1. Clearly establish your objectives.

· What’s the reason for your shoot?

· The purpose of the shot in the scope of the spot.

· Too slow can equal boring

· Pick up the pace

· Not too fast=confusion

· If in doubt, leave it out

2. Strive for a feeling of unity.

· Your productions are arranged so they are unified

· Your production supports your basic idea

3. Compose around a single center of interest.

· Compose your scenes around your theme

· Does the shot fit the theme?

· Is it symbolic of your scene?

· Stay away from multiple centers of interest!

· Shift the center of interest,

· Through movement

4. Observe proper subject placement.

· Take the time to position your actors.

· Take the time to move the camera to position the objects within the frame

· Lead the subject

· Rule of thirds

· Horizontal and vertical lines

5. Maintain tonal balance.

· Brightness and darkness

· Dark objects suggest weight

· Feel the weight of objects

· Balance those objects in the scene

6. Balance mass.

· Make sure your scenes are balanced

· Move your camera to help balance

· Zoom in our out before you record

7. Create a pattern of meaning.

· Use scenic elements to create meaning

· Open with your introduction shot full of clues

· Present your scene creatively

8. Utilizing lines.

· Straight lines= dignity strength

· Curved lines=grace, beauty

· Horizontal lines=stability, openness

· Vertical lines=power, height, restriction

· S-lines= gracefullness, leads eye to center

9. Frame central subject matter.

· What is central to you shot?

· Use objects to frame your shot

10. Use visual perspective.

· Camera position, far or up close

· Tight shot or wide shot?

11. Convey Meaning through color/tone.

· Concentrate on your lighting

· Light=mood

· Bright colors=red, yellow, orange

· Seen first

· Cool colors=blue, green, purple

· Seen second

12. Avoid Mergers.........adjust your shot!

· Tonal mergers

· Too much of same color

· Dimensional mergers

· Light post out of subjects head

· Border mergers

· Subject cut off by frame,

· Car shot, but can't see wheels

13. Control the number of prime objects.

· Stick with odd numbers

· Odd is visually pleasing

14. Balance, complexity, order.

· Complexity without order

· Equals confusion

· Order without complexity

· produces boredom

· Balance order and confusion!

15. Utilize meaning suggested by movement.

· Where the actions come from

· Where the action goes to

· Upward motion=getting out of a chair=progression

· Downward motion=opposite=settling

· left to right is more pleasing

· Action towards camera diagonally from corner left to to right