Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking For Dummies

6

Getting Creative with Your Shoot

In This Chapter

Controlling depth of field

Positioning the camera

Using filters to enhance the look of your movie

Getting creative with shooting effects

Respecting the basics of filmmaking (such as exposing your scene properly and keeping the camera steady) definitely boosts the potential for capturing quality video. But at the same time, those basics are like a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It hits the spot, but it’s still just vanilla. Now I don’t know about you, but when I have a bowl of vanilla ice cream in front of my hungry eyes, my first inclination is to add chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and whipped cream. Think of this chapter as the toppings for your movie sundae.

I’m not proposing you pour Hershey’s syrup all over your camera. Instead, do it metaphorically by taking the basics to the next level. For example, when adjusting exposure, consider an aperture setting that controls depth of field to your liking. Want to get more dramatic? Reposition ...