These days even the most basic cameras have the ability to capture high quality video. Full HD resolution is standard issue on most cameras, although an increasing number of models offer 4K capture for impressive quality footage.
Just as is the case with still images, however, it’s not how many pixels you’ve got to play with, it’s what you do with them that really counts - poor video skills will only be magnified by higher resolution. That’s why we’ve put these quick tips together to help give your video footage a more polished, professional look.
Have a plan
The best photographs involve some degree of planning and the same stands for video. Before you start shooting anything, plan what is going to be said and how you’re going to frame the scene; the best way to do this is to create a script and a storyboard. You don’t have to be a brilliant writer or a talented artist to achieve this, just some notes and basic sketches will do so long as they give you some direction and guidance. The result is likely to be more coherent dialogue with fewer pauses and a better looking video.
Make sure your shutter speed is no more than twice the frame rate
Remember the shutter speeds rule
As a basic rule of thumb, you should never record video with a shutter speed more than twice the selected frame rate. So, if you’re shooting Full HD at 30P, don’t go any faster than 1/60sec. If you’re shooting in very bright conditions, this can make it harder to get shallow depth-of-field, so consider adding a neutral density filter to your kit to cut light down without affecting colours.
Get some support
Irrespective of what you’re going to be shooting, having some way of supporting the camera is imperative - shooting handheld footage will deliver little more than a video that will make your viewers feel ill! There are a multitude of devices available to offer support, but at the bare minimum we’d recommend a solid tripod with a video head on it - you can buy these either in kit form or the legs and head as separate items. If you want to shoot on the move with your DSLR or mirrorless camera, a motorised gimbal such as the DJI Ronin-S is ideal, while the Snoppa M1 3-Axis Smartphone Gimbal is great for shooting stable footage with a mobile phone.
Drones give you the scope to add exciting new angles to your videos
Consider adding alternative angles
Adding shots from different viewpoints can add an extra dimension to your videos - just don’t overdo it! Consider adding a camera cradle, slider or car suction mount to your armoury to add an extra dimension, but if you really want to lift your footage above the rest also consider a drone. Be sure you brush up on any drone-related laws in your own country before you go flying, though.
It’s all in the audio
So far we’ve concentrated on ways to improve the quality of footage you get, but the quality of the audio you capture is of equal or even greater importance. Don’t rely on a camera’s built-in microphone, instead consider a shotgun stereo microphone, which plugs in to your camera’s audio in socket. If you’re shooting a lot of dialogue in your videos, or presenting videos yourself, consider a lavalier (or lav) microphone; a small unit that attaches to your clothing and allows you to work hands free. From a practical perspective, you may need a separate sound recorder to record audio with a lav mic. If you do record sound on both the camera and a separate recorder be sure to clap at the beginning of each recording - this makes it much easier to sync the two tracks together later on the computer.
A directional stereo microphone will improve audio quality
Keep it short
Many successful movies, TV programmes and YouTube videos all share one thing in common - they’re made up of short clips of 20 seconds or less. Your viewer will quickly get bored if you have a fixed camera position and just leave it running, so it’s important to retain interest by regularly changing angles, or switching lenses, or both. If your camera allows it, it can also be worth capturing footage at higher frame rates so it can be slowed down during editing - another great way of visually breaking up the footage.
The beauty of B roll
B roll is additional footage shot in a location that can then be intercut with the main footage to help tell an overall story. Let’s say, for example, you’re filming at a farm in the countryside, you can capture footage of the main location and then shoot some B roll of other nearby subjects that are related, such as farm animals, machinery or even crops blowing in the wind. Always make sure that your B roll is shot at the same time as the main footage, so the lighting remains consistent and don’t be afraid to shoot plenty - you can never have too much B roll!
. digitalrev.com
2019-1-7 03:00
