Contrary to popular opinion, shaky video footage is NOT fun to watch. Frankly, it is nauseating, and there is no excuse for it. Most shaky footage can be easily corrected for by mounting the camera on a tripod. If you do intend to move the camera, you should still use a Steadicam rig or make a dolly (see Top Production Tips). The tripod will not only steady your shot, it will also make panning and zooming infinitely easier, especially in low-light situations. When you shoot in low-light, it often makes sense to lower your shutter speed to let more light in. When you do this, having a tripod is essential if you want to avoid blurry footage.

While you’ll most often want to shoot a person from either eye-level, high angle, or low angle, it is important to vary your shots to keep your audience from getting bored. Two angles that will accomplish this are the bird’s eye view and the Dutch angle (AKA Dutch tilt, slant, etc.). The former shoots a scene from directly above – as a bird would see it. This can be used to establish how action is unfolding all at once in several areas (as in a battle), or to emphasize the smallness of a subject (such as a castaway on a desert island). A Dutch angle tilts the camera off to one side so the horizon is on an angle with the bottom of the frame.  This angle can be seen throughout the original Batman TV series and in many Terry Gilliam films. Although Dutch angles are fantastic for creating a sense of uneasiness or tension in a character, they should be used sparingly.

When focusing on a person, mid shots generally shoot the person from the waste up (although some disagree about the proper distance). This shot type presents the subject comfortably, with room for hand gestures that convey emotion, but not close enough to see slight facial expressions. The same framing can also be used for a Two Shot, where two characters are presented in the same frame.

A focus throw is a term used for defocusing part or all of a shot. You might think that showing an out of focus picture sounds crazy, but it can provide a very subjective and evocative shot that can serve as a transition to another shot or depict the perspective of someone in a drug or alcohol-induced haze. Throwing focus can be done either by turning the manual focus ring or as an effect in post-production.

To focus manually, you’ll first want to find your manual control (generally a ring or small dial). Once you’ve found the control, check that the camera is set to manual focus and zoom in as much as you can on your subject. Next, adjust the focus using the focus ring or dial on your camera. When the picture is in focus, zoom out and reframe your subject however you wish. The picture should remain focused. If for some reason the picture loses focus, look at MediaCollege.com’s guide to adjusting your “back focus.”