[Julie]

So, cutting to the chase...

I need to shoot a video, about 10 minutes long, the finished project is going to be uploaded to YouTube.

How I shoot, what I shoot, and what gear I use is totally up to me... but the problem, I am a PHOTOgrapher, not VIDEOgrapher.
I don't know squat about video...

I don't think gear is going to be too big of an issue... I have a K01, K30, DAL 18-55, DA 40 2.8, DA* 55 1.4, Tamron 90 2.8 macro, and Tamron 70-200 2.8 lenses to use.

It can be filmed in multiple few-minute-long segments, I don't have to go the full 10 minutes. I'll probably end up using Windows Movie maker to put the segments together, add some basic transitions, and text.

What do I need to know about shooting a half-decent video with what I've got?
Any basic tips/pointers?
What kind of memory cards should I use and how many megapixles/quality should I film in so I will be able to upload it to Youtube?
Any online/downloadable programs for video that might come in handy?

The video doesn't have to be amazing or super-high quality... it's just a school project, but I want it to turn out OK...
there are going to be actors, but we're probably not going to record their voices, instead play some music in the background and use subtitles for what they're saying.




Many thanks in advance, all advice will be helpful and greatly appreciated!

[Na Horuk]

Well you can use the "auto" mode. Or the manual controls. ISO works as in photography - higher ISO means more noise, but more brightness. Same for aperture = DoF & brightness. Shutter speed is a little more odd. It affects blur. The shutter speed should be around twice the fps. If you make it faster, things will appear crisp, if you make it slower, things will look more blurry. this is important if you are making video of moving objects, for example.
Fps is also interesting. If you use a very high fps, things can look jerky, awkward. So people only use fps over 30 when they want to slow it down in post, for a slow motion effect.

Regarding software, you should mention what OS you are using. You will need software to stitch and compress the video, and add any effects that you want. If you are on Windows and want to use Movie maker.. ugh.. it will do in a pinch, but look for alternatives.

SD card, you want something fast. And big enough for your video. Video files take a lot of space, but you might not need a big card, if you will be recording shorter scenes and swapping cards.

YouTube.. Im pretty sure YouTube has a page that explains what codecs and settings work best. Either way, YouTube will re-encode the video. You just want to use such settings that it won't ruin the video in the process. Best to look this thing up before you start.

You have some great lenses there, but for video people often like to use old manual lenses. You see, AF is not good for video, because the last thing you want is noisy AF whirring around, maybe even missing the subject. Older lenses have a long focus throw and good distance scales, so you can use them manually pretty well, maybe even with follow-focus tools. And older lenses also have an aperture ring, so you can adjust it by hand, rather than fiddling with the camera.

Other things to consider are using a tripod and dollie/track. And an external microphone (even though the one on the K-01 is pretty good to begin with)

[Julie]

Well you can use the "auto" mode. Or the manual controls. ISO works as in photography - higher ISO means more noise, but more brightness. Same for aperture = DoF & brightness. Shutter speed is a little more odd. It affects blur. The shutter speed should be around twice the fps. If you make it faster, things will appear crisp, if you make it slower, things will look more blurry. this is important if you are making video of moving objects, for example.
Fps is also interesting. If you use a very high fps, things can look jerky, awkward. So people only use fps over 30 when they want to slow it down in post, for a slow motion effect.

Regarding software, you should mention what OS you are using. You will need software to stitch and compress the video, and add any effects that you want. If you are on Windows and want to use Movie maker.. ugh.. it will do in a pinch, but look for alternatives.

SD card, you want something fast. And big enough for your video. Video files take a lot of space, but you might not need a big card, if you will be recording shorter scenes and swapping cards.

YouTube.. Im pretty sure YouTube has a page that explains what codecs and settings work best. Either way, YouTube will re-encode the video. You just want to use such settings that it won't ruin the video in the process. Best to look this thing up before you start.

You have some great lenses there, but for video people often like to use old manual lenses. You see, AF is not good for video, because the last thing you want is noisy AF whirring around, maybe even missing the subject. Older lenses have a long focus throw and good distance scales, so you can use them manually pretty well, maybe even with follow-focus tools. And older lenses also have an aperture ring, so you can adjust it by hand, rather than fiddling with the camera.

Other things to consider are using a tripod and dollie/track. And an external microphone (even though the one on the K-01 is pretty good to begin with)

Thanks for the reply, Na Horuk!

Aperture/ISO, I think I'll be good with... I'll look into the FPS/Shutterspeed some more and experiment before filming.

I am using Windows and Movie Maker is the only program I have for video. Not great, I know, but fairly simple and quick to use.

Even though my lenses are AF, I'll probably be using them in MF because no one wants crappy auto-focusing and whirring.

Thanks again!

[Colbyt]

This is one v-newbie to another. If the frame view and distances work for what you are shooting, use the DA 40 2.8 in manual focus mode and most of what you are shooting should be in focus because of the DOF. Did not notice which camera you have but I don't think any Pentax refocus once you start.

