Reminder on Shot Check List for Event Recording

It is indeed a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The sun is shining. People perambulating about the town square and there is music, food trucks and motorists honking horns as the pedestrians take over.

It doesn't matter if you use a smartphone or a camcorder; you want to show folks what you saw and make it interesting. To the extent possible, consider using this method as a guideline to record a view of the event.

Now, granted if you are recording a music act and they are 10 feet above you then you might not get their hand plucking the guitar. But you might get a shot of the drummer banging away, a fiddler in mid-bow or the movement of the symbols.

If you want to cut down on your editing time using this as an in-camera editing guide would not be a bad thing.

I might have linked to this before, Journalism instructor Mindy Adams has a example of how to use the 5 Shot Check List. She says to go at least 10 seconds per shot and who am I to quibble?

Other Issues

• Stay safe, meaning secure your belongings. Do not take what you can't afford to lose. Travel light.
• Be considerate. If the person does not want to be recorded pull up and walk away.
• For U.S. readers, recording in public is allowed if you are on a public street or sidewalk. If you recording at a city event you do not need permission to record what happens on the street or the people walking by.
• If however you cross the street and walk onto private property, i.e. a mall parking lot, a store, or an alley then you could be asked to stop recording or leave. Don't kick up a fuss, just go.
• Security People that are not police officers: Most are okay people. Some are jerks. Listen to what is being said but keep your distance if you encounter a jerk.
• Police officers. Be alert, know where they are in relation to your body. Scope out exit paths. Be respectful.  Should something (bad) happen and you have recorded it then you to make decisions. Your safety is the most important thing followed by removing yourself from the area so that you can upload the video.

That should keep you busy. But I'm forgetting something. Oh, yeah, make sure you are charged up, have extra batteries, memory cards, water, wear comfy shoes and scope out multiple restroom options.

Other Posts of Interest

• Professor Lih's 5-shot Check List 
• Know Your Photography Rights Video From ACLU
• Bound by Law Duke University's Comic on Fair Use
• Home Page for Mobile and Tablet Users