Shooting for the Final Edit

There's a big difference between a birthday party video and a Martin Scorsese film. It's not just the budget or the Hollywood stars, but also the techniques that the movie makers use. Where home videos document an event, often in real time, filmmakers take a different approach. They start with a concept of how their final product will look and then work toward those ends. They shoot their story with the final edit in mind; with every shot designed to fit in with the shots that surround it.

In this article you'll find some tips on shooting for the final edit. This advice may not land an Oscar on your mantle, but it will give your videos a more polished, professional look.

Tape is Cheap

Unlike film, tape costs next to nothing. That being the case, use it - lots of it. Mini DV tape costs about a dime a minute, so don't be afraid to overshoot a scene. When you're shooting to edit, multiple takes should be the norm, and you should shoot the scene until it feels right. It's much less time-consuming to shoot extra angles of a shot than it is to struggle with trying to repair it in post production.

Mix It Up

Variety is the spice of life, so shoot your scenes from multiple angles and elevations. Once you have a usable take with your standard shot, shoot the same scene again from a low or high angle. Try a take where you use lots of extreme close-ups or extreme wide shots.

Experiment with both hand-held and tripod shots. There are places for both, so see which one best suits the scene. Try several different speeds when panning and tilting. A nice, slow pan may feel right when you're shooting it, but it can turn out to be painfully long in the final edit. Experiment with using a movement that feels unnaturally fast. You may find that your uncomfortably quick pan is the shot that looks best.