Why take mediocre home movies when you can take videos that truly dazzle friends and family for a lifetime? With the right techniques and tools, you can take more memorable videos that will be the envy of friends and family.
First, shoot to edit – that’s right, keep the camera rolling and don’t hit the pause button too soon. Why? Lots of great footage gets lost because people hit pause before the fun really starts to happen. Lots of spontaneous memorable moments occur at holiday gatherings and events – so make sure your camera is on, recording all the action. You can always edit out the dull moments later.
Shooting to edit is easier than you think – especially if you have a plan in mind. First, think about your final production before you shoot. Have a basic framework and storyline that provides structure but is still elastic enough to accommodate spontaneous moments. Then, plan to shoot a lot of close-ups and wide angle shots because these make good cut-aways when you have long footage that needs to be broken up. Plus, it is always fun to get people’s reactions to different things like a sought-after gift or an indulgent dessert. For example, if you are filming a holiday dinner, get a close-up of your uncle giving the toast and then capture the reactions of others around the dinner table. So, set up your shot and let the camera do its thing. Then take close-ups of guests talking, reacting, drinking and laughing. When you start the editing process, splice in these shots so your audience isn’t watching a full toast for five minutes.
Take some shots of scenery before people enter the picture. You need shots for transitions, backgrounds and cut aways so shoot 10 to 15 second clips. Capture the presents around the tree, the house lit up in Christmas lights, the festive dinner table and the roaring fireplace.
Make sure you film where the action is. Take fun shots of people cooking in the kitchen. Capture the drinking, laughter and camaraderie at the bar. Find a spot where you can keep your camcorder going for about 10 minutes. You can always edit it down later but you may capture some really great spontaneous moments.
Think about taking some nice transition shots. Most people pan into the falling snow or the flickering holiday lights but you can use your imagination. One technique that really works is to first pan into a scene and then make the image blurry or de-focused and then focus again before cutting away to another scene. Or go 3D and create some movies for the 3D TV in your living room.
Invest in video editing software as this will make all the difference. You can literally transform your mediocre home movie into a blockbuster film with the right software that can improve audio, make colors pop, feature a catchy soundtrack and set a zippy pace. CyberLink makes affordable, easy-to-use video software for regular people and professionals alike. Go to www.cyberlink.com and check out Power Director 12.
Take your videos to next level with multicam shoots. There may be more than one person in the family who is taking video shots the holiday table, singing or snow fights. Get all footages from all the cameras and import them to PowerDirector. This version let’s you edit scenes of the same event captured from different cameras in an easy and friendly interface. Amaze your friends and family with the professional production.
Don’t have PowerDirector yet? Download a FREE 30-day trial here.
Very helpful and potential technique .
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