Frame it: how to use a camera and tripod

Goal: make sure your camera can clearly capture what you want the viewer to see.

Frame your subject.  Subjects shot on the far left or right in HD may not play in standard definition.  If the subject is on the left, the focus should be on the right as you sit or stand behind the camera.  The center of the viewfinder should be on the subject’s left cheek (the right cheek from your view) putting them on the left side of the frame and you should include the shoulders (Remember SHAMPOO:  Head & Shoulders).  This should be reversed if they are on the right side but left is preferable, as you see on most talk shows.   Placement is key in multiple camera angles.  If Girl 1 is on the left in a wideshot and on the right in a closeup, the audience will notice.  If Girl 1 has her hand up in one scene and down in another, the same thing. 

Put the camera closer to the interviewee. If you don’t have an external microphone, use the one from the camera.  Move the camera as close as you can to the person being interviewed and zoom out.  Move the interviewer 3 times the distance from the camera as the person being interviewed.  You can always dub the questions in later or put them in as titles.

Have the subject look at someone else and not the camera. Especially when you are interviewing, the subject should look at someone else, not the camera.  If the subject is on the left, the focus should be on the right as you sit or stand behind the camera.  The center of the viewfinder should be on the subject’s left cheek (the right cheek from your view) putting them on the left side of the frame and you should include the shoulders (Remember SHAMPOO:  Head & Shoulders).  This should be reversed if they are on the right side but left is preferable, as you see on most talk shows.

Use a tripod.  Your body does not allow you to hold a camera completely steady.  Most people believe they are steady only to find that when they view their footage they see that this isn’t so.  Your future viewers will thank you, especially those prone to motion sickness.  The modern viewfinder on the side of the camera and the need to hold the camera away from the body is making this increasingly difficult.  At least, put the camera on something that stays stationary and is non-human or use the viewfinder.

Don't have a tripod?
Set the camera on a steady surface. Everyone tells you to have a tripod but when you don’t put the camera on a flat surface rather than holding it. Your body can not hold a camera perfectly still, but a table can.  For best results, make sure the camera is the same height of what you are shooting.

Use "handles." Handles are empty video before and after you record a scene.  Give a 3 or 5 count to your actors as you roll into the scene, remembering to stay silent for the last 2 seconds.  Also, give yourself this much padding after the scene ends.  When it comes time to edit, having that extra time to roll in and out of shots becomes crucial.  You can even leave these gaps in an interview setting. 

“Man the camera”.  Use tilts (move the camera up and down), pans (side to side), and zooms (move the lens backward and forward) to make a shot more interesting.  Follow your subject with the camera and in only rare cases make any of these moves quickly as you can always speed them up in the editing process.  Only shoot 5 seconds in one static position unless you have a plan to insert stills or other footage.  Shoot from multiple positions.  This is when using a script is a good game plan as you can match the best audio to multiple shots.