| 'A film is never really good unless the camera is an | | | | of a point. For example, you can start with the wide |
| eye in the head of a poet' - Orson Wells. | | | | shot of a man getting into a car, a close up of his |
| When I create a film for a client, my heart and soul | | | | hand turning the key in the ignition, and the car being |
| goes into it. I may not have the head of a poet, but | | | | placed in gear to a medium shot from the driver's |
| I am aware of adhering to the cornerstones of | | | | perspective of the road and the journey's beginning. |
| videography which will stack the odds in my favour | | | | Guide your viewer through the logical. |
| of creating a good film. If you follow the basics, the | | | | Shoot Cutaways |
| poetry will eventually follow. | | | | Often I am in the situation of needing to edit out |
| Plan Your Shoot | | | | audio or video from within a piece of footage. Left |
| Don't turn up cold and expect everything to fall into | | | | alone the edit causes the resulting film to be |
| place, have a plan, have a contingency plan, and in | | | | disjointed and jarring to the viewer as the subject or |
| fact have a third plan just in case your first two | | | | action may move between shots. By inserting a |
| were really stupid. Nothing will make you look less | | | | cutaway from the action, the viewer is gently led |
| professional in front of your client than being | | | | between edits. For example during an interview the |
| stumped by the unexpected. Your film needs to tell a | | | | interviewee may cough and you want to edit it out, |
| story and it is your job to provide yourself the | | | | a cutaway to the interviewer and back to the |
| opportunities to be able to gather all the facets | | | | interviewee would be appropriate to cover the edit. |
| together that will enable you to tell that story | | | | Vary Your Shots |
| effectively. Be prepared but also be flexible. | | | | Use lots of different types of shots, angles and |
| Stripe Your Tapes | | | | heights. There is no limit to the manner in which you |
| Non-linear editing suites use time codes to | | | | can shoot your subjects. Vary it, spice it up, what is |
| automatically capture scenes from tape. Any breaks | | | | the worse case scenario? You don't use it in the film? |
| in the time codes, caused by stopping and starting | | | | Give yourself the opportunity to make some |
| recording, will cause this feature to stall. Ensure there | | | | spectacular footage and some really terrible choices. |
| are no gaps by placing the lens cap on the camera | | | | One of the best ways to learn is by experimentation. |
| and pressing record for the entire tape. Rewind the | | | | Sometimes if you are not told the right way, you |
| tape and it is ready to go. And please write on the | | | | figure out a better way. Oh, my poet momentarily |
| tape, the tape case and use some sort of | | | | surfaced. |
| clapperboard so you know what, where and who is | | | | The Golden Mean or Rule of Thirds |
| on the tape. 'Hunt For The Digital Video' is an | | | | Composition is better when main objects are not |
| unnecessary and time consuming game and not to be | | | | placed centrally in a picture. The rule of thirds or the |
| played while driving to a client's house. | | | | golden mean splits your canvas into nine equal |
| Get an Establishing Shot | | | | sections. Where the four lines intersect are where |
| Grab the viewer's attention, inspire curiosity, impart | | | | objects or action should be placed to be the most |
| enough information to engage the viewer. Think | | | | pleasing to the eye. Look around your view finder, |
| about films, images or photographs that have had an | | | | don't just look centrally. Look at the edges of your |
| impact on you. What were the elements that stood | | | | frame as well, fill up your entire viewfinder with |
| out for you, how can you duplicate them or replicate | | | | interesting images and avoid blank areas. |
| them to suit your filming requirements. Personally, I | | | | Check Your Audio |
| have always been emotionally moved by Apocalypse | | | | Always wear headphones! And get plenty of natural |
| Now and the scene where the severed head is | | | | sounds. Beware of air conditioners, aircraft, small |
| thrown into the prisoner's bamboo cage to land face | | | | children, barking dogs, machinery, things that squeak |
| up in his lap. However, I am yet to duplicate it and | | | | and circus folk with little hands who smell like |
| work it into a baby film. Be discerning. | | | | cabbage. |
| Capture Lots of Footage | | | | Crossing the Action Line/Breaking the pane |
| As a general rule you should shoot approximately five | | | | Imagine a line that runs through the centre of the |
| to six times the amount of film that you will | | | | action from left to right along the screen like a |
| eventually use. It may take time but trust me, when | | | | vertical wall. All shots need to be on the same side of |
| it comes to putting your film together you want a lot | | | | the wall, especially reverse cutaways or the action |
| of shots to choose from. You may have planned and | | | | will appear disjointed with objects not appearing to |
| executed the perfect shot and find that one of your | | | | the viewer to be on the correct side when the |
| off the cuff filler shots works far better. | | | | scenes are viewed sequentially. It's a commonsense |
| Use a Tripod | | | | thing. |
| Invest in a fluid head tripod and get steady, level | | | | Get a Closing Shot |
| shots. Your film will look very amateurish if it is all | | | | Your film is telling a story, it needs a beginning, a |
| over the place, unless of course you are having a | | | | middle and of course an end. A poignant ending shot |
| poet moment and you specifically want that look, in | | | | can increase the level of emotion your viewers are |
| which case we will call it a special effect. | | | | experiencing, tie up any loose ends and let everyone |
| Follow the Interest | | | | know to push back their chairs and give you a |
| Ok, you might say, 'duh!' But remember you decide | | | | standing ovation. You star you! |
| the action that you want the viewer to follow. | | | | A Little perspective |
| Surprising your viewer by using motion can also be | | | | At the end of the day, we are special event |
| effective. Follow a bird's flight to a location shot, | | | | videographers not brain surgeons. No one will die if |
| water trickling to a lake, a car driving to a city | | | | we don't get a closing shot or break the pane. |
| panorama..you get the idea. | | | | However, if your film is not professional, tell a story |
| Shoot Matching Shots | | | | and adhere to the basic rules of frame composition, |
| If you shoot the same action from two or three | | | | your client may reach down your throat and pull out |
| different perspectives you can edit them together to | | | | your inner poet and give him a slap on the upside of |
| allow for a flowing story, continuity and the illustration | | | | the head. |