Any tips for shooting a family christmas?

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Douglas Thigpen

Well-known member
So, being the sucker that I am, I'm shooting a Christmas video thingy for the in-laws. Three grown kids (one being my SO), their SOs, the Mother In-Law and Stepfather, and a set of Grandparents.

The Mother In-Law is renting a cabin that we'll all be travelling to and staying in for Christmas and insisted on paying for everything. The 'kids' will all be going snowboarding together and such as well.

Anyways, any tips on proper format for such an event? I'm planning on packing three cameras (A Canon XH-A1, a smaller Panny SD9, and a Panny Waterproof SD Camera to take down the slopes) and have whatever audio gear I'd need in my inventory here (Lavs, Omni pickups, etc as well as digital recorders).

I don't want to go overboard with things and turn it into a production, but at the same time I'd like to do something nice for my SO's mother that she can remember this Christmas with the family by as it'll probably be the last time we ever do something like this together.

My background is in event videography and specialty shoots (low light / extreme enviroment), for what it's worth.

Any tips from individuals who have crossed this path before?
 
I think you've already gone overboard, man.
A camera in a duffle bag will do fine.
Have em smile when ya can, thats about my only tip.
 
I'd do a video collage with a Christmas music soundtrack. Maybe take along a still camera and go all "ken burns".
Packing along audio gear and three cameras is pretty overboard for in-laws unless you really like them.......
 
If it's a family thing don't worry about the tech end. Just have fun.

Shoot the blown out skys and the red eyes and whatever. It's supposed to be fun, not a production. In fact it should proabaly look like a home video.
I think that will come across when you all view it and will be more enjoyable overall.

My brother has done a couple and no complaints so far. The kids love it. That's the main thing.

//Yeah, it's the content, not the quality. Just have fun.
 
I did this over this weekend, just shot the most enjoyable moments and the funny ones, those are the ones you love seeing when you get older. Techwise don't worry just take with you a camera (or two, i would't go with my hmc skiing..)


and the most important thing, HAVE FUN!!!!!
 
Step 1 - set up camera with mic mounted on it. (It will do its a family video).
Step 2 - Press record
Step 3 - get drunk.

Seriously, I think its noble you want to do the best you can, but dont miss the party yourself.
 
Any tips for shooting a family christmas?

Well, the best advice I can give is to stick with the usual DVXuser FEST rules and stay at or under a hard R rating.




No seriously... focus on family in this order... 1) anyone with any illness or condition... 2) elderly members of the family... 3) the youngest members of the family.

Because those are the people who will change the most in the coming years... and so that footage will prove to be the most valuable to the family. I would make a SPECIFIC effort to interview those people with great audio... which can be done by getting the microphone close to them, or even have them hold one (worst case, but still great sound)...

You don't have to make the interview formal... and 99% of the regular folks will be awkward as heck for the first 5 minutes... but it's usually some trigger that suddenly turns them natural and talkative... ask the smallest children about Santa (if you're of that view) and ask them to describe him or what he's doing... ask the older people to talk about their children, or if they remember the day their children were born. There's a ton of really simple questions, that if aimed properly... will open the floodgates of communication... and that footage will be priceless in only a few years.

I agree that I'd keep it simple. Sit people down next to existing lighting, or at a 45 degree angle under a good practical... with them slightly behind the light. If you want activity in the background then situate yourself as such... if you want better sound and less distraction then have the tree or some other decoration behind them... so that you, the cam, and the mic are aiminmg AWAY from the activity of the event. Frame it up in the rule of thirds... hold the cam out to the side so that you can glance at the LCD while keeping their eyes NOT looking into the camera directly... then if you want them to say something specific to the viewer have THAT line delivered directly into the camera... that will give the direct look and message more weight... and the looking off to the cam side will make other longer edits more natural to the audience.

Good Luck... and I hope you have a happy holiday without working yourself too hard at this.
 
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