One holiday memory that is seared into my mind is my Uncle Johnny filming the family gathered together. He used to hunt us down with his video camera that had lights mounted on it like reindeer's antlers. I remember the intensity of the lights blinding and burning. Ah, holiday memories.
But with Uncle Johnny and several other relatives gone, the video he captured is cherished.
Here are a few tips to improve your own home movies this holiday season:
When you look back 20 years from now, you want the focus to be on the family and the hilarious clothes you were wearing - not your camera work. You want to dazzle darling, not hide in the shadows or look flat and grainy.
Lighting is the key. Even if you have a basic camera, or are using your smartphone, your picture quality is vastly improved by lighting. Simple answer, turn on all the lights.
Find the brightest point in your room to place your subject in. Open the curtains and show your neighbours what you're doing.
Use natural lighting to improve your pictures. Remember to place your subject beside or facing the light. Yes, some people will complain you're blinding them, but they'll look good.
Don't make the mistake of placing your subject in front of the light. It could look as though she's in the witness protection program as you may only get a silhouette.
As steady as you try to be, nothing beats a tripod (which could be something as simple as a table or chair). Remember the Blair Witch project? Sure it made millions, but also made us feel sick. The steady shots will automatically up your quality level.
Is it a video or a police line up? Holiday greeting videos often have everyone lined up against a wall. If you want to use a wall because it's a plain backdrop, make sure your “talent” is at least a metre away from it.. make that two.
There may be a star at the top of your Christmas tree, but that doesn't mean it has to be in every shot. The people are the stars - give them enough glory in the framing.
At this stage of the game, make sure your subject's face is in the middle of your viewfinder, don't squish them into the bottom of the frame trying to get the top of the tree in too.
So you've made a great video that you want to share with the world, here's the downer part. If you're going to post the video online, make sure you own or have permission to use the music. If you “borrow” music, the big company that owns it can decide your video should be blocked, muted or monetized. So you think they won't find your little video? When you post to youtube, your music and content is “fingerprinted” and scanned against libraries - so they will eventually find that you're using a Glee song in your video.
Keep your video camera handy and record the holiday season. Remember to come out from behind the camera from time to time and be in the video. It may be hard to watch yourself now, but in 20 years, you'll be glad you captured it.
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