Worth seeing: The checklist to make sure you don't forget anything just before shooting ✔️

April 16, 2018

Rémi lists the things you need to look for just before shooting a video. Put them in everyone's hands so you never hear "Where's the microphone?" again .

Rémi's advice, in a written and enriched version:

Check that you have :

     
  1. The foot (or grip, osmo, whatever: we're talking about your stabilizer here).
  2.  
  3. The smartphone loaded with memory (yes, even the best of us forget this sometimes)
  4.  
  5. A charger for long shooting days
  6.  
  7. Microphone (and extension lead if required)

Next, the composition of the image:

     
  1. Your subject should not be cut off by the edges of the frame.
  2.  
  3. Is there enough air above his head?
  4.  
  5. Check that your subject

Finally, the most important thing is the person you're filming.

     
  1. Check that the subject matches your expectations (clothing, hairstyle...)
  2.  
  3. Above all, he needs to feel at ease! He has to like his image, because he's the most important thing.

As promised by Rémi, here are a few additional points to consider just before pressing "REC":

THE LIGHT

Is she...

     
  • Sufficient, but not blinding?
  •  
  • Subject to change?
  •  
  • Do I prefer daylight?
  •  
  • Have I avoided backlighting?

Tips

     
  • Add a light source
  •  
  • If there's not enough light, you can activate continuous flash (to be avoided at all costs, we insist!).
  •  
  • Use it preferably with a subject close to and detached (far) from the background, as in the example opposite.

We explain how to use light for your speaker in this article.

MY EQUIPMENT

My devices...

     
  • Are they correctly loaded?
  •  
  • Do I have enough memory?

Tips

     
  • I free up at least 2 GB of memory
  •  
  • J'effectue un test son avant de film
  •  
  • I carry an express portable battery (if possible) to avoid having to charge it too long in case of a problem.

THE SOUND

     
  • Is my lapel microphone working?
  •  
  • Can I anticipate the presence of interfering noises (e.g. a nearby hospital and regular ambulance noises, so I avoid standing on that side of the building).
  •  
  • If there's a lot of passing and/or ambient noise, am I sure it won't interfere with the message?

Tips

     
  • If there's a slight ambient noise and it's constant, I can shoot.
  •  
  • If the noises are too loud or inconsistent, I absolutely move. There's nothing anyone can do for me in editing!
  •  
  • At the end of each take, I listen to my rush to see if the sound has worked properly. If there's any doubt, I shoot the scene again to avoid any risk of my shot being unusable.

Enjoy the shoot!

If you liked this article, discover our other tutorials :

Nos derniers articles

All the latest news ondigital signage and video