Planning Your Video

Technical guidance for making better family videos through planning and preparation. Topics include storytelling, lighting, camera angles, location choices and selecting appropriate background music.

Basic Lighting for Your Video

Set up three-point lighting to improve your home video recordings with a key light, fill light and back light.

How to Choose Background Music for Your Film

Pick the right background music for your film by matching it to your scene's mood and checking if you need permission to use it.

Intended Audience for Your Videos

Knowing who you're making your video for shapes every decision you'll make from filming to editing.

Interesting Film Angles

Varying your camera angles keeps viewers engaged by using master shots and over-the-shoulder techniques to show conversations from different perspectives.

Planning Your Home Video

Structure your home video like a story with a clear beginning, middle and end, then plan each scene visually before you start filming.

Shooting Video Outside

Bright sunlight can ruin outdoor video footage, but adjusting your camera's iris and using filters or reflectors will help you capture better-looking footage.

Telling a Story in Your Family Video

Make your family videos watchable by giving them a proper beginning, middle and end instead of endless footage of nothing.

What Makes a Good Video Diary?

Video diaries work best when they're spontaneous and capture real emotions as they happen, with no need for fancy equipment or filmmaking rules.