Latest Articles by Amanda Nella

Special Event Videography - Digital Memories or Techno-ubbish

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Special Event Videography - Digital Memories or Techno-Ubbish

As I was growing up my mother dutifully kept every picture, drawing, certificate and piece of paper that marked the every day milestones of my life. We called her meticulous storage system the 'white suitcase' and it wasn't so much a repository for memories as a guilt free bin for all the crud that didn't make the cut to the fridge.

These days we all have our 'white suitcase' and we commonly term it 'my inexhaustible hard drive'. We squirrel away odds and sods that are never to see the light of the monitor again. Sometimes because we no longer need them and other times because we didn't name them properly and have lost or forgotten about them. Well, even though 120GB is a lot of storage, you can just never have enough memory. Here are a couple of tips to maintain a healthy digital library of all your most precious memories whilst not clogging up your ROM with unnecessary techno-ubbish and digi-arbage.

Be Tidy

When downloading all your digital media, put it all in the one spot. I like to save to a removable hard drive. This is going to make it easy to save my precious photos during a house fire, which is apparently the first thing after the children, and before the dog, that you will reach for.

It is also a place where they will not take up your hard drive memory and can obviously be moved between computers should you wish to upgrade, download to another computer or printer or if you are concerned about loss in the event of a irrebootable computer death.

Naming Conventions

Think of a way to name all your photographs and stick to it. Personally I like to include the date and the event. Knowing this I can always search for a photograph using keywords. It is much easier than trawling through hundreds of photographs all called DSC001 or PstElizas.kisinJudithsHuby 001, …002etc.

Separate Your Media

Put all your different media in similar folders. If you have photographs and video of a party, open a folder called PARTYDATELOCATION and then sub folders, one for photos, one for video and one for blackmail. Once again this will allow for ease of locating. Unless of course you are concerned about forensic police in which case rename the one called blackmail to C.CruzThnx2Eliza.

Discard the Useless

Now we all know that your significant other/darling children/extended family are all beautiful wonderful people but not every photograph or video you take of them is. Discard the media that are not up to scratch. Don't just automatically download everything on the memory stick and forget about it, don't save all that boring footage that you recorded when you put the camera down thinking it was turned off on the bedroom dresser. Check it and erase it. If it shows Eliza snogging her best friends husband save it, if not ditch it and reuse the tape. Streamline your library into only useable, story telling pictures. Think to yourself, what would I ever end up using this photograph for? If you can definitely say you will view it again, perhaps print a hard copy for your office desk photo frame, or drop a copy to Eliza with your banking account details, then it is worth retaining.

Create Something

What is the point in hording of this digital information if you are not going to use if for something. Create a slideshow to bore your next dinner guests with, a digital photograph montage of the kids to embarrass them with at their 21st. The choices are endless as you can manipulate your data without damaging it, unlike cutting an original photograph with scissors or non traceable capital letters from a newspaper. You can also use this media over and over again a bit like a cruise. Don't let it be like the old photo albums that collected dust until a wedding, a death or a new boyfriend/girlfriend let your photographs continue to give you joy and monetary recompense.

Disc It

Lastly, archive your digital memories after a finite period. If you haven't viewed them or accessed them for a period of time, burn them to disc and remove them from memory. A personal hint is to burn two copies and place the second copy somewhere safe out of the house. Give a copy to your mother or place one in a safety deposit box. This will ensure you still retain your precious memories should there be an issue with the original, such as corruption, misplacement or Eliza and a Molotov cocktail.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - The Basic Video Camera Kit

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

In life and Special Event Videography, size does matter and is pretty much an indication of how prepared, professional and popular you are. Turning up for a shoot with a camera the size of a sandwich and a spare tape in your back pocket does not inspire confidence and will cause most people to frown at you during close-ups.

As a Videographer you are not just providing people an end product you are selling your professionalism and as such you need to let them see equipment they don’t have and would not know how to use. You want an air of hushed awe to fall as you whip out your kit. This is also true for videography.

