WESTCLIFF FILM & VIDEO CLUB

TOP TEN TIPS

1 Shoot it long and steady

When shooting video footage keep the shots nice and long. They can always be shortened during editing later. And hold the camera as steady as possible, moving it really s-m-o-o-t-h-l-y if you are following the action. If possible, use a tripod to keep the camera stead. This is especially necessary when using the ‘tele’ end of the zoom range.

2. Separate wanted sound from the background.

Background noise is always more obtrusive during playback because the ears and brain are more clever than your camera! Compensate for this by getting your microphone as close to the wanted sound as possible, If shooting a person ‘talking to camera’ when using the in-built microphone, shoot with the lens in wide-angle and get as close as possible. If there’s background noise tell the subject to ‘speak up’

3. Shoot to edit!

When using your camera, think about how you will edit the footage. Always begin and end the shot with the camera still, or a zoom completed and stopped.  Avoid ‘crossing the line’. That means if you are shooting a moving object that’s going left to right in the first shot, keep it moving left to right in the next shot.  When filming someone talking,  always listen out suitable points at which to to end the shot, at the end of complete sentences for example.

 4.  The alps are not  60cm wide!

When shooting a movie remember that it will on most occasions be viewed on a relatively small screen.  Break up the scene into a series of shots. An overview long shot, then a series of closer views of points of importance, to bring small detail up nice and close on a small screen.  Not everyone has a 42-inch Plasma screen, and even on that the close-ups have the impact. To really see the thought and emotion behind the face it should fill the screen.

 5. Sound: an embellishment and not an embarrassment!

Having shot a movie, it’s often the sound which get’s the bodge job. Film-making is an audio-visual medium and the audio bit is important. Sound recorded in-camera can be excellent but is often left almost as an inconsequential background at the editing stage. Just like the pictures it must be worked on at the editing stage to get the best from the original material.

 6. Don’t make a crisis out of a drama!

Few enthusiast film makers have the resources of a big film or TV company. Making a major drama production is difficult and should be accepted as such. If you try it, have fun and treat it as a bit of ‘amateur dramatics on film’, accept your limitations and don’t expect too many accolades from the wider viewing audience.

7. Scripts and storyboards: its called planning!

Any job you do is easier, more straight-forward and more successful with a bit of planning. These days a lot of movie-making – especially the ‘reality’ shows like the auctions, gardening and holiday shows are not scripted shot-by-shot. The dialogue is recorded seemingly off-the-cuff, but an awful lot of work goes into planning, not only the garden path, but the movie. A list of shots, ideas for angles and sections to voice-over or shoot ‘to-camera’ planned in advance will make the project easier to edit and better on the screen.

 8. The right man for the job!

In these politically correct days it’s not-on to say someone is fat, for example, they have to be circumferentially challenged or some such nonsense. Such a candidate would not be chosen however, to represent the nation at the long-jump in the Olympics. In the same way, if someone has very shaky hands, they can’t be expected to produce nice steady movies. The final result is important and the limitations of the movie-maker(s) have to be considered. Be honest with yourself. If you have a limitation, recognise it and take appropriate action for the benefit of the film.

 9. Write right

Scripts for voice-overs and pieces to camera need to be written to be spoken. Today’s presentation style is much less formal than in days gone by and scripts for movies need to reflect that. They need to retain the presenter’s style and personality is important.  The camera-to-screen technical part of the process should be as transparent as possible so that the viewer feels as if he is in one-to-one communication with the presenter.

10. Have Fun! It’s only a hobby!

Because it embraces so many aspects film-making is a wonderful fascinating hobby. But it is just a hobby and for some can become an obsession: when that happens it can be unfortunate. Making movies is what Westcliff Film and Video Club is all about. The movies members make and the opportunities for sharing them is the purpose the club exists. The technical side interests some, seeing other people’s movies interests others, while for most, to some extent, an outlet for creativity is the aim. In short, whatever turns you on….enjoy it!