Getting Started: Do You Copy? (page 3)

With copy support, camera and lighting under control, you're ready to shoot. How you do this will depend on which type of editing you've chosen, but some tips apply to both approaches.

First, shoot with a remote control if your camcorder has one. Because copying involves small, unmoving objects at close distances, camera shake is a big hazard. With a remote, you can control the camcorder without touching it.

Next, use an external monitor, if practical. Almost all camcorders have a video out jack that can be patched directly to a TV set via a cable. A bigger screen will help you judge framing and focus.

Have an assistant, if available, change the photos while you handle the taping. The process will go much faster that way.

Now let's look at the two approaches to copying. Here's the procedure if you're creating the finished show in the camera:

• Start by recording about a minute of blank (no picture or sound) and then go into RECORD/PAUSE mode. Frame your first shot and decide how long to display it on screen. Five seconds is about right for most images and ten seconds is close to the longest duration practical. If these times sound short to you, try an experiment: stare fixedly at a magazine cover while you time ten seconds. You'll see that on screen, ten short seconds is an eternity.
• Remember that some camcorders take a second or two to get up to speed, and some back up a bit after you stop recording. If your camcorder does either (or both), add a few seconds to the shooting time for each photo.
• Take the camera off PAUSE to resume recording. If appropriate, ad-lib your narration while taping, standing quite close to the on-camera microphone. At the end of the shot, press PAUSE again.
• Replace the photo and repeat the process.

If you are editing in the camera, it is essential to shuttle between RECORD and RECORD/PAUSE, rather than pressing the STOP control. That way you can be sure that there will be no blank intervals between photos.

If you are shooting to edit later, follow exactly the same procedure, but record every photo for at least fifteen seconds. That will give you plenty of footage to work with when timing each shot in post production. Incidentally, you can still lay down ad-lib narration as you shoot. Simply roll each shot about ten seconds before speaking and ten second more after finishing. In editing, you can leave as much time before and after the narration as you choose.

Even if you plan to lay down all your sound in editing, it's a good idea to verbally identify each shot as you make it, especially if you shoot your photos out of sequence.

So there you have it: a simple way to turn still photos into a video program. If you choose to do post production, your video can be much more elaborate. But even the simplest approach can turn a stash of unseen pictures into an effective video show.

Good shooting!

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