Using POVs to tell engaging stories

I use both first and third-person perspectives to create the most engaging way to present a lively story. I always hope the videos I make will bring my viewers to explore the content and experience the message with me. If I only use a first or third-person perspective to tell a story, there is always a risk that my videos will turn out dull. Therefore, it is essential to transit between different person perspectives from time to time in the same video.

In my videos, I usually tell my story from a third-person perspective, where you will find me under the spotlight by introducing the location I am visiting. After that, I transit to a first-person perspective, meaning that I would use a point-of-view (POV) shot to impersonate one of my viewers to find out how the story develops.

How I plan my shoots

For the preparation of my videos, I would break down my pre-production stage into  three essential steps: (i) Brainstorming, (ii) Research and (iii) Creating a Storyboard

Firstly, I brainstorm the storylines and create an abstract idea of my intended shoots. After grasping the basic idea of what content I would like to tell my viewers, I would do location recce and prepare necessary props. This step is critical as there will be limitations most of the time. Finding the right location and preparing the right props will ensure my shoots deliver my ideas to good effect.

The next step is to create a storyboard. I will generally use nine to twelve slides to outline the shots I want to capture and include examples. At the same time, it is also helpful to plan the shooting angles of the intended shoots. If I had not been to the selected location before, I would always conduct research to find numerous photos of that location from different angles. With these information, I can identify possible places to capture my shots at that particular location.

In addition, if I am doing an outdoor shoot, I will definitely need help from a partner as it is more complicated than an indoor shoot. If that is the case, a comprehensive storyboard will make my partner fully aware of what kind of shots are required as my partner may not understand what my ideas are without it.

Five tips for capturing sharp street videos 

Capturing the right moment is never a piece of cake as it takes a lot of time and effort. When I have to chase down spontaneous moments in street shots constantly, I would say the five tips below could be of good assistance:

1. Patience

Be patient and wait for the right moment. Even when the angle is correct, there will be times when you do not want to include irrelevant items, for example, pedestrians or vehicles in your shot. Therefore, you have to be patient and wait to seize the right opportunity and take the shot.

2. Be prepared

Always have your camera ready. You can save time by capturing shots when the right moment appears spontaneously.

3. Do multi-shots 

Take multiple shots of your subject. As items and people are constantly moving on the streets, it is always helpful to take multiple shots to ensure you get the right shot.

4. Keep steady

If you are going to take an outfit of the day or street shot, the cameraman would need to hold the camera steady. It would be useful to walk forward and backwards multiple times to capture the perfect shot.

5. Using angles and props

If the location is crowded with people and I want to exclude them, I play with different angles simultaneously or use certain items to block them out from my shots. At times, taking low-angle shots may be the best solution!

I use my camera to show you the beauty of the world. It is now your turn to the same with yours.