Getting started |
School performances are a wonderful part of your child’s early scholastic years and, as good parents, you’re sure to be the first ones in line at the theater gate. It’s inevitable for you to be excited! This is, after all, your own flesh and blood assuming the role of the heroic protagonist in a fantasy adventure or belting out the high notes in a holiday concert. You’ll want to capture every moment, whether it be a narrative or musical, an oratory contest or junior debate. Now, the challenge facing you is how to capture all that you want on video without being too much of a pest to other equally excited parents or falling into the trap of uninspired footage. With Sony’s HD Handycam® as your tool of choice, it’s up to you to wield it well.
Before the Performance
While luck plays some part in taking great footage, it’s more a state of readiness that determines your output. Prior to your child's performance, it pays to do a little homework. First off, make sure your equipment is ready. Camcorder lens wiped clean, batteries fully charged, video light in the bag, spare media in your pocket, tripod strapped in. Aside from equipment, it’s best to have a copy of the concert programme before the show starts, so you know the sequence of events. You wouldn’t want to be taking a bathroom break when your child comes out on stage, would you?
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Without fail, always carry spare batteries such as the NP-FH100 InfoLITHIUM™ H Series for the HDR-SR12 HD Handycam. You never know when you’ll need them, since shooting opportunities occur anytime and anywhere, even after the show ends.
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Find Your Location
One of the challenges you’ll encounter while shooting school plays is angry parents whose view of the stage you’ve blocked. They want to enjoy their kid’s performance as much as you, so make sure you stay well out of the way.
One Camcorder or Two?
For performances, it’s often smart to employ the use of two camcorders to record the show. One camcorder is for handheld shots such as close-ups and detail shots; the other on a tripod to record the entire performance using a wide angle lens. You can walk around with the first camcorder, taking shots from different angles for variety. The tripod-camcorder rolls continuously and shall capture footage that serves as your foundation during editing.
 Wide angle shot |
 Close up shot |
If you want to set up a camcorder on a tripod, it’s best to find a good vantage point that’s out of the way, on a balcony or somewhere to the side of the theater. This minimizes the risk of people bumping into your gear and limits the amount of ambient sound that the camcorder picks up.
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Tripod with Remote VCT-60AV
While it’s unlikely that you’ll be given permission by performance organizers to shoot with a video light, keep in mind that it’s not only the performance where you can take video. Related shots such as interviews with your child or their teachers could benefit from a little extra illumination.
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