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

When people ask me the best way to learn video skills, I point them to this book. Whether you’re just starting to get into video or have video experience, Steve Stockman gives you the tools you need to create videos people will actually watch. Of course, you have to learn the skills, practice them and then implement them. First off, Steve tells you up front that this book isn’t about equipment. And that’s a good thing because you may have the latest and greatest DSLR/mirrorless camera, an old hand-me down camera or your smartphone. This is a technique and skills book. Steve breaks everything down into easy to digest chapters and succinctly explains everything. He doesn’t overwhelm you with technical jargon, but writes in everyday, understandable language. You don’t need a videography/cinematography dictionary next to you as you read this. He provides everything you really need to know to get started, or get reoriented if you’ve fallen victim to all those fancy YouTube techniques or crazy transitions. I have both the Kindle and paperback versions. If you thumb through the pages of my paperback edition, you’ll discover all the notes, highlights and underlines I’ve made in it. It’s a book I reference again and again. If you want to make videos and don’t know where to start, then start with this book. Or if you started already and need some help to cut through all the other video stuff “creators” inundate you with, then cut to the chase and get this book.

This book focuses on basic techniques without getting deep into jargon or tech not available to the average person. Even if you're not the one creating a video, it's a good read to help you articulate about what you like or dislike about films. There is lots of practical advice and the author is quite funny. Overall, an enjoyable read that (like a good movie) entertains and educates.

This book contained many great tips that indeed prevent the amateur video maker from making some easy mistakes. The book reads like a fast fact book with a little filler which to me is great because it's hard to read long personal sagas about film by other authors I've read. Tips include how to write a good story, how make your video not boring, and how to use lighting and camera to work for your given situation. The angle of video making advice is for all styles,reasons, and purposes of video making whether you are working on filming a wedding, corporate video or a music video. I gave this book a 4 star only because I had to skip over a couple sections that did not pertain to me. Overall, a great book for beginners!

No book I have ever read or course I have taken has ever educated so thoroughly, concisely, and simply as this one. As applicable to the corporate manager as it is to aspiring artist, it not only tells you how to shoot video that doesn't suck but how to communicate your thoughts and ideas in a way which will be effective and entertaining. Even though I grew up in theater and television, and am a decent and well-educated writer, even within the first few chapters I was able to shoot and edit professional level video as I could not before. The only limitations are my equipment, but with this book any equipment is adequate--even your smart phone--to turn those videos that even your mother wouldn't enjoy into ones that people who don't even know you will want to share. Most of all, I liked how it related storytelling visually to the techniques I already know in writing. And the results are obvious. Only a few weeks before reading this book I shot a video of my friends and their kids, edited it down to just a couple of minutes, and set it to music as a gift. Of course they liked it, but they didn't love it because it my video sucked. After reading just the beginning of this book and doing the first few projects, I shot a video of my wife going to a salon to get a haircut, focusing the story on the heroine who was our friend the hairstylist, and not only was she extremely happy with it, but so was the business owner who runs an art gallery and is involved in the artist community here in New York City. They even wrote a long thank you with a description of what they loved about my video--the variety of angles, the action, and how it told a story they didn't realize was there before. And that was just a haircut. Now people actually ask me to please bring my camera when they know I'm going to an event, because even though they all have cameras, they know mine will be great. This book can't give you talent, but it can enable you to express the talent and ideas you already have, and using equipment and resources you already own. But more than that, this book cuts through the hard mantle of jargon and lingo, and the intimidating descriptions of 'must have' equipment which other instructors will insist upon, to the essentials of expressing your ideas effectively in most any venue or genre.

This is a rare kind of book. It doesn't only teach technical facts about filmmaking as a school textbook is supposed to do, but somehow manages to make the readers understand the ideas and accept them as their own. Unlike other books on filmmaking, this one does not speak about the technical side of video at all; instead, it talks at length about things that make a short video work and keep people interested and entertained. Most of us instinctively know a good video from a bad one; after finishing this book, the reader should be able to explain WHY a video is good or bad. It is apparent that a lot of effort has been put into making this book so helpful. It is richly illustrated with hand-made drawings, and the author's friendly style makes it a quick and pleasant read. Chances are, a reader today has at hand at least one or two devices that can shoot high quality video. By reading Steve Stockman's book, you should be able to identify and fix all the errors you've been making (if you've been shooting video) or avoid such mistakes (if you are a beginner). As I said in the beginning, this is a rare kind of book. Most non-fiction books on a given subject, you read once and then put on the bookshelf for eternity. This one is different: it is so jammed full of helpful advice and ideas that you will want to re-read it over and over again. Great value, highly recommended to all aspiring film makers.

I came across a guy recently who's put out a really good book, for everyone that has a video camera. I've owned a whole lot of cameras since the 1970s, culminating in my DLSR. I thought I knew a lot about composition and engaging an audience, but Steve Stockman's book showed me, like most people I had little idea about how to shoot movies. The book is called "How to Shoot Video that Doesn't Suck." As Steve says, if you shoot the normal sort of video people will get bored and zone out or leave. He has a number of solutions. The first thing is to have some sort of a plan. Don't expect that you'll get interesting video by walking around with the camera. He suggests that when you start shooting you don't move or zoom the camera, but just position yourself and set the camera so that you can see the your subject. His second point is to close up on people's faces. Parts of your video should be emotional, and that emotion is seen on people's faces. Again, stay in one place where you are able to capture a face in close up. Their expressions are the best way to tell your story. He says that newbie videographers often let each shot run too long. Around 10 seconds is usually long enough. If the person is saying something that that takes a long time to explain, cut to other shots for a second or two during this time. Almost everyone will grow bored quickly with a person on screen that shown in the same position, even if they're telling an interesting story. The other thing is a problem with light. I see so many cruise videos where the camera person starts in the corridor, opens the cabin door, and the light from the windows is so bright that until the camera adjusts you can't see anything. He advises shooting against the light, for instance if a person is sitting in front of a window. All you'll get is a silhouette where you can't see the face. I felt really bad because, in spite of my photography experience, I would have made these mistakes pretty much immediately. The book has around 250 pages and there are plenty of other tips which will make your videos more interesting. If you don't want to invest in the book, you can go to Steve Stockman's web site (Google it) and find a lot of the lessons there. But since this book is so cheap (just over $11 on Amazon) and because I like to have something in front of me where I can refer to rules rather than try and remember what happened in a training video, it's worth getting.

For the “non-professional” who wants an understanding of the process of how to create a video, this book can’t be beat. It is not a technical manual focused on gear and software, but a roadmap to helping the reader shoot videos that don’t suck. Less is definitely more when it comes to creating the video and implementing Stockman’s advice will make a positive difference.

This book teaches you in a concise way about the art of making videos. Impressed- worth the buy for sure.

This is an excellent, easy to read, non technical guide to getting it right when starting out making your own videos, whether for your own private consumption, YouTube or even corporate presentations. The author writes knowledgeably about filming technique using any type of camera, beit film industry pro gear or a smartphone. He deliberately avoids talking about cameras and related gear, so if that is what you are after choose another book. We all make mistakes and get things wrong when we start out, but, a quick read through this book by a leading professional in the film making world will make you think about your production in a professional way and help the budding film/video maker produce interesting watchable films. Highly recommended for the novice and a great reference for the more experienced. I keep my copy handy and dive back in regularly for advice and encouragement.

This book is alot of fun and an easy read. The problem ( not really) is youdo not want to put it down. Lots of great points and information to make your video better. As an editor and videographer for a rest many years I learned some new tips. I highly recommend this book.

Ce livre enseigne beaucoup de techniques faciles à mettre en place. Il indique aussi quoi ne pas faire, et enfin quelques techniques de pro à ne faire avant d'avoir une bonne maîtrise (par exemple bouger une caméra de manière pro s'apprend). C'est théorique et il faudra compléter avec un autre contenu pour apprendre l'édition vidéo.

Ich habe schon einige Kurzfilme gedreht und arbeite hier und da als freier Kameramann. Ich habe schon einige Fachbücher zum Thema Filmemachen gelesen. Dieses Buch wäre am besten mein erstes gewesen. Denn es behandelt wirklich alle Grundlagen, geht aber nicht auf die Technik ein was es somit zeitlos macht. Steve Stockman hat einfach Ahnung von der Materie und vermittelt diese kinderleicht. Zu empfehlen für YouTube-Anfänger oder richtige angehende Filmemacher. Erst das hier lesen und dann euren ersten Film vorbereiten, drehen und schneiden.

This is an awesome book for beginners. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take any kind of videos, especially on your phone. No more taking videos that no one wants to watch.