When you purchase your basic kit, try to combine equipment that will be flexible enough for all your videoing situations. For starters, you need a good camera. If guests in the wedding party have a better camera than you, go home. Odds are that they know it and will tell your client. Leave quickly and quietly.

Your camera needs to be of a professional standard. The make and model are a personal choice and I suggest you thoroughly research your options before committing what can be a large sum of money. Online forums and specialty websites will provide you all the information you need. Go for production quality and remember you get what you pay for. Out of your entire kit, this should be your biggest investment in a single piece of equipment.

You need a good external microphone. A lot of internal microphones will pick up noises relating to the operation of the camera itself. You don’t want an audible cue on film every time you zoom or pan. Also wear head phones, you need to be able to hear what it is you are recording. A lot of ambient noises that are not readily apparent to you, are indiscriminately recorded by your camera. Beware of motor vehicles, machinery, low flying aircraft, mumbling to yourself and whistling through your nose.

A reliable and easy to erect tripod is a must. A fluid head tripod is a preferred option and will allow you to set up steady even shots. They cost more than their standard counterparts but they will give your shots a more professional edge. Plus if you have chicken arms and limited upper body strength a tripod will allow you to continue shooting while you work the blood back to your fingers.

Spare, spare, spare! Spare batteries, spare tapes, spare globes, pack a second set of everything, including underpants because if you run out of something there will be repercussions. Have triple the amount of the consumables you think you will need. Remember you will shoot five times the amount of footage that you will actually use in your end product.

A hard case on wheels is also suggested. I prefer the Pelican brand which allows for customized foam interiors, thereby securing all your precious equipment during transport or hurling into the rear of your vehicle during an unscheduled exit. The cases come with a lifetime guaranteed for every type of abuse except shark bite, bear bite and toddlers.

Additional but also imperative accessories include white balance cards, clapperboards and a trusty pen to write on all your tapes. As a personal observation I also suggest dressing for the occasion, let the guests know who you are and that you are a professional. Show your business logo, in a tasteful way and exude an air of authority. You don’t want to hear wedding guests say ‘The scruffy guy with the tiny toy camera in the Pink Floyd t-shirt?... I think that’s Ethel’s eldest boy, he’s special….’

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - Choosing the Right Editing Software for You

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

So, you turned up to film the special event early, you were well dressed, professional, spookily coordinated and sober, you remembered all your equipment and you did some of your best camera work to date. In fact if the Academy Awards had a category for Best Camera Work in a Bah Mitzvah, ‘Journey to Manhood’, you’d be legless at a post Awards party swinging your Oscar round your head while snogging Paris Hilton/ Lindsay Lohan.

But what now? You have the impressive footage now you’ve got to put it all together. You have to tell a story, put the right bits in the right place. You’ve watched TV before, seen the odd film, how hard can it be, right? Well, actually, it’s quite difficult, otherwise everyone would do it. But you can simplify matters by having the right software, the right technology and being organized.

Digital film is manipulated using a nonlinear editor. You can make changes to your Bah Mitzvah footage simply by clicking and dragging clips or segments around on a timeline. You can work non-sequentially, back to front, (interesting for Bris films) audio first vision later, multiple media layers, import, export and enhance various types of assets, your options are endless as are your choices in editing suites.

But how do you choose the right one for you. Well, it all depends on a number of factors. If you have trouble using an electric kettle, you may be better off contracting out the editing part, if however, you are reasonably comfortable using a computer then Google the info and make an informed decision.

Firstly though, you need a good computer with oodles of RAM, a good individually powered graphics card, a large sized monitor or two, plenty of memory (preferably external hard drives) and a good back up system. If you don’t have the RAM or minimum duo or preferably quad core processor then you might as well take out your digital video tape and with scissors and sticky tape physically edit it all together. (Just to be clear…this will NOT work!)

Now based upon your computer specs we can look at what software is available to you, factoring into this is also your budget. You can spend anywhere from a hundred dollars to a couple of thousand and remember, you will get what you pay for. Also if you are charging your client a couple of grand for a special event film, you really should not edit it using the stock standard, Windows Movie Maker. If your client has a better NLE and can not only operate the kettle but there is cappuccino machine on the breakfast bar, do not take the job because they will have the ability and manual dexterity to make a better movie than you. Refund their deposit immediately.

