Topic: Classical recording: Would you just leave it or pan and zoom?

[matahaka]

Heres a question for you guys,

in recording classical recitals, would you leave it running at the same spot at a high place the whole time, or would you pan and zoom? This would be a single camera setup.

[shoestringconcerts]

depends on how well you know the music.  Its pointless to zoom in on the string section during a percussion solo

[matahaka]

Agreed, thanks for the opinion!

[guitard]

I think it's largely a matter of your purpose for shooting the video.  If you just need a record of the event for the sake of posterity or for something like grading the performance - you can get by with a static shot.

However, if the purpose is for some form of enjoyment -- I highly recommend trying to capture the moment by occasionally zooming in on the performer...gets some close ups on the face, the fingers working the instrument, do some upward pans where you start on the instrument and pan up toward the face, get a shot of two of them tapping their foot, etc., etc.

Get on youtube and watch some professionally shot videos of a similar type performance - you'll get some ideas from that.

I can virtually guarantee if the intent is to record something that the family might want to watch for enjoyment in the future - they will all be sleeping before five minutes has passed if it's a static shot.

[ScoobieKW]

I'll disagree here, i find panning and zooming with consumer gear often more distracting than pleasant.

If you look at pro-shot videos, there are a few factors. Better/smoother zoom, a tripod with a fluid head and drag to allow smooth panning, and most importantly multiple cameras so that you can cut between stuff and not show zoom out, pan, zoom in again each time.

[DigiGal]

Put the camera on a tripod and leave it on a wide shot of the orchestra the whole time (aka: John Lockdown).  If you have access to another camera or even an iPhone use it to get your close ups and insert edit video only from the second camera over the wide shot camera.