One of the main concerns when filming is how to make sure your shoot is stable with a minimal amount of shaking. Below are some of our tips and tricks to getting a stable shot even if you new to videography.
Tripods, monopods & stabilisation systems
First and foremost you should try to use a tripod wherever possible. If a tripod isn’t acceptable then you can try to use a monopod instead. Then of course there are situations where you can’t use either and that’s when things become a little tricky. If you want to capture a stable moving shot you can try to use stabilisation equipment such as, Glide cam, Ronin, and Movi M5 which can stabilise your generic DSLR and small video cameras.
Suspension systems for the non-professional film-maker
For those want to make homemade videos with stable shots but don’t want to buy expensive professional equipment, there are other things you can try. There are plenty of small hand held devices on the market that have their own suspension systems. These typically cost only about ten to thirty pounds depending of course what and where you buy. You can put these suspension systems under the camera and they will help keep your shots level. This system creates more room in post production to fix the stabilisation, room that you wouldn’t have had otherwise. Then on the more expensive side of the consumer range you can acquire a glide cam which has a bigger rig.
Stabilising a shot without equipment
If you are using an iPhone or small hand held camera without a tripod, monopod or stabilisation system, there are still simple things you can do to improve stability. Firstly it is important to hold the camera close to your body. The shorter distance your arms are away from your chest the better, because then your chest can support the camera. This helps to prevent your arms from shaking.
If you are using a slightly bigger camera you can do the same thing, but also add a neck strap. This way you have the support from the back of your neck and your chest. If you are moving and want a stable shot you should try and roll on the balls of your feet down to your toes. Also just walk slowly and try to bend your knees. These are just a few relatively simple things you can do to capture the perfect stable shot.
Take a look at the video below to see the difference between handheld and a stabilised shot: