Customer Reviews

How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck: Advice to Make Any Amateur Look Like a Pro

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've spent most of my career in various aspects of film and TV production. There are principles of shooting and structure most of us in the biz take for granted... but it's obvious, now that low-cost cameras are everywhere, that these techniques aren't intuitive. Many people seem to think of the camera as an extension of their eyes: wherever they're looking at the moment, they also point the lens. But it doesn't work that way. Even though these cameras have a lot of automatic functions, shooting that way gives you video that's hard to watch and sometimes downright embarrassing.

The tricks we use aren't difficult, just not obvious. Stockman breaks them down into tiny steps, makes them easy to master, and even adds a touch of humor. Take his advice and you'll shoot better videos, whether they're of your kid's birthday party or your boss's sales pitch.

I've worked with hundreds of writers, producers, and directors on various projects, including with Steve Stockman. I can tell you he knows his stuff, runs a happy and productive shoot, and is very good at explaining how he accomplishes it.

This is not a difficult book. You'll get a lot out of reading it. More important, the people who watch your videos will get a lot out of your having read it.

I'm a weekend warrior. I have a cool camera and all the toys guys like me buy. Over a few years of trial and error, mostly error, and some photography experience, my video has improved. If I'd only had this book 5 years ago I could have saved countless painful hours watching sucky video. This book is unique. Good luck finding anything like it. I think this book should be sold with every camera with a video record button. It's the best $10 I've spent in a seriously long time. I just downloaded it this morning and I'm getting ready to read it a second time. Ok, ok, what's the big deal? I'll let you in on a little secret: it's nearly impossible to find a pro that will reveal the real gems that will turn your crappy home videos into fun to watch pro quality movies. What is it about pro quality video that makes you think, "Wow, I wish I could do that?!". This book will show you the light.

I highly recommend it. Thank you Steve Stockman!

I really like this book - it is easy to understand and all of the advice makes sense. I consider myself an advanced amateur and have made many videos for family and friends over the years. Through lots of trial and error, I have discovered better ways to shoot (and edit) but this books provides many more ideas and advice. It will definitely be a reference book for me.

Maureen from MA

After spending hours in libraries and book stores "this was the book for me". I had even purchased another 'how to' video book that cost over three times as much. Even a 'Dummies' book covered subjects (How to Hire Actors, How to rent equipment, etc.) that most hobbyists will never need.

This book gets right down to things that need to be done (brainstorming, practice exercises, observing neuounces on TV programs, movies and human nature) before you can make a video that people will enjoy watching. The biggest shocker for me was counting the seconds that one 'shot' (time period that one 'camera angle' was recorded during a (any) movie or TV show). Almost all are less than 10 seconds and most are in the 5 second range. This book explains why our brain needs these 'changes' to keep us interested. It shows us what we can do with a single camcorder to record the same interest generating shots in our videos.

There are 76 chapters in the book. Here's some of my favorites: Entertain or Die; Instant Creativity; Know your Audience; Know your story; Make Every Picture Tell the Story; Think in Shots; Always Leave Them Wanting; Don't Shoot Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes; Shoot the Details; and Clarity Is the Prime Directive. The author even provides a website that shows the results of using his suggestions.

The list price is $13.95. Amazon's price, delivered, was less than that.

I have been a professional videographer for over 30 years and am the president of
the Atlanta Videographers Association. In the world of videography, too many people
put emphasis on equipment: cameras, editing software, computers etc. and virtually no emphasis on HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO. This book is an absolute NECESSITY for anyone who is interested in producing videos that people will actually watch and enjoy. The author, Steve Stockman,has written the definitive book for videographers to use and learn from. This book is as valuable as any piece of video gear you may own and will show you how to use it to produce professional quality level videos. My highest recommendation!!

I read this book, and then made a video. It was by far the best video I ever made. I videotaped an unsuccessful hunt and even though there was no action, the video turned out great! The people who watched it said "survivorman" had nothing on me! I am a complete amateur and put together a great video, this book is the best.

When I first saw the title of "How to shoot video that doesn't suck" I laughed. And there were several times when reading this book, I actually laughed out loud. But the real meat in this offering is that its author Steve Stockman has boiled it all down to some simple solutions to problems we all make being sucked into the fancy stuff of technology. Steve shows us there are some basic rules and techniques that can be easily applied to your shooting to make you less embarrassed. Or if you have been assigned the task of making videos for your boss at work, read this book before you start your first project. This is an EXCELLENT book for beginnings and those of us who think we know it all.

I liked this book. I knew it wasn't going to be a 5-star tome when I read the title and then looked within and found Chapter 4 of 7 to be titled the same as the book itself. The book is not just about how to shoot a video. It's more about how to conceptualize, plan, shoot, and even goes a little into post-production where it talks about editing. I'm not positive, but I don't think I have ever given a book I thought was mistitled a 5-star rating, and this book will not break that rule.

Video production involves pre-production, shooting/production, post-production, and packaging. It usually involves artistic conceptualization and creativity, at least if it is done correctly. But it also involves knowing about camcorders, sound recording devices, computers, video editing software, digital sound editing software, and often times image editing software. Don't expect to learn anything about the non-conceptualization and creativity angles of video production from reading this book. You won't learn about camcorders, computers, etc. What you will get is a compilation of 77 tips the author has organized into 7 chapters that should help you a lot in your pursuit to understand the "mechanics" of being a video ARTIST. Said another way: this is a book about how to create a video people will watch and keep watching instead of ignoring.

The Table of Contents (TOC) is available for you to examine on this book's Amazon page. You'll see the titles to the seven chapters and the appendix. More importantly you will see the titles to the 77 sub-topics this book covers. I hate to say it, but by reading the TOC you almost know everything the book is going to tell you. You might not even have to buy the thing and read it. However, it is well written, and certainly worth the price of admission (it's not an expensive book). 4 stars!

I teach a video class at a small private school and this book is on the recommended read list and next year it will be required reading. The quick-start guide "12 Easy Ways to Make Your Video Better Now" is a great introduction to the rest of the book. The book is light on the technical and heavy on the useful. This is a great book for my students and anyone wanting to shoot good video. The chapters are short, to the point, and easy to read. The book is entertaining and informative. I should use the book as a guide to do a video review.
Thanks Steve for making videography fun again!

In this book author Steve Stockman does a phenomenal job of cutting through all of the technical jargon and complicated specifications associated with video production. He provides a concise and simple framework that anyone can understand and implement to make interesting and compelling videos. Steve has an enjoyable writing style peppered with wisdom accumulated from years of experience doing commercials, music videos, television shows and films. I have been producing commercial videos for some time and I am changing the way I film and edit because of the insights Steve has shared in this book. Whether you are producing video for family events and holidays or the next epic production BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT. I have twice. You will make better videos.