How to Shoot a Movie With a Digital Camera
It used to be that people had to buy film, expose it and then take it to get developed just to see their photographs. Now, not only do cameras not need film, but they can also often shoot video. Most digital cameras can't shoot high-quality video footage, but if you're interested in shooting a short movie for viewing online or just showing friends, a digital camera is often qualified for the job.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Digital camera with video option
- Computer with photo and video editing software
Instructions
-
-
1
Go over the capability of your digital camera. Take note of things like: How long of a shot can the camera take? How much video footage can the camera (or memory card) save at once? Does the camera record audio well?
Shoot some test videos to help establish the limits or boundaries of you digital camera's video shooting abilities. Shooting practice shots and then uploading them to your computer and watching them not only gives you good technical practice and troubleshooting, but it also provides you with an idea of what your camera shoots well and what it doesn't. Perhaps you'll need more light before starting to shoot your movie, or perhaps you won't be able to zoom out. These tests give you a good idea of how to best shoot your movie.
-
2
Shoot your movie in small segments, and don't be afraid to take lots of shots. Editing extremely long clips is a pain when it comes to organization, plus long shots take up a lot of valuable storage space. Even if you think you got a good shot, take it again and have two clips to edit from in case something is a slightly off in one of the shots.
Take breaks to download the information onto your computer in order to free up space. This is especially important if you don't have a large amount of memory on your digital camera.
-
-
3
Edit your movie using simple software, such as iMovie. (If you plan on using powerful rendering and special effects, you'll have to get a program like Final Cut Pro. Digital camera video isn't very high-quality in the first place, though, so using a more simple software should meet your needs and simplify the editing process.)
Go back and take any additional shots that you might have missed or forgotten about after editing a rough cut of your movie. Screen your movie for someone whose judgment you trust. A fresh set of eyes presents perspectives and insights you might otherwise have missed.
-
4
Make a stop-motion movie with your digital camera by taking lots of pictures and then playing them one after another. This is how animation works, and recent stop-motion movies like "Coraline" have been big hits.
Making stop-motion movies can prove challenging. You won't be able to record your shots and sound at the same time, since you'll be taking pictures and not shooting video. The editing process can either be easier, since you won't have to worry about cutting and keeping track of lots of video clips, or more difficult, since adding audio and other video elements can be difficult.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Do product research before purchasing a digital camera. A very important part of making a movie with a digital camera is the video capability of the camera.
