How can I train myself to film better?

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shabit87

Active member
I'm a college student w/ a dvx100b and I really need some money. I thougt I'd start my own video service company and do commercials, music videos, and business promotional material. Only thing is I need to know how to properly film better so I can get the best result when doing business. ANy tips on how I can self train myself?
 
SHOOT, SHOOT, SHOOT.

Shoot every chance you can, then give yourself a critical analysis of what you've shot. What are you happy with and what would you like to do better. You can't shoot enough right now.
 
As well as read as much as you can about composition, basics of lighting, and the business end of making profit through production. You will learn tons by reading here and other online film forums, and if you pick up a cinematography book or two, you will learn techniques you can practice and perfect in your shooting.
 
Amazon "the 5 c's of cinematography," It's easily the most helpful book I've read about composition, screen direction, etc. Lighting is critical, learn about it as much as possible (quality, color, intensity) and your films will look pro. Harry Box's book is very good too. Analyze movies, notice how the cinematography complements the mood/story.

Learn how to light portriats, know the difference between key, fill, kicker, rim, hair, background light.

Google some stuff about color (which colors go together and what emotions they create).

Learn a little bit at a time, you really want to pace yourself.
 
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Shoot little family docs and edit edit edit them to see what works.

Editing your own material is the best way to learn how to shoot stuff that works.
 
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read read read, then watch some of your favorite music videos of all time and analize every camera move and effect, then figure out how they did it and how can you make something better, then analize why you like that particular music video :)
 
Okay, so far people have told you to 'shoot shoot shoot' and 'read read read'....
both of which I agree with.... but the one thing that is missing in that equation is

edit, edit, edit.

The fastest way to learn how to cover a scene, in my opinion, is to edit your own footage. Often times while you're shooting you'll think you're getting great stuff, and it's only when you're back in the edit room that you realize your footage is too shakey, too out of focus, of too poorly framed to be usable.

Editing forces you to really examine what you shot, and to look at how it all fits together. You'll quickly realize what you're missing and what you over shot.

just my 2 cents.
 
You can shoot, shoot, shoot all you want but if you are not shooting correctly, then you aren't getting anywhere and only learning to shoot badly.

I've been shooting for 30 years and yes practice does make perfect, but you need a good foundation in what makes good pictures.

Watch older movies to see how they compose their shots. You'll also notice that wiith these older movies, the camera is locked down and not moving all over the place.

With camcorders, you'll have the urge to be handheld all of the time moving the camera around and what not....DON'T. Get a good pair of sticks, lock that camera down and learn how to paint a picture with you lense. Let whatsever in your viewfinder tell the story for you.

When I was learning, it was forbidden to pan the camera or zoom in and out unless you were following action. Even though that rule has gone by the wayside, I still believe in it 100%.

Learn your technical basics like knowing proper headroom, knowing your thirds, understanding depth of field and exposures.

All of this makes a good cinematographer.
 
One of the best thing you can do is try go get on some professional shoot and see how they do it. It should be easier for you to volunteer on some of these shoots, because you are a student.

I do agree with some of the replies in here. You have to keep on shooting, but no matter how much shooting experience you have, if you are not shooting it right you'll never learn. You should look at your shots and ask yourself, "How can I make this shot better?" Compare your shots to shots that you like and see what the difference is.

Best of all. Ask a lot of questions. You will not believe how nice some professionals are. They really do want to help.
 
I often suggested taking simple scenes from films you love and reshooting them shot for shot.

An analogy is learning guitar. We all spend countless hours getting guiater magazine and studying the tabs to our favorite songs and one day, we can play all kinds of songs. Not just covers, but notes and chords and riffs that have all come together in our brains.

In shooting something that's been done, you're injesting information and seeing first hand why it works.

Or, read my blog.

= )
 
Still think editing your shots into a video that works will teach you more about shooting the right shots then anything. Re-shooting stuff from movies is a good idea but it really depends on what you want to do.

Docu work relies on quick improvisation and building a mental picture in your head of the story you are telling so you can translate this into shots for editing.
All this happens while shooting, movies should have most of this sorted out before where you need to be creative within a given framework. Same like docu work I guess but more so.

EDIT your own stuff and you will learn more then anything about camera work and especially what will make a scene flow and continuity.

Interview a family member during cooking and find shots within that space to cover is a simple and easy assignment I used to give my students.
 
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