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    Master VideoWITH YOUR DSLR

    LEARN HOW TO Stabilise your camera

    Record better audio

    Master focusing & exposure

    WIN!A Canon EOS C100 II

    21EXPERT TIPSOur essential guide to

    making better videos

    In our Amateur

    Filmmaker

    of the Year

    competition

    BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MAKERS OF In association with

    10,000

    IN PRIZESTO BE WON!

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    EDITORIAL TEAMWritten and edited byRichard Sibley DesignMark JacobsProductionLesley Upton, Meike Abrahams

    Nearly every digital

    camera now comes

    with the obligatory

    red button that

    activates its video

    mode, but how many

    of us actually get around to pressing

    it? Unlike stills photography, video can

    be daunting. There is a whole new set

    of rules, techniques to practise and

    editing soware to get your head

    around. Plus, there is another

    dilemma: what to shoot?

    Thankfully, photographers arent

    starting from scratch. Many of the

    same principles apply to stills and

    video, particularly framing, exposure,

    composition and lighting. You can

    start with just the basics and

    introduce new techniques as you go.

    And as for what to shoot, well, there is

    plenty to choose from. If you are stuck

    for ideas, just turn on your TV. Wildlife

    documentaries are a great place to

    start. Watch how landscapes are shot,

    or how timelapse videos are used.

    Then think about how you can use

    these types of shots in your own

    environment. You can even make

    your holiday videos more interesting

    so your family and friends actually

    want to sit down and watch them.

    This supplement aims to give you

    some of the basic information you

    need to get out and start using the

    video mode on the camera. And if you

    feel inspired, why not check out The

    Video Mode (www.thevideomode.

    com), the new website from the

    makers ofAmateur Photographerand

    What Digital Camera, in association

    with Canon. The site offers advice on

    shooting video, from the information

    you need to know when starting out,

    to more advanced questions on

    shooting raw video footage. Plus,

    we will be offering insights and

    techniques from leading

    videographers, as well as camera and

    equipment reviews. Basically, theres

    everything you need to get started

    recording video with your digital

    camera. So read this supplement and

    then pay The Video Mode a visit.

    Richard Sibley, supplement editor

    Welcome

    CONTENTSVIDEO

    5Shooting videoon a DSLRWe explain the basics, and how to

    set up your camera to record video

    8Amateur Filmmakerof the Year competitionYour chance to enter the UKs newestcompetition for budding amateur filmmakers

    10Exposing for videoThe key rules you need to know

    13Sound recordingOur guide to the basics of audio recording

    1621 top tipsOur round-up of the best advice that will helpyou on your way to shooting successful videos

    20Supportingyour cameraHow to keep your camera as stable as possiblewhen shooting video

    22Editing and exportingWe explain how to edit, export and shareyour video with the world

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    ESSENTIALS THE BASICS

    www.thevideomode.com IMaster video with your DSLR 5

    on a DSLR

    ShootingvideoAlmost every camera allows you toshoot video, but the terminology can beconfusing. We explain the basics, andhow to set up your camera to record

    FROM cine film to analogue video, theenthusiast photographer has alwaysbeen able to shoot moving images.Just as with photography, digitaltechnology has changed theway enthusiasts can shootvideo. Almost every digitalstills camera is now capable ofshooting video, and many ofthese cameras can producefootage that is of broadcastquality. Computers have alsohad an impact, as editingsoftware that was once the

    preserve of the professionalcan now be found on the mostbasic computer, or even asmartphone. On top of that,the internet, and websites likeYouTube, allow us to share ourvideo creations with the world.

    Yet videography can be a dauntingplace. Theres a new range of formatsto use and acronyms to understand, aswell as composition and exposure rulesto learn. To help you get to grips withshooting video, or even just to refreshyour knowledge if youre more

    experienced, well start with the basics.

    ResolutionAs technology has advanced, our abilityto record and display video at higherand higher resolutions has increased.Until a few years ago, a lot of videowas recorded at VGA resolution, or at

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    640x480 pixels. Forcomparison, broadcast quality

    NTSC SD resolution is recorded at720x480 pixels, while PAL SD

    resolution is at 720x576. Theintroduction of high-definitiontelevision brought us 1280x720and 1920x1080 pixels.

    4K video is now becoming morecommon, despite the fact that mostpeople dont have a TV or monitorthats able to display the footage. There

    720x480(DVD)

    1280x720

    1920x1080 (Full High Definition)

    3840x2160 (4x1080p 4K) 4096x2160

    (DCU

    STANDA

    RD)

    are a few variants in 4K resolution, butits generally recorded at 4096x2160pixels meaning that a still frame froma 4K video is around 8 million pixels in

    size. Believe it or not, 8K is expected toarrive by the end of the decade, at anincredible 7680x4320 pixels or 33.2million pixels for a still frame.

    So which resolution should youchoose? Generally, you should alwayschose the highest resolution you can even if youre only uploading your

    PAL,NTSCand

    frame ratesPAL AND NTSC are different video standards that are primarilyused for analogue television broadcast, but are still relevantwhen shooting video. The UK, and most of the world, uses PAL,whereas the USA uses NTSC. If youre in the UK you shouldalways set your video system to PAL, to make sure that you canplay back via the camera output to a TV.

    Although in these days of HD digital the choice between PALand NTSC is less important, the one thing you still need toconsider is the frame rate. The NTSC standard uses 30fps, whilePAL uses 25fps. If PAL footage is shown on an NTSC standardscreen, five extra frames must be added, otherwise footage willseem too fast. On the other hand, five frames must be dropped

    from NTSC footage when shown on a PAL screen otherwise it willseem too slow. If you plan to broadcast your video, or record it toa DVD or Blu-ray, you should make sure that it is recorded at anappropriate frame rate, and resolution, for the output medium.

    On the internet things are a little dif ferent. Its possible toupload and play back footage at any number of different framerates. However, 24, 25 and 30fps are the most common speeds,and online video players mostly support these. However, itsworth noting that some sites may recompress the video, causinga drop in frame rate or a loss in quality.

    footage to YouTube or a similar site. Ifyou watch 640x480 footage from

    10 years ago on a 50in high-definitionscreen today, it will look very low quality.Try to shoot in 4K, because even if youdont fully appreciate it now, youprobably will in the very near future.

