Tips for Shooting Video

Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:05AM EDT

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Sony recently held a digital photography family day to teach people how to take better videos. The mini-convention showcased an array of products, but it was the new Sony camcorders—seven of which now record in HD—that really caught my attention.

High-definition looks great, but it can be even more unforgiving than low-resolution when you're a novice at shooting video. But Sony supplied me with a few essential tips to keep in mind as you go for the video memories. Check them out; they're sure to improve your movie-making.

  • Keep your camcorder charged and bring extra batteries along.
  • Always shoot a few seconds before and after the action you're shooting to make certain that you don't miss anything.
  • Imagine that your camcorder is a cup of hot coffee. You'll hold it steadier.
  • Use a tripod to steady your camera or use a camera with image stabilization. (It's called SteadyCam on the Sony camcorders.)
  • Zoom in to compose your shot, but avoid zooming in while recording.
  • Keep the sun behind you while you're shooting.
  • Place your camera at eye level with your subject (especially when shooting kids and pets).
  • Avoid a cluttered background when framing your picture.
  • Take photos with your subject off center to make it a more interesting composition.
  • Avoid unwanted shadows by keeping your subject away from any walls.
  • Ask your subjects to look at your shoulder and use built-in red eye reduction on cameras to eliminate red eye.
  • Hold your breath before pressing the shutter for a more stable image.

 


To really ace the technique, read Rick Broida's tips on Lifehacker and Izzy Video for some video podcasts.

Those of you looking to make the move into high-definition video will be interested in Sony's new camera. At only 15 ounces, the Handycam HDR-CX7 is one of the smallest and lightest camcorders on the market. It records and saves to a memory stick, using the controversial AVCHD, a format that saves HD video. According to Sony, you can record nearly three hours of full HD 1080 video on an 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media card.

I like memory sticks because they're easy to work with, but Sony's other HD camcorder, the HDR-SR7, records on a built-in 60GB hard disk, which holds even more video.

All of the new Sony HD camcorders have 2.7-nch LCD preview screens, a capable sensor, Zeiss optics, and little extras like Nightshot Plus, an infrared mode for capturing images taken in dark places. The cameras also support HDMI so you can connect the camera to your HDTV and watch the family movies before the guests leave. At $1,200 and $1,400 respectively, the HDR-CX7 and the HDR-SR7 are not cheap; it's that gorgeous HD picture you're paying for, after all.

 

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  • 26 Posted by nswdl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    As a film student, you should not be misguided. Learn from the pro. Learn from movies and commercials.

  • 27 Posted by phddoc1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    When you're using a video camera, you're either TAPING or RECORDING - you're NOT FILMING. "Filming" is a term reserved for film cameras. Sorry -- pet peeve -- I wish people would use the correct terminology. To say you're "filming" on a digital camera is technically an impossibility ... College Prof with a Tood ... :-)

  • 28 Posted by loken154 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    omg who is that cute guy on the picture with the cam? lol

  • 29 Posted by cynmark24 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    The tips (while good) were just a prelude to another SONY advertisement. SONY sells overrated camcorders that do not perform as to their own specs. I, for one, will never purchase a SONY camcorder ever again. Rather than admit they made mistakes with thousands of camcorders they sold, they tried covering it up. Want proof? Please check this link - the tip of the iceberg of hundreds of complaints: http://www.camerahacker.com/Forums/DisplayComments.php?file=Video%20Camera/Sony/Sony_DCR-TRV18_-_Error_Code..html

  • 31 Posted by blingding11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    These are really great tips but there is one exception that I can think of, and that is the zooming tip. I can't think of any movie i have ever seen that doesn't zoom in at some point, and it adds to the effect of the film. Besides that tip, i think everything is fine. Unless there is an exception where the filmmaker wants a shadow on the wall, such as in the Jack Black movie Shallow Hal.

  • 32 Posted by camiagine on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    There are times I take photos with the subject off center when I take candid shots to give a better background or surrounding and to highlight what I want to project.

  • 33 Posted by baunhoj on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Good tips, all right, but regarding Sony I'd check out the competition as well.

  • 36 Posted by harlequinadeinc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    You forgot, "Most people don't tend to live at 45", so don't tilt the camera to make it seem like they do."

