Home Movies Makeover!

Home Movie Makeover!

Simple tips for creating home videos worth watching over and over

Home Movie Makeover!

You Will Learn:

  • Simple composition techniques used by all Hollywood filmmakers
  • How to tell a story with your video camera
  • Invaluable tips for shooting great video
    •

    Let's Get Started!

    Composition--"Rule of Thirds"

    What is the rule?

  • It is the dominant guideline used for framing most shots.
  • It states that the subject/object of your shot should line up along either the left/right third or the top/bottom third of the screen.
    •

    Demonstration of the Rule of Thirds

    Experiment!

    Mark the location of the thirds on your television screen using tape. Choose any movie you wish and watch how closely the rule is followed!

    Composition--Shot Types

    TIP!

  • Avoid cutting off your subject at body joints (knees, waist, neck etc.) Instead, try to cut them off at mid points (mid-thigh, mid-upper arm)
    •

    Wide Shot

  • Used to establish what is happening
  • Typically will show the entire body of subject (head to toe)
    •

    Medium Shot

  • Typically shows about 3/4 of your subject
    •

    Close Up

  • Typically includes a portion of the subject's chest or torso
    •

    Cutaway

  • Typically a shot of an action or object related to what is happening
    •

    Tell a Story

    Behind

    Ground Level

    1) Alternate the point of view of the camera (the direction or position from which you shoot)

    2) Use appropriate shot lengths

  • Approximately 5 seconds for each shot if there is little movement in the shot (nobody wants to watch paint dry for longer than 5 seconds)
  • If you are recording something with a lot of movement (sports) the shot length will be determined by the breaks in the action
    •

    3) Follow the action by either panning the camera or inserting cutaway shots

    4) Alternate your selection of shot types

    You're almost a pro!

    Above

    Tell a Story--Sample shot sequence

    1st Shot--(Wide)--establish the context of what is happening

    2nd Shot--(Medium)--narrow the focus of the wide shot

    3rd Shot--(Cutaway)--highlight some of the action in the scene (example: the cutaway could show what the subject of your medium shot is looking at)

    4th Shot--(Closeup)--feature the subject of your scene

    5th Shot--(Wide)--re-establish the context of the scene and possibly focus on a new subject or action

    Demonstration of shot selection and sequencing

    Advanced Tip!

  • Avoid shooting the same types of shots back to back. Doing so eliminates the "jumpcut" or shift in the action that is visible during the transition
    •

    Additional Tips

    1) To Zoom or not to Zoom?

  • Zooming amplifies the movement of the camera making it difficult to hold the shot steady
  • Whenever possible, always choose to move closer to your subject rather than zoom
    •

    2) Be Light Bright!

  • The brightest light source should be in front of your subject
  • Light from behind causes a silhouette (example: Don't shoot up against open windows in the daytime)
    •

    Additional Tips

    3) Pan'tastic Panning

  • Point your body to where you want the pan to end and then twist to your starting point
  • Hold the camera with both hands
    •

    4) Mind over Mouth

  • Who is the closest person to the camera microphone? YOU!
  • Be mindful of what you say and avoid interfering with the sounds of what you are recording
    •

    Home Movie Makeover!

    Good Luck!

    Description: Simple tips for creating home videos worth watching over and over

    By: dvesoft08 Rating: Rated 5 Stars Views: 228
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    Add Your Comment:

    Awesome tips! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
            Posted by jsoftley
    1 year ago
    This was really useful. I have studied the rule of thirds in photography, but never realized it is applied to movie making as well. Great video.
            Posted by Adam Ashton
    6 months ago
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