    Video files and formatsFirst, youll need to get to grips with thevarious kinds of video formats available.This is a dazzling world of names andacronyms like AVCHD, H.264, MPEG-4AVC, QuickTime, AVI, MP4, Pro Resand X AVC. However, once you knowhow video files work, it s actually fairly

    straightforward and there are really onlya few you need to concern yourself withwhen starting out.

    A video file is made of two parts: acontainer (or wrapper) and a codec (orcompressor). The most basic way ofunderstanding how they work is to thinkof the container as a library or filing

    Above: As thisillustration shows,the difference inresolution fromhigh definition to4K is a big increase

    Above left: Setyour camera torecord video at1920x1080 pixels

    at a rate of 25fps

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    ESSENTIALS THE BASICS

    system. It contains all the informationand instructions that allow the video

    clip to be played properly.Within the container is the video, and

    audio, itself. In the same way that thereare different image file formats, suchas JPEG, TIFF and BMP, there aredifferent video formats. Each of thesecan be compressed in different ways.Some are compressed to get a smallfile size, at the expense of image quality,while others are designed to producethe best image quality possible although this often creates large files inthe process. The codec is the form ofcompression that has been used for

    the video, and for the audio.When you play the video back, the

    container instructs the software, orhardware, how to play the video, audioand even subtitles that are containedwithin it. Thankfully, most computermedia players can now play almost anyvideo file, but on the internet things

    work differently. Also bear in mind thatif you want to create a DVD or Blu-ray,

    you also need to stick to specificstandards for video creation, althoughmuch of this can be done after editingyour video.

    For most purposes youll want torecord as an MP4 file. An MP4 file isactually a container file that containsMPEG-4 Part 10 AVC video.Confusingly, MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC ismuch more commonly known asH.264. So an MP4 file can haveH.264 compression. However,AVCHD files also use video thathas H.264 compression.

    Some cameras will offer a choice ofdifferent file formats, perhaps MP4 orAVCHD, and it may be confusing whenit comes to deciding which one to use.When youre starting out, it may help toknow that MP4 files are slightly easierto work with, as the AVCHD containeruses a folder structure that can seem

    confusing. MP4 files are simpler to use,as they can be opened and played justlike a conventional file. They are alsomuch easier to upload to the internet.

    Interlaced or progressive?Youll often see the letters i or p after

    the video resolution, such as 720p or1080i, and you might also see it afterthe frame rate, such as 24p, 30i or60p. The letters refer to the termsinterlaced or progressive.

    Progressive footage means that thevideo is played back line by line, so lines1, 2, 3, 4 and so on will be played backconsecutively. Once the last line hasbeen played, it returns to the first lineand the process starts again.

    Interlaced footage plays alternatelines from the video (for example, 1, 3,5, 7) and once it has played the lastline, it will return and play the remainingones (2, 4, 6, 8 and so on).

    A lot of the debate over progressiveor interlaced stems back to the originaltechnology and techniques used forbroadcast. Nowadays, with someconsumer cameras capable ofrecording at 60p, and sensor readoutspeeds getting faster and faster, thecase for shooting interlaced footage isbecoming less relevant. We wouldrecommend shooting progressivefootage, but try both on dif ferent

    types of subjects and see whichone you prefer.

    ColourAlthough there are some camerasthat now shoot a raw video format,for the most part youll be workingwith compressed footage. To get themost out of editing this footage it simportant to make sure that its asflat as possible. This means preservingas much detail in the highlights andshadows as you can, which in turnmeans shooting the footage with

    the lowest contrast colour settingavailable and with colours that arentoverly saturated. Look for a coloursetting in-camera that is specifically forvideo, or for a Faithful, Natural, Neutralor a flat (low contrast and saturation)setting. Even in these settings, it canbe worth reducing the saturation andcontrast further, and then editingthe colour in post-production.

    Select a colour stylein-camera that islow contrast andlow saturation tocapture as muchdetail as possible

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    Round OneCanon EOS 7D Mark II, worth1,499.99Canon Legria Mini X, worth 329.99Round TwoCanon EOS 5D Mark III, worth 2,499.99Canon Legria Mini X, worth 329.99

    Round ThreeCanon XC10 (with 128GB CFast cardand reader), worth 1,999.99Canon Legria Mini X, worth 329.99Overall prizeCanon Cinema EOS C100 Mark II,worth 3,599.99

    Your chance to enter the UKs newest competition for budding amateur filmmakers

    Amateur Filmmaker

    of the Year competition

    10,000INPRIZESTOBEWON

    TO COINCIDE with the launch ofThe Video Mode website, werepleased to announce our newAmateur Filmmaker of the Year(AFOY) competition. AFOYchallenges you to get creative withyour filmmaking, and gives you theopportunity to win some fantasticprizes worth 10,000 in total.

    The competition is split intothree rounds, each with its uniquetheme: Nature, Time and Love. Toenter, submit a video no morethan five minutes in length, of HDquality. You can shoot on anycamera youd like, and the contentand editing are up to yourimagination so long as it fits

    the rounds particular theme.Visit www.thevideomode.com to

    view the top videos, as well as thescores and a leaderboard for theoverall competition. The winnerwill be the person with most pointsafter three rounds, who will winthe overall prize as well as title ofAmateur Filmmaker of the Year.

    Visit www.thevideomode.com/afoyto send us a link to your short film and to view the full terms and conditions

    In association with

    Rounds and datesBelow is a list of the competition rounds, their themes and the dates youneed to know. To view the results, visit www.thevideomode.com. Whenplanning your entry, take into consideration the criteria of fulfilling thebrief, creativity and technical excellence on which youll be judged.

    Theme Opens Closes

    Round One: Nature 1 Aug 30 Sep

    Round Two: Time 1 Oct 31 Dec

    Round Three: Love 1 Jan 28 Feb

    The overall winner will be announced in April 2016

    Round One: NatureIn this round we ask you to filmnature from a new perspective.Look at the world around you from urban foxes at twilight, to aspectacular sunrise from a newangle and get creative with uniqueviewpoints. To see examples, go towww.thevideomode.com/examples.

    PrizesEnter to win your share of prizes worth over 10 000!Heres what you could receive:

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    Your expert guideSimeon Quarrie isknown for his creativityand storytelling in bothvideo and photography.

