These days, it seems like everyone can point and shoot their way to creating video. With technology finally dropping to a price consumers can comfortably stomach, the overall quality of video as an art has reluctantly taken a hit. Video credibility stands to lose all face unless the video production industry takes a collective stand and offers a cost-effective, quality-boosting solution in a viral-obsessed market. It's time we stop accepting shaky reality and offer up stable results. It's time we share some good video camera tips. It's time for Hybrid Journalism.

Hybrid: Mixed Bag

Enter the word "hybrid" in any search engine, and you'll find more than 78,100,000 results. From hybrid cars and trucks to hybrid vacuum cleaners and waffle makers. Search long enough and you could find just about anything hybrid. But what makes a true hybrid? According to Princeton University's WordNet Web, a hybrid is a composite of mixed origin.

We all know about hybrid cars that run on gasoline and electricity; so, how do we apply the term "hybrid" to "journalism"? And do we really need to cross-pollinate? Two good questions, one simple answer: yes. With the state of the video world being what it is, there's never been a better time for Hybrid Journalism to take effect.

Let's talk basic principles: journalism is the art and science of telling stories. Video production is a form of journalism. Traditional video production requires the skills of multiple crafts to create an end result. Hybrid Journalism combines theses crafts - for example, videography, producing, directing, lighting, talent and editing - and delivers a product that meets (or exceeds) the clients' expectations.

Now, it's important to stress that you don't have to be an award-winning cinematographer or accomplished editor or even an Oxford trained thespian to be good at Hybrid Journalism. What you do need, though, is the wherewithal to understand the basics of what goes in - and comes out - of a video shoot.

Preplanning

Taking an idea and making it a reality. This is the basic approach to almost all video productions. Whether you want to shoot video at your child's soccer game, or create a short film for the Sundance Film Festival, preplanning is the most important step to any production. So, put on your producer hat and get shooting, but first remember that every great video starts with a good idea.

Create an outline for what you hope to accomplish during your shoot. Keep it simple, rough and flexible enough to change on the fly. Drafting a basic storyboard with scene and shot selections will help visualize tough story elements. If your video calls for scripting, try to keep the wording simple and to the point. Avoid tired clichés and common sayings.

Prepare a list of questions for any interview you may conduct. Be ready to throw them out if the interviewee can't answer them, or has a better story angle to pursue.

Finally, don't marry your media. Be prepared to divorce yourself from a story idea or production if things just aren't working out before you even head out the door. Sometimes, the best intentions cannot overcome surprise conditions.

The Gear Basics

After you have established what the look and feel of your video is going to be, you need to determine what physical assets you'll need to have on hand. While things like location, subjects and storylines can be aligned in the preplanning phase, it's in the preparation phase where you make sure you have everything you need to make the most of your time.

Hybrid Journalism doesn't require a special blend of video equipment. You don't need to reinvest in sparkling new gear if you already have quality tools in hand. You do need to make sure the gear works, that batteries are charged and you have more than enough tape or media for your camera to capture all of your visual elements. Here is a list of the essential gear you need to have:

1. Lights - In certain parts of the country, there's a saying that goes: "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it'll change." This can be applied to Hybrid Journalism. If you don't like the film and video lighting conditions, change them. Having a basic light kit - key light, fill light, back light - on hand will get you out of almost any dark situation. At the very least, a small on-camera light will do the trick as well. Don't have either? Consider a high-end halogen flashlight. Halogen offers a clean, consistent light that will illuminate your subject (just be sure to white balance your camera before and again after).

2. Camera - You don't have to shoot with an expensive video camera to deliver quality. Make sure your lens is clean, you're in focus and that your colors are true (read 'be sure to white balance'). Always carry a white business card, bank teller receipt or small notepad to balance on in a pinch. In the wintertime, avoid white balancing on snow, as the true color of snow reflects the sky it's falling under (blue sky, blue tint; gray sky, gray tint).

3. Audio - Perhaps the best investment a Hybrid Journalist can ever make is in some good, quality professional microphones. They don't have to be wireless microphones, and you can get by with just one, but it does have to be compatible with your camera. Without good audio, your video is going to be hard to watch. Consider an inexpensive lavaliere (clip-on) microphone that you can affix to your subject. When doing interviews, avoid using the camera mic, as the audio will usually sound tinny and possibly indecipherable. You often can't get the mic close enough to a subject for the on-camera mic to be any good, and if it is, you might have the hum of the camcorder's gears or even the breathing of the videographer captured on the recording.

4. Backup Action - What to do in the event something breaks? Be prepared for anything. A spare camera - even a little handheld camera - can serve as an emergency replacement unit should something happen to your main gear. (This can also be used as a secondary camera for extra angles, cutaways and even backup audio tracks in a pinch) Always have backup tapes. Be sure to have spare batteries for wireless microphones. If using a film or video light kit, have spare bulbs. Perhaps the most important weapon in your hybrid video arsenal? An all-purpose utility tool, like the Leatherman Juice Xe6, can do just about anything you could ever imagine needing while on a shoot. The Boy Scouts carry utility tools, shouldn't you?

Remember that with all the advancements in technology, the cost of making video has gone down significantly. Whether you're shooting with tape, internal memory or external cards, you can always do multiple takes. If you miss a shot, flub a zoom or bump an interview shot, you can always set it up and try again.