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Trade Tricks: Shoot For The Edit

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Create more interesting video using these simple and effective tips

Next, get the supporting images. Using a variety of zoom and lens settings (medium, telephoto or close-up), capture details of the cathedral, including the doorway, a close-up of the statuary, the flying buttresses or the towers. Walking around the building, record the structure from different angles. This variety of images will provide you with an assortment of choices when it finally comes time to edit your video.

Using Your Tools
After you get a good static shot of a feature, you might want to zoom in to a highlight or zoom out to show a larger context. Keep the zoom smooth and steady. Again, do zooms at various speeds, so you'll have more options when editing. Be sure to have a stable shot at the start and end of each zoom. In most cases, an edit in the middle of a zoom movement looks awkward.

Use extreme zooms sparingly. Zoom after zoom will make some viewers feel seasick. Instead, use it more selectively to greater effect. For example, you might start on a detail of a building's roof and then zoom out to reveal the building's settings and the street.

Finally, practice with your camcorder before an important shoot, and become familiar with the manual controls for focus and exposure. See how steady you can hold the camera while taping. Bring your video footage home and do a test edit to see what kind of shots work best together.

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