Al’s 10 Video Commandments

February 2009Poynter Institute

1st Commandment

Thou Shalt Not Zoom

2nd Commandment

Thou Shalt not Pan

3rd Commandment

Thou Shalt Keep Thy Shot Steady for 10 Seconds

4th Commandment

Thou Shalt Seek out Subjective Soundbites

Subjective SoundbitesMake it Memorable

What quotes will be the most powerful?

Don’t use a soundbite to tell me something that can be done through graphics or a voice over?

5th Commandment

Thou Shalt Shoot Cutaways and Sequences

6th Commandment

Thou Shalt Shoot More than Thou Thinkest Thou Needs

7th Commandment

Thou Shalt Honor Great Lighting. Thou Shalt Put the Camera on the Shadow Side of the Subject

8th Commandment

Thou Shalt Always Wear Thy Headphones

9th Commandment

Thou Will Seek Great Natural Sound and Will Shut Up While Shooting

Natural Sound Takes the Viewer Closer

10th Commandment

Thou Shalt Look for Transitions and Not Just Create Them in the Editing Process

Al’s 10 Video Commandments

May 18, 2008Poynter Institute