Top 10 Tips for Shooting Quality Video
1. Hold the smartphone HORIZONTALLY when you shoot.
2. Get an establishing, WIDE SHOT of all of the action to set the scene and provide context.
3. BLEND IN - If you let everyone know before you shoot what you are doing and that it will be privately hosted, everyone relaxes.
4. Just BE NORMAL - Ask them not to stare at the camera and just act normal. When you do the same, most people forget you're shooting after the first 30 seconds.
5. Use your FEET to zoom - Don't use the phone's zoom; it's terrible!
6. PERSPECTIVE - Get over the shoulder shots to provide the viewer a unique look into what is going on; reverse that perspective to get the student working authentically.
7. GET CLOSE- Audio is the hardest part- So if you can get close naturally, you'll pick up natural conversations going on in groups or natural sound of different actions going on around your room.
8. SHOOT A TON - When you think you've shot enough, shoot more. You won't be able to recreate that specific scene ever
again, so shoot 3 times more footage than you think you'll need. You can always delete it later. Good rule of thumb: 10-30 seconds/shot.
9. TIGHTER the better- The tighter the shot, the more descriptive it is... after the initial wide shot, that is.
10. KEEP SHOOTING - You're going to want to check your footage all the time (to make sure the light and color looks right, etc.), but just keep shooting!
Essential Shot List—
1. Comfortable Quiet Interview from less than 5 feet
2. Logical locations for each different topic- break it up
3. Shoot EVERYTHING they talked about- write it down and then check it off your list
4. Everyone must shoot- at least 5 shots each!