I’m primarily a stills photographer, however, when DSLRs started to get decent video capabilities I started to enjoy dabbling in shooting video. I thought it would be easy, just apply the same principles as photography. I was in for a shock. Turns out, shooting and making compelling videos is a whole different ball game than shooting stills. In this excellent video from Adorama, filmmaker Aidin Robbins shares his top 10 tips to quickly turn your films from ‘meh’ to ‘yeah’.
Aidin starts out with an excellent first point which I think is also true for still photography. I certainly use it on many shoots because I’m forgetful and often get so caught up in the moment that I omit the important things. Writing a shot list and planning in advance is such excellent advice. You don’t have to stick rigidly to it, and you can still g with the flow on the shoot day if that’s your style. However, just having that list is going to focus your mind and help you remember the important shots that you can’t miss.
The other tips range from incorporating contrasting colors to being selective about camera movement. You can also use available light to your advantage to better highlight your subject and make the footage more interesting and dynamic by backlighting. I love how simple most of Aidin’s tips are. They don’t require any expensive new gear or spending lots of time learning new techniques. They are easy to incorporate into your next shoot and will make a huge difference in the quality of your footage. Then you just need to master the art of editing! Check out the video for the full rundown. Which tip was your favorite?