    His work has seen him travelacross the world for clientswho seek his unique approach.

    With his passion for bothwedding photography andcinematography, Simeon hassuccessfully worked across arange of genres. He is a prolificeducator with infectiousenthusiasm and his workfeatures on top industry blogs.

    Master video

    with your DSLRat our tuition dayTo go along with the launch of the first round of theAmateur Filmmaker of The Year competition, were holding

    an exclusive seminar in London for all budding filmmakers

    FREEEVENT!

    WEDNESDAY

    2SEPT2015

    09.30-13.30

    THIS tutorial session is essentialfor amateurs who would like tolearn the basics of filmmakingwith a DSLR or compactsystem camera, and will covereverything you need to knowto get more out of that redrecord button.

    Expert videographer SimeonQuarrie will provide you with thetechnical and practical skillsneeded to start shootinghigh-quality video, including:

    Setting up your camerafor optimum results

    Essential shooting skills The importance of

    high-quality audio

    Lunch will be provided and, asan added bonus, youll have the

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    Places are on a first come, first served basis and are limited to 90 people

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    How to expose fo

    IF YOU know how to expose a stillphotograph, then you know how toexpose video. There is one importantrule, the 180shutter rule (see right),but the basics of aperture, shutterand sensitivity remain the same.

    Depending on the camera youreusing, you may have the option toshoot a very low compression, or evenraw video footage. This will give youmuch more flexibility when editing thevideo, and allow you to recover someshadow and possibly highlight detail.Generally, though, you want the footageto look as good straight out of thecamera as you can, and this meansavoiding blown-out highlight areas.

    SensitivityJust as with stills photography, the higher

    the sensitivity, the less light is required toexpose the frame. However, due to theshutter speeds that are used for video,the sensitivity will generally be at thelowest possible settings, usually ISO 100,200 or 400, depending on the camera.

    Using a higher sensitivity can alsointroduce noise. On a still image noiseis acceptable to some degree, but therandom nature of video noise meansthat shadow areas are prone toconstantly looking fuzzy andmay even change 24 timesa second, which can be

    very distracting. Again,its best to stick to lowersensitivity settings totry to prevent this.

    Shutter speedStills photographers will know thatthe shutter speed is used to controlhow movement is recorded in a scene.So if youre taking a picture of runningwater, for example, a slower shutterspeed will give you blurred or smoothwater, whereas a fast shutter speedwill freeze the water in place as itfalls or flows.

    In digital video, however, the shutterworks slightly differently. For a start,with stills photography youre relyingon a mechanical shutter, but whenyoure recording video the noise ofthe shutter would be picked upduring video recording. So instead,the shutter opens at the start andthen an electronic shutter simulatesthe function of the mechanical

    shutter as you film.When shooting stills, you can shoot atany shutter speed you like, or at leastwhatever shutter speed is appropriatefor the effect youre aiming for and theenvironment youre working in. You cancapture images right up to 1/8,000sec(so long as your camera has thatfunction), right down to long exposures

    lasting a number ofseconds.

    So the criticaldifferencebetween the

    two disciplineslies in the factthat for videoyoure limited

    to a single shutter speed whilerecording and that shutter speeddepends on the frame rate youreshooting at.

    ApertureThe aperture setting controls the depthof field, as well as the amount of lightcoming into the camera through thelens. The restrictions on what shutterspeed can be used for video has a bigimpact on the aperture settings thatcan be used. In video, a shallow depthof field is often used to isolate thesubject. One of the advantages ofshooting with a DSLR that has a largesensor is that consumers can reproducethis look and therefore a video thatlooks like a Hollywood film. In the past,video cameras with smaller sensorscouldnt replicate this shallow depth offield, which is why most amateur videoshave front-to-back focus. To give yourvideo a cinematic effect, try using ashallow depth of field and carefullyfocusing. Dont use it all the time,

    though, as it may look amateurish.

    ND filtersHaving to stick with a fixed shutterspeed can feel particularly limiting forthose of us who are experienced in stillsphotography. If youre outdoors andshooting at 1/50sec at your lowest ISOand you want to use a wide aperture,youll often find that your scene isoverexposed. The natural tendency fora photographer would be to increasethe shutter speed, but because we cantdo that on video we have to use ND

    filters to reduce the amount of lightentering through the lens.

    When shooting video, ND filters workin exactly the same way as they do for

    Exposing for video is very similar toexposing for still images. However,

    there are key rules you need to know

    ND filters reducethe amount of lightentering the lens,

    and prevent avideo becomingoverexposed

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    MASTER EXPOSURE

    www.thevideomode.com IMaster video with your DSLR 11

    vi eoimages. ND filters come in differentngths and can cut out a numbertops of light starting at 1 stop andng right up to 10 stops. You canocombine filters to block out evenre light if, for some reason, 10 stopsnt enough.owever, one ND filter thatsome popular over recent yearshe variable ND filter, which is ale circular filter that can beusted between 2 and 10 stops.

    advantage of this is that onergives you 8 different stopsange, which also means that itssible to subtly adjust the exposuree filming. However, not all variablefilters are born equal, and somea lot better than others. It is worthting a good-quality variable NDrfrom a reputable manufacturer

    and supplier, as cheaper versions cancause colour casts or strange light

    terns to occur.this is an aspect of videographywould particularly like to control,

    meprofessional video cameras likeanon Cinema EOS models have

    lter built in so that a range ofbe dialled in without having

    to attach a lter to the front.

    THE 180shutter rule relates to the

    fact that film cameras use rotaryshutters, and by changing the angleof the rotary shutteryou can change the durationof the exposure (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_disc_shutter for details).

    For a natural-looking motion, theshutter speed should be twice thelength of the shooting rate. So at24fps or 25fps, the shutter shouldbe set to around 1/50sec. If youreshooting at 30fps, then the shutterspeed can be set to 1/60sec. If the

    shutter speed that is exactly doubleisnt available, then choose one thatis closest. For example, if shootingat 60fps, the shutter speed can beset to 1/125 sec.

    If you shoot slower than the 180shutter rule, then the footage will

    suffer from motion blur, which can

    look odd and cause a loss in detail.Conversely, shooting at a fastershutter speed (and therefore asmaller shutter angle) can createa stuttering type of motion, andmake natural human movementslook slightly robotic.

