Get a digital camera and start filming whatever you find interesting. Using a computer and at least basic software, start learning how to edit your footage. Even if you just keep it for yourself, this will be good practice. Professional video equipment and software can be expensive, but if you are serious about becoming a videographer, it might be worth the investment.
Check with school film and broadcasting departments about possible internships. You can also contact television companies, film studios, and related groups directly about completing an internship. Some may have programs already in place that you can apply for.
Communications Cinematography Broadcasting Video editing Film theory Computer science[6] X Research source Script analysis Media ethics Screenwriting
If you need special equipment or assistants for a project, make sure they are prepared beforehand. This will save you time and money.
The extreme long shot (ELS) or extreme wide shot (EWS) covers a very wide area, placing your subject in context. [13] X Research source For instance, if you are filming a wedding, you might include an EWS that shows the entire wedding party and audience, with the couple at the center. A long shot (LS), full shot (FS), or wide shot (WS) captures the entire subject within the camera frame. [14] X Research source [15] X Research source For instance, if you are recording a speaker, a FS will show the figure filling the screen, from head to toe. A medium long shot (MLS) or medium wide shot (MWS) or three-quarter shot is often used for filming people, and shows a subject from about the knees up. [16] X Research source [17] X Research source This kind of shot is useful for recording small groups of people, such as a group of bridesmaids chatting at a wedding. The medium shot (MS) shows individuals from the waist up. [18] X Research source [19] X Research source It focuses the viewer’s attention on the subject, and is useful for filming interviews. It is useful for showing detail when filming other subjects. [20] X Research source The medium close-up (MCS) shows a figure’s shoulders and head. [21] X Research source It is used for filming interviews and in contexts like news studios. The close up (CU) fills the camera’s frame with the subject. [22] X Research source [23] X Research source It is useful for capturing emotion and facial expressions. The extreme close up (ECU) films just a part of a subject, such as a person’s eyes. [24] X Research source It can be used for very dramatic effects.
Panning, which involves turning the camera from left to right or right to left. This is useful, for instance, when filming a crowd or landscape. Tilting, which means moving the camera up or down to show parts of a subject that were off-screen. This move is useful when filming subjects like close-ups of people or buildings. Trucking and dollying, which involve physically moving a camera around or away from a subject, respectively. For instance, if you are filming a small group of people, you can truck a camera around the perimeter of the group to capture it from many angles. Likewise, if you want to film a sense of leaving a subject, like a building, dolly a camera pointed at the building away from it.
Zooming in and out Fading in and out Cutting (shifting the film from quickly one scene to another, such as from a shot of a bride with bridesmaids inside a church to a shot of the church viewed from the outside). Transitions (shifting between scenes more subtly, such as fading out on a shot of a bride to a new shot of a church)
Get one wide shot of a subject. For instance, when filming a speaker in front of a crowd, get a shot that shows the speaker as well as the whole crowd. Take a medium shot of the subject. For instance, you could zoom in on the speaker to show a stage and podium. Incorporate one close-up (“tight”) shot. For instance, get a close-up shot of the speaker’s face during a particularly emotional or important moment. Make sure to hold each shot for at least ten seconds. You can remove sections you don’t need during editing, but you can’t add them if you never filmed them in the first place.
Edit a series of different shots together to create a story or narrative. Practice adding sound, text, and other elements to create interest and variety. Utilize digital effects to alter your footage. Incorporate different types of transitions, such as fades, wipes, and dissolves.
Include lots of different clips of things that you have shot and edited. If you want to show that you are a diverse videographer, make sure that your portfolio shares clips a variety of subjects. If you want to concentrate on a certain type of videography, such as for weddings, then make sure that your portfolio has a range of different clips from weddings you have filmed. Make sure to include clips of varying lengths. Some prospective clients might want to see 30 minutes of that wedding that you shot, while others might only have time to look at a 30-second clip. Create a website or channel on a video-sharing website to showcase your work. You can share the link to your portfolio, promote it on social media, etc. It is a good idea to have your portfolio in several formats. For instance, you might also create DVDs with samples of your best work to show to clients or job search committees that prefer that format. Make sure your portfolio evolves, even after you have worked as a videographer for some time. Keep adding superior work, and remove any that seems outdated, irrelevant, or not as good.
The New England Professional Videographers Association (NPVA) The Bay Area Professional Videographers Association (BAPV)[35] X Research source The Minnesota Professional Videographers Association (MPVA)[36] X Research source The Colorado Professional Videographers Association (CPVA)[37] X Research source The Michigan Video Association (MIVA) The Wedding and Event Videographers Association International (WEVA)[38] X Research source The University Film and Video Association (UFVA)[39] X Research source The American Guild of Court Videographers (AGCV)[40] X Research source
Some calls for videographers will be posted to general jobs boards, such as Indeed and Monster. If you are looking to work as a videographer for specific types of institutions, such as courts or universities, you should also check their websites for possible job postings. Some professional associations for videographers may post jobs, host job fairs, workshops on finding jobs, networking events, etc. Freelance videographers typically concentrate on finding jobs by word of mouth referrals, and by marketing their services.
Create a profile on a variety of social media sites. For videographers, this includes sites that focus on video content (like YouTube and Vimeo) as well as other networking sites (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Google Plus, etc. ). Make sure that your profile is public, if it is associated with your own name instead of a brand or company name. Post regularly, including samples of your own work. You could share a “clip of the week,” for instance. Mention clients in your posts. If they provide you with positive reviews, ask if you can share the feedback online. Network with other videographers and other individuals in your field by following and commenting on their profile pages. Share or repost any information you think clients might be interested in.
Broadcasting Sound engineering Video or film production
