Much more affordable than they used to be, camcorders are the mainstay of home or small studio movie making.  Like any type of technology, there is a bewildering array of options, language, and features to choose from.  To find a camcorder that is most suited for your purposes, you need to know a little more about them.

The first consideration is the format.  The most popular is the MiniDV, which offers the best combination of price and performance.  It uses a tape to record the action, which is getting a little dated, but nonetheless is still a popular choice.  If your budget can stretch to a hard drive recorder, then I suggest getting on of those.  They are by far the easiest to work with.

It shouldn’t be a problem if buying locally, but if you buy over the internet ensure that the standard is correct for where you will be using the camera.  NTSC for the US and PAL for Europe.  The signal can be converted between the two, but it’s another step in an already long process.

The zoom is the next consideration.  Ignore digital zoom, it means nothing.  The only useful zoon feature on a camcorder is optical zoom.  This is what makes the real difference, and you want at least a 10x to be able to shoot effectively.

Manual controls are a must if you want to shoot professional looking footage.  Automatic functions are okay for home or online movies, but manual adjustment is always best.  Manual focus, iris and white balance are what you’re looking for,

To shoot good video, you need either a viewfinder or LCD screen.  The larger the screen the better as long as it still fits the camera.  Make sure to check it outside, as well as in the store.  Not all LCDs are created equal, and not all of them will work too well in natural light.

Ease of use is also an obvious concern.  While cameras are getting smaller, and more portable, it means the real estate for the controls is getting smaller.  We don’t all have dainty little fingers that can dance over controls like a pianist.  You need to be able to access all of the controls without looking at them, and without pressing anything else by accident.

Connectivity is also a consideration, as a camera is not good if it can’t transfer the film to the editing suite.  Analog outputs are handy, but not essential as they mainly connect to the TV or VCR if you still have one.  Firewire output is the preferred, and faster options, if not then USB2 is acceptable.

Audio is also an important part of a camera.  At the very least it should be able to record audio in stereo.  If you want to make better quality movies, then an external microphone input, or attached to the camera is essential.

Without getting into brands, and particular models, the information above is intended to provide you with an overview of the important aspects of choosing a camera.  Most expensive doesn’t mean best.  Get the camera that feels comfortable, and does everything you need it to do.

Close Up (CU).  Part of the subject most often the head, takes up the whole frame.  Often used in news when there isn’t much else going on, or on scene where there are people around playing to the camera.

Extreme Close Up (ECU).  This moves further towards the subject, highlighting a particular part of them to great detail.  Most often the face, but can be injuries, or some defining feature pertinent to the piece.  Not used too often because not everyone likes seeing so much detail.

Cut Away (CA).  This is a lightening shot, a brief shot of something other than the action, or the subject.  If the subject is intense or emotive, cut-aways are used to lighten the atmosphere for a second or two before returning to the action.

Cut-In.  This shows something of the subject in detail.  This can be an injury for a news piece, fidgeting or other manifestation in an interview, or a sidearm in a police scene.  Something that adds character to the subject and context to the happenings in the scene.

Two-Shot.  A shot that fills the frame with two people, often standing or sitting side by side.  The frame is similar to a mid shot, waist up with a small space above the head.

Over the Shoulder Shot (OSS).  Looking from behind one person at the subject.  Often used by news crews for interviews.  It gives the interviewers perspective on the subject.

Noddy Shot.  This is a reactive shot where the frame is filled MCU or CU with an interviewer listening and reacting to what is being said to them.  Named so because interviewers often nod unconsciously when taking information in.

Point of View Shot (POV).  Extension of the OSS shot, showing the complete point of view of the subject.  This can often lead to some strange camera angles, depending on the context.  It is ideal for putting the viewer into the shoes of the subject.

Weather Shot.  Exactly what it says really.  A shot with something in the foreground that concentrates on the weather, most often the sky, but can be of the sea or mountains.  Used for weather shows, news broadcasts or sports.

A video or movie is made up of many more shots than the average viewer would detect.  Now you know what kind of shots make up a piece you will begin to see your TV in a different light.  You will begin noticing the different shots and how they are used in different contexts and styles.

Watching how other people do things is a great way of becoming a better filmmaker.  I encourage you to do it whenever you can.

Reviewing what you have before leaving a location is essential. If you have frames missing or are unusable then you want to be able to recreate the conditions as closely as possible while you can. Doing this at the time, especially if travel is involved will help the production team no end, as well as improve your reputation as a cameraman.

Editing is the pivotal time in filmmaking and needs proper thought and preparation. Checking the footage before going to editing is a great way of speeding the process up. Some shots may not have worked, while others may have exceeded expectation. Make sure you watch all the material before the edit and, like above, ideally before you leave location.

While reviewing the footage bear in the mind the story you’re trying to tell. Do they match? Does each frame further, or color the story sufficiently to be included? You may find while watching back that a new story emerges, or a different angle or take that might make a better feature. Reviewing and editing your own footage is an ideal learning experience as you can pick up on errors, or room for improvement much quicker when you see it in front of you. It also gives you a chance to make good any mistakes before the editor sees them!

Logging your shots as you make them pays off when coming to editing. You can link up the footage that best tells the story you’re trying to tell. It doesn’t matter if you use a notepad and pen, excel or a purpose built software package. If you have a timeline of what shot was where, on what tape at what time then hours will be saved when it comes to the edit. Ensure you mark the outstanding shots so they can be included in the final feature. Use whatever method you want, longhand or an asterisk or something. Make sure it’s recognizable to both you and the editor.

Log the sequences, not individual elements as it will become laborious when it comes to editing. For example of you have just shot an interview, don’t log the questions, but the whole sequence. This prevents you having to load each question individually and waste a lot of time. There is a risk of over-editing something and it not ending up as first envisioned. Resist this temptation and just put together something that feels right and don’t over-edit.

In the end its you the cameraman who is telling the story, therefore you need to ensure that the material is in the order you want, the way you want before it goes to editing. Then feed into the editing process by talking through the rush with the editor to give them an idea of the story and what you’re trying to portray.

The editing process can be as long or as short as you make it. By shooting good quality footage, on topic, with good sound levels will make for a simple edit. Doing something other than that is going to add to your time in the editing suite.