Hi all,
I have been trying to get into shooting more video, but am struggling. What I’m looking to do is to have some quick memories of family gatherings, vacation trips etc. However, the whole video thing is SO much more involved compared to photo, so I realise I need to study and practice. Like a lot.
I’ve been an avid photographer for a long time, feel very confident in image editors, vector editors and to some degree, video editors. However, it’s more about learning the basics for me, like
- determining a proper length of a segment
- when to use what frame rate, and why
- common pitfalls and rookie mistakes
- tips for decent/good audio
- planning for the shots, storyboarding
- etc
Equipment-wise I plan on using an iPhone 15 Pro with the DJI Osmo Mobile, a small DJI drone that shoots beautiful 4K footage and possibly my aging Canon DSLR that is limited to HD, but have some nice lenses that might also be fun to dig out again.
If you have a good class or resource to recommend, I’d love to hear about it.
Thanks!
1 Like
Two things. Shoot way more than you think you need to; cut it down later. Just like photography, get the details too, aka B-roll, not just the main action. And really focus on nailing your audio. Might need some gear there, wireless lav mics (Rode, DJI) and/or a Zoom portable recorder. Oddly, the audio is more important than the video.
As for learning, pick an editor and roll up your sleeves, maybe start with Ripple Training for FCP. The edit tends to drive the story.
While we’re inundated with some rather spectacular video on a daily basis, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Good luck!
1 Like
Thanks a lot @Artisan
You have a great point about what we see is often produced by seriously experienced and talented creators, so the mental bar is very high. Expecting to suck at it for quite a while 
My previous experience told me that I would spend about an hour per minute of final video output, so I realise it’s a big project to take on. Hopefully that will reduce with practice and a good plan prior to the first capture.
I do have a Zoom field recorder, so that will come in handy.
A lot of the skill comes across from stills photography. For example, fill the frame with your subject, use things like leading lines and composition to make an impactful scene, think about light. Some of these need more emphasis - e.g. a shaky tripod is much more impactful in video. Some concepts are new (e.g. we all watch moving images, so have expectations over when and why a camera would go close up or move back).
I found “The Art of the Cut: Editing concepts every filmmaker should know” by Greg Keast a pretty good introduction.
1 Like
I have a book that I like called How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck by Stockman.
But I’ve never made much use of it as I have enough trouble with my still photography. 
2 Likes
LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) will give you a free 30 day trial. There are lots of video courses there from shooting to editing and other post production. Poke around and see what you find.
1 Like
+1million for LinkedIn learning (rip Lynda training)
A lot of libraries provide access as well. Depends on where you are, but you will login with the library account, so it’s not your LinkedIn account.
2 Likes
That looks like just the type of book I was searching for. Got my copy off the Kindle store already, thanks!
1 Like
Thanks, might be getting this one too. For some reason, I couldn’t find a digital version yet, but just getting these basics right will make a world of difference.
Thanks a lot - will check that out too. I actually have an account through my employer, but have noticed that the creative classes on there seems to be getting less focus lately.
However, I have not gone looking for video classes yet. Might still be a relevant “business” topic 
CreativeLive may have something as well. Similar to Lynda/LinkedIn Learning, but primarily for creatives.
1 Like
Had not checked them out for a while, and now see they have a nice catalog of classes and also, an option to subscribe to access (almost) all of their available material.
Last time I used them, one could sign up to the livestream of a class for free, but after that, each class was sold separately. I prefer this billing model.
I have a lot of their business and marketing related courses, which I bought one at a time. They were mostly good and I found the reviews to be a reliable indicator of quality. I haven’t tried any of the video or photography courses, but I suspect they may be even better since that’s their core competency.
1 Like