Reader's Digest; ... Make a Film Worth Watching
Keep still The first and worst mistake that most people make is allowing the camera to shake and jiggle. It distracts viewers, and affetcs the quality of the shot. Brace your camera in both hands and, if you can, lean on a fence or other immovable object. Alternatively, for fixed position shots, use a tripod.Technology has made it easy for anyone to try their hand at being a cameramen or film director. But its not so easy to make a film that's really worth sharing with others.
Take your time Dont pan quickly from side to side. This error is known as 'firehosing', and it makes your film impossible to watch. The same applies to zooming in and out: do it in a measured way and not too often. Let the camera roll: a 3 second videobite of someone blowing out the candles on their cake isnt interesting. Capture the build up, then the afternath.
Get plenty of material Shoot lots a footage, then edit it on your computer. Invest in some good video editing software and use it to rearrange your film into a narrative. Pick out only the very best bits, and ruthlessly discard the rest. When you edit, mix things up so ad to vary the pace and the mood of your film. This is the time to add effects suc as wipes (where one scene changes to another as if 'wiped' from the screen) and fades (where the action dissolves gradually from the screen).
Be scared of the dark Camcorders work best in bright light. Films made in the evening or in the dim light of a party can easily end up looking like they were shot down a coalmine.
Dont shoot everything from shoulder height: this soon gets boring. Get up on a balcony from time to time or crouch down. Film children at their level (not alaways with their faces turned upwards to the camera), or go lower to change the point of view even more.