4 Simple Camera Tricks

By Dan Feildman

Unfortunately we have all been there. The subject matter is uninspiring and there is absolutely nothing you can do to make it visually stimulating. For me this usually occurs when I have to film an event or other social gathering however I never let it get me down; when this happens I figure I have two choices, I can either let the boring and humdrum win or I can use some of the following tricks and attempt to get some prize winning footage.

POV: The Point of View Shot means taking your shot from the point of view of the subject itself. If you have seen the movie the Patriot you will recognize this as when the cannon ball comes right at the camera and then the action cuts to a soldier being hit by that same cannon ball. It captures the viewers interest and instantly pulls the audience into the action. These shots are great when there is a lot of action and you want to shots of the same action.

Rack Focus: Rack Focus is when you change your focus between a close subject and a distant subject. You can get some pretty amazing footage using thse because it puts the camera man in direct control of the audience. By manually switching the focus of the camera between subjects distant and close you include two totally distinct subjects without cutting or moving the camera. You are forcing your audience to follow the focus since the blurred images are not easily interpreted. This technique adds a professional look to any video.

Crooked Angle: Turn the camera to the side so that the ground is no longer parallel with the square of the viewfinder. I am consistently amazed at how interesting these shots can be. I do not recommend a lot of movement during such a shot unless you wish to see the audience get sick and vomit on your leather couches. Very slight movement at crooked angles is an easy way to create interest and cast your subjects in a new light.

Track Shot: Moving the camera in a definite path I recently watched new music video where the camera zipped around the band on a carefully built track. The band didn?t do much other than simply perform but the speed of the camera flying around and cutting between the shots kept me interested during the entire song. This effect can easily be imitated by putting the camera on a wheelchair, skateboard, or even in your hand as long as it keeps a steady path.

Turn your bland session into something incredible with these four classic shots which will definitely increase the interest of your productions and leave your audience wanting more.

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