    Over the years filmmakers haveput both these effects to good use for example, a 45shutter wasused for some scenes in the TVseriesBand of Brothersand the filmSaving Private Ryan. This wouldhave meant shooting at a shutter

    speed of 1/198sec, or 1/200sec ona digital camera, and was used tocreate a very tense, uneasy feelreminiscent of the slightly staccatolook of old cine films. Sticking tothe 180shutter rule will give youthe most natural movement.

    ONEFEATURE that

    has found itsway fromprofessionalvideocamerasto digitalcameras thatalso shootvideo is zebra patterning. Themoving black & white stripedpattern can be seen in areas of theimage that are blown out. Usuallythe zebra pattern can be set to aspecific value. If you only want tosee areas that are completelywhite, with no detail, then set the

    zebra patternto 100%.

    However, tomake surethere isenough detailfor editing,and that noarea is white,even if seen

    on a variety of different screens,it may be worth setting the zebralower, to, say, 95%. This will thenwarn you of any area that is over95% in brightness. The zebrapattering and histogram should beyour guides when it comes tosetting exposure.

    Zebra patterning

    The 180shutter rule

    180 45

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    8WWW.WHATDIGITALCAMERA.COM

    Want to shoot

    better Video?Well now you can!TheVideo Modeis a brand new website fromAmateur Photographerthat will teach you everything you need to know,from capturing those special holiday memories to filming the next blockbuster.

    TheVideo Modefeatures tuition videos and technique articles from expert

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    www.thevideomode.comFROM

    In association with

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    MASTERAUDIO

    www.thevideomode.com IMaster video with your DSLR 13

    Headphone

    outputIts important to be able

    to monitor the quality of thesound youre recording,so a headphone port is

    a desirable feature.

    Mic inputUnless youre using a

    separate digital audio recorder,youll need a camera with a micinput to achieve good-quality

    audio with your video.

    Hotshoe micA mic can often be attachedto your cameras hotshoe.

    Although this is convenient,it may not always be the

    best place to put it.

    Sound

    recordingGreat picture quality is only half the storywhen making videos, as the sound is just asimportant. Heres our guide to the basics ofaudio recording for videographersBUILT-IN microphones fitted to DSLRsand compact system cameras are finefor short personal clips of your holidaysor the kids playing in the garden subjects where the camera operator isalso likely to be the narrator but foranything more professional, the qualityis woefully inadequate. Good soundquality is just as important as goodpicture quality. You can disguise lessthan perfect pictures with great sound,but great images will be ruined bypoor audio.

    For anyone looking to take videoseriously, the first investment, after the

    camera itself, should be a microphone,and if youre buying a camera withvideo in mind you should make sure ithas an input to accept a mic. Over thenext few pages we look at the factors toconsider when recording audio onyour camera, and the optionsavailable to help you get the bestresults. Our assumption is thatyoull want to record a humanvoice in your videos, but even ifyou only wish to record, say,birdsong, the same principlesstill apply.

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    Built-in micA built-in mic is a poor choice forrecording sound. For a start, it s verysmall so small that you may not evenhave noticed where it is (look for acluster of tiny holes on the front of thebody). Its omnidirectional, so it picks up

    sound from all around. While it may notbe powerful enough to clearly pick outthe voice of a subject speaking a fewmetres away, its sensitive enough toamplify the sounds in its immediatevicinity, including your breathing andeven the quiet whirring of the lenss AFmotor. Its vulnerable to wind noise, too,which records as a loud roar anddrowns out any speech.

    These shortcomings can all be curedby using a suitable external microphone.But which type should you choose?There are so many, each of which hasits place, depending on your needs.Lets take a closer look at the options.

    Directional hotshoe micMany camera brands and independentcompanies make a simple cardioidmicrophone that fits into your camerashotshoe, plugs into the mic input andrecords the sound coming from in frontof it. You can buy these for less than100, and they offer stronger sound andless distracting background, handling andwind noise (when used with a suitable

    windshield). However, they still havedrawbacks. For the best audio quality, themic should be as close as possible to thesound source, not on the camera. If yoursubject is over two metres away, thequality will suffer. To see how muchdifference a hotshoe-mounted mic canmake, see our video at www.

    thevideomode.com/tuition/the-basics-of-

    recording-audio-for-video-323.

    The shotgun mic

    The shotgun mic can also be mounted

    on your hotshoe, using a suitable shock-

    absorbing cradle, but its much more

    directional you could say its thetelephoto lens of microphones, in that itpicks up from a very narrow angle infront and has a longer range than a

    basic hotshoe mic. Even so, shotgunmics are most frequently used off thecamera, suspended from a boom abovethe subject, or pointing up from below,out of camera shot. Youve probablyseen them in behind-the-scenes shotsof movie and TV sets. Shotgun mics areusually more expensive than basic

    on-camera hotshoe mics, but they have

    the bene t of being more versatile.

    The lavalier mic

    The lav mic,

    or lapel mic,

    is a tiny

    Above: The TascamDr-4 (160) is aversatile portabledigital recorder

    that accepts

    different typesof mini-jacks

    Below: TheSennheiser MKE

    600 Shotgun mic

    260) works

    well for occasions

    when lapel mics

    arent suitable

    p

    attaches to theclothing,just below the neck, of

    speaking. Its short rang pup crystal-clear sound from the personits attached to, while ignoring moredistant sounds. These mics are availablein both omnidirectional and directionaltypes, and both wired or wirelessvarieties. Although you can pick up awired lav mic for under 50, yourshooting distance is limited by thelength of the cable (on average, about6m) since the other end of the miccable plugs directly into the camera.(There is a workaround for this,however, which well come to shortly.)With a wireless lav mic you can shootfrom further away and the subject hascomplete freedom of movement. Thedownside of lav mics is that theyrevisible in your video, and the wirelessvarieties can be very expensive forthe amateur filmmaker.