Lastly let’s look at what you want to do with the software. Do you want to use multiple cameras? Matrix special effects? Or do you want to use simply transitions and one layer of audio at a time (really? Do you have a Fisher & Price camera to go with that?). Aim your software requirements at roughly double your current editing skill. You will learn with necessity and it is nice to discover you have a tool available to you that you didn’t know or need to know how to use at the time. Don’t be overwhelmed. A cheap way to learn and make a good purchasing decision is with trial software. You will find most well known NLE manufacturers will give you a trial software download option. Use it and practice and eventually you will find the NLE that suits you and in no time you will be producing quality work and also a pretty impressive café latte.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms for more tips or just a stickybeak.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - The Perfect Interview or a Deer in Headlights?

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

You may be a wiz with a camera, a complete genius with a non-linear editing suite, have the heart and soul of a poet but if your subject has beads of sweat on their forehead, is making soft 'err err' noises and cannot remember their own name, you have not done your job in preparing for the perfect interview.

It is your job to make anyone you video interview feel comfortable and chatty. You want a subject who wants to talk to you, to tell you amusing anecdotes and participate enthusiastically in the process. Having a frightened and unresponsive client at the other end of your view finder is your fault and is going to make your film stilted and painful to watch.

Here are some tips to getting the best from your subjects and in turn the best results for your film.

Life is so much nicer when you know what is going on. The shock of being poked in the eye can be alleviated by being told you are about to be poked in the eye, although it obviously hurts just as much. It is the same with interviewing, if you let your subject know exactly the questions you are going to ask they can be prepared even though they are still apprehensive. It also allows for more accurate recall of details. We are not trying to catch them out cheating on their taxes or to confess that they inhaled, we are trying to elicit some humanity for our baby film, wedding or special event movie. Write down the questions and hand them over, preferably a week or two in advance. Let your client have time to mull over their story and how best to tell it. Remember, this is not your interview no one wants to hear you speak, we want a free flowing account, which incidentally is easier to edit.

Be Flexible

Give your client the chance to add some questions of their own. They might not like the way you have planned your interview. They may wish to provide an alternate vein of discussion. It's their dime, go with it. You are not a counselor, you are not there to heal family rifts, expose skeletons, create drama or out Uncle Jack. A calm, enjoyable, fuss free interview will make a good film and that starts with asking the right questions.

A Free Flowing Account

The type of questions you ask will have a bearing on how the interview progresses. This is not a discussion or a conversation, this is your client telling their story. To do this they need assistance in where to start, what to discuss and where to finish. For a lot of people being interviewed is a very traumatic experience, even if it is about their child's birthday. Be gentle and be organised. There are primarily two types of questions, closed and open. A closed question calls for a closed answer, they are yes/no answers. Don't ask these. An open question calls for an explanation such as 'So Jack, why are you wearing red stilletos?' Make your questions short and containing only one theme, also make them logically sequential. If you jump around a timeline you will confuse your client and cause havoc with your editing. Don't ask leading questions, let the client let you know the facts and how they feel.

Lastly don't ask anything embarrassing, too personal or too controversial. "Jack, I have noticed that you have been undoing buttons on your business shirt during this interview, is that your wife’s' peekaboo bra

Setting

You want a setting free of distractions and interruptions. You are asking for trouble if your setting is somewhere public. Everyone wants to be on camera (except ironically enough the person you are interviewing) and if you are in the public, guaranteed, some git will be standing behind your subject waving their arms madly trying to get in on the action.

Choose a location that is relaxed and familiar to your subject. Their home, the back garden where ever is appropriate. Also try for an outdoor shoot. Natural outdoor light is so much better than artificial light, not just because it is less effort for us but because bright lights in your client's face will instantly stiffen them up.

