March 26th, 2013 | Posted by admin
Tips for making a home video
If a picture is worth a thousand words, than how many words and emotions can be expressed with a home video? The classic show- America’s Funniest Home Video, still has reruns on Direct TV, for enjoyment and inspiration. While it may sound simple to just point and shoot, there are a few tips and tricks that can make a home video turn out even better.
A good home video needs to start with a good camera. By no means does the camera have to be super expensive or have all the latest technology, but having a decently well-made piece of equipment will make a big difference in the overall quality of the video. The person who will be operating the camera should spend some time familiarizing themselves with the basic functions of the camera.
It is always a good idea to spend some time where the filming is being done to figure out some angles that have good lighting, and be familiar with some areas that don’t film well. Whenever the actual filming begins, the camera operator will be able to avoid wasting precious footage on a dark room or a bad glare from a lamp.
As the cameraman travels around shooting the video, care must be taken to keep the camera as steady as possible. A shaky video will turn out poorly, regardless of how amazing the content is. There are only three basic camera shots the operator needs to remember. A wide-shot sets the scene of the room or event, middle shots show any action and close-ups should be only used for showing something specific.
At this point, the cameraman should relax and let the action happen. He needs to focus more on his middle and wide shots to avoid having to move the camera too often. If there is a close-up of a person, the cameraman should remember to keep the subject in the left or right third of the frame.
The final step in the home video processing is editing. If the camera is newer, the video is probably already on a digital format. If not, the video can be transferred inexpensively. Editing the film on the computer has become very self-intuitive over the years. If the film that was taken is good, the editing will make it great!