    Using a separateaudio recorderSo far, all the solutions presentedassume that youre still recording yoursound in-camera, but this doesnt haveto be the case. In fact, there are manyreasons not to. The most obvious is thatyou may not even have an external micinput to plug a microphone into. Evenif you do, the main problem thenbecomes how you control and monitorthe sound. Few cameras currently havemanual audio-level adjustment, and if

    they dont, it means theyll use autogain compensation to automatically

    adjust the record level (like autoexposure, but for sound). Thismeans that if the ambient noiselevel in your environmentsuddenly drops (for example,if someone stops speaking or

    music stops playing) the camera,

    Although we use a variety of cameras (mostly CaDSLRs or the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3), our audiorecording kit is fairly consistent. We use:A Sennheiser EW 100-ENG G3 (around720)Probably 90% of our videos are shotusing this wireless lapel mic, attached to thepresenter. We have two sets, one using XLRconnections for our audio recorder, and the other ttedwith 3.5mm mini-jacks so it can go directly into tcamera. A Sennheiser MKE 600 shotgun mic around 260)For those occasions where a lapel mic isnt suitable, we use thisexcellent shotgun mic, both on and off the camera, depending on thesituation. Rycote accessoriesTo combat wind noise, our micsare fitted with Rycote windshield accessories, including the SoftieWindshield Kit for our shotgun mic. We also use Rycotes shockmounts, whether handholding or hotshoe-mounting the mic.A Tascam DR-40This particular digital audio recorder can acceptboth XLR or 3.5mm mini-jacks, making it a versatile recorderwhichever mic were using.

    For tutorial videos showing how to film better videos on yourDSLR, see our website at www.thevideomode.com

    Whatwe use

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    MASTERAUDIO

    h d d Master video with your DSLR 15

    The Azden SMX-10Directional StereoMicrophone (100)makes use of alobar polar pattern

    P

    C

    M

    S

    P

    C

    suddenly unable to hear anything, startsto panic and cranks up the record level,delivering a sudden whoosh ofbackground hiss. Then, when the sound

    starts again, the level drops suddenlyand obviously. It sounds prettyamateurish. If your camera does havethe means to set a record level, with ameter to provide a visual representationof the audio being recorded, you shoulduse it, setting the peaks of your soundto hit the -12dB level to avoid distortion.Even then, theres no substitute foractually hearing the audio that yourerecording so you should ideally bemonitoring it through headphones.If your camera has a headphoneoutput, make sure you use it.

    So lets say that your camera doeshave manual audio-level control andheadphone monitoring youre good togo, right? Well, yes and no. An audiorecorder will still deliver much bettersound because it uses better quality,more powerful pre-amplifiers, and lesscompression. Its a device purpose-builtfor the job. By not being attached to thecamera, it also enables you to get yourwired microphone much closer to thesound source (the holy grail for

    good-quality audio). Its nolonger an issue that your

    6m wired lav micwont stretch tothe camera, forexample. Theaudio recorder canbe hidden near thesubject, just out ofcamera shot.

    OmnidirectionalLavalier mics (also know as a lav,

    lapel or clip mic) use this 360polar pattern and can easilybe placed on a presenter orinterviewee. You can hearsomeone standing next to thespeaker, as well as noise fromthe side, behind and below.

    CardioidA cardioid microphone has the

    most sensitivity at the front andis least sensitive at the back.Cardioid microphones havemore of a 300polar pattern,which is useful for capturingaudio from the front and sidesof the microphone.

    SupercardioidThese offer a narrower pick-up

    than cardioids and a greaterrejection of ambient sound. Theyalso have some pick-up directlyat the rear, making it useful forinterviews, as it saves timeturning the microphone aroundevery time a question is asked.

    LobarFound in shotgun mics, the polar

    pattern has the highest possibledirectivity, so you can focus in ona specific area, as well as gettingsome pick-up from behind.

    Microphone coverage a

    Microphone typesThere are four main types of microphone

    and each model has different characteristics

    and polar patterns

    Cant afford anaudio recorder?You can buy a reasonable digital audiorecorder for under 100, and an

    excellent one for not a lot more, but ifyoure on a tight budget you could alsoconsider the audio recorder you alreadyown your smartphone. All iPhonesand most other devices have a built-inaudio recorder that is superior to theone in the camera, and like digital audiorecorders they have the benefit of beingable to be positioned close to thesubject. Use one on a table in front ofyour speaker, or even slipped discreetlyinto the shirt pocket (the mic isgenerally at the bottom of the phone soit will need to be upside down) or plug in

    a compatible mic (look for one with aTRRS jack). An inexpensive lav micclipped to the speakers lapel andplugged into a iPhone in their backpocket will produce much clearerrecording than the camera will.

    In addition to the built-in audio-recording apps that come with your

    phone, there are dozens of others, likeGriffins iTalk, with more functionality.

    The downside of

    audio recordersUsing an audio recorder obviouslyadds a little more hassle to yourshoots. Its another thing to thinkabout, something else to go wrong andsomething else to have to buy, butthen best and easiest rarely coincidein life. The biggest hassle, though, isthe fact that youll have to synchronisethe sound you have recordedseparately with the picture you haverecorded in your camera later.

    Thankfully, this is pretty easy. Bymaking a couple of loud claps with your

    hands (a free alternative to using aclapperboard), you can line up thepeaks in the visual waveform that thiscreates with the same peaks on theaudio that is recorded automatically byyour camera. Once synchronised, youcan then remove the in-camera audiotrack. It takes just a couple of minutes.

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    1

    Know your camera

    Before you even step out of thedoor, you should have your cameraset up. When you are out filming, thelast thing you want is to be searchingthrough the menu trying to findsomething or having to change asetting. Spending some time learninghow your camera works, and how toget the best footage from it, will ensurethat you come home with the qualityfootage you are after.

    2 Power and spaceRecording video will eat throughyour batteries, so make sure you arecarrying at least one spare. It is worthtesting your camera before you leaveso you know how long you can recordbefore the battery dies. Also, turn yourcamera off when it isnt in use recording and keeping the screen

    powered will cause the battery to drain.Switch the camera off completely if youarent recording to help preserve thebattery life.

    Similarly, high-definition video cantake up a lot of storage space. Thelatest 4K video footage requires fast

    cards, so look for those with a UHS-III(U3) rating, which should be capable ofcapturing this footage. For standard1080p footage, UHS-I (UI)cards willsuffice. Always take a back-up card withyou as you may end up shooting morethan you thought. Some cameras givean indication of how many minutes ofvideo can be captured with theremaining space on the card.

