Professional Videography Tips

When it comes to videography, this specific process is essentially part instinct and part technique. You may also find yourself shooting essentially on the fly depending on what type of documentary that you're shooting, such as a historical documentary that features many different “talking head” types of interviews.

Regardless of the type of video that you will be shooting, there are all sorts of different tips that can help with your task.

Here are four useful tips to make note of involving videography.

Steady Camera

Make sure that you keep your camera steady. This is where a tripod will come in handy if you are able to utilize one. Typically, you will want to record at least ten seconds of each shot rather than constantly zooming in and out, as well as panning right to left and vice versa. Allow all of the action in the frame to speak for itself. When the time comes for you to edit the film that you've shot, that's when you'll see that all of your hard and patient work has paid off.

Good Lighting

Never forget about lighting, and keep in mind that the rules for lighting that apply to photography also apply to videography as well. This means that you need to make sure that all of your subjects are lit well while, at the same time, making sure that they aren't lit too much. For instance, if you are interviewing someone, make sure that they don't have their back facing towards the sun or that they are under a tree with some type of bright scene in the background shot of what you're filming.

Microphone

You will also need to keep in mind where your microphone is as well. When it comes to budget filmmaking, the microphone located on top of your camera will need to be kept close to anyone who will be talking, such as someone that you may be interviewing. If it isn't, then it will be extremely hard for the viewer to hear what the individual is attempting to say. No matter what, always be conscious of where the microphone is located on the camera relative to the sound that you're attempting to capture, and also remember that obtaining a good amount of sound is what will often dictate the shot that you're trying to get.

Anticipate Shots

When you're shooting, it's a good idea to always anticipate action. This is a skill that instinctively develops as you continue to shoot, meaning that once you miss a few good shots, you will learn to pay attention more. For instance, imagine that you are at a baseball game and you want to capture the exact moment that a player hits the ball. This means that you will have to anticipate that very moment and start recording either a few seconds or a few minutes before that moment itself happens. When you finally realize that the pitch has occurred, that's when you'll know that you've missed the moment that you were waiting for.

Thank you for visiting the Echo Earth Media blog, Austin videography company. If you need videos for your company’s website contact us today!

Team Echo