You bought a new video camera to use for the summer. Here are some common errors to avoid when using your new toy.
- Leave the lens cap on while recording
We have a few video clips with audio saying, “what the heck is wrong with this camera? I can’t see a thing.” This isn’t such a problem with cameras like the Flip and Zi8. But for those of you with good old-fashioned lens caps, watch out for this one.
- Put the camcorder down thinking it’s shut off
We’ve all been guilty of this one. If you’re lucky, you realize it a minute later, but you might not realize it until you watch the movie clip. The worst part is if there are scenes you actually want to see at the beginning and end of the clip. The analog to this one is turning off the camera when you think you’re turning it on. Either way, you have too much bad footage or missed a key scene completely.
- Zoom in / out too fast
This one is just plain nauseating. If you have a Flip you don’t have to worry about it (no zoom). Slow and steady is the way to go.
- Move the camera from subject to subject too quickly (makes for nice motion blur!)
Have you ever noticed how they do this on TV? They generally keep both subjects on the screen, but selectively focus from one to the other. This isn’t really possible with a consumer camcorder, so your best bet, short of cutting a multi-camera scene, is to keep both subjects on the screen, slowly move from person to person, or pause the camera while you move.
- Pan the scene in super slow mode
It’s the opposite of the one above. In trying to capture that entire family reunion shot of 87 family members, you spend 17 minutes panning from person to person. BORING. That’s when photos do a much better job.
- Constantly talk while recording so you can’t hear any of your subjects
Watch out for this mistake while at your kids’ events. Yelling at the referee into the microphone tends to drown out the cheers of the crowd.
- Never let anyone else use the camcorder so you are never in any scenes
Ever look at your scenes from the past year and realize that the camera man is missing? Don’t be a camera hog. Share your techno-toy so that you can appear in your movies.
- Take video of absolutely everything
This isn’t a bad idea if you have tons of time to edit your movies and have tons of hard drive space. But, if you want to easily watch your movies, it’s hard to sift through hours of boring footage.
These mistakes can easily be corrected when you edit your video scenes. But, if you don’t edit your video, these mistakes can make your movie scenes almost unwatchable. Fortunately there are companies like Storymix Media that can do a great job of taking bad video footage and creating enjoyable movies of your memories.
But remember, there is only so much powerful equipment, sophisticated software, and creative editors can do. Taking just a little bit of time to think about what you are trying to capture – people, landscapes, events, etc. – will go a long ways towards getting better footage.
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