Questions or tech problems? Laura: 917-443-2818 [email protected]
Camera kit contents: Before you shoot:
• HD Camera • Batteries charged – fully charging • 2 camera batteries the battery will take aprox. 5 hours. • Camera charger Light turns off when fully charged. • Wide angle lens • SD card inserted • Lens cloth • Camera record format is set to • Camera cable (for attaching to AVCHD mode / quality is computer) “60P” – press the home key, scroll to recording setup. Choose AVCHD / 60P • 2 SD cards • Mic has 9V battery inserted • Microphone • Mic plugged in, audio levels • Extra 9V battery for mic correct, peaking around 12 • “U” bracket (for attaching lights / mic) • Headphones • Camera light with filter • Tripod
Uploading your footage to Dropbox and creating a backup
• Insert your SD card into the card reader • Open the SD card in your finder • Go to https://dbinbox.com/AMPproject • Drag and drop the “Private” folder into the window. Make sure you copy all of the files on the card. • After a shoot, copy ALL files from your SD card into your backup folder on your computer
Shooting tips
• Record each shot for at least 10 seconds • Use your body to stabilize hand-held shots – instead of your arms • Use a variety of camera angles and camera moves • Use the zoom button sparingly. Always get as physically close as you can to a subject. Use the zoom as a last resort. • Use the wide angle lens for landscapes but remove it when filming close-ups, especially of people (or you will get a distorting “fisheye” effect) • Use a tripod, especially for sit down interviews, panoramic shots and extreme close-ups. • When conducting interviews, if possible, bring a friend to operate the camera while you talk to your interviewee.
Screen Controls
Camera Setup
EXTRA WIDE SHOT WIDE SHOT
MEDIUM WIDE SHOT MEDIUM SHOT
CLOSE UP EXTREME CLOSE UP
HIGH ANGLE SHOT LOW ANGLE SHOT
Composition and the rule of thirds:
Frame your subject along the axis points
Bad composition Better composition
Camera Moves:
Pan: camera moves horizontally - left to right or right to left
Tilt: Camera moves vertically – up and down
Zoom: Framing moves further away or closer to the subject
Static shot: Camera does not move
Camera move tips:
• Use a tripod when possible • Practice your camera move before recording • Always start and end on something specific • Use the zoom sparingly
Types of footage: typical interview medium shot Medium shot for traditional interview Observational: Shots of people interacting with each other, doing things, shots of human made or natural objectsM
Establishing shot: Tells the audience where the action is taking place (ex. the exterior of a building, a wide shot of a mountain range)
Traditional Interview: A medium shot with the interviewer behind the camera
Observational Interview: Interviewing someone while they do something (ex. While they cook in the kitchen, walk in the woods)