You may have heard of three-point lighting; a guideline to follow or ignore as you choose. I will sketch it out for you here. Light #1: Key light. This is typically at a 45-degree angle from the direction the subject is looking and is your brightest light. Light #2: Fill Light. This light shines from…
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1. Background Pay attention to what is behind your subject. It should be pleasing and not distracting. It should not draw the viewer’s attention away from the main subject. Avoid clutter and mess and add something meaningful and nice, like a plant, one framed photo, or one special object. DO NOT let a plant or…
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Most people have heard of The Rule of Thirds. Divide the screen into an imaginary grid of 2 vertical lines and 2 horizontal lines equally spaced. This gives you 3 sections in each direction, or 9 sections total. The places where these lines intersect is the best place to frame the most important part of…
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What is B-Roll? Any supplementary video that is considered secondary to your primary footage, such as the interview. B-Roll is the industry lingo for shots that are not of the interview or main action. This footage is essential for editing. (We will learn more about shooting for the sake of editing in tips 11 and…
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Note: These a just the highlights. For the full text, get my ebook: How to Shoot Video Like a Pro: 12 Tips For Using the Camera You Have. Send an email with your request to personalstoryfilms@gmail.com Hold your camera steady. Use the strap for stabilization – make it tight enough. Put your left hand…
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Note: These a just the highlights. For the full text, get my ebook: How to Shoot Video Like a Pro: 12 Tips For Using the Camera You Have. Send an email with your request to personalstoryfilms@gmail.com If you have a DSLR, you may want to use these settings: 50mm, and F-stop: 5.6. These settings…
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The day before your shoot, charge your batteries for your camera and microphones. Days before, make sure you have all the equipment you need, giving yourself time to borrow, buy, or rent what you need. Do you have several SD cards? Does the camera fit onto the tripod (do you have the necessary plate that…
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Before you shoot, think of and write down the questions you want to ask your subject. Make sure the questions are open ended, not short answer. Example short answer questions: When did you start making your own lotions? Answer: 5 years ago. Do you enjoy the process of making the lotions? Answer: Yes, very much.…
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Planning ahead can change your shoot from poor to excellent. After reading through all these tips of what to shoot, you’ll have a better idea of the specific shots you want. Here is an example of a shot list: Wide Shot (WS) of subject (S) walking to car, opening door, getting in and closing door,…
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Taking a trip this summer? Take better videos by following these 3 simple tips: 1. Hold your smartphone sideways – that’s how it will be viewed. 2. Hold your camera as still as possible – viewers don’t want to see wild, jerky movements as you try to capture every piece of the action. 3. Get…
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