How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck

"How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck" is all about the language of video. It's about how to think like a director, regardless of equipment (amateurs think about the camera, and pros think about communication). It's about the rules developed over a century of movie-making - which work just as well when shooting a two-year-old's birthday party. Written by Steve Stockman, the director of "Two Weeks" (2007), plus TV shows, music videos, and hundreds of commercials, "How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck" explains in 74 short, pithy, insightful chapters how to tell a story and entertain your audience. Here's how to think in shots - how to move-point-shoot-stop-repeat, instead of planting yourself in one spot and pressing 'Record' for five minutes. Why never to shoot until you see the whites of your subject's eyes. Why to 'zoom' with your feet and not the lens. How to create intrigue on camera. The book covers the basics of framing, lighting, sound (use an external mic), editing, special effects (turn them off), and gives specific advice on how to shoot a variety of specific situations: sporting events, parties and family gatherings, graduations and performances. Plus, how to make instructional and promotional videos, how to make a music video, how to capture stunts, and much more. At the end of every chapter is a suggestion of how to immediately put what you learned into practice, so the next time you're shooting you'll have begun to master the skill. Accompanying the book is a website with video clips to illustrate different rules, techniques, and situations.