MEDIA P

RODUCTION K

EY

TIPS

BY

LE

WI S

JU

PP

POINTS TO GOOD CAMERAWORK 1 Keep the camera still

Shots that don’t move are easier to watch. They are less likely to ‘break up’ when you play them back. Hold the camera steady and use a tripod or rest it on something like a table or a wall.

2 Zoom all the way outZoom all the way out, and stay zoomed out (don’t touch the zoom button while you’re filming). Camera shake will be less obvious.

3 Get in closeGet close-ups of the important things so you make sure the audience sees what you want them to see. Instead of zooming in, stay zoomed out and move closer to the subject.

4 Film separate shotsInstead of waving the camera around or trying to follow action, film each shot separately. Just show one thing in each shot.

5 Keep your shots simpleshapes, strong colours, and shots that are square on, are best.

6 Vary your shotsShow different things in each shot.

7 Use different camera positionsDon’t shoot everything at eye level. Try filming upwards, downwards, and at different places around the subject.

8 Make sure your shots last the right amount of timeIf you are going to edit your film, make your shots a few seconds longer than you need. If not, make them the right length – 3-5 seconds or so.

9 Watch out for the lightBasic cameras give terrible image quality in low light. Shoot where there’s plenty of light but not too much contrast. Shoot away from the light.

10 Mind the soundIf you can, add the soundtrack afterwards rather than using live sound. If you have to record sound, get in close. If there’s distracting sound, try to film with the camera pointing away from it.

TIPS TO GOOD CAMERAWORK 

Tripods It's worthwhile investing in a modest tripod. It might seem easy just to point a camera and shoot but even the slightest movement will make the image shake. Of course, you might want to use shaky, hand-held camera work to give your film a style. That's fine, but if not, use a tripod.

 The ZoomUsing the zoom lens on your camera is very appealing. You feel like you're constructing an exciting image, and it's an easy feature to play with. But don't get carried away. Use it sparingly. If in doubt, don't use it at all. The image on the left gives you an idea of what over-use of the zoom looks like.

 LightingYou want your film to be easy to see. Good lighting is vital so avoid shooting at night and in dark places unless you really know your stuff. Watch out for the sun, too.

 StoryboardsA storyboard is a series of sketches that illustrates the shots you plan to film. It will help you organise your work. You don't have to be a brilliant artist - very simple sketches are all you need to do.

 Framing and AnglesMake sure you keep your subject in the camera frame - letting your actors walk in and out of frame looks messy. Try shooting a scene from different angles and perspectives to give it a sense of style.

RULE OF THIRD AND LEADING LINE

RULE OF THIRD AND LEADING LINERULE OF THIRDSThe exact centre of any composition is not a satisfying place for the viewer's eye to come to rest. With the main subject placed in the centre, the viewer is less likely to explore the rest of the photograph. In fact, it is preferable to keep the viewer's eye moving. To create movement in your photographs and to avoid the static bull's-eye composition, use the rule-of-thirds guidelines for off-centre placement of the main subject. It is the traditional way to create a well-balanced composition and has been used by artists for centuries. To apply the rule of thirds, imagine the scene in your viewfinder divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically, similar to a tic-tac-toe grid laid over the scene. Place the main subject and other important elements of your composition along the grid lines or at the points where the grid lines intersect. Employing the rule of thirds not only helps avoid symmetrical composition but also provides a pleasing proportion of space around the main subject to prevent distracting tension between the focal point and the edge of the frame.LEADING LINE Another compositional technique to create energy and movement in a photograph is the use of leading lines. Whether they are

graceful curves or dynamic diagonals, all lines should lead the viewer's eye to the focal point. But be careful with the use of leading lines. They can also work against you by directing the eye away from the subject or, if the line divides the photograph in two, leading it right out of the image. A few other factors to consider when refining your compositions:

Let the lines in your composition decide if the scene should be shot horizontally or vertically. If the scene presents long vertical lines, compose vertically to take full advantage of them. When presented with strong horizontal lines, use a horizontal camera orientation. This plays to the strengths of the composition and also will help to avoid wasted space at the edges of the frame.

