Bizzare Things Cameramen Do To Get Dinner Guests To Smile

A

andybiz_2005

Well-known member
Well, I've been shooting wedding dinners quite a lot & I notice 4 main kinds of people at the dinner table :

1) Those who are jovial, expressive & not afraid to show their friendliness in front of the camera

2) Those who are reserved, just stare blankly back at camera when you shoot them around the dinner table

3) Those who shy away from the camera when it's pointed at them

4) Those who express with their face & gestures that they do not enjoy being filmed.

Well, ofcourse I how I wish all my dinner guests were in category 1, but most often than not, most fall in cats 2) 3) & 4).

I would like this to be an interesting thread where videographers can freely share what they did to put the guests at ease so that they felt comfortable when filmed.

For example, has anyone tied a bunch of helium balloons painted with smiley faces to the lens hood of their DVX while shooting? Or, did you stick a bright-coloured banner to your camera expressing a humourous phrase? Or, did you just open your DVX's flip-put LCD & point it towards the guests & tell them to smile while looking at the LCD? Or did you dress in clown clothes & makeup on while shooting? How about just asking them to say "cheese" at the camera?

Just let all your creative juices flow & let this thread be an entertaining, yet effective & informational one for all videographers. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Andrew
 
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I haven't had that very same problem, but maybe something similar.

I have noticed that your subjects will take a cue from you and your demeanor. If you are serious and sullen, that will probably reflect in your subject. Try to smile and have it be infectious.

Otherwise, I've actually written "HI!" or "SMILE!" on the palm of my hand and waved it at them when I shoot them. You get some funny reations. Oh yeah- if you use a permanent marker it will be there for a while too.

Jeff Patnaude:cheesy:
 
I suggest you get one of those guns that shoots that rod out and a banner rolls down from it. But print this picture and use it for the banner























Slippy.jpg



I might have to try that one myself :)
 
Kdawg said:
I suggest you get one of those guns that shoots that rod out and a banner rolls down from it. But print this picture and use it for the banner


How about a t-shirt?

Jeff P






















Slippy.jpg

:)
Click to expand...
 
that is amazing photoshop.

Kdawg said:
I suggest you get one of those guns that shoots that rod out and a banner rolls down from it. But print this picture and use it for the banner






















Slippy.jpg



I might have to try that one myself :)
Click to expand...
 
Well, I bet if I showed that banner in front of my camera, some will just go "Eeewww!" "GROTESQUE!!!" And then they'll wrinkle up their faces & that wouldn't make a very nice shot now would it??
 
I simply got my sister to smile at her wedding by putting a fluffy windscreen on my mic. She looked up, saw it and proceeded to collapse with laughter.
 
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