documentary advice required

[Sycrid]

Hiya guys,

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong forum, I am new, so move the thread to where-ever it may need to be, if it is wrong. =p

I need some advice, from avid film makers like your selves. I'm living in the Canadian rockies, and it's an amazing place to live, I've also spent the last 5 years interested in photography, so as you can imagine I know most of the basic stuff related to photography, but since I upgraded the main body I use, I've been given the option to film. This has inspired me to develop some kind of documentary for personal keepsake about the Rockies, as I may not live here for much longer.

I need advice on how to acquire good angles? Why is it that something why seems to look good in a photograph, just doesn't seem right on film? Are there any techniques I can use in film that are not an option in photography. I don't have any jibs, or dollies so stationary positioning is likely the only option for the camera.

I do know and have developed time lapse videos before, so this I can do. I have a tripod, numerous lens' and about 40 filters.

If anyone can give me some advice then that would be fantastic. Regards, Sycrid.

 

[custerc]

I'm far from an expert, but a few stray thoughts. I'm working on my first feature doc now, and I did once make a personal just-for-myself sort of minidoc that sounds a bit like what you're doing.

• Video is motion. You don't need to spend a billion dollars on a crane, but without motion, your shots are going to look very static and boring. And panning is pretty boring too, frankly, especially in a nature thing, because it's still really just a static camera, you're not giving the viewer a chance to move through the world at all. The whole advantage of video is that you can move around! If you really can't afford ANY extra gear for video, you can hold the camera yourself and then use something like After Effects to smooth out the footage in post.
• That said, google "CineMover" and check that out. I've got one of them, and it's great, really fluid motion, very adaptable, and best of all, pretty damn cheap.
• If you're the outdoorsy type and that's part of your experience of the Rockies, I'd also consider a GoPro. There are a million ways you could use one of those things to get cool shots in the mountains, and even just static-ly, they can get super-wide which is good for big sky scenery.
• Films are stories -- this includes even the best nature films, so consider using yourself or someone around you as a sort of centerpiece for your film. If it's just random shots of the woods, that's going to get old; similarly, a blase angle can work if there's some emotional connection with the place that's being filmed. It's also good to have people, or some kind of subject besides the scenery, on camera.
• Depending on what camera you're shooting with, and what quality you want the final piece to be, remember you can create smooth slides by doing them in post; for example, sliding across a 2k image will look nice, but of course you need to be willing to put up with a smaller final resolution to do that.
• Don't overlook sound. I forget the saying, something like "Sound is 70% of your video." And I imagine that the ambient sound is actually a big part of the effect of the rockies, even if it's maybe something you don't always notice. So take some time to think about that as well.

So, there's my thoughts on everything except the specific question you asked about angles. I know nothing about angles. But, maybe some of this stuff will help you with the angles issue too!