The Essential Video CameraTechniques Guide Duncan Whitehurst - ICT Advisory Teacher for Pembrokeshire

Plan your movie by making a storyboard: a good storyboard makes a great film!

Know how to switch your camera on and off, how to start recording and stop recording and how to zoom in and zoom out.

Always use a tripod if you have one. Why is using a tripod a good idea?

Never zoom in and out, or move the camera when you are recording. Set up your shot when you are not filming. When you press record take your hands off the camera. This helps to give you steady, professional-looking shots.

The 10 Second Rule No matter what you are filming - even if nothing much happens in the clip - always film at least 10 seconds of it. You never know, it might be useful later. Image from

There are 3 main shots that film-makers use.

Long Shot

Mid Shot

Close Up

Some other useful shots you can try are...

Extreme Close Up Useful for showing expressions clearly.

Low Angle Shot Makes people look important.

High Angle Shot Makes people look small and vulnerable.

Point of View Shot Good for interviews or conversations.

Your film crew will need a director. The director uses 3 main commands:

Camera Ready! Camera Rolling! Action! Cut! (*Click the picture to play the film. You’ll need to be connected to the internet for this to work)

After the Director says “action!” the presenters or actors should (silently) count 3 seconds before they speak. When the scene is finished the Director should (silently) count 3 seconds before he/she says “cut!”.

If your camera has a headphone socket, you can add a sound crew member. Their job is to listen to the sound on headphones to check it is recording clearly. What could you do if the sound coming through to the camera is too quiet?

Watch out for your battery, especially if you are on location. Switch the camera off when you are not filming to save power. If you are going out for the day, bring a spare battery with you if you have one.

Watch this film made by Sageston school - can you spot the long shots, mid shots and close-ups? (*Click the picture to play the film. You’ll need to be connected to the internet for this to work)

For further film-making tips have a look at: Making Movies Make Sense and Edit Sense CDs from Media Education Wales. Click the picture above to go to their website. For workshops and training contact