Camcorder Video Tips

This Article Was Contributed by Scat Cat

Home movies are a wonderful way to relive your magical memories.

Practice with the camera before you go. You'll want to know how to switch different features on and off (such as low light mode for some darker rides) while you're out and about and you won't have time to reference the manual. Capturing still pictures is another handy feature available on many camcorders. But knowing how to use the basic features by heart before you get there can prevent you from missing golden opportunities because you were fiddling with the camera settings.

There's an awful lot to try and capture at Disney, and it's useful to pan left and right to try to capture as much of the surroundings on tape as you can. But be sure not to move the camera too quickly. The human eye can take in a lot more than the camera lens, so be sure to pan slowly so that viewers can appreciate the details in the whole frame. Also, try not to zoom in and out too much as this can make video hard to watch also. When you do zoom, try to do it slowly as that will also be more pleasing to viewers.

Another helpful plan is to take longer shots. Each scene will seem much shorter when played back than it does while you're filming it so try to stretch things out so the overall video doesn't seem so choppy when you watch them at home or show them off to friends and family. If you're with a child for a character greeting, keep the camera rolling while in line. See how excited they are while in line, and how happy they are after they have their turn. Fifteen seconds is probably a good minimum to try for; shorter than that and the eyes/ears have just begun to process what's on the video when it's jumping to the next scene.

Have your subjects talk to the camera. It's fun to watch family and friends enjoying themselves at Disney, but it's also fun to capture some of their thoughts during the trip as well. Hearing kids describe their adventures while they're still in the moment makes for a neat reminder of how magical the vacation is for youngsters. Also fun is to have members of your group describing what the weather is like back home (especially if you're traveling from northern locales during winter). Also try filming people in front of (or even on/in) their favorite attraction, describing what makes it so special to them.

Try to film things others might not think of. Once I held the camcorder aloft and filmed our group's long march out of Epcot at park closing (though I remain the only member of the extended family who feels like this is interesting to watch). I've also filmed our party arriving at the parks, and waiting for the bus on the first day -- that sense of excitement is often unmatched the rest of the trip.

It may seem daunting at first, but it's a good idea to try to use some basic editing software. Most cameras/computers now come with basic movie making packages. You don't have to be Stephen Spielberg, adding fancy titles, a soundtrack and elaborate transitions. But try to take the time to edit out the bits where you left the camera rolling while it's in your lap on the WDW Railroad, or organize the clips so that they appear in a logical fashion (perhaps combine all the character greetings into a single movie, or put together a video of just Magic Kingdom highlights). This will make the viewing experience much more enjoyable.

Other basic tips:

• A spare battery is worth it's weight in gold! Also, be sure to charge batteries at every opportunity while at the resort. If your charger is light enough or you feel particularly ambitious, you can carry it with you in the parks in case you find an unattended outlet you can use for a quick battery refresh.
• If your video recorder writes to DVD's or tapes, be sure to bring a plentiful supply with you. They will cost a great deal more in the parks than back home at your favorite discount store.
  
  It's very difficult to keep a camera steady for the duration of a 20-minute show. If you feel up to carrying it, a monopod can be a real help in keeping the camera steady without having you carry around a big bulky tripod.
• Share the camcorder around the group so everyone gets in the video. It's your vacation, too, so get in front of the camera as well as behind it!
• Be sure it is fastened securely to your person if you take it on wild rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
• Make sure you have a way to keep it dry while riding Splash Mountain or during an afternoon cloudburst.
• Finally, make peace with the fact that you can't fully capture all of the magic on video. Remember to put the camera down from time to time and simply enjoy your visit!

Last Updated: May 9, 2009