FACT’S 10 Commandments of Camera Use
The biblical principles of creating quality videos and films…
1
Thou shall not fire hose Panning the camera from side to side or tilting up and down to record everything and anything is a big NO! It makes the viewer dizzy. (It’s literally like a fireman using a fire hose to put out a fire).
2
Thou shall have suitable headroom
Improper headroom is one of the most common mistakes, with too much or too little space given over the head. Placing a person’s eyes one-third of the way down in the frame will provide proper headroom (Thumb rule).
3
Thou shall stay close to the subject
The subject should dominate the frame, not the surrounding scene. The subject becomes small when the camera is far away and this places more of the scene in the frame than required, so stay close and fill the frame!
4
Thou shall not snap shoot
Don’t make your shots too short, the viewer will not recognise what is happening. Keep your shots long enough for coherence and precise editing.
5
Thou shall not head hunt
Don’t place the subject in the exact center of the frame, with equal sides, top, and bottom surrounding them; it looks as if they’re being held at gunpoint! Head hunting also creates poor composition.
6
Thou shall not backlight Your background should not be brighter than the subject; this will produce a shadow and create a dark-silhouette on your subject. AVOID bright backlight.
7
Thou shall not over zoom
Do not be a zoom monster! Don’t zoom in and out, without a reason. Zooming is required to develop a mood or feeling in some scenes, but otherwise taking shots and sequencing them together are better than losing control with the zoom.
8
Thou shall take the camera of thy shoulder
Shot varieties can make a video thrilling and creative, so move your camera; over the head, to low-angles or in the centre, depending on the scene. The key is to plan your shots in advance!
9
Thou shall not walk while shooting
Walking while recording should be avoided (unless you’re purposely making a free-hold film). If you really need to then make sure to hold the camera still, walk slowly, keep your hands and legs bent and don’t hold the camera against your body.
10
Thou shall have good audio
Stay as close to the subject as possible for the best sound and make sure to eliminate unwanted noise, when your camera is rolling. Monitor the sound with earphones, as audio carries the message; no audio, no message!
fact magazine
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