    3 Shoot what you enjoyA lot of photographers havethe desire to shoot video, but simplydont know what to shoot. They thinkthat everything must be a fict ionalnarrative story, but in truth videographycan be whatever interests you, andan obvious place to start is withwhatever you take photographs of.If you like wildlife photography, tryshooting a wildlife video. If you liketravel photography, make a short videoof the places you are travelling to.Remember that what enthuses youis bound to interest other people, sodont be scared just go out and

    shoot what you are familiar with.

    4Tell a storyBefore you even start a project,think about the story that you want totell. A good story should have a veryclear beginning, middle and end. Makesure you know the story you want to telland think about the shots you will needto illustrate this.

    Your story could be a day in the lifetale of a person or an animal. Think

    Make a shot listbefore you set offand dont forget thememory cards andspare batteries

    A video-capableDSLR, microphoneand a tripod areall you need toget started

    Theres a lot to learn, but our round up of thebest advice will help you shoot successful videos

    21 top tips forshooting video

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    ESSENTIALS TOP TIPS

    Shoot whateverinterests you ifyou like wildlifephotography, makea wildlife video

    about how the day starts and ends.Alternatively, it could be a story of howa bird feeds its young. What is the start,middle and end to this story, and whatshots would you take?

    5 Make a shot listOnce you have your story, thinkabout all the shots youll need to tell it .Consider the main scenes and, ifpossible, add some of the close-upsand B-roll (see tip 7) that you will need.Having a list may seem old-fashioned,

    but it ensures that absolutely nothingyou need is missed.

    6Establish the sceneEstablishing shots form the footagethat tell the viewer key informationabout the scene and location. They helpto establish where the action is takingplace. For a wildlife film this could besome wideangle footage of a field asthe sun comes up. After this establishingshot, the viewer then knows where any

    following footage has taken place andwhat time of day it is.

    7Take plenty of B-rollIn film terms, B-roll is the extrafootage that helps to add detail andcharacter to a film. For example, ifyou are filming the groom writing hisspeech before a wedding, film anestablishing shot of the groom in aroom, get some closer footage over thegrooms shoulder of him writing awayand then try getting some B-roll

    footage that you can cut in. Thiscould be a close-up shot of thepen on the paper, the groomseyes as they scan what he haswritten or some scrunched-uprolls of paper where he hasdiscarded previous attempts.All this footage adds characterand detail that makes it moreinteresting than just a close-upshot of the groom writinghis speech.

    8Dont just shootthe obviousJust as with stills photography, thinkabout how you can use angles creativelyto make your footage more interesting.While it is fine to take establishing shotsfrom eye-level, try to get additional

    footage from higher or lower. You maynot end up using all this footage, but ifyou dont shoot it, the moment may begone and you may not get anotherchance. Look for alternative angles andoptions, particularly for your B-roll, soyou have you plenty of options to makethe edit more interesting.

    9 Keep it to 10 secondsThis isnt a hard-and-fast rule, buttry not to have any single clip lastlonger than 10 seconds. Of course, youcan do this when editing, but try tothink about how you can shoot plentyof interesting clips that are all shorterthan 10 seconds and assemble themtogether. You may only use a couple ofseconds out of the 10, but chances arethere will be few times you will wantyour clip longer than 10 seconds.

    Dont just hit record and film away.Shoot a 10-second wideangleestablishing shot, a 10-secondstandard-length shot and numerous10-second close-ups as your B-roll.You will then have a far more interesting

    30 seconds than if you had beencontinuously recording and zooming in.

    10Less is moreJust because you can dosomething, it doesnt mean thatyou should. It is easy to get carried

    away with lots of panning shots, orzooming all the time, but this canmake your footage look amateurish.

    Keep your use of these effects toa minimum.

    R

    ICHARDSIBLEY

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    11Keep it steadyNo one wants to look at shaky

    footage, so make sure you have somekind of image stabilisation switched onin-camera or on the lens. Ideally, youshould be using a tripod or othersupport. See pages 20-21 forvarious devices currently available.

    12 Manually focusAs intelligent as cameraautofocus systems are, using them forvideo will generally lead to the camerahunting back and forth during filming.

    Switch your camera to manual focusand, as a rule, lock the focus at thebeginning of the recording. Moving thefocus during recording is known asfocus pulling and is a real skill. There aredevices called focus pullers that make itfar easier, as they allow you to mark twopoints of focus on a lens and then shiftbetween them. So if you want to switchbetween one subject talking to anotherhalfway through recording, make sureyou know the exact two points of focusso you can move between them beforeyou start recording. It can be very

    difficult to make these switches of focussmooth, which is why a focus puller isused, and why professional video lenseshave very large focus rings.

    13 Check your focusAlways double-check focus. It isthe most common mistake to makewhen you are starting out, and nothingcan correct it once it has been shot.

    14Use an elastic bandOne of the most useful thingsthat can help your panning shots is a

    simple elastic band. If you have apanning head that doesnt panparticularly smoothly, tie an elastic bandto the panning handle and pull on it. Theband should create a nice even tensionthat will make the movement verysmooth, even on an inexpensive headthat doesnt offer variable resistance.

    15 Compose video as youwould a still imageAlthough you are dealing with movingfootage, the principles of compositionare the same for both stills and video.Remember the rule of thirds andmake sure key elements are on thethird intersections. Also look for leadinglines to help balance images and leadthe eye across the frame to theprincipal subject.

    If the subject of your images is moving

    across the frame, think about wherethey are starting and also where theywill finish. If possible, make a markon the floor or note a point in thelandscape that will help them knowwhere to stop, or help you to decidewhere to stop filming or panning. Again,if you have the chance to practice this,

    then it may be worth making a mark onthe tripod head to note where the panshould start and stop. A chinagraph,chalk pencil or some stickers can oftenbe useful for this.

    16Think about lightJust as you would with still

    images, think about how your scene islit. Use a fill- in light where you need toand avoid shooting your subject withtheir back to the sun.

    Left: Use on-screenmagnification tocheck focus

    Right: A focus

    puller can helpwhen manuallyfocusing

    When shootingvideo, follow therule of thirds andmake sure key

    elements are onthe intersections

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    ESSENTIALS TOP TIPS

    of a computer screen for hours at atime isnt much fun and can makeyou a little blind to what you havealready done. Take a break and revisityour work later. Looking at an edit witha fresh pair of eyes can help you whenyou refine and tweak it.

