PREPARATION:

1. Familiarize yourself with your camera by thoroughly reading the owner's manual. A complete knowledge of your camera's features will help you to get the most out of your equipment and produce a more professional looking final product.

2. Charge your batteries in advance, one to record the action and a back-up battery as well. There's nothing worse than being out of juice when the party action starts!

3. Do a sound and video check before filming the actual party activities. Check for distracting noise which could ruin the quality of your video, such as air conditioners, fans, televisions and radios. (The noise of your kids party will be quite enough!) Shoot a minute or so of film, rewind and view it to be sure the camera is operating efficiently.

4. Lighting is key to an attractive and viewable video. When taking the shot, be sure that the major light source is behind you. If the light is behind the subject, s/he will be shadowed. Position yourself and your camera between the light source and the subject.

If there is a large window in your party area, pull the shades or curtains to block out background light. You can also keep bright backlighting out of the picture by keeping the camera zoomed in on your subject. You might also activate the "back light button", if your camera has one, to lessen the window glare.

COMPOSITION:

5. Compose by using the zoom feature, before you start rolling tape. Set the buttons where they need to be in advance, so you have only to flick the "on" switch to be ready to videotape.

6. Follow the rule of thirds. Don't place the most important picture element in the center of the screen. Position the camera so the center of attention is in the top or lower third of the viewfinder. Be sure to keep the tops of people's heads near the top of the viewfinder.

7. Keep the background simple to minimize visual distractions. Avoid shadows and other objects that may appear to "grow out of people's heads".

FILMING:

8. Begin your video by stating the birthday event and date. Continue narration as the video progresses; interviewing guests and talking about the party games, food and other party topics will make a more interesting video.

9. Make sure to hold the camera steady while filming. Hold your elbows close to your body and avoid walking around. Imagine your camcorder is a full cup of coffee you don't want to spill and move accordingly.

10. Keep your average shot length at approximately 10 seconds. This means keeping the shot steady without panning or zooming for a count of ten. Count quietly to yourself as a reminder, until you refine your technique. Similarly, when you do pan or zoom, do so slowly to avoid the videocamera going out of focus.

11. Set up the videocamera on a tripod to record ongoing events when party action is set in one location, such as at the party table for cake and ice cream, or when guests are gathered together for the opening of gifts.

This technique gives the viewer the perspective of being a "fly on the wall" with a panoramic view of all the party events.

12. Capture candid moments by being inconspicuous in your filming. Small "snapshots" of unposed moments the best video memories.

Let shaky videos and shaken confidence become a thing of the past. The more you practice these 12 easy steps, the better the quality of your kid videos. Whether documenting a birthday party or other special event, your videography services will soon be in high demand!