| Let's start there (but not spend too much
| |
| | feature to frame in a shot correctly
|
| time on it because you are probably
| |
| | before you push the red "take" button,
|
| already checked out on their use):On/Off
| |
| | and keep your fingers off it while
|
| - On some brands you actually have to
| |
| | rolling. Fast or excessive zooms cause
|
| find two or three switches to accomplish
| |
| | nausea and disorientation of your poor
|
| this. You may be required to choose
| |
| | audience. You don't want to have to
|
| between camera and VCR or VTR, you may
| |
| | provide air sick bags at your
|
| have to open shutters over the lens or
| |
| | showing.These rules barely scratch the
|
| remove a lens cap, and you may have
| |
| | surface. Start by following them and when
|
| choices about snapshots, locked, standby,
| |
| | your footage looks more respectable,
|
| or video. You're probably ready when you
| |
| | you'll be ready to study the hundreds of
|
| see a picture through the viewfinder with
| |
| | other things you see the pros do in great
|
| no unexpected icon flashing in the
| |
| | movies and on TV that makes their footage
|
| middle.Zoom - Changes the lens setting
| |
| | dazzle.Now let's take on some of the many
|
| from wide angle to telephoto. You see
| |
| | buttons on your camcorder. You should
|
| what's happening in the viewfinder.Red
| |
| | have a large owner's manual that explains
|
| "Take" button - Rolls the tape. Usually
| |
| | what they do and I don't intend to
|
| "REC" shows in the viewfinder when
| |
| | duplicate that. (Most owner's manuals
|
| recording and "STDBY" shows when the tape
| |
| | were written in Japanese first and then
|
| is stopped.Beyond that everything else is
| |
| | are translated into dozens of languages,
|
| automated on most consumer camcorders.
| |
| | perhaps by a computer. Legal warnings
|
| You only have to master all those other
| |
| | probably fill the first two pages and the
|
| buttons if you want to take control of
| |
| | really interesting stuff is frequently
|
| things like focus, exposure, shutter
| |
| | buried away in tiny-typeface footnotes.
|
| speed, color balance, stabilization,
| |
| | Don't get discouraged, you are not alone
|
| depth of field, freeze motion, volume,
| |
| | when wondering if you no longer know how
|
| and tons of other special effects and
| |
| | to read.) If you've studied photography a
|
| titling. On most camcorders the default
| |
| | lot, the information that follows may be
|
| manufacturer settings are the place to
| |
| | old hat, but I've got to cover it to show
|
| start -- they've done a very good job
| |
| | you why you may want to explore some of
|
| taming all these options. You should only
| |
| | the buttons from time to time.Basically
|
| need to make changes for particular
| |
| | you are simply managing light and motion.
|
| scenes when you see things going wrong.
| |
| | Start with light: too much light and
|
| So let's not trail through all the
| |
| | everything is blistered out, too little
|
| buttons and menu options out there right
| |
| | light and details get lost in the
|
| now. Instead let's focus on you and all
| |
| | shadows. The human eye has a much wider
|
| the problems you can create.Let's examine
| |
| | range from bright to dark in any given
|
| other areas that separate the pros from
| |
| | scene than does any video equipment. A
|
| the beginners. It's always said, and
| |
| | video shot of your "true love" that looks
|
| frequently demonstrated, that if you put
| |
| | OK to you standing there may play back
|
| the cheapest pile of junk camcorder in
| |
| | later with white splotches and blisters
|
| the hands of a pro, the resulting footage
| |
| | all over his or her face. How can
|
| will look dazzling. It doesn't work the
| |
| | something like this happen, you ask? You
|
| other way around. It's not the tools that
| |
| | assumed the camera would "close down"
|
| separate the 8-year old baking her first
| |
| | automatically when the subject got too
|
| cake from her grandmother -- it's lots of
| |
| | bright.The automation in the camera can
|
| little things, some of which are hard and
| |
| | fail you if there are extremes in any one
|
| tedious to document, and some of which
| |
| | shot. It adjusts for the average
|
| fall into discussions and hot arguments
| |
| | brightness. Hot areas are averaged with
|
| that might be lumped together under the
| |
| | dark areas. The range it can handle is
|
| category called "style."Let's get you
| |
| | limited. The middle or average of the
|
| started with some of the obvious areas.
