editing.
12. Take close-ups of every action. Ask your 'star' to do the actions slower than normal for these and take lots of cutaway shots such as hands, faces etc. You can never have too many of these.
GOOD LUCK - WE LOOK FORWARD TO EDITING IT FOR YOU!
HOME VIDEOS - EDITING IN CAMERA
If you want to film a special occasion, like a wedding for example, you don't have the luxury of rehearsal, so in order to produce a video that you can bear to watch later, you have to think on your feet, plan one shot ahead and be in the right place at the right time because what you will be doing is editing in camera.
It is actually quite hard work but with practice you will produce something that's worth watching. 10 minutes of well framed stable shots are worth far more than 90 minutes of ill conceived pans and zooms! So if you want to produce videos for home use, here are a few tips.
1. Make sure that the date reference is switched off. (Unless you are filming something for legal reasons.)
2. Check that the camera is set to SP (standard play) mode as long play mode produces inferior pictures.
3. Set the camera to auto everything unless you are experienced and can remember to white balance for different lighting conditions such as indoors and outdoors.
4. Always use a tripod or at least a monopod - stable pictures make for better viewing.
5. Let the action take place within the frame of the shot. Use the zoom button to decide the best frame - is it wide, mid or close-up, then start to record.
6. Having framed the shot, let it run for around 5-10 seconds before filming another. This will give the viewer time to see what is going on without getting bored.
7. Don't use the zoom in a shot unless you've practiced first where to start and stop it. Pointless zooms make for nauseous viewing!
8. As with the zoom, only pan or tilt if you have worked out first where to start and stop. Don't rush it. Wild pans and tilts are another cause of nausea.
9. Fade to black/fade up implies the passage of time, so only use it where you have a later on that day situation such as the bride leaving the church and arriving at the reception.
10. Use effects sparingly. They can be quite fun over things like discos but are probably not suitable when filming the wedding vows.
11. Remember the secret of a good video is quality not quantity!
Good luck.
PS. If you find that, even after following these rules, your programme could still do with tidying up, why not come down and use one of our edit suites?
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