General guidelines for shooting amateur video. by: J. Mitch Hopper SBE/CBTE

Video cameras are everywhere now!

While it is true that no camcorder can replace a professional-grade, high dollar camera (who can afford to shoot small-scale productions on Digital or High-Res?), the current state-of-the-art has provided the market with some truly remarkable camera technology. For that reason, it is possible to use a consumer-grade camcorder in some cases to record video that is ultimately suitable for a reasonably professional production.
BUT - you must be cognizant of the limitations of the camera and make some changes to compensate. Also, you are part of the camera. No camera can record a quality product if the operator (that's you) doesn't know some basic rules. The best camera person can get amazing results from a cheap camera - and an inexperienced camera person can waste a professional-grade camera.

The following are a few simple rules for shooting with less than top quality hardware. Some of these rules are to compensate for the cheap camera and some are simply rules that should be applied in any case - no matter what camera you are using.

• Become familiar with the camera BEFORE you start shooting. When the action starts is NOT the time to start figuring out where the buttons are.
• In the case of tape-based camcorders, purchase tape with nationally-known brands. I don't specify or recommend any particular brand, but the $1.19 "Ultra-Recomatic Super Grade" that you find at the checkout line will probably have a high dropout rate (video flashes and flickering lines) and may not look very good after it is played a few times.
• Turn off the date/time/index data on screen. It may be useful to record a first-shot that way to document the tape, but the numbers are VERY distracting when the material is edited and viewed later.
• Use a tripod whenever it is possible - no hand-held / shoulder-held shots unless absolutely necessary. Even the most stable person tends to bob and sway while the tape is moving. It may not look bad in the little viewfinder, but trust me - when you see it on the big screen, pass out the Dramamine. While it is true that much of the current production video is produced with the hand-held look, it is a carefully staged set of movements. When performed by a beginner, it just looks shaky.
• Turn on as many room lights as possible for inside video. Even though it looks ok in the viewfinder, and even though the salesman says the camera can shoot in a coal mine, don't you believe it. Dark video is noisy and lacks detail. Shoot in the dark ONLY when absolutely necessary.
• Use a portable "trouble-light" to illuminate dark corners and poorly lit areas. It's amazing what a little extra light can do to bring out detail.
• Make pan/tilt movements slow and deliberate. You may be able to swing your head quickly and see all you need to see, but the camera is not nearly as smart! A moving video will lack focus and detail. Also the viewer may go for the Dramamine again.
• Before and after pan or tilt - hold the shot. You generally can't cut on a zoom. Start the shot and let the viewer see the subject. Then start your move. When your move is finished, keep recording so the viewer can see where you ended up.
• Disable your auto-focus on older camcorders. They can make pretty good decisions about focus, but they have one big drawback. They never stop testing. As you are zooming, panning and moving your shot, the subjects may be going in and out of focus. The effect may be slight, but on the big screen... well, it's dramamine time again. It is much better to zoom into your subject first and set a manual focus there. Then start your shot. Change focus anytime you need to. Rely on the auto-focus ONLY when it is too difficult to adjust it yourself, the action is happening too quickly or if you have a modern camera that really does a good, subtle autofocus.
• As for VHS - make ALL recordings at SP speed ONLY. SLP and EP speeds are great for recording movies at home and saving tape, but the image quality goes downhill very quickly. Many professional editing facilities simply will not accept slow speed recordings. Come on now, is tape really that expensive?
• After starting a recording, wait a few seconds before you start an important shot. After your shot is done, wait a few seconds before you stop recording or pause your camcorder. Much of the tape contamination and damage happens at the moment the tape begins to move and some recorders may not be making a good recording right after they start. Avoid this with some leader on either side of an important shot - like an interview.
• If you are not trying to record the sound from the scene, speak during the shot - explain where and what the shot is. If you are recording the sound from the scene, speak right after you start recording. Adding a "slate" to the video may help you when, weeks later, you can't remember what the devil this stuff was!
• At the head of each new tape, record a minimum of 3 minutes of any video and use that time to identify yourself and the location on the audio track. The worst part of ANY tape is the first and last few minutes. Use it for ID.
• Avoid any lights, windows or high reflection in the background. The camera will set its iris to expose for the brightest part of the picture. If your subject is standing in front of a window or light, all you will see is a great window and a black silhouette of the person. If the camera can't see them, the viewer can't either!
• Make sure that your camera is white-balanced. Nothing looks worse that red video inside and blue video outside. If your camera performs an automatic white balance, make sure you allow enough time for it to do its job. If in doubt, it never hurts to do another white balance.
• Have a spare, fully charged battery standing by as you are shooting. It's amazing how fast they discharge when you aren't looking. Don't lose that great shot because you get caught with your batteries down!
• If the scale of the subject is important, include a hand or finger in the shot.
• If you have stopped recording for a time, or have taken the tape out and put it back in the camera, wind forward for a couple of seconds to avoid recording over the tail of the last recording.
• Label each tape clearly with date, time, location, shooter, and contact person. How many tapes do you have on your desk that may as well have come from another planet. I have about fifty!
• Do not use the shutter feature for typical, standard recording - EVER! The shutter is a feature designed to make rapid movement more visible or to reduce the flicker of computer screens. If you aren't shooting a car, a foot race, or a computer training video, turn the shutter off. It may sharpen moving video, but it sacrifices light level.
• Remove or flip the record tab from the tape when you have filled it. I know it may make it hard to re-use it later, but again, tape is cheap! It gets expensive and embarrassing when an interview is lost when it gets covered by a Gilligan's Island episode!
• So, what about VHS? S-VHS? Hi-8? Digital-8? DV? SD-cam? Well, basically, the techniques are the same. For the most part, video is video. Becoming a competent videographer is not about choosing the camera or format that is current or deemed "best" or "hot" by the popular video magazines. No matter what format you choose, learning the basics of good camera operation is ALWAY your first priority. The time to decide on format is after you have mastered the camera. The format is usually an issue of cost and compatibility. Before you shoot video that is destined to go elsewhere for any reason, find out what format the end-user demands or prefers. Keep in mind that your great looking video may suffer when the end-user has to convert it.

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  Location production is not a crap shoot! I leave you with this thought. No amount of listed rules can turn you into a good camera operator. Unlike what the salesmen say - it IS an art. Don't feel embarrassed to let someone else shoot the video if you don't seem to have the knack. BUT, I doubt that there are many out there who can't record some decent video segments by paying attention to the general help offered here. Good Luck and Good Shooting!

  
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