More Key Videoing Skills

PANNING SHOT

A panning shot involves moving the camera from right to left horizontally. It can be used for tracking a person or object that is moving across a scene; or to gradually introduce or reveal something in the shot. It is best to ensure that the camera is stable when attempting a panning shot as it generally needs to be a smooth movement. This can be achieved by using a tripod to steady the camera.

TILT
Similar to the panning shot, the tilt requires smooth movement of the camera. However this technique involves moving the camera vertically rather than horizontally. This technique is often used in order to show the height of something, as the full size cannot fit in the shot without using a close-up or extreme close-up. It is generally filmed using a tripod but it is also possible to achieve this shot using a hand-held camera; it depends on how smooth and seamless you want the movement to be.

ZOOM

Zoom involves the camera moving closer in to the shot or further away. This can be achieved by using the zoom settings on the camera or simply moving forwards or backwards in relation to the action that is going on on screen. Zooming in often gives the effect of looking closer at something in real life, encouraging the viewer to simply focus on a certain thing. Whilst zooming out enables the viewer to see more of the surroundings and gain a better understanding of what is going on around the main action. Generally zooming requires a smooth transition so as not to disorientate the viewer or make them feel uneasy. However, this effect is sometimes desired (e.g in horror or thriller genres) and is a very effective technique.

Hand-held filming:

This technique is often used to create the feeling that what we are viewing is home-made, for example home video scenes. However it has also been used in many horror or thriller style scenes in order to add drama and suspense. It makes the viewer feel as if they are walking/running with the characters, therefore making them feel more involved in the action. It simply requires the camera man or woman to hold the camera rather than attaching it to a tripod, steady-cam or dolly. The video below show the comparison between a hand-held shot and a 'steadipod' shot.