Video Production Tips - # 2 Keep It Steady Stupid!

Theres nothing more disappointing than having family over to watch a home video, you press play and grandma starts coughing up chewed peas because of nauseating, shaky camera movements. This is a tell-tale sign of amateur video. Here are some tips to help smooth things out a little.

1. If you camera has image stabilization for god sakes turn it on. This technology is getting better and better as years go by and it will help remove jitters and bumps while your shooting. If your looking to buy a camera I recommend getting one with this feature.
2. Be as steady as you can. Turn your body into a tripod. Use both hands, cradle the camera. Lean against a wall or a tree. Hold the camera close to your body. The more solid you can make your stance, the smoother your shot will be.
3. Relax! If your fidgety and hyper it will reflect in your camera work, believe me. So breathe easy and calm down.
4. Sit the camera on a tripod, if you don't have a tripod you can use a table or banister.
5. If your trying to do a pan of all the people at your party, start at one side of the room, start with a still shot for a few seconds, then slowly ease into the pan. Try to consistently pan at the same speed all the way to the other side of the room, then end on a still shot for a few seconds.

Try some of these techniques out and watch your video improve dramatically.

Stay tuned for more tips.

- Chimera Productions