Click the photos to learn about the types of videos we can create »
 

  • If you are shooting for home or consumer video choose the Mini-DV format and purchase the best camera within your budget.  Three CCD cameras do a better job than single CCD models but cost more. 

  • If you are shooting broadcast television, your camera should be at least a 3 CCD Mini-DV camera.  Better formats are DVCAM; DVC Pro; Professional DV; or Betacam SP. 

  • Read your camera’s manual and practice with different settings before you use your camera for live field work.

  • Get a UV filter for your lens to protect it from damage.

  • Invest in a high quality tripod and use it whenever possible.

  • Don’t leave excessive headroom above your subject when framing your shots.

  • Don’t use auto-focus.  Under certain conditions this will cause your image to drift in and slightly out of focus.

  • Use the zoom feature sparingly—overuse of this feature is one of the most common  mistakes that amateur videographers make.

  • Never use Digital Zoom features.  Optical zooms are fine.

  • If your camera has electronic image stabilization, always use it. 

  • If you are shooting in bright light or sunlight make sure that you don’t have too much light reaching the camera.  If your camera has zebra indicators use them otherwise, make sure that the video in your viewfinder still has detail in the bright areas.  Also, invest in a neutral density filter.

  • If the picture is too dark to see in the viewfinder assume that it is too dark to shoot.

  • Always make sure that your white balance settings match the lighting conditions in which you are shooting.  If you move between different types of light sources, white balance your camera under each. 

  • Never depend on your camera’s internal microphone.  It is probably omni-directional which means that it will pickup noises from all directions.  Invest in a unidirectional microphone (Radio Shack sells an inexpensive one for $20.00) and use it for recording interviews or other sequences where you only want to pickup certain sounds.

  • Invest in an inexpensive set of headphones that can be used while recording.  That nice warm breeze that is inaudible to the human ear can destroy the audio track on your video.
  • Always carry extra batteries and tape.

  • Be cognizant of special lighting situations that require advanced lighting techniques.  Examples of these include: shooting with sand or snow as a backdrop; shooting a subject in front of a window in daylight; and low light situations.

  • Vary camera angles to add interest to your footage.  Shoot high; low; close-up; wide—use your imagination and try something new.

  • If you are shooting footage that will be edited later, always start and end with a couple of extra seconds on your subject to leave room for smooth transitions.

  • If you are recording important footage or a one-time event, consider making test recordings on each of the tapes you will be using.  It is possible to get a bad tape.

 

Home « About After Five « Home Video Tips « Contact Us « Links « Corporate
Event « Industrial « Legal « Personal

16634 Virginia Avenue Williamsport, MD 21795
301-223-7888 • toll free 866-280-7888