| |
| | range you are trying to shoot may not be
|
| As you shoot video you will naturally get
| |
| | the setting you want for a correct
|
| competitive with and wonder why your
| |
| | exposure where the true subject is very
|
| footage doesn't measure up to the footage
| |
| | "hot" surrounded by a lot of dark holes.
|
| you see on TV and in the movies. This
| |
| | You have to take charge deciding to throw
|
| will cause you to start adding tricks to
| |
| | away the details in the dark holes in
|
| your trade consciously and unconsciously.
| |
| | order to get proper exposure of the main
|
| Most of us are very critical viewers of
| |
| | subject. Shots of someone on a stage in a
|
| TV and movies.The first sign that there
| |
| | spotlight is the most typical example of
|
| is a rank amateur running the camera
| |
| | having to manually take charge of the
|
| comes when you realize it is being
| |
| | exposure setting in your camcorder.The
|
| hand-held because the picture bounces
| |
| | other extreme occurs when details of your
|
| around (and may actually make some
| |
| | true subject are crushed into a gray mess
|
| viewers seasick, watch out!). The
| |
| | because your subject is surrounded by a
|
| standard answer to this is to lug a
| |
| | very bright background. You need to open
|
| tripod around with you. This is great if
| |
| | up the exposure, throwing away the
|
| you are going to be positioned in the
| |
| | details in the bright background so you
|
| same place for more than three minutes
| |
| | can brighten up and see your subject
|
| filming a game or stage performance, but
| |
| | correctly. Some camcorders have a button
|
| if you are zipping around like a fly on
| |
| | called "backlighting" that does this for
|
| the wall you have to take other measures.
| |
| | you.This doesn't mean your camera can't
|
| Here are some:Lean on things while
| |
| | take pictures in extremely bright or
|
| filming to stabilize yourself. Find a
| |
| | extremely dark places: it can if the
|
| tree, a wall, a table, a friend . . .Take
| |
| | whole scene is bright or the whole scene
|
| a deep breath and hold it. Dig your
| |
| | is dark. The thing you have to be
|
| elbows into your inflated rib cage
| |
| | sensitive to occurs when there is a mix
|
| creating a triangular bracing system
| |
| | of bright and dark, your true subject is
|
| between the camcorder and your stable
| |
| | not in the middle of the range of
|
| chest. Do not answer any questions thrown
| |
| | lighting intensity, and your camcorder is
|
| at you and stop filming before your whole
| |
| | calculating an average brightness setting
|
| body starts convulsing trying to purge
| |
| | that is wrong for what you want to
|
| the stale air.Zoom out (going to a wide
| |
| | capture.What do you look for to adjust
|
| angle setting) and then move yourself and
| |
| | exposure? If your camera is anything like
|
| camera in close to the subject. Wide
| |
| | most of ours, there are several ways to
|
| angle shots are much easier to hold
| |
| | adjust exposure -- some are redundant and
|
| steady. Zoomed in telephoto shots really
| |
| | others handle extreme situations beyond
|
| need a good tripod.Practice, practice,
| |
| | those discussed above. How do you sort it
|
| practice. While rolling tape, pick a
| |
| | all out?If your camera has a wheel or
|
| stationary object near the corner of the
| |
| | dial called exposure and the picture gets
|
| viewfinder, lock in on it, and don't let
| |
| | dark and light as you turn it, then
|
| it move around in the viewfinder. This
| |
| | that's where to start. You will need to
|
| turns your whole nervous and muscular
| |
| | "turn it on" telling the camera's
|
| system into a self-correcting
| |
| | automation that you are taking control of
|
| stabilization machine. It becomes second
| |
| | exposure and to butt out. This may
|
| nature if you work at it enough just as a
| |
| | require you to read the manual --
|
| waitress can carry a tray of drinks
| |
| | different manufacturers have different
|
| without spilling any.Push the "take"
| |
| | ways to block you from tampering with
|
| button to stop rolling tape when you
| |
| | their automatic settings. Once you are in
|
| realize you are about to lose stability.
