2.4: Composition

Before you start recording, look at your shot and see if you have everything in it that you want and that it is framed nicely. Do this prior to pressing 'record,' not after. Good shot composition uses the 'Rule of Thirds.' This is where you treat the screen as being divided into a tic-tac-toe pattern (see Figure 1 below). When framing a person, you want their eyes on the top line and the center of their head on the left or the right line (i.e., facing inward). Although this may cut off the top of the subject's head, it will provide the proper balance and make your shot look more professional.