Tips for Filming Your Family on Vacation
It’s February and that means people are going to all kinds of fun destinations during kids’ school breaks. I’m here to give you all the best video tips to capture your memories in the most amazing ways. Bookmark this and come back to it before your next family vacation!
1. Film the Transportation - Whether you're taking a car, airplane or boat make sure you get a few clips of getting there and leaving. Usually we're so tired at the end we forget this step. But the exhausted, hot mess express your family probably is at the end of a trip makes for a great final clip of a film.
2. Capture the details - I say this a lot because it's important. Details matter! And the important details change so. freaking. fast. The answer to his mad libs won't ALWAYS be "poop".
3. Don't forget the wide shots - They tell the bigger story - the landscape of where you are.
4. Get Wet! Yep - I'm serious. If you have a newer phone - Apple OR Android - chances are it's waterproof. I take my phone into the pool all the time. Google before doing so (or get a cheap waterproof pouch on amazon like this one), but dunking your phone can be some of the best shots! If you dunk your phone - be sure to download the Sonic App. It vibrates and expels water from your phone speakers. You can find it at the Mac App store HERE or the Google Play store HERE.
5. Take video on rides - Hold on tight to your camera - these shots are risky depending on the ride but totally worth it! Something like the teacups or bumper cars are definitely manageable.
6. Capture Sleeping Footage - Chances are your little people are WIPED at the end of the day. Make sure to grab a few seconds of them sleeping like the angels we all know they are (ha!).
7. Get in the video - Yes - YOU! Do you know how many parents leave a vacation and have like, two photos in their camera roll of themselves? And forget videos. Do it. I don't care how you think you look. Your future self will want this. Promise.
8. Clean your lens - An often forgotten rule but essential to a clear film. Especially if you're in a hot, humid environment and/or your phone lives in your back pocket. The lens gets shmutsy (yes, I just used that here). Just take your shirt and rub the lens before filming. If your footage looks like the clip below - foggy or fuzzy where the light is - you need to clean your lens!
9. Capture Reactions - Once my dad video taped an entire Disney parade on his camcorder (hey - it was the 90s! They all did. Love you Dad!). Hilarious - yes. But 20 years later what I really want to see is what our reactions were! Definitely grab some quick shots of what you're looking at, but make sure to get reactions too!
10. Hotel Room Shenanigans - not much to say here except it's a universal joy for kids to jump on beds that aren't their own. And I’m going to guess it’s the first thing your kids do when they get to a hotel room. Ok maybe right after they play with the phone that’s plugged in and has a cord. Go ahead - film all of it.
11. Be Consistent - Notice anything that's the same throughout all these clips I've shown (from the same family!)? Mom did an amazing job of taking all her videos holding her camera the same way. Whichever way you choose (we recommend horizontal) - keep it the same throughout your trip!
I give LOTS of video tips & tricks on my Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages (go follow for all the latest!). This Mom had followed me for a couple of years prior to their trip last year and she did her homework! She incorporated so many of the things I talk about into her film - and it PAID OFF. This family’s Disney Vacation Film is one of my favorites because when you put all these elements together the result is a fun, interesting, meaningful and emotional film! You can see the full film below:
Better home videos = better films. Practice and have fun! Happy filming!
