GUIDELINES FOR QUALITY VIDEO SHOOTING.

AIM: This lesson develops a list of guide lines and principles for good shooting.

GEAR REQUIRED: Several cameras, quality video tape, VCRs for playback.

The teacher should be able to find example from the video shot by students in the previous lesson that will illustrate several of the points made below.

INTRO: As previously stated, good video is a matter of practice. There is no right or wrong way to do it. The quality of a shot depends on the context of its use. Having stated that however there are definitely some guides that help ensure quality. Some of the most basic ones are listed
below.

GENERAL RULES FOR SHOOTING

1) The most basic rule is think about your shot. What do you want to include in the frame. Don’t include anything that is not relevant to the purpose of your shot.

2) Decide what you are going to shoot before you press ‘record’.

3) Start rolling the tape before you need to and keep rolling around 5 seconds at the end of the shot. This helps greatly in editing.

4) Each take needs to be at least 10 seconds long.

5) Steady yourself against the wobbles. Adopt a steady stance, brace yourself on a tree, a, pole, a wall etc. where possible.

6) Don’t over do the use of the zoom control.

7) Steady the shot by widening the lens angle (‘w’) on the zoom control where appropriate.

8) Explore your subject, the light, the background and the angle, to obtain the optimum shot. Then press ‘record’.

9) Have someone else keep an eye on your safety.

10) Set up the camera for the lighting conditions. White balance, indoor, outdoor, filters, gain, what ever is applicable to your camera. If in doubt set the camera to ‘AUTO’. This will be further
explained in a later lesson.

11) Don’t shoot against a bright background it will silhouette your foreground (unless that is what you are after)

12) Enjoy yourself!!!!!!!

ACTIVITY

1) Divide into small groups again.
2) Each group will take the camera out into the school ground and record around 1 min of video per student. This time being careful to apply the above principles.
3) On return to the classroom/ studio look at each others work and see if you can identify what principles are being applied by the camera operator.

Constructive criticism is a good thing if it is given in the spirit of humility having regard for preservation of the operators creative integrity.

 

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