How to Edit Your Tape as You Shoot

As a home videographer, you probably do not have editing facilities available to you. What you shoot is what you get. But if you can learn to edit in the camera as you shoot, you will eliminate many common amateur errors.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Camcorders

1. Focus your attention on the event you are about to tape.

2. Decide what you think is going to happen, and plan how you will be there to capture it on tape.

3. Remember that each sequence of tape you shoot is like a story: It has a beginning, a middle and an end.

4. Open with an establishing shot (unless some critical activity is happening and must be shot right now). The establishing shot is the beginning of your visual story.

5. Move to a medium shot. This helps focus the audience's attention on the specific part of the event you are about to show them.

6. Go to close-up shots. The medium and close-up shots are the middle of your taped story.

7. Maximize your use of sound. It is an integral part of your taping session and enhances the finished result.

8. Continue to record while interesting sound is present; find a logical place to shut down, preferably at a natural break point in the audio.

9. Be ready to pan, tilt or widen the shot to include any objects your subjects are talking about.

10. Break up sequences of similar shots with cutaway shots.

11. At the end of your event, look for a closer shot or a reprise of the event. It should spell "the end" of your tape.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that within a video event (such as a piano recital) there will be different, smaller events that you will be taping (such as each pianist's piece). Each of these must have its own series of wide shots, medium shots, close-up shots and cutaways.
• If you have the luxury of a remote microphone, try to position it as close as you can to the sound source. You will get better sound recording this way, with less bystander chitchat.