Video Tips

If you have experimented with home video, have hunting experience, and woodsmanship skills, you already have the basic knowledge you need to be a cameraman. With a little practice you can fine-tune your skills. The following are some requirements for professional video. These recommendations and specifications are not nearly as intimidating or as expensive as they sound. All of these specifications will be mentioned, explained and referenced to in your camera’s operating manual. Total costs for equipping a filming team will be $3000.00+.

Your camera should be at least a miniDV 3-chip camera. Other formats are DVCAM, DVC-Pro, BetacamSP. At the Campbell Outdoor Challenge, we do most of our filming in the woods with Canon GL2 and Canon XL1S cameras. These are all digital camera formats. Costs on these cameras will be in the $3000.00+ range.

Click here to get a custom built Cameraman Starter Kit. It has everything you need to start filming your hunt!

Read your camera’s manual and practice with various settings before using the camera on a hunt. Get a UV filter for your camera lens.

Invest in a quality tri-pod and camera arm (for use in a tree stand) with a fluid head for smooth panning and tilting of the camera.

Don’t leave excessive headroom above your subject when framing.

Keep your camera as still as possible. A tri-pod, shoulder brace or tree arm will be invaluable for video quality. Try to avoid off the shoulder camera use whenever possible. Don’t start your non-hunting action, out-takes etc. until properly focused, framed and exposed. When filming the hunt take as much raw footage as possible. This gives the editor more to work with.

Use your imagination and innovation in filming. This will make your video more captivating. For example: If you are deer hunting and there is a squirrel on the ground nearby, and a deer approaches, start by zooming in on the squirrel and then gradually decrease the zoom and pan to include the deer. Then, continue to follow the deer action. Everyone has an imagination, use yours in filming. It makes the hunt more interesting.

Remember to involve the hunter in the action. Using the hunter in the camera action with the deer allows the viewer to feel that he is seeing the action as the hunter is.

The more you zoom, the more noticeable camera shaking will be so avoid excessive zooming. Never use your digital zoom. It degrades picture quality to an unusable level. Always use manual focus. Start by zooming out on the farthest visible object. Adjust your manual focus on that object. When you decrease zoom, everything should be in focus all the way out to that farthest point.

Know your camera’s optic levels. Don’t shoot an animal if it is too dark to record!

Learn how to manually white balance your camera and do so often to match lighting conditions.

On video levels, try not to go above 12dB on your gain and NEVER go above 18dB on your gain setting, it will be too grainy to use. You can set your camera for different levels. Experiment in low light conditions and know your camera’s limits.

Always carry extra batteries, extra tapes and a head cleaner tape.

It might be advisable to take a course on basic camera, lighting and sound. Also practice filming yourself and practice your 'on-camera' presentations. This is your chance for your personality to shine through. The camera is your friend, so don't be afraid of it. Your ability to use it and talk about your sponsors on film will make you a more desirable candidate for sponsorships for your team.

Invest in a better quality microphone than the one that comes with your camera. We highly recommend the use of a wireless lapel microphone to pick up low-level conversations. These are recommended for both members of the team so the viewers won’t have to miss out on any quiet and/or significant noises. The camera might seem intrusive or annoying in the field, but you will be so happy when you watch your footage that you spent the time and extra money to make your hunt first-rate.

Keep audio at OdB. Do not allow the levels to peak on your audiometers. This will cause undesirable distortion that cannot be used.

Invest in a windsock and shock mount for your microphone. Make sure the microphone is pointed toward your subject for best sound quality. Use the higher quality 16-bit 2 channel setting for audio recording.

Practice filming home videos and watch the results of your filming. This is a good way to practice zooming, catching all action, framing action, panning, using your manual focus, and white balancing. BE SURE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO. Only by watching your video can you see where corrections need to be made. While home videos are good practice, remember that in the actual hunt you are not only showing highlights from your home video, you are telling a story with your audio and video that the viewer needs to be able to understand.

Use the best quality equipment you can afford.

Through all our experience in the field and studio, we have picked out the essential pieces of camera equipment and combined them into a Cameraman Starter Package. You can purchase this by clicking here.

If you have a hunting and filming team or are interested in forming a team and competing in one of our Circuit Qualifying events with the chance to advance to the championship round, please call us at 618-384-3337 or email us through this web site.