Be aware of white or light areas in your compositions. The viewer's eye will always go to the brightest part of a scene, so eliminate any bright spots that will pull attention away from the main subject.

Look for repetition of shapes and textures. Patterns create rhythm and motion in a composition. Compose boldly using sweeping diagonal lines. Long horizontal lines can be static and visually boring. Conversely, diagonal lines add

visual energy. Change camera angle to pivot prevailing lines so they don't run parallel to the top and bottom edges of the frame. Try using a wide-angle lens. Compose for a foreground, middle ground and background with overlapping compositional elements to

create a three-dimensional effect in a two-dimensional photograph. Obviously, I am only able to scratch the surface of composition basics in this space. There are many other techniques that can lead

you to visual harmony. And then there's the other side of the coin - how to successfully break the rules of composition to create dynamic tension. But it is important to know and practice the basics before deviating from them. After they have become second nature to you, begin to experiment. It's okay to break the rules, but do so knowingly and intentionally. When you know and understand the basics of good composition, you will be free to roam the spatial relationships within your viewfinder.

POINTS FOR GOOD SOUND IN TRAILER

Avoid Noise

Don't shoot your film anywhere noisy if you plan on having actors speaking lines - they'll end up having to shout them! If you really have to, you could try shooting the scenes and overdubbing voices later, though this could prove difficult.

Use A Separate Microphone

If you can, get a separate microphone because while a camera's built-in sound recorder is okay, there's no substitute for a decent bit of kit. Need convincing? Take a look at this clip from our Video Nation friends and you'll see what we mean.

Create Your Music

Creating a musical soundtrack is one of the hardest things to do. But think differently and you'll be surprised at the results. First off, if you know anyone that can play an instrument, get them to compose and record something for you. Secondly, some mobile phones have music creation software. Make a tune on your phone, record it to your computer, then add it to your movie. Or you could buy a pack of inexpensive, right-free music. Big computer stores will have them in stock.

Sound Effects

Drop a simple sound effect on to your film while editing to enhance it. There are plenty of free sound effects websites - see below - or you could make your own by recording them on your computer, camera, or mobile phone.

Remember Copyright!

Wouldn't it be great to use the music from Jaws or the latest Kylie track as the soundtrack to your film? Yeah. Well, you can't. Sorry. It's copyright, you see. We don't make the rules. So think of other ways of making your soundtrack music. We can do a little to help: the link below will take you to a page of rights-free classical music that you can download, edit and add to your movie.

TIPS TO GOOD EDITING  

Editing On Your ComputerIf you have a PC with Windows XP, it's almost certain you'll have Windows Movie Maker pre-installed. It's a simple-to-use editing programme (we found Movie Maker 2 even easier). Ditto Apple's iMovie. These programmes are designed to make editing easy and straightforward. You can also buy some useful editing programmes or download trial versions for a limited period only. Try searching the web for them.

 What Types Of Cut Are There?Well, loads. But the main ones are a straight cut between scenes, dissolves, fade-outs, fade-ins - check your editing software to see what kinds of cuts (sometimes called transitions) you have. The software may well have a whole range of fancy cuts.

 

Don't Cut Too QuicklyFast-cutting is a real skill and not something to be attempted unless you really know your stuff. You'll end up with a messy, almost blurred sequence of images that won't make any sense.

 

Be Organised!If you've used a storyboard to make your film, give each scene you've shot and downloaded to your computer the same name as it had on the storyboard. This will make putting the film together during editing much easier.

 

ContinuityWhen you're editing your film together, be careful you don't let any continuity errors slip in. If someone's got a blue hat on in the first scene, make sure they haven't swapped it for a red one in the next.