Shift the Focus

Obviously your big boy camera is the most important piece of equipment of your videography arsenal but you want it to be the shrinking violet. Nothing will cause your camera shy client to become more agitated and nervous than having that enormous lens concentrate solely on them. Of course you have to set it up, and it has to be close to both of you. But ignore it, pay it no attention. Cover the red record lights with tape. Don't even mention that you have turned it on. Set it up on a tripod and forget it until it is time for cut aways and alternate shots. By that time your subject will be comfortable and willing to help with the 'look at where I was before' footage.

One trick I use frequently is the 'this is a run through not the real interview' thing. People always like to leave being freaked out and tense to the last possible minute and invariably this method provides useful footage. Of course if Uncle Jack unwittingly tells you something that will cause Aunty Tilda a minor coronary because he thinks the camera is off, make a big show of turning the camera on, and remember to erase that footage later.

Ultimately remember your clients are not professional actors, they have no training and are not working to a script, but by keeping them informed as to the interview process and welcoming their input you can alleviate some of their concerns. Be calm, be patient and be professional. Lets face it, who would you rather have a cup of tea and a chat with? Michael Parkinson or Michael Moore?

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - Preparing for a Successful Trade Show without Bloodshed or Nudity

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

I love trade shows. I love the smell of freshly blown up balloons, the sound of leaflets being handed out and discarded, the surreptitious glances and whispers between competitors as they compare products and prices and the surge of joy as you sign up a client and take a booking away from someone else. I love the inevitable sharpening of knives, sneaky white anting and the tyre deflating. Trade shows, an extreme sport. And like any possibly fatal activity (keep your back to the wall) you need to be prepared for all eventualities. You have a limited time to make an impression on walk by consumers while standing out from your competition. Here are a couple of tips to ensure a fuss free and profitable trade show with minimum bloodshed and nudity.

Research Your Choice of Trade Show

Information from prior trade shows should be available from the organizers. This information will give you some idea of what to expect with regards to attendance, preferred products and resulting sales. Find out which of your competitors were there and how they did. Target your audience. If you specialize in a number of film genre but the primary public attending are wedding focused, push your wedding films. Use your competitors weaknesses to your advantages, without obviously slipping into defamation, legal liability or arson.

Dry Run

Set up your stand in your garage or in a place slightly unfamiliar to you. Use only the things that you will be provided, nothing more. If you only get a power point then set up your stand using only that. In this way you will see exactly what you need, what you have, and what you should get. Make a detailed checklist as you pack it away and when you do pack it, make sure it is done safely and securely. Wrap delicate items in bubble wrap and label the boxes clearly and in detail. Some shows will run over a number of days and you will be required to pack up every night, so ensure you have a logical and effective way of packing and storing your valuables.

If you are driving to the show, be careful how you pack your vehicle. Remember first item in the car will be the last thing out and you want to set up your stand in a logical order. And yes, dry run this too. Nothing worse than packing the car on the day and finding that your displays are two foot too big for the station wagon and you have to steer with your feet.

Paperwork

Make sure you have all the documentation you require to enter the show grounds. No doubt the organizers will provide you identification, so take it with you. You will be provided information such as a map and your stand number as well as the rules and regulations. Read these prior to attending the show as you may find that there are elements of your display that contravene internal policy. Also take a copy of your equipment/public indemnity/medical insurance….. just in case.

Copyright Compliance

If you are showing video footage or using photographs or music ensure you are copyright compliant as you will be in the public arena. If are not legal your competitors will notice and assist you greatly by anonymously dobbing you in to the governing body.

Familiarity with the Venue

If it is possible reconnoiter the site. Look at loading and unloading bays, parking and visit your stand if possible. This will help you to make a plan for the day. And believe me, if you get flustered first thing it will set the tone for the day. Be calm and organized from the beginning and you will enjoy the day which will translate into sales.

Take an Assistant

You will need someone with you, not only to assist in selling your product but to cover for breaks and look after any easily portable equipment while your attention is diverted elsewhere. If there is no one available take Nanna, you will need another body. In fact Nanna might be a good option if you need someone inconspicuous who is handy with a stiletto.

At the end of the day, a tradeshow is just a means of promoting and selling your product, it is not life and death, it is way more important than that. Be professional, prepared and ready for battle.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - Top Tips for a Successful Film Shoot

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

‘A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet’ - Orson Wells.

