Your Tips

Transfer Tips
When transferring photos to video, I use the most simple tool available: a see-through clipboard made of clear Plexiglas. The clip securely holds photos in position, and is invisible if you fill the frame with your photo. If you want to get fancy, you can use double-sided tape to affix the photos in the center of the Plexiglas, then tape different backgrounds to the back of the clipboard for some interesting 3D effects. Backgrounds can range from simple colored paper to enlarged photographs or magazine spreads.

Sid Rose
Bremen, Kentucky

White-balance Bandana
We all know from reading the pages of Videomaker that properly white balancing your camcorder is essential if you want to get good footage. However, it seems that the most common instrument mentioned for setting white balance is a sheet of white paper. I've found that medium-gauge white polyester cloth works best, because it's sturdy, wrinkle-free and you can carry it around in your pocket without ruining it.

Joe DeBlasi
Longwood, Florida

The Natural Look
If you want to record people looking as natural as possible, put a piece of black electrical tape over the camcorder's tally light. This will prevent your subjects from knowing exactly when you've depressed the record button, allowing them to remain relaxed and avoid the psychological pressure of being observed.

Edwin Lopez
Miami, Florida

Bar-glass Dolly
When I am making a video and I need to move the camcorder and tripod short distances, I place a small glass on the foot of each tripod leg. When you're on a smooth surface (such as a low-cut carpet or a hardwood floor), this allows you to move the camera very smoothly. I find that this system works especially well for macro shots; I've used it to move out from a single face in a small group photo to a wider shot that includes everyone in the shot.

Fred Fouty
Osoyoos, British Columbia

Titler Graphics
Any inexpensive character generator, including your camcorder's built-in titler, can provide an inexpensive way to add graphical elements to your productions. Most titlers have an asterisk character, which you can enter in the appropriate quantity and spacing to make simple pictures. You could draw a heart shape, for example, around a couple's first wedding dance. If your character generator supports color, make the heart pink or red. Use your imagination to come up with other simple pictures, or check the Internet for examples of creative ASCII-art.

John P. Boylan
Dover, New Hampshire

Creative Inserts
If you have access to two cameras, you can save time and editing generations when shooting stage productions by using the following technique. Place one camera on a tripod at a wide-angle setting to cover the whole production. Use the second camera for close-ups of the performers, zooming in tight on their faces at critical moments, then quickly swish-panning to another face. Pay close attention to the audio on this camera; because it's closer to the action, it will pick up higher-quality sound than the other camcorder. When editing, use the closeup camera's tape as your edit master and insert the wide-angle shots to cover all the swishpans. Using this method, you can save a generation on the close-up shots--and with a little bit of planning, you can create some very impressive edits with a minimum of fuss.

Doree Steinman
Capitola, California

Tricks with Rubber Bands
Ever have trouble unscrewing a filter from your camcorder lens? Placing a small, tight-fitting rubber band around the barrel of the filter before you screw it on will keep it snugly in place, and make it easier to remove when it's time to change filters.
I also use a rubber band to securely hold the viewfinder's diopter ring in place. After some usage, the diopter can become loose, especially if people with different prescriptions use the camera. A tight rubber band will secure it in position and still let you adjust it when necessary.

Lubomir Missov
Fort Erie, Ontario