Home Video Hints: Camera Sinners, Repent!

Here at Videomaker, we refer to basic shooting errors as "The Seven Deadly Camera Sins." Today's sermon spotlights these camcorder transgressions. To cut to the chase, the dreaded seven deadly camera sins are Firehosing, Snapshooting, Headhunting, Backlighting, Motorzooming, Upstanding and Jogging. Since sin's always fun to talk about, read on for the juicy details.

I. Firehosing
Firehosing means pointing your camcorder vaguely at one thing after another during each shot, without lingering to frame anything properly or give viewers a good look at it: birthday cake... pan to daughter opening gifts... pan to gifts... pan to guests watching... pan back to daughter... while your seasick viewers think, pan to exit... invent excuse for leaving.

To avoid this truly amateurish look, just follow a few simple rules:

  • Move the camcorder to follow action, but not to switch to a different subject (unless you plan to snip out the move during editing).
  • Move the camera only once per shot though that single move may be long or even continuous when following subject action.
  • Unless shooting documentary-style grab-and-run, pre-compose both starting and ending frames, then move smoothly from one to the other.
  • Instead of moving immediately, hold the opening composition for several seconds, make the move, then hold the closing compositions for several second…

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    • Jim Stinson | September 2002

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