| |
| | control, here are several things to
|
| You'd be surprised how many shots run
| |
| | consider and several words of advice:Be
|
| until the cameraman bumps into something,
| |
| | sure you trust what your camcorder's
|
| loses concentration or literally falls
| |
| | viewfinder is telling you. In an ideal
|
| off a step.Be sure the camera's built-in
| |
| | situation, you want to play with your
|
| motion stabilization feature is turned
| |
| | camcorder in some very tough situations
|
| on. On some brands the stabilization
| |
| | taking and reviewing throwaway footage
|
| feature reportedly snaps and jerks the
| |
| | before you "go live" on location. The
|
| picture too much as the camera is moved
| |
| | viewfinder may have its own settings
|
| around. You'll hear that the feature
| |
| | which if set wrong will mislead you. For
|
| should be turned off. Don't accept this
| |
| | example, if the picture in the viewfinder
|
| advice as gospel -- play with it for a
| |
| | looks dark and dingy, but it looks great
|
| while first because this objection is
| |
| | when played back on a TV, brighten the
|
| true on only a small percentage of
| |
| | viewfinder setting, not the exposure
|
| camcorders.Don't dismiss using a small
| |
| | setting of the footage you're taking.Flip
|
| mono pod or very light portable tripod
| |
| | out screens are a wonderful invention
|
| for those "on the go" shots. These won't
| |
| | everywhere except outside on a sunny day.
|
| serve you well when shooting a long event
| |
| | Because it's so hard to see anything on
|
| but may be just the ticket when moving
| |
| | them when it's too bright outside, you
|
| around like a fly on the wall.Another
| |
| | may be tempted to crank around on the
|
| rule to consider is how long your shots
| |
| | brightness setting of the flip out
|
| should be. Watch TV and count how long
| |
| | screen. Fine, but this may seriously
|
| their shots run. You'll notice that the
| |
| | mislead you when you come back inside
|
| average 30-second commercial may have 20
| |
| | again -- be careful. Try to remember the
|
| different shots. Pretty much the same
| |
| | setting before you changed it outside and
|
| with MTV. Now watch situation comedies
| |
| | go back to that point as soon as
|
| and cops and robber stories -- maybe
| |
| | possible.Once you trust what you are
|
| shots stay on 3 to 5 seconds. Follow up
| |
| | seeing in the viewfinder, learn what to
|
| with slow running talk shows on PBS. Even
| |
| | look for that clues you when to switch
|
| there they switch the camera before 10
| |
| | off the camcorder's automation and change
|
| seconds have gone by.Back when you were
| |
| | to manual exposure control. Then you need
|
| getting advice with your home camera
| |
| | to know how to set the exposure manually.
|
| movie film from Kodak, the advice they
| |
| | Set it wrong and everything will come
|
| gave was to count to 7 and shut the shot
| |
| | back too dark or too bright -- sadly it's
|
| down. They advised against lots of jerky
| |
| | easy to do.There is a trick I use when
|
| short clips. While that was in a slower
| |
| | going to manual exposure at an event such
|
| and more graceful period of time, it's
| |
| | as a stage performance or a wedding. Let
|
| still a rule to seriously consider.
| |
| | the automation help you! Before going to
|
| Tightly edited sales pitches, action
| |
| | manual exposure, zoom in tight on an
|
| packed movie clips and music videos may
| |
| | important face that is lit pretty much as
|
| demand one to three second clips, but
| |
| | you expect will be common throughout the
|
| this is too fast for general family
| |
| | event. The camcorder should adjust its
|
| footage. We find that when people put
| |
| | exposure to a nice mid-point of the light
|
| photographs together in a video
| |
| | on that face. Then flip the manual
|
| presentation, six seconds for each photo
| |
| | exposure feature on. Normally this will
|
| is about the right time.On the other
| |
| | "lock-in" the automatic setting that you
|
| hand, you'll lose your audience if you
| |
| | trust is OK. Do not turn the manual
|
| make your shots too long. I can't tell
| |
| | exposure knob -- the camcorder is set to
|
| you how many times I've seen shots of a
| |
| | the desired value. You are now free to
|
| baby being fed in its high chair that a
| |
| | zoom wide and pan around the room knowing
|
| proud parent lets roll for over a minute.
