Top 5 Ways to Improve Your Home Videos

Posted in Home Video Tips on Nov 21, 2012

Tip #1. Shoot Better Video.

Do your audience a favor here and shoot better video. How? Get a tripod or monopod. Steady up your shot no wants to watch a movie that the camera is moving all over the place. If you can't use a tripod or monopod then focus your attention on the viewfinder. Keep your eyes and attention there and you'll instantly smooth things out. Next, try spreading your feet shoulder width apart and lock you elbows to your sides, put both hands on the camera and relax a bit. Your camera just got steadier yet again.

Now if you need to pan left or right turn at the waist and don't move faster than you need too. Avoid using the zoom lever. If you feel the need to get a closer shot then move in closer. Keep your camera on the subject for ten to twenty seconds before moving again, I prefer thirty to forty five second clips at the minimum. If I'm telling a story I try to get three shots of the same thing, wide shot, medium shot, and close shot, you'll have three times the options when you go to edit. If I'm shooting sports or a school performance of some kind then really need a tripod. It doesn't have to expensive but typically the more you spend the better it will work.

My biggest tip to shooting better videos is to zip the lip. Wait till the camera is off before talking. Then you can talk, give instructions, cheer on the team whatever it is. You'll thank yourself when you get it into the editing bay later.

Look for next weeks post I'll cover little bit about audio and lighting.