Chapter 3. Shooting Videos Like a Professional

IN THIS CHAPTER:

8 Reduce Camera Shake

9 Mask with a Blue Screen

10 Add In-the-Lens Transitions

11 Zoom Effectively

12 Blur Your Video's Motion

13 Light Your Video Properly

14 Control Your Depth of Focus

15 White-Balance Your Scene

16 Take Low-Light Movies

So many things can make the difference between a quality video and an amateur one. If you're new to digital video filmmaking , you need to learn about and avoid some of the possible pitfalls of shooting digital video. For example, many times newcomers struggle with either overusing a feature or avoiding it altogether. Excessive zooming is one of the most common mistakes beginners make; however, zooming is not something to stay away from entirely ”just don't overdo it. When used effectively, a good zoom can focus the audience on exactly what it should focus on.

The lack of adequate lighting is another common mistake beginners make. Yet, if you've ever been to a photography studio, you know that professionals use lots of heavy-duty lighting. Why would they waste all that money on electrical bills if they did not greatly enhance the pictures?

This chapter contains several tasks that help you improve poor or mediocre videography skills, and the effort you must put into your skill-building is fairly light. A little knowledge gained from this chapter's tasks will dramatically improve the movies you shoot.