Being the Head of Film/Video Production here at Life Preserver I get to see a ton of home videos. I truly love the adorable scenes of young ones taking there first steps, teens lining up for a prom snapshot, and mom and pops shedding a tear as their “baby girl” walks down the isle at her wedding. Something that concerns me though is the amount of unwatchable footage. Not to say it is impossible to view on a computer or television screen. By unwatchable I mean the video has been shot in a way that is not pleasurable to watch.    

Whenever most human beings shoot a home movie they care very little about what is going on inside the camera, and more importantly, the viewfinder. What is recorded is what the lens can see, not that barbecue Uncle Rick is tending to with one hand while carelessly waving his camera around with the other. The dutch angles and “MTV” montage quickly grow old and make most viewers feel queasy. Maybe you, the videographer, aren’t going to pursue a Hollywood distribution deal of your families memories, but dont you want to be able to enjoy, and share them?  

What I aim to offer in this continuing post is a bit of advice on how to shoot your home movies better, and with a little bit of style while your at it. With the revolution of digital video came mindblowing possibilities but sadly most individuals don’t realize or care they exist. Stay with me and I might be able to offer some advice from years of experience shooting everything from little home made videos to professional documentaries.