I love books, and I look getting them in the mail to review! The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide: Any Budget. Any Camera. Any Time. by Anthony Q. Artis is a really awesome book to take you step by step through the process of shooting videos – from choosing your camera, understanding what pixels are, comparing memory cards and going over how to hold a camera, to how to shoot music videos or commercials, conduct an interview and make your own business plan.
This is a comprehensive guide to everything you ever wanted to know about filming videos. I could see myself going through this book step by step and going from a complete novice to someone who can actually shoot a pretty good film! And I also think that this book would be useful for the experienced videographer: there is always more that we can learn, no matter how experienced we are.
One of the things I enjoyed about this guide is how very user-friendly it is. It’s fun to read it! It’s a book that you can sit down with and flip through just because. The writing style is conversational and speaks on a one-on-one basis. There are also plenty of pictures, lots of colour, and helpful charts and diagrams.
Artis says that no matter what type of camera you have, your knowledge of how to use that camera can make all the difference. His four quick tips include:
- Shallow Depth of Field
- Multiple Camera Angles
- Great Lighting
- Keep it Moving
The author does a great job of breaking down concepts into manageable pieces and idea, making it easier to work with if you have a camera at hand and are trying to improve your skills. This guide makes me want to buy a video camera and start practicing my film-making skills, to be honest. I like it!
Have you read The Shut Up and Shoot Freelance Video Guide? Do you enjoy taking videos?