Few things are as difficult to watch, or as nauseating to experience, as shaky camera work. Home videos of vacations and family events are notorious for this, and that is why they get taped but never watched. The difference between steady and shaky footage has nothing to do with the camcorder and everything to do with the videographer. The following list of five essential skills will improve any video if applied during the shoot.

We have all been there. The subject is bland and beyond your own ability to manipulate. Event coverage is the most common situation for this, but your creativity has two choices: One, it can shut down and shoot the boring subject and become a boring video, or two, you can maximize the potential by implementing the following four shots that will keep your audience interested and prevent you from falling asleep during the shoot.