I often make fast and off the cuff videos. So I thought I’d send my next few blog posts giving some tips and tricks. It won’t be everything (as that would be endless) but should be easy to understand for the beginner mobile filmmaker.

So let’s say you want to make a video of your event or of a charity. But where do you start?

Well when you shoot an event or an interview, it’s telling a story just like any film. You need a beginning, middle and end. I often start with something to camera saying:

• who I am
• what the event actually is
• where I am

I also make sure I get shots of the outside of the event (location shot) as well as people doing things at the event or in the case of an interview, shots of them interacting with other, working or doing things that relate to the subject of the interview. This is so when I’m editing I can cut between bits of the interview seamlessly even if the clips of what they are saying are not originally said at the same time.

I often end the piece with something to camera to either:

• give the viewer a call to action (like “Donate now” followed by where to donate)
• Or an overview of the event – a good one liner on why it was good or why it was important

It’s worth noting that you don’t have to talk to camera yourself. When you are interviewing people, you can get them to give those answers yourself.

This is just the beginning. Next post? Using natural light when you film.