Tips for Recording Video

Setting

• Ensure that the place you are shooting will remain quiet
• Avoid settings that easily echo
• Static backgrounds make cuts between clips less distracting

Lighting

• When recording videos of people, softer light sources are generally best
• Large light sources create softer light
• Windows are prone to vary in intensity due to cloud and sun movement, so avoid using them as a light source unless you are confident that the light will remain steady throughout your recording session
• Don't use different color temperatures to light the same subject (e.g., using a tungsten bulb with daylight)
• Never position light sources lower than the subject's face

Video

• Position camera at or slightly lower than the subject's eye level
• Placing the camera closer to the subject will make the video seem less formal. However, if the camera is too close, the subject's face may appear distorted
• Allow for a couple seconds of silence between clips you may be editing together

Sound

• Place microphone as close to the subject as possible
• Even light wind can negatively affect sound quality
• Microphone windscreens can help block out wind interference
• An audio recorder or phone may be used instead of a wireless microphone if the camera has no external microphone jack. However, this method requires syncing the audio with the video in an editing program