Amateur Movies

Filming amateur movies has always been a popular hobby. Computers and digital equipment, however, have revolutionized the art of film production in a way that makes if fun and easy for anyone to create amateur movies.

Using an inexpensive digital video camera and simple video editing software, even a beginner can produce amateur movies that have the look of polished films complete with smooth scene transitions and quality graphics and sound.

If you already have an analog or digital video camera, your best first step is to acquaint yourself with all of its functions. If not, consider purchasing a new or used digital video camera. There are several different formats from which to choose, and you should do some research to decide which format suits your recording and playback needs.

Practice using your camera by shooting video in different lighting conditions, with and without a tripod, or by using the zoom and panning features. You don't need to capture award-winning footage; the point is to learn the capabilities and quirks of your equipment. Practicing with your camera will also develop your eye for finding great angles that will make your amateur movies shine.

Once you have amassed some digital footage, export the material to your computer. This can be accomplished with a few cables that probably came with your digital video camera and some basic software. If you have digital video editing software, you can manipulate and organize your footage into the beginnings of an amateur movie. It may help to take a class or online tutorial to learn more about video manipulation, but the process has become so simple that almost anyone with a modicum of time and enthusiasm will be quickly able to figure out what he or she is doing.

It's surprising how much footage is required to produce a short clip of finished video. Creating amateur movies takes time and planning. Try to decide on a story line before you begin shooting on a specific project. Envision the different scenes in your mind and then try to recreate them in the lens of your video camera. Shoot several variations on each scene so that you have plenty of material from which to choose during the editing process, and most importantly, have fun making your amateur movies.