Schedule - Communicate the schedule & expectations to your crew / performers clearly
Roles - Be sure everyone is clear on their roles. Communicate clearly what you need them to do on the day.
Time - Always allow more time than you think to allow for delays, extra takes, moments of inspiration, etc
Breaks - If you can, provide drinks and snacks, and allow for sufficient breaks. Breaks should be clearly articulated, not to be confused with moments of pause between takes or to make technical adjustments.
Performers - Patience. Awareness of the technical processes and time involved in setting up can help to keep you sane during long wait times. Be prepared to repeat movements and phrases multiple times. Communicate if you are tired, too cold, too hot, in pain, need a short break, etc.
Director - Patience. Take your time, get the settings right, communicate your needs to crew / performers. Extra time taken to get everything right in shot will save you time trying to correct in post. Repeat takes if needed. Get the shot you need.
Be loud and clear, but kind - Everyone will perform better if encouraged positively.
Before you begin shooting, check the following:
Set your video Resolution and Frame Rate
Check your framing and composition - Take time to compose and level your shot. Remove any distracting or untidy elements if you can.
Check your image is exposed correctly - If lighting is subject to change, such as weather, light from windows or a changing theatre set up, exposure may need to be monitored and adjusted throughout.
Check your image is in focus - Be mindful of movement which takes place forwards or backwards in relation to the camera. Camera focus may need to be monitored and adjusted throughout depending on the movement of your subject or camera.
Check your audio levels - Play or rehearse any sound that will take place in advance of beginning filming. Ideally listen to the loudest and quietest sounds and try to find a level that suits as much as possible. If possible monitor via headphones throughout and adjust acordingly, if live monitoring is not possible, record a short section, then playback and listen through headphones.
Always ensure you take the time to mark through the action for both the performer(s) and for the camera, especially if using camera movement.
Camera movements often need to be practiced in order to capture the ideal shot.
Your subject and action can often looks different through the lens, so take time to find the angles and shot types which work best.
Each Take
"Ready for take?" - (Ask everyone - Camera, sound, performer)
"Quiet on set"
"Camera Rolling" - (When hitting the record button, watch record count for 5 secs)
"Sound Rolling" - (If using external audio recording device, watch record count for 5 secs)
"Action" - (Allow time before the dance begins for camera movement or for editing possibilities in post production)
"Cut" - When you have completed the shot you need
If using an external audio recorder, add a brief scene description, take number & large loud 'CLAP' at the start of each take for syncing audio in post.
Be loud and clear, and be consistent to prevent confusion.
I always begin recording at least 10seconds before 'Action' and before 'Cut' to generate extra footage which can be used for transitions. I usually communicate this to my performers so they know not to break character.
Depending on what device you're using, you may need to allow time in your schedule to transfer footage onto a computer or hard drive, or to charge your recording device.
In addition it can be good to watch back some of the footage on the day to ensure you got what you need, that everything was exposed corrrectly, in focus, etc. It's not always easy to see this on smaller screens so transfer to a laptop or desktop computer can help clarify this on the day if needed.