Holidays are the time when we are most likely to grab the video camera and capture family events. For most of us, it is why we bought the camera in the first place. Taping a holiday home movie can be fun, and should be something you will cherish years from now.
Media Notes Episode 10 | Holiday Videos
Capturing holiday events, quick tips and tricks
The holiday video does not have to just document annual events. With a little planning you could create a great video postcard from the family that you send out before the holidays.
The Video Post Card
One topic idea could be to shoot some of the activities where you are getting the house and family ready. If you get a tree, shoot a little sequence of the journey there, choosing “just the right one”, bringing it home and decorating it. If you have young kids have them describe their version of the meaning of these holiday celebrations. Have each member of the family give a message why they are thankful, or who they miss, or what gift they are hoping for, or any topic that has special meaning for your family. And shoot to edit. Don’t be afraid to shoot something more than once, and only use the best version.
A great way to get your video post card ready for distribution is to edit it all together using iMovie or MovieMaker and upload it on to web sharing site like Vimeo, Blip or Soapbox. Write your family letter and include a link or embed the video. For those friends and relatives that are far away, the chance to see your family may be the best gift of all.
Holiday Movies
When it comes time to record the family holiday gathering, here are a few survival tips to make it a movie to remember, in a good way.
First of all, use a tripod whenever you can. I realize most tripods are so clunky and big they could be considered lethal weapons in six states, but they really help improve the watchability (if there is such a word) of your work. Things like breathing and body movement can be exaggerated significantly on your camera, particularly when you are zoomed in. Using a tripod can make your video look more professional, and can eliminate the nausea-inducing movement common to most home video. This is particularly true of the holiday classics like concerts, plays, religious services, gifts, and video taping in low light.
Second, film a few set-up shots of an event before you film the actual event. For instance, film the tree sitting by itself before you film people opening presents, or film people filing into an auditorium for a concert before the actual concert. Hold each shot for at least 10 seconds. When you edit you won’t have to use all of it, so don’t make the mistake of shooting each moment as if it were a snapshot. Just count to ten quietly to yourself until you get a feel for how long is long enough. Years from now you will really appreciate the footage of your holiday decorations, or the holiday meal. Look for camera shots that catch the feeling of where you are and set the scene for your holiday home movie.
As I have indicated in earlier posts, interview your subjects. Have them describe what is happening, have them tell you what is going on around them. If your child performs in the Holiday Pageant, asks him about his performance. If gifts are a part of your celebration, ask your kids what they want the night before, and then get their reaction when they finally discover what’s in all those packages.
No matter how well you plan, how well you shoot, how succinct your interviews, the odds are that you will shoot tons of boring video that no one, not even you, will want to watch again. So shoot to edit and edit what you shoot. It is not that hard. Try to trim out sections of the video that don’t have much going on. If your video looks choppy, a fun idea can be to make a holiday music video. Select your favorite holiday song, and the set clips of your holiday celebration to the music.
Enjoy the Moment
Plan ahead. Plan when you will shoot and when you will put the camera down. Don’t let your camcorder keep you from celebrating the holiday with your family and friends. A home video can give you great memories, but nothing will match the memory of being fully present in the holiday events yourself. Besides, some folks will get really tired of having the camera out all the time, or may not appreciate the intrusion to their vision of the perfect holiday. Keep it in balance and appreciate every moment of the holidays. You only get one shot at it so make it the best you can.
Drew Keller
