These suggestions may help you improve the video you shoot during missions trip and other special church ministries.  Some video you shoot may even be useful for reporting back to the church through our TV newscast-- and we would like to enlist “reporters” who can help us share the remarkable work of the church more widely.

From a TV news perspective, these pointers can bring the quality and most useful footage from your home video camera.  First, be sure you use the best video camera possible, then make sure you take extra camera batteries, a tripod, and a lapel or hand-held microphone.  Properly equipped, and following these guidelines, you will be ready to shoot professional-style video:

1. STEADY THE CAMERA: Whenever possible steady the camera by using a tripod, or by leaning against a wall, a car, or a railing.  Hand-held camera shots can be especially shaky if it’s a telephoto shot, or “zoomed-in” all the way.  Try instead to move closer to the action and keep -the zoom in the “wide” position.

2. LIMIT CAMERA MOVEMENT: Footage that never stops moving is basically useless for editing. Let the action you’re shooting do the moving.  Hold your steady shot for a little extra time.  One exception to the movement rule is if you are following someone.

3. USE MANUAL FOCUS: If your camera has manual focus, consider using it often.  Automatic focus often keeps shifting, especially if there are moving objects in the foreground, or in dim light.  A more accurate focus can be obtained by temporarily zooming in and focusing, then zooming out for your shot.

4. LIGHTING: Newsworthy events are not always well lit, but please do make the effort to shoot under good lighting when you can.  It is best not to shoot into a light source but instead have the light source behind you.  Many home video cameras can produce almost professional-looking video in well-lit situations.

5.  SET THE SCENE & SHOOT A SEQUENCE: Make sure to take a couple of “establishing” or wide shots of the activity, then move in closer for some medium shots and finally shoot close-up shots of people and action.  Pick shots that will help tell the story visually.  And stay on each shot for at least a 10-count!

6. GET SOME INTERVIEWS: Have some of the participants make a few comments to camera about what is happening, what they are doing, and how they feel about it.  Comments should be short and concise.  This will help you better remember the facts and emotion of the event, and might even be useful for a news report.  Be sure to write down the people’s names with correct spelling and titles, which will be important if any is used on the news.  Keep the person within four feet of the camera.  If in manual focus, zoom in and focus, then zoom out before recording.  Try to reduce background sounds as much as possible and remember to have the light source behind the camera.

7.  AUDIO:  Most in-camera microphones do a pretty good job of picking up general sounds during taping.  When interviewing participants stand very close - or if possible use a separate, hand-held or lapel mic so what the person says is very clear.  If you are using a separate mic, make sure you have the correct microphone adapter cord and use headphones to monitor the audio.

8. SHOW LOCAL COLOR: Be sure to show the cultural context by shooting marketplaces, landmark buildings, traffic, people on sidewalks, mosques and churches, etc.  In the process try to include the sounds of music, people talking traffic, etc.

9.  GET PLENTY OF CLOSE-UPS: Video is a close-up medium, and thrives on expressive faces that reveal character, moods, ethnic qualities.  Close-ups heighten the emotional appeal of your video--be generous with them!  And remember to use a tripod for “zoomed-in” shots.  It often helps to release your hands from the camera when shooting a telephoto shot on the tripod in order to minimize any camera movement.

10. TELL THE STORY: Whether your video is for home or church use, or for network news, you are still “telling a story."  Be sure to cover the key story elements including your arrival in country, your main activities and the conclusion.  Remember the “W’s”...Who, What, Why, When, Where.  Be sensitive to the story elements that have the greatest impact, and try to capture them on video.

11. SENSITIVITY:  One final note-- be careful not to videotape local believers or their meeting places or activities if they feel this would put them in jeopardy.  In many countries this could be a problem.  If you do tape such scenes please indicate that they are not to be used.

By following these common-sense guidelines you should see an improvement in the video you shoot, and more importantly, in your ability to “make known among the nations what God has done” (Psalm 105:1).

If we can be of further help, please let us know--and perhaps you will see some of your own video on news!

Stan Jeter
Senior Producer/Editor
CBN News, Christian World News