There are many ways to film the perfect picture, which is just as well as a poorly shot sequence will end up on the cutting room floor, or at worst, bore the audience. Whatever kind of camera you prefer, the established filming techniques help you achieve the perfect shot each time.

The most basic technique is getting the focus right. No amount of editing or post-production is going to fix out of focus images. Focus is down to the distance between the camera and subject. If this changes the focus changes and will need to be adjusted. It’s tempting to use auto focus as it takes most of the work out of the shot, but it can get confused with movement and foreground objects.

It is much better to focus manually and then use a push-auto feature to fine tune. Static shots can be manually focused and then push-auto, the back to manual focus. Then reframe the shot to your satisfaction. You only need the subject to be the largest object in frame, not so close you can see their nose hair. If the subject is in focus and begins to move, it is relatively easy to follow the movement manually. Using manual will allow you to focus on the subject even if foreground objects get in the way.

Maintaining focus is all about predicting the movement wherever possible. Tracking or panning something moving at a predictable pace allows you to follow in focus. Knowing the maximum and minimum focus distance is essential is knowing where to set yourself, and where you can follow the subject if it moves. Subjects moving unpredictably are much more difficult and something only knowledge and experience will allow you to do effectively. Again, knowing your maximum and minimum focus distances will also play a part.

This leads nicely onto using lenses. While it is the eye of the camera, and the effective eye of the audience, it does work much differently than a real eye. This can be utilized when shooting to be creative with shot size, perspective and angle.

A wide angle lens is ideal for moving subjects. It avoids many focus problems and allows the greatest freedom. It is also ideal for handheld shooting or if you want to make a small thing look bigger, longer or wider. It can also be used for dramatic visual effect like making something look as though it’s moving much quicker than it actually is, especially if moving towards camera!

Tight lenses are ideal for close ups as they can be done from a distance, and you don’t have to stick the camera in their face while they are doing a piece to it. The face also appears the most flattering using a tight lens, which is why presenters like it. If the shot is a busy one with lots going on, a tight lens can make things look closer together than they actually are. This can distort the perspective so judgment is needed as to which lens to use in what situation.

Each type of production has a distinct style. Within that style is a further one. For example, a wedding shoot has a fairly serious style, with an edge of familiarity and humor. The standard shots need to be taken, the bride and groom preparing separately, interviews with family, the bride walking down the aisle, speeches, cutting of the cake, first dance and others. Within that framework, a further style can be chosen. While nobody wants a John Woo style wedding video, elements of all types of film making can be used in any kind of production.

A single perspective using a single angle can tell a seamless story from a single viewpoint. This can be ideal for interviews or reality style filming where there is a main character and the story is told from their perspective. A single shot like this will need to be creative with the viewing angles and use zoom and wide in order to avoid becoming predictable and boring.

For a documentary style shoot, many angles and other film making techniques can add a little spice to the feature. Using drama or a build up, mystery, or whatever. A documentary doesn’t just have to be a monologue describing situations. You need to give the viewer a reason to watch. A compelling and relevant story won’t always do that on its own, so keeping the shots varied and interesting is just one way of making it more compelling for the viewer.

If you join a shoot for an existing format, or do a piece for that format, then it is advisable to learn all you can about the existing style. Each network, channel, and program has its own unique style and all the footage they use will need to conform to it in one way or another. Learning the style in advance will allow you a lot more shooting time, and may give you ideas about how to work within it or even improve it.

Sometimes, it’s just better to let a story tell itself. It can be tempting to reshape a story in editing. You can do a lot with the right footage and editing skills, enough to completely change a story. Sometimes though it is just better to edit it seamlessly but leave the rest alone. A human interest story, or one about a grueling journey may lend itself to a lot of editing, but often, if the filming is of good quality, it’s just better to let the story unfold.

Keeping the “house style” in mind when shooting will save time in the shoot, in the editing room and deliver exactly what the director wants. The end result will fit nicely into the slot and won’t jar the audience with a change in style or pace from what they’re used to.

If there isn’t an existing style to conform to, then it’s an ideal time to make your own. While this comes with responsibility, it is also an ideal opportunity to stretch your creative legs.