  • 37 Posted by us_test on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    My advice to Sony would be to get real and offer decent low light capabilities in the consumer units. I own a VX2000 which is legendary for it's low light capabilities (2 lux) which have been even further improved with the Vx2100 (1 lux). For the consumer level a 5 lux rating (real own) would be nice. As far as the tips go even though these are basic they need to cover more. Here are some basics I would add. This is what a good cameraman uses and you see it every night on TV. Shooting agles: medium close wide low linking pan shot DOF (Depth of field) soft focus...subject is in focus and background is blurry...a bit harder to do with some consumer camcorders due to the small CCD size (the HD units with bigger CMOS chips seem to be better)...the real issue is most of the consumer models do not have focus and zoom rings...something I wish was part of every camcorder....the trick to this shot is to put the subject as far away as possible from the background... Rack focus- same as above but you first have the subject in focus then you change the focus to the background.. Oposite angle-say you are showing someone opening the fridge and getting a soda....show a shot from the point of view of the inside of the fridge (you see this on commercials all the time Reflection shot - shot the reflection of the subject in a mirror or a window glass. 3 field background framing....let's say somebody is talking in a restaurant...have that person in focus in the center of the shot and have some people at other tables eating in front and behind him/her The door and window shots...use those to frame the subject.. Backlight shot...this can be seen on TV all the time just don't go crazy with it There are more... As far as white walls....they are not bad...take a look at the Bourne movies with Matt Damon...a lot of white empty walls.

  • 38 Posted by hatesthevalley on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    Don't zoom in while recording is a great tip. Whoever went to film school and learned to zoom should get their money back. You can dolly in, or move the camera c@#$%, but zooming is for amateurs.

  • 39 Posted by al_bundy_iii on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    Avoid zooming while shooting? A lot of people don't know how to zoom when shooting, but avoiding is bad advise. Learn how to zoom and when to zoom when shooting is better advice.

  • 40 Posted by davescott29 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    A lot of this advice is very elementary, meant for starters. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to bring extra batteries. Some good advice here but some without explanation to why (Like shooting toward the sun or bright light causes subject to be darkened or blacked out) or unclear advice (zoom in to FOCUS on your subject then zoom out) And although avoiding zooms is good advice for novices without good pan and tilt skills whether hand-held or using a tri-pod, more constructive advice would be to zoom all the way out and position yourself as close to your subject matter as possible, using zooms only if necessary. The c@#$% you are zoomed in on a subject, the shakier your picture will be, especially shooting hand-held, and image stabilization does not always help. When manufacturers stopped making full-size consumer cams, we were are doomed to using the image stabilizer. Shoulder mounts are natural image stabilizers, distributing the cam to two resting points, allowing you to better control our shot. But consumers don't know that. So cameras got smaller and consumers were less likely to shoot professional looking shots. The part about keeping your subject off-center is also unclear. In photography, this is the rule of thirds. Probably the most important things to remember here is look, or lead, space, and headroom. Look space means there should be more space in frame in the direction your subect is facing than behind him. (See viraltheshow.com in Episode Six for a better quick explanation) And headroom means there should not be much room above a person's head. If you frame a person with their eyes one third of the way down from the top of the frame, that usually takes care of that. Some of the last lines of advice do seem to refer to still photography. For instance, red-eyes is caused by the flash of a still camera. Your should NEVER get red-eye in video unless you are using reddish light to illuminate your subject. I hope this helps someone, and to a previous poster, I agree, we are shooting video, not film. We do not film things with a video camera because we are not shooting on film. Good point. Saying you are filming something with a video camera is a sure-fire way to ID yourself as an ameteur. Dave

  • 41 Posted by hikarinoshoujo99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    "don't zoom in while recording?? As a film major I have to say that that is actually very bad advice. A well thought out, steady zoom can actually look quite nice..." True, but most novice filmmakers won't plan something like that to make it look nice. In my opinion, it's better to avoid motorzooming than to plan something that you may think looks good, but doesn't pan out well, especially in home movies where anything can happen.

  • 42 Posted by conorlim on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    Good Tips! Thanks they'll surely help

  • 43 Posted by fdp333 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    i agree with stafanicole. a well-planned and well-executed zoom (in or out) can get you some pro-like results. it will help if you have a storyline in mind when you shoot sequences. the logic will enhance your storytelling. also plan your panning. minimmize panning in one direction and then going back in the other direction as if you forgot something.

  • 44 Posted by albertotriana2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I Agree with stafanicole, When done right Zooming while filming can add to your scene. But some good tips up there. I am Also a Film Major.

  • 45 Posted by videosbyjustin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    no zooming, that can be good or bad. most people tend to shake the camera when they zoom, but if it's pulled off, it can look neat!!!

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