Shoot something silly that you don't plan to use as a test vid.

This is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Shot from inside the house,

You Tube

You Tube

[Na Horuk]

Yeah, I think AF in video is a "problem" for Pentax (then again, it is for most DSLRs, as they are made for stills, not video). There is no tracking AF, you can only press the AF button to trigger a focus hunt. So MF is the way to go. With my DA 40mm XS, the focus throw is so short that its hard to focus manually. A small push moves it a lot, so its hard to get it precisely where you want it. Especially since focus peaking doesn't work during video recording.

Btw, you can probably find some better software. Either something free, or a trial version.. if you are a student, a University/College may have some "pro" software on its computers. Then again, if Movie Maker is enough, stick with it. No need to look for extra complications

[Steve.Ledger]

This is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Shot from inside the house,

Which camera is that?
(And are you Darth Vader? )

[fuent104]

I would keep these things in mind:

1. keep it SIMPLE! well-executed simplicity can be excellent.

2. Create a detailed shot list and schedule before your shoot. The schedule is necessary because, without it, you will have no idea whether you are on track to get all of the shots you'd like. For example, I'd recommend listing an estimated time next to each shot on your list. For example, for you first master shot, it may take 1.5 hours after you arrive on location to finish the shot. The next shot may take 25 minutes. The point is, at any time during your day, you can have an idea of whether you will be able to accomplish your plans. If you can't schedule shots individually, find an average time by dividing the number of shots you want by the amount of time you have. This is a less accurate method of working, but it is far better than not having a schedule.

3. Test your gear before you go out to shoot. Everything you know about composition, depth of field, color, etc., will hold true for video. There are, of course, some added wrinkles. But a good composition is a good composition. Test each of your lenses. in particular, some of them will be difficult to focus manually, because some autofocus lenses have a short "focus throw," which is the distance (in degrees) the focus ring travels from near focus to far focus. The longer the focus throw, the easier it will be for you to keep things in focus. It is best to avoid having your subjects move toward and away from the camera, if possible, to keep them in focus.

4. Find out if anyone has a video tripod you can use. Still photography tripods are not built for panning and tilting the camera.

5. Use the highest quality settings you can. It will take the most card space, but quality will be the best.

6. Turn in-camera sharpening as low as possible. If you do not, you will be much more likely to have moire appear in your shots.

7. Use your histogram (or a light meter, if you have one) to help you judge exposure.

8. Have a crew to help your! Doing everything by yourself is overwhelming, and your work will likely suffer. You should have someone handy to help with random tasks, lighting, etc.

9. Don't be afraid to communicate your ideas to your crew and your cast. Everyone wants the project to turn out as well as possible. The worst feeling in the world is when you see something you don't like in camera, don't say anything about it, and have to live with the footage later.

10. Clean your lenses, charge your batteries, format your cards the night before your shoot.

11. Use neutral density filters, or a polarizer, if you have them. If not, you will be shooting at very high f-stops if you are shooting outdoors. For example, at ISO 100, you would be shooting at f22 to get a correct exposure at 24 frames per second. You will, therefore, be in danger of losing your ability to control depth of field.

I could go on, but I hope that covers some of the basics. I'd like to reiterate that you should definitely test and get comfortable with your equipment (shooting video) before the day of the shoot.

Also, I believe Windows Movie Maker is a destructive editor, which means it affects your original clips when you make cuts. At least it used to be that way. This is fine, though...all it means is that you need to be sure to back up any clip you intend to cut. You should immediately duplicate all of your footage for safety, even if you are not using this type of editor. WMM is a capable editor, and you should be able to make a quality film with it.

[manishved]

Keeping AF on track has been my #1 issue. I resolved it by lugging my 24 inch monitor and used it to adjust the focus. Of course, this was at an event where I did not have to move about....

[clackers]

Also, I believe Windows Movie Maker is a destructive editor, which means it affects your original clips when you make cuts.

No, it's non linear, Fuent.

[kadajawi]

I think you'd rather grab a copy of Hitfilm while you can (basically in the next few hours!):
https://hitfilm.com/express/free


It seems simple enough to use, yet it is very powerful and lets you do really whatever you want to.


It's good that audio isn't important, cause that would open another can of worms...


Shoot FullHD. YouTube does bad things to a video, but the better the original, the better the end result (you will always loose quality though).


Practice. First alone, then with one helper, ... basically stuff such as is your memory card fast enough you should simply try out. Then focusing... practice practice practice. Try focusing on different objects in your room, move the camera around, focus on other objects, ... then try to focus on a person walking around, keeping him in focus.


Turn off SR, none of your cameras has decent SR. If you want to shoot handheld, put the camera on a tripod and hold the tripod in your hands. Problem is you'll need to have one hand on the lens to focus, unless you can/want to use a small aperture, such as f8. I personally love the handheld look that comes from a well stabilized camera, if it is appropriate, try it. It's not too hard to pull off. You can try actually walking with the camera, how well that works depends on how you walk and how heavy the tripod is. The heavier the better, if you can still hold it. That way you can also get around using an actual video tripod. What you'll try to avoid is those quick jerks, they will look awful. A bit of movement is IMHO fine, it just can't be too fast.


