If you plan to handhold the camera to shoot your film, remember that camera shake can cause blurred footage. For that reason, using a tripod is highly recommended.
HANDHELD ON A TRIPOD
CONNECTING THE CAMERA TO THE TRIPOD
Look for a threaded hole in the bottom of the camera. If your camera screws directly onto the tripod, then the camera plate (tripod mount) should have a matching screw. Twist the pieces together until they are snugly joined.
Some tripods will have a small screw-head on the underside of the plate.
TIP: IF YOU ARE FILMING OUTSIDE…
Remove any straps from the camera, as even the slightest breeze will make the strap move around, causing the tripod and camera to sway.
RECORDING VIDEO - MANUAL FOCUS
•You can pull focus artistically to create a reveal.
•Practice the move first, then place marked and removable sticky notes on the side of the lens, twisting from one point to another whilst filming.
•Use this technique to move focus from one part of a scene to another.
SHUTTER SPEED, APERTURE AND ISO
When you increase your ISO above a certain level, you can get more light in low light conditions, but that increase in light comes with a trade-off in terms of picture quality. The higher the ISO, the more digital noise or grain becomes apparent in your images. Noise literally looks like small grains all over your image. When possible, try to stick to the lowest ISO for the highest quality footage, unless you are trying to get a noisy, grainy effect or there is no other way to get the shot.
•To change the ISO setting on your camera, press the ISO button and hold it. A set of options should appear on the back screen. Choose the lowest setting.
•I would not recommend shooting over ISO 800. Instead, if more light is needed, use some lighting gear.
Some lights have different temperature settings. Make sure you use the right one for each scene.
DIGITAL ZOOM
•Pressing the Q button at the back of the camera will take you to the quick menu. From here you can access DIGITAL ZOOM. If you wish to shoot a scene that is some way in the distance, you will need to set your movie record size to HD 25 fps.
SHOOTING A TIME LAPSE SEQUENCE
Time lapses take a series of pictures over a set period. This creates sequences where, for example, clouds move quickly, the sky darkens, or traffic moves unnaturally fast.
DUTCH ANGLE (AKA CANTED ANGLE)
Camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (popular in horror movies). Sometimes used to suggest POV/POINT OF VIEW shots - when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one character, seeing what they see.
DOLLY SHOT WITH SFX ADDED
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOLLY AND A ZOOM
•A DOLLY shot requires the actual physical movement of a camera.
•A ZOOM shot requires an adjustment in lens focal length.