    19Edit a roughversion quicklyOnce you have all your footage, dontstart the full editing process straightaway. Get the essential video clips onthe timeline and edit them together.Make a very rough cut of the essentials,and when you have that in place

    start to fine-tune by adding moreB-roll footage, refining the cuts andadding transitions.

    20 Keep your video on aseparate hard diskIt is best to edit your video on an externalhard disk drive, connected via a fastUSB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connection.As the computers internal disk is alsoused to run the software and operatingsystem, having it spin back and forthlooking for video footage will slow thingsdown. So long as you are using a fastexternal hard disk and connection, anediting video stored on an external diskwill be far quicker.

    21 Back up, back upJust as with still photos, if yourhard disk dies you could lose everythingso make sure that your videos are savedto at least two places.

    17 Practise withstill imagesIf you havent got much in the way ofvideo footage, then a good place tostart learning the skills you need whenstructuring a story and editing yourwork is by using still images.

    Think about how you want your storyto start and how you want it to end.What details do you want to show?Think about how to show your images inan order to make the story interesting.Most editing software will allow imagesto pan across, so you can see how thesevisual effects will work. You can alsopractise the timing of cuts to music oraudio, and how to place transitions.Travel images are often a good optionto practise with, as you will naturallyhave a narrative of the trip andhopefully plenty of variety.

    18Enjoy editingIf you dont enjoy editing yourvideo this will show in the editingprocess. So if you are feeling tired ofediting or are having a bad day, getaway from the computer and giveyourself a break. Being stuck in front

    Try using stillimages to practiseyour video skills

    Edit your video on aseparate hard diskdrive, such as thisG-Drive

    Use an elastic bandwhen panningto help keepmovements smooth

    If you havent got much in the way of videofootage, then a good place to start learningthe skills you need is by using still images

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    Just as with stills photography, for high-qualityimages you need to keep your camera as stable aspossible. There are many ways to do this, dependingon what youre shooting. We look at some here

    Supportingyour camera

    WHEN filming on a DSLR, one of themost important skills you have to learnis how to keep your camera steady.With stills images a tripod or monopodis the obvious choice, and thesesupports also work with video cameras,but what do you do if you want movingfootage? How do you keep your cameratracking or panning while ensuring thefootage looks smooth? There are manytips, tricks and techniques for this and,in fact, theres a whole industry basedaround supporting your camera.

    TripodsIf youre just starting out, try using astandard camera tripod. Rememberthat when youre shooting video, youshould apply the same principles asyou would if you were shooting along-exposure image. To keep thefootage completely steady and freefrom any shake, you need a sturdytripod that has good locks. It also needsto be placed on solid ground and it simportant not to walk around the tripod,as it may cause it to move slightly.

    After a while you may find that you

    want more support than a standardphotographic tripod can offer. Tripodsdesigned for video usually have far widerlegs that are less prone to wobble andwont rock in the wind. Theyre alsogenerally larger, with bigger heads andno centre column. These features help tokeep the camera as steady as possibleand reduce vibrations when recording.

    MonopodsMonopods are lightweight andeasy to use, and are just as popularfor videographers as they are

    photographers, particularly whencombined with in-camera imagestabilisation. Monopods can be used inthe same way as they would for stillimages, and provide a single leg thatcan be useful when shooting subjectslike wildlife, where you may have toquickly reposition your camera.

    However, the humble monopodhas a second use, which is to act as astabilisation device when moving withthe camera. Attaching a monopod to acamera, and keeping it collapsed, addsextra weight to your DSLR, which canhelp keep movement smooth. Securingthe monopod against your waist or intoyour belt can also help keep movingfootage smooth, as it provides anotheranchor point.

    Stabilising devices,rigs and cages

    There are a huge number of devicesthat are designed to stabilise a camerawhen youre shooting moving video. Themost basic of these is a simple shouldersupport, or shoulder rig, which uses thenatural weight support of the shoulderto help prevent shake and providemore fluid movement.

    Counterweighted stabilisation devicesare another alternative, and theseinclude Steadicam products. Thesescrew into the tripod socket on thebottom of the camera, and use a weight

    to provide ballast that counteracts andsoftens any movement. When used by askilled operator, footage shot using aSteadicam can look as though it wasshot on a camera on a dolly (a type ofsupport on wheels), but the advantageof a Steadicam, or a counterweightedsupport, is that it can go where a dollycant, such as up and down stairs.

    For the average enthusiast, acounterweighted support will helpsteady the footage and createmovement that floats as opposedto shaking or juddering. More

    expensive devices include motorisedgyroscopes that can counteractalmost any movement and provideshake-free footage.

    A rig may also contain a quick-releaseplate, and some rails on which otheraccessories such as focus pullers,clamps, lights, microphones, audiorecorders, hard disk recorders andnumerous other devices can bemounted. A cage may also be included,which is a frame that surrounds thecamera on which various accessories

    When shootingmoving video,a shoulder rig(far right) orcounterweightedstabilisationdevice such as aSteadicam (right)

    will help youproduceshake-freefootage

    Tripods designedfor video use areless prone towobble than thosefor still-imagephotography

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    MASTER CAMERA SUPPORT

    such as a good fluid pan-and-tilt head,where its better to buy the best youcan afford. A good head should last alifetime, while an inexpensive one mayquickly frustrate you and may provelimiting as you become moreexperienced. We advise investing in a

    good-quality head upfront, as youllalmost inevitably end up doing awaywith the less expensive head anyway.Check www.thevideomode.com to seeour latest reviews of video supports.

    Video headsAt their core, video heads aremuch the same as standardphotographic tripodheads. However, thereare a few key refinementsthat help make it easier forvideographers. The most important ofthese are smooth, fluid heads. Theconstruction of such heads means thatwhen panning horizontally or vertically(known as tilting), the pan has a smooth,even resistance. This enables thevideographer to pan or tilt at a constantspeed. Panning is controlled via an arm,and more expensive heads will providea friction control that can change the

    level of resistance for when slower orfaster pans are required. Some

    heads also offer the ability to lockthe head so that it only moves

    across a particular axis,allowing the camerato be only panned

    or tilted.

    can be mounted. Cages often have ahandle above the camera that allows itto be held steadily for low-anglehandheld shots.