@Na Horuk: Is it? Fast frame rates don't make videos jerky, fast shutter speeds do. Low frame rates make videos jerky, fast makes them smooth. However, a low frame rate like 24 fps is what they use in movies, so it automatically looks more like a proper movie. Higher frame rates are associated with soap operas, and they have higher requirements in terms of set design, make-up etc. If you're shooting 25 fps, then 1/50th seems to be a decent shutter speed. If that is possible.


I don't think SD cards are a big issue, the two cameras in question take relatively small files. Even for the very high bitrate K-5 files from my camera a normal class 10 card is more than enough... and we are talking about 3-4 times the bitrate of a K-30.


The 18-55 is an absolute bitch to focus manually, it is much easier to focus with a shallow DoF (say that 55 1.4 at 1.4). The reason (I believe) is that a) these lenses usually have a long throw and b) you can see what is in focus and what not... say if you want to focus on the eyes, and the nose is sharp, you'll see the eyes are already clearly blurred out. Then you focus on the eyes, and you see nose and hair is blurred out a bit. If the area that is sort of in focus is much larger, you'll struggle because the resolution of the screen means you'll THINK it is in focus, when in the final video you can see the eyes go soft while the background is razor sharp. Even if the eyes are sharper than in the shallow DoF example, that may not look as bad cause there is no sharper point in the video anyway. It is more or less the sharpest point in the video, and thus doesn't look like an error/mistake. Or simply use an aperture where everything is sharp (it's good if you can predict the area the actor is moving around, if at all, and you can use the AF to make sure it is right (or zoom in)).


fuent104's list is very good. I'd add that movement of the actors is fine, even with shallow DoF, if you can practice that exact shot. If you know from where to where you need to pull the focus, at what speed, and of course your actor needs to move accordingly, always from the same spot to the same spot.


Low in camera sharpening, yeah. Also maybe try to reduce contrast. Get more range so you can grade your shots later (if you get Hitfilm. If not... you'll end up with a flat look cause I doubt Movie Maker can do it).


And finally: Don't forget to show us the end result


Ps: You can watch Film Riot. As much as possible. They have a lot of videos on angles, stabilization, shutter speeds, editing, effects, everything.

[grispie]

y find some better software. Either something free, or a trial version.. if you are a student, a University/College may have some

1. keep it SIMPLE! well-executed simplicity can be excellent.

2. Create a detailed shot list and schedule before your shoot.

I agree that this is crucial!
Plan your shots upfront, already think upfront on how you will put them together later on and make sure each shot is overlapping a bit! in order to have room to put them together in post.

AND when doing the actual shoot: stick to your plan and do not start improvising on the spot.

[kenyee]

And just so you know...it's not about the gear...this was done w/ a crappy smartphone :-)

You Tube

You Tube

It's more about the story, the framing, the lighting, the sound...

[Steve.Ledger]

So they say.. I'd need more than just a claim.

Neat vid though and you're right about It's more about the story, the framing, the lighting, the sound...

[kadajawi]

I'd love to see the gear they used to get those shots though... getting that iPhone so stable requires some serious effort. Same with getting such noise free shots... probably quite a bit of artificial lighting.


As for story, framing, lighting, sound being important... yeah. Then again, I hope Julie isn't also the writer/director, cause that'd be quite some work cut out for her. And getting the framing right if the focus is completely wrong is also bad. Basically it all has to come together. They seem to be just using some music, no sound recorded during the shooting, which at least helps.


As an example of how important all the parts are, there are rough cuts of a few Star Trek TNG episodes out there (used to be on YouTube). Big show, huge budget, talented actors, some of the best set and costume designers, FX guys, ... but these cuts are without special effects and without a proper, clean audiotrack. It's ridiculous how bad it sounds, creaking when they walk across the bridge, squeaking chairs, every movement can be heard... It makes it seem like an amateur production.


Good luck getting focus right as a beginner AND watching the framing... better yet while moving... trying to move in a gentle way so that there isn't excessive camera shake.


I think I'd practise as much as I can before the shoot, and then decide, depending on the level I am at, on how I shoot it. If necessary you may have to put the camera on a tripod and just shoot from there, without moving around the camera, even though a more mobile look would be more appropriate.


Also, if you can, you might want to give it a test run first. i.e. get someone to act for you, cut it, edit it, grade it. Something short. Just so you can see what you have to watch out for. You might find out when editing that you cut off too fast. Or you may find out in grading that the way you exposed it gives you disadvantages when grading the footage. Or you may notice that the exposure shifts around all the time, and so does the white balance. So you'll want to at least press AE-L for exposure and set a fixed white balance. And on and on and on.


And before I forget it, following the "traditional" rules of film making may be a good idea when you're just beginning. As in do an establishing shot first. Follow the 180 degree rule. And probably many more that I have never learnt or already forgotten.

[TomGarn]

GH4

no comment

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