I know, I miss DigitalRev too, but one half of the DV dream team, Kai Wong, is still making informative and hilarious gear reviews on his personal YouTube Channel. In his latest video, though, he takes a break from critiquing cameras to share a bunch of tips on how to become a better photographer/filmmaker. Check it out below:

There are so many things that can hinder you as a filmmaker, whether it's something technical, like not having the right gear, or something psychological, like not having the confidence to pursue a career in filmmaking. But for every issue you face, there is always a solution, and half the battle is being able to recognize what that solution is. 

Wong provides ten tips in his video on how to combat many of the pitfalls you run into as a photographer/filmmaker.

  • Be confident
  • Do your research
  • Shoot with the right light
  • Gear matters
  • Copy people (for learning purposes)
  • Shoot more of the same in different ways
  • Criticize your work...constructively
  • Take a camera with you everywhere
  • Auto is okay
  • Learn the rules, then break the rules

Perhaps the most important tip, at least in my eyes, is to have confidence. If you try to go out and make films without it, it's much harder to produce quality work that you are happy with. Furthermore, without confidence you're more likely to put yourself on the sidelines where it's safe while others are taking risks and trying new things with their cameras. Pretty soon, making films isn't all that fun anymore because you're not excited by your work; you're living inside your comfort zone, and while it's a cozy place to be, it's boring, uninspiring, and probably not where you dreamed you'd be when you first wanted to become a filmmaker.

So, go out into the world today with a little more confidence and try to put some of Kai Wong's advice into practice. I bet you'll end up with images that you never thought you could ever take.

Source: Kai W

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