If you shoot a two-hour video of your child's birthday party or six hours of your last vacation with the intention of editing them later into a good 15 to 30 minute video to show your friends, then realize that you are looking at hours of work. If you don't edit the videos, then plan on using the fast forward button on the remote early and often when viewing with friends.
There is a way to avoid editing or the fast forward button, and that's with a simple technique called "in-camera" editing. With enough practice you can make an original video look like an edited master. Here are 10 tips for improving your home videos.
Tip #1 - Keep your shots short
A twenty-second shot of a mountain scene will seem like an eternity. Try to hold your shots to between 5 and 10 seconds. On average, I'm usually closer to 5 seconds. Try looking at TV shows and news broadcasts, and count how many seconds each shot is held. This will give you a good idea of pacing. TV news is edited very tight because of the time constraints. You will see that many shots are only 2-3 seconds long. What ties those shots together is the narration. (see tip #7). The bottom line is, if you think you would be fast-forwarding a scene at home when you watch it, then it's time to hit the stop button.
Tip #2 - Watch the panning and zooming
Don't move that camera around like you're waving a flag." Pan slow (unless you're going for a special effect) or don't pan at all. Remember, there is a stop button you can use when you want to go "from here to there". Also, be careful not to zoom in and out too much. Your audience may get seasick. Again, remember there is a stop button. You can stop recording, zoom in or out to compose the next shot, and start recording again. Try a wide angle shot first to establish the scene, stop, zoom to your subject, and then start recording again.
Tip #3 - Use close-ups where appropriate
Don't be afraid to use close-ups, not the up the nostril type like you see on the TV news, but nice head and shoulder shots, especially in interview situations.
Tip #4 - Switch between "animate" and "inanimate" objects
In other words people are the animate objects and mountains are inanimate. Break it up a little. Don't spend too much time on people or too much time on the scenery. Remember, it just takes some short shots to break it up. This also gives you a chance to change position and angle.
Tip #5 - Change your position and angles
Don't be nailed to one spot on the floor (or grass). Move around. Change your camera height. One effective angle for street scenes or large rooms is to put the camera on the floor and set the lens at wide angle. When shooting children, get down at eye level with them. Don't make every shot from a standing shoulder height position.
Tip #6 - Remember your last shot
This is a key to in-camera editing. Try and create a storyboard in your head as you shoot, so you know where you've been and where you're going. Most cameras have a feature where you can back up while in record mode and see your previous scene. If your camera doesn't have that feature, or you can't remember your last shot, use a scenery transition (something you know for sure that you didn't use last) or the "fade" if some time has elapsed.
Tip #7 - Use narration to tell the story
This is a key to interesting videos. It takes some practice. The narration ties the story together, but you have to know where you're headed in the first place. The trick with narration and in-camera editing is to stop talking in mid sentence, change angle or position, shoot and start talking again. The result looks like an edited cut with a voice over. You may have to delay a silent count of one between talking and stopping the video and a count of one when starting and talking or you could lose part of a word. It depends on your camera. You have to know your equipment. Add humor to your narration. Interview your subjects and get them to open up. You don't have to ask the questions while you are shooting. You can ask them a question off camera and their response will look like a spontaneous comment. You can even tell them what to say if they can't think of anything.
Tip #8 - Use the "rule of thirds"
This tip could be a story in itself. For now just remember--when composing your shots don't center everything.
Tip #9 - Turn off the date/clock
This is a sure sign of an amateur video. Unless you're doing a police investigation or insurance video, you don't need that date and clock on all the time. You can always mention the date and time in the narration. Use the date over a black lead in and/or exit out (plus titles if you have that capability as necessary) for documentation and fast searching.
Tip #10 - Don't over use the "fade" control
The fade button used to be the only way to signal a break in time. Today's digital cameras have effects such as mosaic or dissolves, which can also be used as transitions between scenes. If your camera doesn't have those features try a "poor man's dissolve", or half-fade by using the camera's manual fade before your next shot.
Lee Mitchell has been a "semi-professional" video maker for over 21 years. He has made and sold videos of weddings, bar mitzvahs, baptisms, funerals, concerts, plays, sports, birthday parties, but he enjoys making his family videos the most. These tips are what works for him. There can be much more written on this subject. Submit some of your own tips to this forum. Don't be surprised if Lee comes back with some more of his own tips.
Very good tips Lee, Im a novice but am willing to learn from the best. A good videographer knows that there is always room for improvement. I have a Panasoniic DV 53, its great! Post more tips they are greatly appreciated. John
Thanks, Lee for the tips. I am a novice investing by building my NLE PC and purchasing a minidv camcorder to take my daughter's recitals and activities. Your tips will be used for sure. I am trying to get into the business of a videographer...always been my passion but just never got around to it until now. Thanks again!
Hey thanks heaps lee i never new the simplest things could help me so much. im b=only 14 and got a sony trv19 about a week ago and your tips have been the most useful for me. Kind Regards From Josh
Tomorrow I have been entrusted with the video recording of my cousins Chinese-style wedding. I am an avid photographer, but video is a whole new animal to me. Thanks for the poointers, I am trying to get the foundation right so that the editors will have an easier time once I'm through with the original shoot.
great tips , and very true , about 18 months ago i started to make my own home videos and reading a lot about video shooting and video editing , started with a home minidv cam ( jvc gl-310 ) and now got a new canon xl1s , very nice picture , i would like to learn lots more from the ones that already have lots of experience in this bussines . thanks again lee
funwithstuff
Unregistered guest
Posted on
All good tips, just one editing change if you repost this:
When shooting children, get down at eye level with them.
It's nice to read that these tips have been helpful for the most part. One suggestion regarding Caliv's post of November 23, 2003: "I am trying to get the foundation right so that the editors will have an easier time once I'm through with the original shoot." Remember that Tip #1 was about "in camera editing" so that you wouldn't have to edit later. If you're going to edit your productions, you'll want to have longer shots so you will have room to trim them when you edit. Also good thought from funwithstuff from April 13. I'll have to remember that.
Suzanne Ouimet
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Nothing posted recently. I surely would enjoy more dialogue on this subject, having just started in on video with a new digital video cam. Have a lot of analogue tape to digitalize and am really enjoying working on making DVD's from new and old. Where are all you budding videophiles?
powerjedi
Unregistered guest
Posted on
This is a graet tip. i really appresate this. I just got a OLD video camera, and want to make home movies. THANKS.
This is all great stuff - most of it I knew, and nearly all of it I ignore every time I pick up the camera.
One variation on the "panning" tip I learnt from a semi-professional is "only ever pan in one direction". In other words, under no circumstances ever pan right - left, then back to right again. Zoom in/out is equally taboo. He also taught me that professionals nearly always zoom OUT rather than IN. Obvious really, when you think about it.
My own tip is to make sure you do everything in your power to reduce camera shake - brace yourself against a doorpost, hold the camera against your chest, or if possible, use a tripod. Nice steady shots are much easier on the eye!
