10 tips for basic video filming

by Steve Keenan

1 Buy a tripod. A Joby Gorilla is small, flexible, around £30, and incredibly useful to have in your bag. Nobody wants to see a wobbly film that makes them feel seasick. Virtually all video cams have a thread in the base to screw the tripod in – but check first. If not, stand the camera on a table/book – anything. Failing all of that, grip the elbow of the filming arm with your other hand, holding that arm tight to your stomach.

2 Buy an external microphone. Small video cameras like a Flip will have a built-in microphone but on a Kodak Zi8, something like a Sennheiser directional mike or Rode gives a much better recording sound. Check whether your camera has an external jack for a mike. If not, make sure you are in a VERY quiet place when recording an interview. Stay out of the wind. Stay away from external noise. Give your subject a chance of being heard.

3 THE STORY - don’t film 100 clips from your trip. A total of 20 minutes will do, with clearly marked notes as to what the clips are, and names of places and people, so that whoever is editing has a better-than-even chance of making sense of it all. Try and get an interview if possible - otherwise pieces to camera yourself (setting up camera on a tripod ideally). Get lots GVs as they call them (general views) which locate where you are (tower blocks, road in, signs) to edit it into the film.

4 Usually one interview unless wildly different subjects. And do try to plan what your story will be, as far as is practicable.

5 Try not to zoom or pan. The shots very rarely work. If someone gestures to a spot while filming them, resist the temptation to swing the camera around to follow the hand. Film it separately later.

6 Light. Don’t film into the sun, as you wouldn’t with a normal camera. But don’t make the subject squint directly into the light either – so film obliquely, with the subject lit well (no deep shadows). No hats or sunglasses either.

7 Compose the frame. Don’t stick the subject dead centre – position them left or right of centre, with some interesting background related to the subject. Or just a pretty pot plant.

8 Think abut music when editing: there are a number of royalty-free sites like premiumbeat.com.

9 Avoid mentioning dates – it will date the film rapidly and you want this to have long shelf life.

10 Enjoy yourself. Prize-winning documentaries are welcome, but I’d settle for an entertaining/thoughtful/provoking film about your subject.