10 BASIC FILMING SUGGESTIONS
1. Don’t film multiple scenes in a single long take. With short, separate sequences, it will be a lot easier to plan your film in advance and edit it afterward.
2. Vary perspectives in a scene by filming from above, below, and from different positions around the subject. Varied angles will help keep your viewers attention on the story (and decrease the risk of boring them).
3. Always use a tripod or, if you’re shooting handheld, the camera’s and lens’s image stabilization feature (if available). While shaky footage can be creatively interesting and useful to dramatize a scene, if too much of your story is shaky, it could easily become a distraction.
4. Composition. Frame each scene beautifully, but pay attention so that the background and peripherals don’t steal attention from your main subject.
5. Always film longer sequences than you need. Extend each scene at least 10 seconds before and after each scene. This gives you extra material to edit if you need it.
6. Don’t zoom in on a scene during filming if it’s not consciously planned. Use your feet instead to get closer or to create greater distance from the subject.
7. Always try to film with the main light source behind the main camera. Use ambient, natural light as much as possible and a reflector to lighten up shadows and dark areas.
8. Use prime lenses. In general, fixed focal length lenses are sharper, more sensitive to light (good in low light), and offer a more cinematic “look” than most zoom lenses.
9. Although “poor” film quality can be used and viewed as an artistic expression, crappy audio will inevitably distract. Spend time and love on getting great sound recording!
10. Record in High Resolution. By filming in 4k or higher and then editing on a HD/1080p timeline, you’ll have the opportunity to reframe and/or zoom in when editing your footage. It’s like having two cameras!