Focus "In" & Stay Sharp- Ever had this happen? You're shooting an event from the back of an auditorium. You start with a wide establishing shot of the stage as the curtain rises... and then - at just the right time - you zoom in for the big closeup... only to find that *DOH!* your focus is soft. Uh oh! You didn't know the secret to staying sharp! Here's the deal: It's virtually impossible to set a sharp manual focus on a distant subject with your lens zoomed out to a wide angle setting. You just can't see where your focal point is. The trick is to zoom in as far as you can and set focus at the telephoto end of your lens. This will mean anticipating the position of the subject you'll want to zoom in on before the show starts. The cool thing is, once you've zoomed in and set your focus on the most distant thing you'll shoot, the shot will stay sharp as you zoom back to wide angle.  

Editing Tip: Split That Clip - Most editors cut the video they edit "straight," splicing linked video clips and their accompanying audio together. While this is fine in many cases, sometimes you can add impact and interest by unlinking (or splitting) the audio and video and cutting them at different times to create one of two effects where either 1) the video from the incoming clip leads the audio, or where 2) the audio from the incoming clip leads its video. This creates what's known as a "sound bridge" that links the two scenes together. For instance, in scene 1 you may show a subject walking in a serene park as you hear accompanying ambiance. As he smiles contently, we begin to hear him speak (answering an interview question) before cutting to the interview shot in the studio. So don't just cut it straight! Splitting your audio and video and cutting them at different times is an easy way to add instant production quality to your work.

Sound Advice? Check it Twice! - It’s important to always do a sound check to preview your audio levels and mic placement before you record a subject who will be speaking on-camera. Sound checks are performed for two reasons: to make sure that your audio is 1) clear and 2) strong. A clear audio signal is free of rustling, interference or muffling that would compromise your sound. A strong signal refers to the audio “level.” You should always check your sound signals by listening though a good pair of headphones -- it’s not safe to trust meter levels alone. It’s possible to have a strong level reading of an unclear sound source. Neither clear nor strong is enough alone. Headphones are the only way to know for sure if the strong signal you see on your meters is also clear.

Avoid Tally Light Stage Fright - People that aren't used to being on-camera may get nervous and freeze-up when they see the red tally light on your camera begin to blink. I've found that some people are more relaxed & perform better if you turn it off or tape it up. Your camera might have a switch or menu function that lets you turn off the tally. If your camera doesn't offer that option, you can simply cover it up with a small piece of black gaffers tape. Remember, one of your goals should always be to help the people you shoot look their best on camera. When you're working with amateur actors or uninitiated interviewees, do what you can to eliminate tally light stage fright.