When I create a film for a client, my heart and soul goes into it. I may not have the head of a poet, but I am aware of adhering to the cornerstones of videography which will stack the odds in my favour of creating a good film. If you follow the basics, the poetry will eventually follow.

Plan Your Shoot

Don’t turn up cold and expect everything to fall into place, have a plan, have a contingency plan, and in fact have a third plan just in case your first two were really stupid. Nothing will make you look less professional in front of your client than being stumped by the unexpected. Your film needs to tell a story and it is your job to provide yourself the opportunities to be able to gather all the facets together that will enable you to tell that story effectively. Be prepared but also be flexible.

Stripe Your Tapes

Non-linear editing suites use time codes to automatically capture scenes from tape. Any breaks in the time codes, caused by stopping and starting recording, will cause this feature to stall. Ensure there are no gaps by placing the lens cap on the camera and pressing record for the entire tape. Rewind the tape and it is ready to go. And please write on the tape, the tape case and use some sort of clapperboard so you know what, where and who is on the tape. Hunt For The Digital Video is an unnecessary and time consuming game and not to be played while driving to a client’s house.

Get an Establishing Shot

Grab the viewer’s attention, inspire curiosity, impart enough information to engage the viewer. Think about films, images or photographs that have had an impact on you. What were the elements that stood out for you, how can you duplicate them or replicate them to suit your filming requirements. Personally, I have always been emotionally moved by Apocalypse Now and the scene where the severed head is thrown into the prisoner’s bamboo cage to land face up in his lap. However, I am yet to duplicate it and work it into a baby film. Be discerning.

Capture Lots of Footage

As a general rule you should shoot approximately five to six times the amount of film that you will eventually use. It may take time but trust me, when it comes to putting your film together you want a lot of shots to choose from. You may have planned and executed the perfect shot and find that one of your off the cuff filler shots works far better.

Use a Tripod

Invest in a fluid head tripod and get steady, level shots. Your film will look very amateurish if it is all over the place, unless of course you are having a poet moment and you specifically want that look, in which case we will call it a special effect.

Follow the Interest

Ok, you might say, ‘duh!’ But remember you decide the action that you want the viewer to follow. Surprising your viewer by using motion can also be effective. Follow a bird’s flight to a location shot, water trickling to a lake, a car driving to a city panorama..you get the idea.

Shoot Matching Shots

If you shoot the same action from two or three different perspectives you can edit them together to allow for a flowing story, continuity and the illustration of a point. For example, you can start with the wide shot of a man getting into a car, a close up of his hand turning the key in the ignition, and the car being placed in gear to a medium shot from the driver’s perspective of the road and the journey’s beginning. Guide your viewer through the logical.

Shoot Cutaways

Often I am in the situation of needing to edit out audio or video from within a piece of footage. Left alone the edit causes the resulting film to be disjointed and jarring to the viewer as the subject or action may move between shots. By inserting a cutaway from the action, the viewer is gently led between edits. For example during an interview the interviewee may cough and you want to edit it out, a cutaway to the interviewer and back to the interviewee would be appropriate to cover the edit.

Vary Your Shots

Use lots of different types of shots, angles and heights. There is no limit to the manner in which you can shoot your subjects. Vary it, spice it up, what is the worse case scenario? You don’t use it in the film? Give yourself the opportunity to make some spectacular footage and some really terrible choices. One of the best ways to learn is by experimentation. Sometimes if you are not told the right way, you figure out a better way. Oh, my poet momentarily surfaced.

The Golden Mean or Rule of Thirds

Composition is better when main objects are not placed centrally in a picture. The rule of thirds or the golden mean splits your canvas into nine equal sections. Where the four lines intersect are where objects or action should be placed to be the most pleasing to the eye. Look around your view finder, don’t just look centrally. Look at the edges of your frame as well, fill up your entire viewfinder with interesting images and avoid blank areas.

Check Your Audio

Always wear headphones! And get plenty of natural sounds. Beware of air conditioners, aircraft, small children, barking dogs, machinery, things that squeak and circus folk with little hands who smell like cabbage.

