Help learning videography

goodguy · Mar 13, 2017

Greetings fellow photographers, I have put myself out there in the event scene started late last year, I started to do my own weddings and an growing nicely.
I have 2 people which I am training now to be second shooter and main shooters.
My goals are to (once they are ready) start getting into video.
I found there is very little wish to help me with that among my fellow photographers who does video, I guess they are afraid of the competition.
So I did buy a Panasonic G7 with a good image stabilized lens.
Got all the basic equipment but I lack is the knowledge how to use it.
I am going through youtube to find a helpful tutorials on videography basics but all I am getting is how to set the camera and then from their the jump is to higher levels.
I cant seem to find the basic of how to shoot a basic video, how to pan, when to pan.
How to shoot a couple together, what motions I need to do, the very basics and I am feeling clueless.

Was wondering if any of you guys can be kind enough to share a videos who can explain the basics of videography.

jeffW · Mar 22, 2017

goodguy said:
...I guess they are afraid of the competition...

...I cant seem to find the basic of how to shoot a basic video, how to pan, when to pan.
How to shoot a couple together, what motions I need to do, the very basics and I am feeling clueless...

Not so sure I would be blaming them in regards to the fear of competition as much as you are asking for so much info. Maybe they see your case as a major time-suck. I recently went through that, helping a friend only to have all my weekends sucked away into his project.

Back to your real question. Video is very much an athletic training of the muscles art form. Watching videos on how to pan is basically worthless you need to train your own muscles to do it smoothly. And your mind to judge your desired time/effect. I suggest you take a class - I've taken a few college classes in my 40s.

The second part of video is very much editing and putting together the story. Again I haven't seen this done well on Youtube, I however have been to some local seminars and workshop talks that have been much more beneficial.

Hope this helps

Derrel · Mar 22, 2017

Sounds like you need a book on film making. I took some university classes on film, and there is a "language of the cinema," so to speak. The terms like mise en scene, the 180 degree line, jump cut, cut, types of shots (establishing shot/wide/medium/close-up), length of each scene (MANY people today cut wayyyy too quickly, and create jarring videos), and a multitude of othere things. What you are looking for is film-making, using newer cameras, but OLD techniques that have been around for literally, decades.

The terms film-making, and filmaking, film, video, and so on have multiple meanings,depending on culture and language; no need for semantic diversions or arguments. What you want to do is to make a short video of the wedding and events surrounding it, but what you need help with would probably still be referred to as filmmaking techniques and concepts.

Panning has to be done sloooooowly! Way too many folks pan too rapidly. The length of shots we've grown accustomed to has grown shorter and shorter, and more uneducated videots have taken to YouTube, with their 1-, and 2-, and 3-second so-called shots. Shots need to be longer than most videots recognize, especially in a documentary type presentation that's mostly about memories, and highlighting memorable actions, clothes, locations, and events.

I think JeffW is onto something: you need to take a class or two and read some books on the field of filmmaking and cinema; YouTube is not the right place to find out the type of stuff you are asking about.