Looking Thing a Few Inches Above the Actors

Rafe

This is not a “digital zoom.” I’m saying you need actual pieces of glass that move closer or farther apart to enlarge or shrink the image. A digital zoom is the same thing as cropping the image and blowing it up It looks awful (And despite what CSI tells us, there’s no such thing as an “enhance” function to make blown-up images clear.) If you’re not sure whether you’re using a digital or real zoom, check if there is an actual moving part when you zoom in or out. If not, don’t use it Microphone The one item you probably don’t own but definitely need to rent (or buy) is a lavalier microphone.

The built-in microphone in your camera will image manipulation service simply not cut it. Have you ever seen a photo of a film set, where a crew member is dangling a fuzzy, Muppe That’s a microphone, and that is exactly how close a microphone needs to be to hear your dialogue clearly. A photo of a lavalier mic via Wikimedia Commons Check a local film rental house (most big cities have at least one), and look for a lav mic with a cord. These are tiny microphones that clip to your collar. Confirm that your camera has a mic input, and confirm the lav has the same kind of plug.


When you go to pick it up, bring your camera with you. Plug it in, A simple, convenient way to create  and make sure it works. If it doesn’t, ask the rental agent if you’re using it correctly. Lights The most flattering kind of lighting is soft lighting (meaning the shadows they The other feature is a lens that can zoom in and out. cast have blurry edges, rather than sharp, defined lines). Fluorescent lights are usually soft, but unless you have specialty film, fluorescents will cause all kinds of problems with your skin color, as well as flicker out of sync with your camera.