Best Practices for Filming in the Classroom: Keep the Camera Steady

A shaky or constantly zooming camera is a huge distraction from the teaching message.

  • Secure your camera to a tripod or mount if possible.

  • If you don't have a mount or tripod, make sure your camera is on a steady surface or leaning against something stable.

  • With the exception of panning and tilting to keep the subject in frame, let the camera be a quiet observer.

  • Slow panning is also a must (movement or rotation of the camera).

  • You can lose the viewer with a shot that is too far or wide to see what you’re talking about, or if you zoom in and the result is a shaky shot.

  • If your video is covering something small, get up close so the viewer can see it.

  • For larger lesson materials, zoom out so that the subject is captured completely within the video's frame.