Crossing the Action Line/Breaking the pane

Imagine a line that runs through the centre of the action from left to right along the screen like a vertical wall. All shots need to be on the same side of the wall, especially reverse cutaways or the action will appear disjointed with objects not appearing to the viewer to be on the correct side when the scenes are viewed sequentially. It’s a commonsense thing.

Get a Closing Shot

Your film is telling a story, it needs a beginning, a middle and of course an end. A poignant ending shot can increase the level of emotion your viewers are experiencing, tie up any loose ends and let everyone know to push back their chairs and give you a standing ovation. You star you!

A Little Perspective

At the end of the day, we are special event videographers not brain surgeons. No one will die if we don’t get a closing shot or break the pane. However, if your film is not professional, tell a story and adhere to the basic rules of frame composition, your client may reach down your throat and pull out your inner poet and give him a slap on the upside of the head.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - Shoot Professional Home Video Footage

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out” Martin Scorcese

Prior to becoming a Videographer, I could appreciate film for what it was. I could get sucked up into a story and carried away in the webs of emotion crafted by the writer, the director and all the other artisans that work on a film. I liked soaps and reality TV. But those days are long gone. These days I sit like the ultimate armchair critic passing comments, good and bad, on everything. I am often engrossed in discussion with my toddlers about how ‘Hi 5’s’ use of depth of field could be improved upon, or that Playschool could frame their shots better. And don’t get me started on The Wiggles and their use of ….pretty much everything. Granted my toddlers don’t care, and neither do the producers given their demographic, but I do. Similarly, although you are only shooting home video it does not mean it can’t be pure poetry. Here are a couple of tips on how to frame your shots to look as good as the professionals (or in some cases better).

Look at your shot analytically not emotionally

You are filming for a reason. It is an event that is worth remembering. Chances are you will look at this footage again in the future. So lets make it worth watching. What are you trying to say? You are filming a story, you are imparting information. Look at your shot, if it doesn’t say anything or is not saying what you want it to say, ditch it and set up another shot.

Dead Space?

Divide your frame into nine equal squares. Does each square have a purpose or do you have dead space. Fill up the frame with interesting vision that assists in conveying mood and information. And make sure that all nine squares are conveying the same intention. It is not good if there is action or information away from the central theme that is drawing attention, such as a small child with their finger jammed up their nose, or Nanna kipping first aisle in the church, you’ll know this when it happens. Also adhere to the Rule of Thirds. Don’t put action smack bang in the centre of the frame. Off to one side or the other and either higher or lower than the central point will be more pleasing to the eye.

Speed and Direction

When you are looking at action our eyes instantly compensate for speed, light and depth of field. Your camera does not. If you wiz about like a whirling dervish attempting to follow action you will cause disorientation to the viewer. I have watched endless doco dramas where they do the ‘no tripod, third person view’ using fast pans and zooms as a drama heightening effect. Please stop. It just causes anxiety and motion sickness. Smooth pans and steady zooms. And use a tripod. If you don’t have one, get one. If it is not practical to use a tripod, try attaching an extension handle that will allow you to use both hands to steady the camera. Or lean on something or someone…lie down if you have to, just stop shaking the camera.

Think about editing

There is no reason that you can’t edit your film and burn it to disk. Given the simplicity of some editing software on the market it is easy to produce a cut to cut film with nice transitions. Think about how you will piece your film together while you are filming it. Shoot lots of footage and give yourself a choice of shots to move between, also let the camera run before and after the action to give yourself space to maneuver while editing.

Try Thinking Like a Professional

I’m not saying that you have to produce Oscar winning material, but try thinking a bit outside the box when taking your next home video. You can use different heights, an array of shots from establishing shots, to close ups to long depth of field. You can try changing some of the basic settings on your camera such as iris, frame speed, filters. Spice it up a bit. Experiment.

