Jitters. We all get them. They make things feel shaky, quaky and unclear. Whether you’re nervous about making your first films, or sick of making movies that look amateurish, there are things you can do to steady your nerves and steady your shots. Once you understand the techniques needed to do something well, you build up your confidence and skill at the same time. Result? Awesome movies.
So let’s start with one very simple technique that will improve your movies tenfold.
USE A TRIPOD!
Go out and buy, borrow, or build a tripod if you don’t have one already. Use it. Use it all the time. Crank it high, make it low, but use it. Think of your camera and the tripod as a team.
Our eyes see things without jiggling when we walk. Even a steady-cam does not reproduce how our vision moves through space. We see things as steady and consistent in space, because that’s how our brain interprets what our eyes see.
Exceptions! Of course, sometimes you want your footage to be jiggly. And amateur-ish. Some horror films or suspense scenes will make use of a jiggly camera to build tension. Sometimes a jiggly camera will be used to indicate a point of view shot, even though we don’t actually see the world as jiggly. The French Nouvelle Vague changed cinema forever with their free-form hand held camera technique. But always think of hand held camera-work as a special effect. A steady camera is the norm, not the exception.
“But, I don’t have a tripod! I can’t afford a tripod! I forgot my tripod at home!”
Okay, sure. Sometimes, a tripod isn’t possible or convenient. If you’re in a tight spot, just put your camera on something —a table, a book, anything that doesn’t move. You won’t have the great range of motion you get with a tripod, but you will have a steady shot.
And if the only option is a hand held shot, then lean on something to stay steady. If you can’t lean, then use your body to steady your camera as much as possible. Hold your elbows in against your rib cage so the movement comes from your hands, rather than your entire arm. Bonus tip: this holds true for still photography, too.
If there is absolutely no way you can get hold of a tripod, hold your camera the steady way:
Yes! The STEADY WAY to hold your camera: wide stance, arms in, or resting on a steady surface like a piece of furniture.
No! The UNSTEADY way to hold your camera: elbows out, arms outstretched. This is going to look blurred or jittery.
So, to recap. Do not use a tripod if you want your film to
- look like amateur-time
- win fist prize in a rotten tomato contest
- make your audience sea-sick or nauseous
- inspire your audience to walk out
- look like a 1960s New Wave film (hey, you might! Could be cool!)
DO use a tripod if you want your film to:
- look polished and professional, or like a Classical Hollywood film
- look the way human eyes see things
- depict clear steady images that make sense to viewers
- be awesome (just saying)
Assignment:
Shoot two short scenes. Recreate a scene from a movie you like, or create your own. Film one as hand held. Film the other using a tripod. Try to get camera positioning and action in front of the lens to be the same for both versions. The only difference between the two scenes? Film one with a tripod, and one without.
Then, watch your two scenes closely. What do you notice about the difference between the two scenes? Which technique, hand-held or tripod, makes more sense for your scene? Which technique supports the scene and which technique distracts from the scene? Now you have the knowledge and the technique. Go forth and use it only for good.
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