Videomaking Tips

Tripod

Often, videos are ruined because of an unsteady hand. A tripod is a solution to ensure that your videos don't have shakes and jumps in them. Look through the camcorder on the tripod to ensure everything is in the video frame. Adjust the height, focus and distance of the tripod and camcorder to get the best video results.

Your camcorder should come with a built-in microphone, but these microphones are not always top-quality and can't capture the sound from the action if you are filming from a distance. Purchase a quality lavalier microphone. You can then place this microphone directly on someone in the video or hide it in the scene you're shooting. For example, you can clip the microphone under someone's shirt collar or place it behind an item near the person being filmed. This will ensure the best sound quality.

Whenever possible, try to tell a story with your videos. Don't be afraid to pause often. In fact, if you plan some specific pauses, you can later use video software to add narration, captions, dates or titles. For example, at your uncle's birthday party, you can shoot him blowing out the candles on the cake. Pause your camera, instead of filming every single slice being cut and served. You can then add a caption or voice narration about how everyone enjoyed the cake. This allows you to get more on film and creates a timeline or story of events.

Test how your camera responds to different levels of light. Never have a bright light or the sun directly behind the scene you're filming. Ask your video participants to move to a different location or shoot from a different angle. This will keep your videos from having a glare. Point your video camera at the brightest spot of the scene, particularly if you are filming at night. Open blinds, turn on room lights and add lights in darker rooms for indoor filming to ensure enough lighting to make the best videos.

With movie software, you can upload your clips and put them in any order that tells your story and builds your movie. You can add background music, captions, a title and credits to your videos. You can add special effects or make minor adjustments to the lighting quality.