When you break it down, the art of filmmaking is really just a series of shots and edits. There can be a lot to learn, but the basics will always be the same. That's why it's important to thoroughly understand the different types of camera shots and angles.

In this episode of 4 Minute Film School, Aputure's Ted Sim talks with Casey McBeath, a professional gimbal operator, about seven basic camera moves you can do with your gimbal to make your shots look more cinematic.


Check it out below.

Here are the seven camera movements mentioned in the video:

  • The push in/pull out
  • The boom shot
  • The truck/dolly shot
  • The follow/lead shot
  • The orbit
  • The rotate
  • The tilt

Though McBeath talks specifically about camera moves for gimbals, I think they work with all handheld moves as well, whether they be shot with sleds, monopods, full arm and vest systems, or even no stabilizer at all.

The purpose, though, of learning about all of these kinds of shots is not just to have an arsenal of fancy camera moves. It's to understand how they can be used to tell your story. For instance, after gimbals came out in 2013, it seemed as though 90% of music videos, shorts, and promotional videos were made up of orbit shots, but many times those orbit shots seemed a little out of place or superfluous because they didn't serve the story—a classic "Just because you can doesn't mean you should" thing.

But McBeath explains the psychological effects of each shot, as well ideal occasions in which to use them in your projects. So, test them out, practice them, and make up new one to help make your story more interesting to watch.

Source: Aputure