Repeating Action

So, if you need to cut all your angle shots together, how do you pull it off? The most common approach to getting adequate coverage is to repeat the action of the scene. This means shooting the scene and then asking your subjects to repeat what they were doing (Figure 5.16). You should then change your composition and move your camera to a different position.

Figure 5.16. By having my son play through each hole twice—as well as using the word freeze—I was able to get proper coverage of the scene.

Here are a few ways to plan your coverage:

• If you’re shooting a scripted or narrative video, you’ll likely repeat the scene several times. You should first shoot the master shot to get coverage all the way through, and then move the camera around and get “insert” shots of key moments to cut in.