| |
| | that a bright window in the background
|
| It's equivalent to a 3-hour sermon in
| |
| | won't close the camera's lens down and
|
| church or a filibuster in congress.Even
| |
| | black holes won't cause the faces of the
|
| though you and I may have no interest in
| |
| | main stars to blister out.As I mentioned
|
| a "feed the baby" sequence unless we know
| |
| | earlier, many cameras have other ways to
|
| the baby, it might keep our attention if
| |
| | accomplish the same results when working
|
| broken up into multiple shots such as an
| |
| | with uneven lighting situations. Many
|
| establishing shot showing where we are,
| |
| | have a "backlighting" button that will
|
| feed the baby, look at the mother, close
| |
| | take faces out of the shadows in a scene
|
| up of the mess, close up of mother's
| |
| | with lots of hot spots in the background.
|
| stress, picture of baby wiggling feet in
| |
| | Solving the other problem, some have a
|
| the air, mother leaning back in
| |
| | special features setting that shows an
|
| exhaustion . . . . All of this puts you
| |
| | icon with a face in a spotlight. This
|
| the videographer to work. You have to
| |
| | feature will help eliminate blistered out
|
| move around and compose several shots
| |
| | faces in your video where the main
|
| telling a story. Some shots may be long,
| |
| | characters are surrounded by dark holes
|
| some short, but the overall impact is
| |
| | in the background.You may find these
|
| dramatically improved.Closely related to
| |
| | settings are easier to use that trying to
|
| this is rule #3: avoid "hunting" with the
| |
| | adjust the exposure manually. Just be
|
| camcorder. We've all seen shots where the
| |
| | sure to turn them off when no longer
|
| camera is panning to the left surveying
| |
| | needed. We see videos shot with the
|
| the scene only to change direction and
| |
| | backlighting feature turned on during
|
| pan back to the right again, then no,
| |
| | normal shots -- they are all washed
|
| maybe what it is looking for is down,
| |
| | out.The camcorder engineers didn't stop
|
| let's zoom in for a second, darn it moved
| |
| | there. Lurking behind every senior male
|
| out of the shot, let's follow it putting
| |
| | electronics engineer is a teenage boy who
|
| everything out of focus, well heck, we
| |
| | wants to develop the perfect camcorder
|
| seem to be looking at a blank wall, and
| |
| | that will shoot good footage in near
|
| with a shake of the camera, it's turned
| |
| | darkness. The race is on between vendors.
|
| off finally, followed by a totally
| |
| | This means you will likely find still
|
| unrelated shot taken hours later.You
| |
| | more exposure settings that address this
|
| avoid hunting by following rule #2: shut
| |
| | issue. Most of these settings result in
|
| the camera off when a shot falls apart.
| |
| | footage with horrible color, jerky
|
| Also you avoid hunting by getting your
| |
| | motion, and grainy images. Go there if
|
| head out from behind the camera before
| |
| | you must but all of these features are
|
| you start the shot and planning out what
| |
| | outside the scope of this booklet.The
|
| you are going to shoot. If you want
| |
| | next basic issue centers on focus. Most
|
| really good footage, you might practice
| |
| | cameras have a very good auto focus
|
| the shot a couple of times before you
| |
| | feature. This feature probably does a
|
| push the red "take" button. Does it stay
| |
| | better job by far than you can do
|
| in focus, is the movement too extreme, is
| |
| | manually if you lack experience or just
|
| there a bright light or window that comes
| |
| | use the camcorder from time to time. Some
|
| and goes as you pan causing the camera to
| |
| | situations confuse the automation,
|
| change the color and brightness of the
| |
| | however, and to get decent footage you
|
| subject, etc., etc.?Paint your scenes
| |
| | will have to jump in and take
|
| with shots that move in one direction,
| |
| | charge.There are two things to look for:
|
| then quit. Don't backtrack in the same
| |
| | 1) the camera is focusing on the wrong
|
| shot. This applies to all three movements
| |
| | thing, and 2) the camera is confused and
|
| you control: panning, tilting, and
| |
| | is hunting back and forth for something
|
| zooming. This seems so simple and yet
| |
| | to focus on. Most camcorders today look
|
| this indecisiveness shows up all over the
| |
| | for a sharp vertical edge in your
|
| place in the work of amateurs. You "hunt"
| |
| | picture. Once found, they very quickly
|
| before you "roll." A few seconds of
| |
| | focus in and out picking which direction
|
| planning pays big dividends.Rule #4
| |
| | better sharpens this edge in the picture.
