What are the best framing and composition practices for videography?

Indeed, the rule of thirds is a fundamental guideline in visual composition that divides an image into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing key elements along these lines or at their intersections helps create a visually appealing and balanced composition. By following this rule, you can enhance the dynamism of your shots, steering clear of static or uninteresting visuals. Placing subjects off-center or aligning elements with the gridlines can add depth and interest to the image. For instance, positioning a subject along one-third of the frame while leaving negative space on the other side can create a compelling visual balance.

There are many composition rules that make a frame pleasing and connected to the rule of thirds, such as the Golden Ratio and the Golden frame. All of these fundamentally mean a simple thing. The subject may not be placed bang in the centre of the frame. A little to one side, and it creates a pleasant composition. Also, the idea that the intersection points of the lines are the so-called "attention-grabbing zones" and hence the most important parts of the frame may reside there. This is true not just for people but also for landscapes. However, it is also important to remember that once you know the rule, you can go the opposite way and break it for aesthetic or storytelling reasons.

Absolutely, headroom and lead room are crucial elements in framing a shot effectively. Headroom refers to the space between the top of the subject's head and the edge of the frame, while lead room pertains to the space in front of the subject's direction of movement or gaze. Balancing headroom is important to avoid making the subject appear insignificant or cramped within the frame. Too much headroom might make the subject seem small or isolated, while too little headroom can create a sense of discomfort or constriction for the subject. Similarly, lead room influences the viewer's perception of the subject's movement or focus.

An interesting thing here is from the point of view of the editor. It is good practice to shoot a little wider than what you think you will need. This will mean you can move the subject around or zoom in and out in post. So generally shooting a few dozen millimetres wide is advisable. If one can shoot and edit 4K, then we can shoot even wider and leave more room around the subject. While editing 4K for HD there is a lot of scope for reframing and creating faux-zoom/pan if the shot is wider than needed. This can be both technical and creative advantage.

Indeed, framing devices are powerful elements in photography or videography that aid in directing focus, adding depth, and enhancing visual intrigue within a scene. These devices, like windows, doors, arches, trees, or other objects, serve to create a frame within the composition.

Absolutely, the rule of odds is a valuable principle in visual composition that suggests an odd number of elements in a frame tends to create a more engaging and visually appealing composition compared to an even number. Odd numbers tend to evoke a sense of balance, harmony, and focus, while even numbers often emphasize symmetry, repetition, and a more divided composition.

Certainly, leading lines are instrumental in visual storytelling, serving as pathways that guide the viewer's gaze through a composition while adding depth, direction, and perspective to a shot. These lines can take various forms such as roads, fences, bridges, or any element that forms a visual path within the frame.

This is especially true in cases where the subject is side-on to the camera while being stationary but more so when in apparent motion. Whether it is a person, animal or bird, as soon as they are side-on, there should be more space towards the side they are facing. This instantly results in a more natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing composition. The reverse immediately makes the frame uncomfortable even if the viewer cannot point out why. On subjects that move, there is merit in following this rule while keeping more space in the direction of the movement. Finally, there is also merit in breaking the rule fully if you want the scene to create a sense of discomfort. However, one can only break a rule if one first knows it well.

Framing is a crucial part of every video story whether a commercial cinema or just a short clip for a presentation. Most of the time, it is advisable to shoot a little bit wider than what you think you will need so that reframing is possible. It unlocks a lot of creative possibilities if one has a few more pixels on either side. All the rules discussed above must be seen as more of guidelines and not as a rule. In fact, once we learn and master these rules, we can start breaking them strategically.

Always walk around your subject with the camera and look for the best angles/unique angles that you may not have considered or visualized before, and let those be happy little accidents that you find on the day.

En caso de videos que vayas a usar en diferentes canales es útil y muy importante pensar en grabarlos de modo que los puedas adaptar después a los formatos ideales de cada red social. Para lograr esto la clave es que antes de grabar hagas una estrategia de contenidos por canal, con una pieza madre, que luego puedas adaptar para todas las plataformas. Que funcione tanto horizontal como verticalmente (haciendo planos que funcionen en ambos formatos para que no tengas que grabar dos veces) Así un mismo video te puede servir para youtube y también puedes adaptarlo y hacer un extracto para usarlo como reel. Usa plantillas que marquen las zonas seguras de cada red social, para que queden perfectos.

To break the pattern to highlight something. Also to use patterns to lead the eyes in a particular direction. Also use depth of field to give power to your photographs.