Home video does not have to be predictably unimaginative. You can create something pretty wild. It just takes a bit of imagination and like Martin Scorcese says, a bit of discretion as to what you put in and what you take out.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Special Event Videography - Tips for Filming Toddlers and Other Fierce Creatures

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

You have the perfect ending shot in your minds eye for the end of your special event family film. You are holding your camera at knee height and have Bobby the Toddler in your view finder. Two foot of obstinate intimidation. All you want him to do is run away from you to the tree and glance gleefully behind him as you chase him filming a toddler POV (point of view.) It will make a poignant and lovely ending to the film. Bobby, however, is standing with one hand on his hip and the other jammed up his nose to the second knuckle and is refusing to cooperate.

"You have a big head" he notes as a matter of fact. Right, it's getting personal. "Come on Bobby, show me if you can run to the tree." You are starting to plead and that may be eroding your power base. Bobby notes the change in tactic and alters his psychological toddlercology accordingly. "I have a willy". His eyes narrow, searching for the shock reaction that usually follows. Before this can predictably move on to the 'what have you got' conversation I review the golden rules for dealing with toddlers.

Engage the Toddler

Children are very quick to make friends, if you find the right common ground. From their perspective you are a stranger who has come into mummy and daddy’s home with a rather large camera and you are making all these demands, none of which make any sense. You are treating them as you would any film subject and attempting stage direction but this will not work. Start by introducing yourself. They are little people and fully aware of social niceties. Let them know what you are there to accomplish. Show them the camera, give them a quick tour of the more obvious features. Your flip out LCD display panel is about to become your best friend. Toddlers love nothing more than to see themselves. You will get great footage this way and also alleviate any fear factors as your camera has now become a large toy. Be sensitive that you are dealing with teeny tiny people who have all the standard emotions, fears and concerns, unfortunately without a filtering mechanism, control or the power of reason.

Personalise the Camera

I have in the past attempted to over personalise my camera. I gave it antenna and ping pong ball eyes. This was a sure fire hit with the kiddies but it caused external noise on the film and made me look quite daft. You don't need to go this far. Give your camera a name, tell a little story about the films 'Eric' likes to take and some of the places he has been to shoot those films. If however you are dealing with a savvy Generation Z toddler, who has brutally honest parents, tell them that this is the Sony Z1 and ask his views on progressive filming versus interlaced.

Camera Games

Hide the Object If you want a toddler to go in a certain direction, give them a reason. Hide a toy and tell them to find it. Do it a couple of times before using the camera. Do not hide their favourite blue blanket that even mummy cannot touch or you will find your public liability getting a hammering for psychological damage.

Hide and Seek Get mum or dad to start this one off and then join in. If this is not a favorite get mum or dad to play the game that typifies fun for the family and film it as a participant. Wear flat shoes and use the smaller lighter battery.

Show me a Face Turn around the LCD panel and play 'make that face', these bits of film are adorable and make good transition shots between scenes.

You Scratch My Back..

Realistically, you will be shooting a large amount of film, and the balance of probabilities that you will get some useable footage. If however, the toddler is not going to cooperate on any level, bribery is your last resort. I sometimes ask parents of self proclaimed high need children, that if they wish they can consider an 'encouragement' gift. Prior to the shoot, they have the option of purchasing a toy that can be offered in exchange for helping mummy and daddy with the film. This is a one off and not going to cause Dr Spock to spin in his grave, or Dr Phil to frown and ask 'What were you thinking??" If the toy is not required then it will make a nice gift for a job well done. Do not, repeat do not, attempt bribery without parental consent, toddlers should not eat confectionary and may have allergies you are not aware of. And if you offer an unsanctioned gift you will infuriate and alienate parents and possibly lose a client. At the end of the day, mum and dad know their toddler better than you and their guidance will be more valuable than sugar and bribery.

In the case of non-compliant Bobby and upon reflection of the golden rules I considered the odds of me winning this battle and with discretion being the better part of valor I conceded defeat to my better opponent and left it all in mum's capable hands.

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Amanda Nella is a professional videographer who operates her own special event video business in Perth WA. She provides quality documentary style films for parents about their children. She is trained in the field of investigative interviewing. She holds Diplomas in Investigations, SCAn,Stage Production, Computer Programming & Business. Visit her site at Bump2babyFilms

Source: http://www.articletrader.com