Shoot like the experts

WHAT YOU’RE FILMING

Anything that focuses on you

EXPERT: Natalie Alzate, beauty vlogger, 4 million Youtube subscribers

STRATEGY: Setting the camera above you does make you look thinner. But for Youtube, you’re more connected with your audience when the camera is at eye level.

Natural lighting is best, but that requires you to rely on the weather. I have two circle Diva Ring Light Nebulas on my left and my right, and an umbrella light right above me. It makes a huge difference.

You have three seconds to convince someone to click on a video. Pick the right still. Also, shrink your thumbnail down to the size it would be on a phone and ask: will people be able to read that? A font called Bebas is best.

WHAT YOU’RE FILMING

Stunts

EXPERT: Devin Supertramp, adventurer, 4,6 million subscribers.

STRATEGY: Avoid fish-eye lenses. When you have access to amazing locations, you want to show off the place, and fish-eye distorts the image. Use a wide-angle instead.

Have an intro in mind. I ask myself: how is this video gonna grab people’s attention? In our ropeswing video, we had an archer fake-shoot a rope across the canyon, hook it to the rock, then jump off. That starts the story.

The idea is to make it feel like you’re right there, but a lot of action sports and wildlife need to be shot from afar. Use a superzoom lens to get up close.

Get the insurance. We’re cautious and want our equipment to last, but if we’re not putting it right in the action, we’re not getting the shots that people love.

WHAT YOU’RE FILMING

DIY

EXPERT: Steve Ramsey, Woodworking for Mere Mortals, 800 000 subscribers

STRATEGY: Keep the focus very specific: how to make a box-joint jig, for example. You could certainly show every detail of how you made a big project, but keeping it short enough to get people to watch is another story.

For a big project, put the dimensions of the boards in the detailed plans and put those plans in the video’s description. This allows you to show only the key moments that are unique to that particular project and keep those shots down to just a couple of seconds.

Script any video that needs to be accurate. That’s important for me when I’m talking about something like table-saw safety.

Don’t add too much production. I try to colourcorrect as best as I can, but if it’s off, that’s okay. I just use the camera mic and leave the room sound, so it’s more like you’re in the garage with me.

You can vary the camera angles, but it’s more important to be sure you show the steps clearly.

WHAT YOU’RE FILMING

Sport EXPERT: Craig Woloshin, cameraman, NBC’S Sunday Night Football

STRATEGY: For sport with action moving left to right or right to left, set up as close to the halfway line as possible. With only one camera, you want to be able to cover the whole field, and from there, you can see everything.

For sport without a dividing line, such as baseball, create one. Position yourself behind home plate, in line with the pitcher’s mound and second base. You can get good footage regardless of where things happen.

During action, focus on where things are happening. Use the breaks between plays to zoom in on your child. That way, you don’t miss anything and still get shots of the people you want to see.

If you can, climb up the grandstand. Height helps you get as unobstructed a view of the entire field as possible.