ShootBasics.html

Digital Camera Shoot Basics

(Under Construction: Edited 5/11/05ADA)

This page will contain some hints and suggestions on shooting movies. Remember: the big picture for most movies, inform, educate, entertain. Don't bore people. Sure you love watching yourself and your friends goofing around but no one else will unless you carefully think and plan what and how you are going to shoot. Sure a parent and a grandparent will watch endless footage of a newborn but with thought and planning such a movie also becomes fun for Uncle Dan, Aunt Veronica are cousin Gonzalo.

[Sorry, just started--only partically completed]

Preparations
Story boards
Quick Start Steps
Composition
Keep the Camera Steady
Panning and Zooming
Shot Lengths
Lighting
Sound
Etc.

Still Shots : Check out some of the fundamentals for taking still pictures. The goals are much the same as video..

A good set of general considerations for shooting a video though this is directed to vacation videos :
Videos: Keep subjects, scenes moving --and the camera steady

Preparations
Before starting, watch films, TV and especially commercials. Observe the types of shots, (emotion, establishing, dramatic angles, close-ups, action, etc.). How long does a typical shot last? How is music used to set the mood?

Quick Start Steps:
(1) Be prepared with plans for what you want to shoot. Storyboard your movie
(2) Turn camera on with the Power switch NOTE: Always switch to Off when not filming to save the battery
(3) Open the Monitor panel
(4) Frame your subject in the eye viewer or monitor screen [don't forget the rule of 3s]
(5) Press the record button
(6) Shoot your scene (avoid special effects zooming, panning, etc. unless they are necessary and work for your movie)
(7) Reframe if necessary and shoot from alternative camera angles so that you have alternative to use in editing if needed try for: diffirent perspectives, cutaways, cut-ins, close-ups, wide shots (establish context), medium shots (focus on the action, close shot/tight shot/close-up to reveal character's reactions. Start with a wide shot to communicate context and shoot alternative angeles and positions. Take shots of varied length while a character is talking; a vew of the surroundings, reactions of others in the scene, etc.You won't necessarily use all the footage later but you will have it if needed.
(8) Load your footage into a computer for editing.

(9) Edit scenes, add title and credits. Add music and other sounds last.

(10) Save as quicktime, DVD,...

Storyboards
Specify as much as you can. Remember that when you get to the editing stage you need the shots necessay to express your ideas, you won't be able to fake a shot that you did not take. Check this for more about Story boards

Composition: Framing, Rule of 3s
Frame
Rule of 3

Steady the Camera
Use a tripod whenever possible. Steady camera on a table, bench if possible when a tripod is not available. Have someone push you in a wagon, wheelchair, etc. when following an action.

Panning and Zooming
Try to avoid thes techniques. Watch TV, movies and see where these are appropriately used. To a new video maker these seem like great tools but the realitry is they are more often distracting then useful.

Shot Lengths and replacation from diffirent angles

Lighting

Sound
Sound is used in several ways:
(1) Recorded sound between actors. In this case try and use an external microphone attached or held close to speakers.
(2) Scene noise. Try an record traffic, machinery, animals sounds that are appropriate for a scene.
(3) Mood. Pick music appropriate to set up or reinforce the emotion of a scene.

In all except "1" sound is added last to your movie.

Etc.