    Cheap or expensive?As with standard camera supports,

    there are hundreds, if not thousands, ofdifferent stabilisation and supportingoptions for shooting video and theycome in a broad range of prices. Somecan be fairly inexpensive, and do anexcellent job, but there are other items,

    Invest in agood-qualitypan-and-tilt headfrom the beginning

    Monopods can beused in a variety ofsituations and act asa stabilisation devicewhen moving withthe camera

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    The editing process is when your video reallystarts to take shape. We explain how to edit,export and share your video with the world

    Editingandexporting

    EVEN if you have been working on ashort project that is just a few minuteslong, you will probably have far morevideo than you actually need. The skillnow is to make all the footage into afinished video.

    SowareThere are many different video-editingpackages, and chances are you mayalready have one on your computerwithout even realising it. Windows mayhave Windows Movie Maker installed,but if its not you can download it aspart of the Windows Essentials packageat http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/download-windows-essentials#wetabs=we2012. Thoseusing a Mac may have Apple iMovieinstalled, but if not it is a reasonable10.99 from the Apple App store.

    Most software will operate in muchthe same way, allowing you to put theclips in sequential order, which is usuallydisplayed as a timeline. You will alsobe able to edit the clips individually,choosing to trim or split them asappropriate. Trimming is the process

    of changing the start and/or end pointof a clip, in effect shortening it to cutout anything that isnt relevant. Splittingis the process of splitting a clip in two,often so that another clip can be slottedin where the clip is split.

    The most popular software for editing

    is probably Adobe Premiere, which canbe used on both Macs and PCs, andApple Final Cut Pro X, which can onlybe used on Macs. Adobe Premiere isalso available as Premiere Express inthe form of a cut-down version of thesoftware, although it should haveeverything you need when starting outwithout some of the more complexfeatures of the full version.

    TransitionsA transition is a device that is used tomove from one clip to another. These

    can vary enormously, and most shouldbe avoided or, at the very least, used inmoderation. A simple cut from one pieceof footage to another is usually enough,although transitions can be used tosignify a change of scene, or a change oftime and place. For example, a fade to

    white can often be used before cutting toa dream sequence, while a fade to blackmay be used to signify the end of a dayor the end of a particular sequence offootage. A cross-dissolve transition fadesone scene out as another scene fades in,and when shooting the same subject it

    can be used as a smooth way to cut thefootage without using a jump cut.

    Have a play around with thetransitions offered by your editingsoftware. How you insert a transitionwill vary, but in general they are simplydragged and dropped into positionbetween two clips on your editingtimeline. The best advice when choosingtransitions is to stick to the simplefades already discussed. Generally,most other transitions are very jarringand look unnatural. Watch films,documentaries and music videos tosee how the filmmakers have cutbetween footage and used transitions.You will very quickly get a feel for thedifferent circumstances in which eachtype is used.

    UploadingtoYouTube

    YOUTUBE advises that video be

    uploaded in an MP4 container using theH.264 codec, with the same frame ratethat was used for recording. Although

    other frame rates can be used, 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60fps areall acceptable. Interlaced footage should also be de-interlacedand saved as progressive, although, as we recommend on page 7,its better to use progressive footage in the first place to savethis extra rendering process.

    YouTube also offers the following guidance on bit rates:

    TypeVideo bit rate,

    standard frame rate(24, 25, 30)

    Video bit rate,high frame rate

    (48, 50, 60)

    2160 p (4k) 35-45 Mbps 53-68 Mbps

    1440 p

    (2k) 16 Mbps 24 Mbps1080 p 8 Mbps 12 Mbps

    720 p 5 Mbps 7.5 Mbps

    480 p 2.5 Mbps 4 Mbps

    360 p 1 Mbps 1.5 Mbps

    A cross-dissolvetransition fadesone clip out asanother fades in,as illustrated here

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    MASTER EDITING AND EXPORTING

    ExportingOnce your footage has been edited,you need to save it all together in aformat that you can use to play it.This is known as rendering orexporting, and how you render yourvideo will depend on how you wish it

    to be used.If you are rendering the video so it

    can be saved and played on a DVD,you will need a different set of exportsettings to those required if you plan toshow it directly to a television. Similarly,exporting for the internet brings with itanother few considerations.

    Generally, the main considerationsare the resolution, the type ofcompression and the bit rate. Eachof these will have an impact on thesize and quality of your video. It maysound very confusing and seem like alot to consider, but once again, mostsoftware packages will have a completeset of presets designed to make itsimple to export your video dependingon your needs.

    JumpcutsONE THING to avoid is a jump cut. A jump cut is when two piecesof footage that have the same composition jump in time. Imaginehaving a 10-second video clip, but cutting 4 seconds out of themiddle. Where the third second cuts to the eighth second, a jumpcut is created. The effect can be very jarring and looks very odd.

    However, filmmakers have also used jump cuts creatively,using maybe three or more jump cuts a few seconds after eachother to show a quick passage of time or to create a very tense,

    uneasy feeling.So, unless you have a deliberate purpose for using a jumpcut, avoid it, but be on the look-out for films and televisionprogrammes that use them creatively and think of ways thatthey could be used to help the narrative of your videos.

    Bit ratesThe bit rate is the amount of data thatthe video uses in one second. Thehigher the bit rate, the better quality thevideo, but the larger the file size and themore bandwidth and processing powerwill be needed to view it properly. Also,

    a higher bit rate will need a fasterinternet connection to view it in realtime without buffering.

    Using a codec that heavilycompresses a video can reduce the bitrate, allowing it to load faster and playwithout interruption or dropped frames.However, as the codec does this byreducing the quality of the videofootage, a compromise has to bemade between size and quality.

    Videos with variable bit rates areencoded so the scenes that requiremore detail have a higher bit rate thanscenes that dont. See the Uploadingto YouTubebox (left) for more detailson the specific bit rate required forYouTube, which should also beapplicable for most online video sites.

    Imagine that clips 1 and 3are cut together: missingclip 2 causes a jump cut,which looks odd

    There are manyvideo-editing packages,and chances are youmay already have oneon your computer

    1

    2

    3

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    XC10 THE PERFECTCOMPANION TO CINEMA EOSCreative and versatile the XC10 captures stunning4K/Full HD 4:2:2 video and high quality stills in one compact,lightweight and easy to use camera with 10x zoom lens,optical image stabilisation and Wi Fi remote control.