Basic Training: Stage It! (page 2)
Get Some Coverage
Whether you're shooting with one camera or more, be sure to get some B-Roll - shots of the building, pans of the audience, close-ups on audience members' faces that you can use to cover inefficient cuts and spice up the whole presentation.
Recording Sound
As you already know, the on-camera microphone is the worst way to record sound for pretty much anything. This is doubly so when you're standing 30 feet away from the stage. Ideally, you want a couple of microphones hanging above the players or at the lip of the stage, catching all of the action without getting the coughing, cell-phone conversations, and candy-bar unwrapping coming from the audience. In a pinch, you can use a single off-camera microphone near or on the stage, if the sound won't be affected by heavy dance moves like clogging. (Ask first before placing any recording equipment anywhere in the hall; you certainly wouldn't want a dancer or actor tripping over your un-dressed cables.)
Final Act
Be prepared, and know the scene. Two cameras are always better than one. Don't forget to try get the best audio that you can. Call ahead. But above all, have a good time while you are doing it. You are the custodian of memories - enjoy that responsibility.
Contributing editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who writes extensively about technology.
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