I wasshooting dance competitions with 1 camera years ago. So I can share some of my experience.
Set yourself on a riser (a stage, few boxex, couple solid desks with a plywood on the top, etc.)
Bring the power and hook up to a monitor or a TV, so you’d be able tocontrol your focus, color and iris on a big screen with no sweat. I had toshoot tournaments for hours, so using TV monitorhelped a lot.
Use manual focus. Broadcasting TV cameras are not equipped with auto focus, so how do you think the cameramen keep it in focus? Only manual. But again, if you have to stay wide, as the dancers usually want it, you will have to adjust it only once before the show and never touch the focus ring agian.
You may need to show individual dancers or couples as well as a wide show of a recital. Get a clear idea before the show, if this is the case, do you have to spend equal time on each dancer or should you focus more on some and less on others. You may become someone’s enemy if you don’t spend enough time showcasing them.
FAQ Video
