Below are some of the key things to remember to make your future camcorder video shoot go off without a hitch.
Camcorders are excellent devices, but it can be frustrating to watch a poorly made camcorder video. Keep these tips in mind for your future shoot:
Do Not Zoom A Lot
Using the zoom too much will make your video look silly, and it can even make your viewers dizzy! Who needs that? Use zoom in a slow and steady manner and don’t use it too much. And digital zoom does not give you the similar video quality as optical zoom so do not use it a lot either.
Be sure to Frame Your Shots
The frame should be full of your subject. Placing the subject off center could be a good thing, as well. If you were filming your children at a pool while swimming, it would be best to film the kids talking, swimming and laughing with them in the left or right of the frame, not in the center. It produces more visual interest.
Do Not Overuse Wide Shots
A wide shot of the place is good to set the scene, but that’s enough. You might want to shoot more details. Focus on the details of an active street, such as the hot dog vendor or perhaps the guy selling flowers, not just a wide shot of a busy street.
Shoot from Different Points
Do not shoot the track meet entirely from the bleachers. You want to walk around the track and shoot from a number of angles and vantage points. Furthermore, it might be good to be on the same level as the subject. Kneel down to your kids’ level once they slide into home plate, do not shoot down at them.
Do Not Backlight
You may be able to see the subject’s face in the viewfinder when she is back lit, however it probably will not be a good shot. This means you end up lacking facial expressions and other details.
Record Key Moments
If you are going to use editing software, feel free to shoot every second of the play. But if not, you will want to only shoot the key moments. Nobody wants to watch the entire 60 minute play on video.
Keep the Special Effects Down
Only because your expensive camera has tons of cool effects doesn’t mean you need to use them all on your video. It really takes away from the subject matter of your videos to have too many special effects.