Take the Voodoo Out of Video — Part 6

Relish your go-to gear.
While you should be comfortable with all your gear, make sure to have a go-to camera you know like the back of your hand.

• This is the camera you can quickly turn on, focus and light balance to get the exact shot you need, when you need it.
  
• It doesn’t have to be your best camera, but it needs to be your fastest to get a shot.
  
• Have this camera always on or near you, to always be ready to get the shot you need.
  
• Your go-to could be your phone camera, since it’s easy to operate, has auto settings and is always with you.
  

Get good with what you’ve got.
When you first start planning your video, everything is intimidating. Then you do your homework, practice and get comfortable with what you’ve got. But then, you start noticing all the shiny new toys out there: a new mirrorless camera, drone, gimbal or whatever. The doubts creep in: “Do I have the right camera? Should I spend more?” Hold on.

• Advancements in technology are mind boggling and paranoia making. But it doesn’t make everything you have obsolete.
  

• Even if you’re using a mobile phone, there are plenty of features that will make you a better shooter.
  
• You don’t necessarily have to buy a new mic if you properly position the mobile phone you already have within three feet of your subject. Position your subject where there’s little ambient noise, and you’ll get fairly clear sound (see my tip on using your backup old mobile phone as a separate sound device).
  
• Before buying anything new, use what you have to get experience framing a shot, capturing clear sound, lighting a location and directing talent.
  
• The skills you learn now will carry over to any future equipment you may get.
  
• Work on your fundamentals, become a better videographer, and then you’ll be able to make informed decisions on possible upgrades.
  

That old phone collecting dust on your shelf? It’s now your second camera and audio recorder.
Unless your old phone is one of those flip phones favored by grandparents everywhere, it’s good enough to be a second or third camera, or a digital recording device.

• All you’ll need is a cheap adaptor bracket and tripod (you might also consider a boom or mic stand if you use old phone as an audio recorder).
  
• Use your old phone capture a long shot, an extreme close or even an experimental shot on the floor, from the ceiling, or wherever unique angle you want to try.
  
• New to multi-camera videos? Before you shoot, turn on your cameras and recording devices, and give a loud clap that you can see from each camera. You’ll then be able to sync your clips easily by aligning the spiked clap sound wave in all your clips.
  
• Even easier, many editing programs now can sync your clips automatically, or you could invest in an amazing audio syncing program like PluralEyes. It will take care of aligning your tracks in minutes — well worth the investment of $150 or so.
  

Be ready to innovate, improvise and kill the babies.
That perfect shot you wanted? You may not be able to get it for some reason: the light is wrong, too much ambient noise, actor/interviewee can’t pull it off, or whatever.

• There’s only so much time you can devote to getting your trophy shot — at some point, you’ve got to let it go to stay on schedule and keep the momentum rolling.
  
• Try to improvise an alternate shot. Maybe you can’t get the exact hanging-from-the-chandelier shot you envisioned, but you might get a rolling-on-an-office-chair shot to replace it.
  
• If not, try getting the shot another time.
  
• Don’t get fixated on the perfect shot. Get the best you can, improvise when you need to, and plan a variety of shots so you’re never dependent on any one — even if it’s your baby.
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More tips? They’re coming. Stay tuned.