What separates a good filmmaker from the amateur is when a good filmmaker commits something to film, he is presenting his vision of the world from his own unique point of view.
And presenting that vision in your own unique manner is the most important thing. Forget about technology, and the latest cameras, and the biggest lights, all that is useless if you don't know what to film and how to film it.
Here are some tips on how you can use the N-93 to your advantage, to film things from interesting and unique perspectives:
1. The Idea
Everything begins with this. Think about what you're trying to say with your short clip. What's your message? Once you figure this out, you will know exactly what to film and not to film. Think about it. If the clip is entitled "My Best Friend's Wedding", filming anything other than your best friend or wedding would be quite redundant, wouldn't it? Or if its entitled "Baby's First Steps", you wouldn't be filming the baby eating or sleeping, would you? You'd concentrate on filming the baby walking, or attempting to walk.
Everything begins with the idea. Get a good idea, and then you can move on to actually filming it down.
2. Focus
Because the N-93 is so easy and convenient to use, you could end up just whipping it out and filming everything there is to film. Don't. Be focused with your camera. Think about what you're trying to say before you capture it on film.
Let me give an example. Imagine a cute 6 year old girl reading a book, alone in her room on a dark and stormy night. Depending on what you film, it has a message behind it. If you want to say that the girl is very cute, you would film a close up of her cute face. But if you want to suggest that the environment is scary, you would film a wide shot of her small figure alone in the big, dark and stormy room. See the difference?
3. Size
Size matters. The N-93, being so much smaller, lighter and more portable than a traditional video camera, allows you the freedom to move around and to capture unique angles you would not be able to capture using a traditional camera. Play around with it. Stand on top of a chair. Lie flat on the ground. Attach the N-93 to a skateboard or your pet dog. Think. Be creative.
4. Non-intrusiveness
Another advantage of the N-93 is that it is so small that nobody will ever notice you filming them. Use this to your advantage to capture people at their most spontaneous, doing the crazy things they usually do when they think people are not looking. Most people tend to freeze up when a big intrusive camera is in their face. Don't let that happen with the N-93.
5. Have Fun
Films are meant to entertain. And generally, the shorter the film, the more entertaining it has to be. So have fun, and try to let that fun translate into your film.
If you're bored when shooting, you tend to film boring stuff, which translates to boring films, which people find a bore to watch. Don't be boring.
6. Go capture the world!
But in order to do all that, first you have to stop lazing and just go out there and start filming! Get up and go do it! |
