|
Time passes quickly and most people are aware that if scenes aren’t captured on film, a precious opportunity will be lost forever. Besides, it’s lots of fun to look over photographs and watch films and videotapes catching family members during important events. It can be tricky, however. The videotape may be shaky, full of stops and starts, and otherwise hard to watch. The person behind the camera may be so busy preserving the event on tape that he misses out on the fun of the event. Here are some tips to make a video memory for the future without sacrificing your own enjoyment of the present.
For major events such as weddings, graduations, ceremonies, or even births, it may be worthwhile to hire a professional videographer or at least enlist the help of a friend whose sole responsibility is to videotape the event. This should be a person who is unlikely to care about not being directly involved in the event itself. If you do hire a friend, of course he should be familiar with the video camera, but he should also be worthy of trust so he doesn’t get sidetracked in the process. Whether you hire a pro or trusted friend, meet with him beforehand to discuss which scenes he should focus on, the length to be taped of certain parts, and which elements are unimportant to you.
If you will be videotaping the event yourself, the first requirement is to become very familiar with the camera. Know which buttons to press for effects such as fading out at the end of scenes, panning in and out, and adjusting light levels. If most of the action will take place in a specific area, you may consider installing the camera on a tripod. This ensures a steady picture, and can help you tape the event while participating as well. Many video cameras come with remote controls for added freedom.
When videotaping, keep in mind how the tape will look when viewed. Many sudden stops and starts are annoying to the viewer. Videotape is cheap, and can be re-used if needed, so keep the camera running at least five minutes per scene. Avoid taping while walking unless your camera has special features to keep the picture steady. When moving the camera to focus on different areas, go very slowly or pause taping until the new area is found. Effects such as fades can be helpful if not used excessively.
Once your tape is complete, depending on its intended purpose, you may wish to edit it. If your video camera uses VHS-C or other smaller tape cassettes, you may wish to transfer them onto a regular VHS tape. This can be done either by setting up two VCR’s to play and record, with a special adapter to play the smaller tape, or by a connection from the video camera to the VCR. You simply rewind the tape in the video camera and play it back. Video cameras usually have VCR type controls so you can stop, start, and pause. It can be tricky, but you can edit out parts you don’t want to keep this way and re-use the tapes in the camera. Don’t forget to label and date the VCR tape for storage.
Preserving events on film has come a long way since I was a child, when home movie cameras captured only silent motion pictures and were edited using a light table with reels, cutters, and splicers. Video cameras offer a tremendous opportunity to exercise creativity in preserving important scenes from our lives and provide immediate gratification. By following a few simple guidelines and suggestions, your videos from these momentous occasions can be thorough and lots of fun to watch, and you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing you were there instead of being trapped behind the camera.
|
| |
