There are videos that are obviously news and some that are obviously commercials. But how do you distinguish the shooting style as a cameraman? Go To Team’s Vegas cameraman, Ethan Sneed, helps us take a deeper look at style differences through his recent shoot with As Seen on TV.
The purpose of the shoot was to help develop a clear dental advertisement. Upon arriving to the shoot location, our crew was given a shot list of three different shots to help capture and tell a story in under 30-seconds. Ethan used an Fs7 camera and Genaray litepanels to capture the commercial footage.
So what’s the main difference?
Commercials tend to have clear and specific structure. Cameramen typically know what is expected of them through a shot list, storyboard, or script.
News style on the other hand has a specific story that the cameraman needs to capture and convey to an audience, but when they show up to the location they don’t necessarily know what they will be able to capture. It’s more of a give and take experience.
Ethan Sneed is one of the most elite cameramen in Las Vegas and has ample experience shooting for an array of clients. Below are tips from Ethan on how to capture the perfect commercial style shoot:
- First, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the product being sold. This is because without a deep understanding, you won’t be able to have a clear idea of what the product actually does or the unique selling point.
- Next, have a clear vision. Communicate with the producers and people on set to make sure everyone is on the same page. Ask for a shot list or storyboard. Make sure you have a good grasp on what the client is wanting to make sure you properly execute.
- Last but not least, be confident in yourself to execute that vision. This means you shouldn’t be making any compromises on what you need to capture. You typically will have ample time to shoot a commercial. Make sure you take the time to capture the footage from the appropriate angles and don’t be afraid to capture content multiple times if needed.
Our crew had a great time working with As Seen On TV. We always have a great time with their crew and look forward to working with them on several upcoming projects in the future!