Making Better video

Whether this is your first video or your 100th, whether you are a professional or just starting out,  here you can find how to learn a new technique or about some new hardware that can help you in your making better videos. I have been making films for 50 years and now my sons also are learning, so come along with me and learn with me, how to go about making better video.

How to videos with a difference -  Exercises to help you in making better video 

Podcasts and videos coming up
Read the blog Now 
Try out the free course

Location. Its where everything starts
Lighting Basics and Reflectors. The location needs improving
Sound. The second most important thing about video
Prepare. You don't need a script but you do need a plan
The Camera I have a camera/phone now I can make a video. Wrong.
The Talent. Who you watch the stars of the video
Props People move - they need to interact with things.
The equipment. Making better videos requires a little bit extra
Basic Techniques Some of the basics to get you going.
The team, all those needed to make a production a success.
The Lenses. Move the image without moving everything else
More cameras more work. But there are alternatives
The editor - cheap or expensive it makes the difference
Foley. The sounds that you expected and needed to hear but didn't
Colour Grading - making it all look beautiful or thematic

Daily Blog, Social Media and YouTube

Read and Comment on the Blog
Posted on September 30, 2023

New Text here

Posted on September 23, 2023

Selecting the best camera for the job in hand. Often, this seems to be the Canon R5C. It has excellent sound capture, excellent fast lenses and probably most importantly, it can also take excellent photos for the thumbnails as well.

Posted on September 19, 2023

Using the Insta360 to capture 360 video of going out in a Falklands surviving Landing craft. This is normally based in Portsmouth but had come up to Southampton for the week. Read more in the Blog

Posted on September 11, 2023

The ATEM connected to an SSD to record the concert and then to be edited later to make into a video. Now many churches have WiFi so now it is just as easy to stream the concert as long as all the music licensing issues are solved first. More on Licensing in the Blog

Posted on August 29, 2023

One of the advantages of using a Blackmagic camera for live video work is that either remotely or via the ATEM I can control the zoom. This is the idea when I teach online and am the only one in the studio, as I can control everything.  continued in the blog

Posted on August 27, 2023

Is it worth kitting out the camera with a large battery, an extra monitor, a Mattbox and a frame to hold it all, or is it better to shoot light? The best answer is both, depending on the circumstances. The real answer depends on which system creates the best video.

Posting on August 23 2023

Are these tilt and shift lenses worth it for video. they are great in stills photography but can they find a use in video. They are best suited when the camera stays still and the subject moves  in the frame.

Posted on August 19, 2023

Sound is so important in video and music makes up much of the sound. Copyright free is the way to go but composing music is very difficult that is why there are AI programs out there like Soundraw to help.

Posted on August 10, 2023

There is nothing worse in a Photo or a video when the unimportant background stands out, because of a crease or a mark. So before you start filming or shooting it is necessary to remove the creases of marks to get that perfect shot