Quick Start

Quick Start… 6 Easy Steps To Help You Start Filming

Step 1 Light and Colour

Light is one of the most important parts of filming and should always be taken into consideration when placing your subject. Avoid silhouetting the subject by making sure the main source of light is behind the camera. Try and get as much natural light as possible and use lamps etc to boost if needed. Be aware of windows contrasting with the light of the room and remember small handy cams operate best in well lit areas.

Colour is another important issue, so that your footage does not take on unnatural hues when you come to edit it. The main way to ensure this is by white balancing your camera; some cheap models may do this automatically but it is far better to do it yourself. In your chosen location hold up a white piece of paper zoom in on it and press the white balance button and then the camera will understand what white is as a basis for other colours.

 

  

 

Step 2 Keep it Steady

Nobody wants to see blurry footage or feel sea sick because the camera is moving about so much.

The decision whether to use a tripod or go hand held is all down to you, if you have one available and aren’t planning on moving best bet is use one to keep a steady shot. If not learn how to make yourself steady by finding out what is comfortable and gives you the best results. Handheld gives you a greater degree of flexibility but means can look less professional. If you haven’t got a Tripod and flat surface can be hastily improvised into one!

Step 3 Framing the Shot

The subject is the main focus of the shot; ideally you want to show off them as the main point with in your footage. There are various different shot types which can be used to highlight different subjects or present your footage in different styles (see shot guide) however there are some basics to remember to produce good footage. Try to have your subject within the rule of thirds (shot divided into 9 with the most important points of focus (such as eyes) on the 1/3 or 2/3 up or across rather than in the centre.

Avoid leaving lots of room around the subject but allow some space for them to move their head, ‘looking room’ as people often do this when talking. If someone is walking allow some space or ‘leading room’ for them to walk into. Consider what you want in the shot; is it just a person or do you want to see what is around them etc? Don’t feel constrained by framing; experiment with what you think looks good. Yet avoid being indecisive as this will mean you never commit to a shot.

Step 4 Sounds Good

Sound is easily as important as vision; it will either be explaining what is going, providing facts or be the centre of what is happening on screen. Ideally filming in a quiet location will provide the best audio, but this is not always practical.

Consider what equipment you are using, if it is an inbuilt microphone make sure the subject is close to the camera and there is no background noise. If you are using a boom make sure it is not picking up any interference or is in shot. Handheld microphones should be held so that they are picking up enough sound but aren’t peaking with too much volume or popping. Always use headphones to check sound levels and sort out audio before you commence filming.

Step 5 Cutaways

When filming, people often refer to objects, subjects or things around them. This could be in a news piece or in a scripted drama. It makes your piece more visual interesting and keeps the audience entertained. It is much easier to film these after you have filmed your main subject so that you can ‘cutaway’ to them in the edit. This makes it much smoother than moving the camera and zooming in mid piece to camera or interview. Think of this if your subject is explaining something i.e. making a pizza: as well as his instructions you will need to film the ingredients, making the base, putting it in the oven etc. Film these cutaways as tight as you need them to draw attention to the item and ensure you have enough footage; simply counting to 10 will mean you don’t rush the shot.

 

Step 6 Plan and Check

Approaching filming with a clear plan and ideas makes it a hundred times easier. Often projects will take half as long to execute and look more professional if you take some time to sit and plan what you want from a student. Planning will also mean you will not overlook anything and on the day or less likely to forget a key thing like a crucial cutaway or a certain shot you want.

Putting together a Checklist is a great way of ensuring you do everything you want when you are out filming and is also good for reminding you of the little things that are easy to forget such as:

Rewinding Tapes
Charging Batteries
Checking Audio
White Balancing
Taking headphones

Don’t be caught out by little things that can ruin good filming. Always leave a few seconds either side of pressing record and stopping filming to get some safety footage for post production and to avoid missing the start and end of speech/action.

Record a few takes of each thing you are filming, this can give you more variety to try different things and means you have numerous options if there is a problem when you come to post production.

Check back when you have finished filming It is best to know on location whether something is missing rather than wait till you are back ready to edit.

Finally go out and try it….The best way to master filming is by practise and experimenting with different ideas and methods. Also don’t forget to have a laugh and enjoy it!