Your action video needs the right background to be the best it can be. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your backgrounds.
You don’t necessarily need anything special to utilize your backgrounds. You don’t need a green screen. You can use the natural terrain and the environment around you. Use the world that you’re recording into your advantage. Every filmmaker can, they just have to take a few steps before shooting.
Use the weather
No matter how sunny or rainy it may be, you can always use the natural weather and light to add highlights to your shot. The benefits of using the natural light of the sun can not be understated. Use natural light whenever you can.
Also, note though when you have a well lit background, the object will appear much darker and lose detail. Adjust your angle of view to utilize natural light to keep your subject of the shot fully lit with ambient light to separate the object from the background.
Use backgrounds to show angles
You need to set your camera at the right place to get the best shot. You can have a friend shoot a video of you performing the action so you can get a good idea what angles work before your ready for the final shot.
The placement of your action cam can either make or break your video. Setting an action cam on a level spot on the ground, log, rock, or tree can give you the perspective you are looking for with your video.
Realize what’s in your background
You don’t want things in the background to mess up your action shot. If you can you should arrange the background so there’s nothing distracting in the background. So for instance, you can move a trash can out of the shot if it is in the way. If there’s something you can’t move, try the shot from different angles and find the best angle to cut out the distracting thing from your shot.
Perform a trial run
Also practice before you shoot. If you are shooting a scripted action scene with your camera, do practice runs with your actors. If it is not scripted, practice the shots and angles before the action happens. The more practice you have, the better the shot will come out.
So, when you’re shooting with an action camera and want to make the most of your background, always look at the natural light, the background and the environmental aspects, and you will shoot high-quality video. The more practice you have, the better you will become.
You can learn more about making the most of your action camera backgrounds in “4 Background Tips to Make Your Action Cam Video Look Professional.”
Image courtesy Unsplash
