Digital Learning Workshops

Plan your shoot. Try to have a clear idea of what you’re going to shoot and where, before you begin. The more you plan, the easier the shoot should be (and the footage will be better). Also be sure to get written permission from your subjects.

Stay still. It is important to keep the camera as still as possible. Where possible use a tripod (or monopod) or make your own. If you cannot shoot using a tripod etc, try to place the camera on a stable surface, or stand so you are as stable as possible. To help this, bring your arms into your body and widen your stance to increase base area. (as much as you can whilst still being able to frame the shot)!

Don’t zoom. Use fixed camera angles and don’t use the zoom function during filming. If you want to use a mixture of close-ups and wider shots (and these are recommended), shoot the subject several times from the different angles. Then use editing to cut from one shot to another.

Consider audio.  The sound is half the video! Where possible, try to use a good quality microphone. If this is not an option, make sure the microphone on the camera is close enough to the subject to record clear sound at a good volume. Also be aware of your surroundings, external noises, echoey rooms etc can ruin a good video.

Let the interviewee speak. Whilst the interviewee is talking, do not speak – only respond when they have finished talking. I know it seems rude, but sounds of agreeance during an interview cannot be edited out! Also, external interruptions can ruin a take – put a sign on the door of the room you are using to say there is a shoot in progress.

Over-shoot. Press record a few seconds before you want to start and leave the camera running for a few seconds after you have finished filming the subject. If possible try and get your subject to remain neutral at the beginning and end of filming (e.g. when the take is finished get an interviewee to continue to look where they were when they finished speaking).

Consider lighting. Low light can cause ‘noise’ to appear in the final video. This may not be an issue for what you are filming, but be aware that this noise can cause a lack of detail and clarity of the final image. If you are shooting in a room with a strong directional light source (a large window on a bright day), place the subject facing the light and make sure the camera operator has their back to the light.

The rule of thirds. When a person is the main focus of your video, try to frame them so their eyes are a third of the way down the frame and are a third from the left or right of the frame. This will help balance the shot.

Get cut-aways. Don’t just shoot the action, get shots of people’s reactions of what you’re filming. These can be close-ups of hands moving in an interview, or a shot of an action or event they are describing. This helps the editing process immeasurably.

Don’t rush. Good video takes time. Try to set aside a reasonable amount of time to record and produce your video. Whatever time you think you will need, add 25%!