Tips for taking good video

• Make sure camera is rock steady (use tripod, place on unmoving surface, hold close with both hands and elbows into body)
  

• Use mix of long establishing shots, middle distance shots, and close-up shots -- of about three seconds minimum
  

• Take "cutaway" shots of what's going on in the immediate environment (such as reactions of others looking on, close ups of important objects)
  

• Don't move the camera (let people move into or out of frame, don't zoom, tilt or pan -- zoom in or out BEFORE starting to record)
  

• When you have to pan or tilt, do it VERY slowly
  

• Take advantage of the best lighting possible (outdoors is best; if indoors, turn on lights; do NOT face a bright light source like a window)
  

• Take more video that you expect to use, especially if you plan to edit (you don't have to use it all, but if you didn't record something you need, the moment is lost forever)

Note: You can 'fix' a lot during editing, such as stabilizing a jerky clip, or brightening a dark clip, or slowing down a fast pan but you can't fix shots you never took ... so shoot more rather than less