A few weeks ago, I was handed some DVD’s with video clips for a project I was hired to edit. As I worked my way through the footage, I came across several clips that were shortened by the videographer prematurely stopping the camera before the scene ended.
Which brings me to a video tip that I need to remember as much as the videographer that gave me the footage: Don’t cut off your action!
- Start recording
- Wait 3-5 seconds (This is called pre-roll)
- Say “Action”
- Your subject will now talk or the scene will proceed as planned
- Say “Cut”
- Wait 3-5 seconds (This is called post-roll)
- Stop recording
That’s it! Seven easy steps to not cutting off your action.
Happy filmmaking!