When someone thinks of “videography”, what often pops up in their head are bigshot filmmakers and cinematographers who work on the sets of huge-scale productions and movies. However, the art of videography is much more simple than filming a blockbuster hit, and these days, it can be as easy as pressing the record button on your phone. Videography involves not only the recording of videos but also the editing and meticulously planning of them and is usually done alone or in small teams.
In recent years, videography has become increasingly accessible to the public and many people take it on as a proper job after practicing it as a hobby. Since there are so many different aspects of the video process, we thought it would help new videographers if we put together a list of tips to get started or improve their videography!
#1: Stay Organized
As a videographer, you’ll undoubtedly end up with tons of files and clips, all of which will probably look the same, which is why the people over at Inspiration Feed suggest that you stay organized! Save yourself time (and a headache!) in the long run by specifically labeling each and everything you shoot, that way, you don’t have to go digging around your computer for the files you want!
#2: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Another super helpful tip that Inspiration Feed gives to new videographers is to keep your camera steady! This is so important and depending on what you are filming, shakiness will make or break your project. This should be a given, but make sure to stabilize your camera on a tripod or camera harness. Since we know that those can be a little pricey, you can substitute a tripod for a rolling cart, which works just as well!
#3: Make A List (And Check it Twice!)
Filming for a new project can be daunting, and you may not even know where to begin! Well, Passion Passport recommends making a shot list, which is basically just a list of all the shots and angles you want to capture during the filming process. In mentioning this, it’s also important to remember to set up your shots well and ensure that the subject you’re capturing doesn’t have too much awkward space around them. You may be able to save some weird shots later on when you edit, but it’s never a good idea to solely depend on zooming into frames to cover up a mistake.
#4: Shoot in the Here and Now
Coming in with another great tip from Passion Passport is to shoot more footage than you think you should. Going back to the previous tip about awkward shots, you want to make sure that you’ll have accumulated enough shots so that you can make a satisfactory scene. Filming in excess can save you later on, and while it can be a pain to shovel through numerous files just to put together one sequence, I guarantee that you’ll be thanking yourself (or me!) later down the line.
#5: Mic Check
What’s a video without sound? The sound on a video is arguably just as important as the video itself, and that’s because the sound is so imperative to creating a great film. Yes, the camera you are using to film has a built-in microphone but what if you’re doing shots where your subject has to speak? They can’t be shouting while they talk, and if you’re moving the camera around to change angles, the audio will most likely be messy and inconsistent. Format and their team emphasize the importance of a microphone, especially if you’re working outside rather than doing voiceovers post-edit.
These were just a few tips and tricks on how to get started on your videography journey, but we know that you’ll learn so much more as you go! Videography brings a new perspective to films and can be used in a variety of different ways, so don’t try to put a cap on your imagination!
If you want to learn even more about videography and how to get ahead, our amazingly talented Vice President, Catara Lane is hosting a Videography Workshop on Thursday, April 28th!
Register for it here!
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