|
| builds on the two previous rules -- vary
| |
| | It's the same process the eye doctor
|
| your shots. Some shots should be from a
| |
| | uses: "Which is better, A or B"?No edge
|
| distance to establish where we are and
| |
| | in the picture: the camera is lost. A
|
| some should be very tight so we can
| |
| | clear edge close by and another in the
|
| really see the subjects in your video.
| |
| | distance: the camera is confused which
|
| Some shots should be long and some short.
| |
| | one to select. Most of the time you can
|
| Here's what to avoid: lots of mid-range
| |
| | help your poor camcorder by just
|
| shots with three or more people posing in
| |
| | centering in on a sharply defined object
|
| them.TV is an "in your face" medium --
| |
| | that you want to film. If it's really
|
| watch it closely. It sits across the room
| |
| | lost and is focusing on the dust on its
|
| from you. The pros cut the tops off of
| |
| | own lens when you want to shoot a sunset,
|
| heads with impunity. You need to be
| |
| | you can move things along by aiming the
|
| "tight" on a lot of shots to make it
| |
| | camera at a tree or something else in the
|
| interesting but you want to vary it so as
| |
| | distance before you push the red take
|
| not to be too invasive.Also you need to
| |
| | button. Once it's focused for distance
|
| be sensitive as to whether you are above
| |
| | shots, it will usually stay there.If none
|
| the subjects you are shooting making them
| |
| | of this works you are going to have to
|
| look small and dominated or you are below
| |
| | learn how to turn off the automatic focus
|
| the subjects making them look lordly,
| |
| | feature and take charge of focusing
|
| controlling, and terrifying. If you get
| |
| | yourself. This is not complicated. One
|
| down on the floor with kids they look a
| |
| | switch or button gives you control and
|
| lot more like little human beings when
| |
| | usually the ring around the lens moves so
|
| looking straight at the camcorder than if
| |
| | you can change focus. Some camcorders let
|
| you are always shooting the tops of their
| |
| | you go to manual but have a button or
|
| heads.Rule #5: let the motion come to you
| |
| | spring loaded switch setting that lets
|
| -- be careful how much you zoom, pan and
| |
| | you tell the camera's auto focus feature
|
| tilt. Watch what the pros do and you'll
| |
| | to quickly do its job and return to
|
| be surprised how little zooming you see.
| |
| | manual operation.Carlile and Louise
|
| Any pans or tilts (looking from side to
| |
| | Crutcher went on a trip to China in 1992
|
| side or up and down) are generally very
| |
| | and took a Hi8 camcorder with them to
|
| slow. When you do see the pros chase the
| |
| | document the trip. By the time they
|
| subject, you'll usually then see a series
| |
| | returned they had recorded 8 hours of
|
| of stable shots to let you get your
| |
| | footage. They were interested not only in
|
| bearings again.The pros hate zooming in
| |
| | editing down the video footage but they
|
| and out. Instead they lay a track, bring
| |
| | wanted to combine it with still pictures
|
| in a crane or rent a well-trained
| |
| | that they also had. None of their friends
|
| Steadycam operator to follow the subject
| |
| | or family would sit still for all the raw
|
| around smoothly. This technology is
| |
| | footage. They looked, but could not find
|
| beyond the casual user's reach, so we
| |
| | anywhere in Louisville where they could
|
| zoom. Best advice, zoom slowly and zoom
| |
| | do this work easily and affordably.
|
| less than every third shot. Use the zoom
| |
| |
|
