If you’re a parent, then you probably have thought at one stage or another how you’d love to create a diy movie. Shooting a movie with your kids is not only a way to spend some quality time with your loved ones but also an opportunity to create memories together and then revisit your happy moments again and again in the future. Got some interesting vacation ideas that you want to capture forever? Would you like to shoot the moments when your kids grow? Then turn on your camera and make a film.
This article will give you an insight into some of the best ways to film with your children. There’s so much you can learn about film-making from just observing the way your child interacts with the camera and how they hold the storyboard for a film. So go ahead and start filming your kids and watch their reactions.
What You Need
Do not rush with filming your kids or family activities. Instead, make sure that you have everything necessary at hand. This is what you will need to create an outstanding family movie:
- A digital camera – An HD camera is just a perfect option. You want to get a digital camera as it has more flexibility when it comes to adding text and images to your film. Also, remember not all digital cameras have audio. We would recommend either the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 or the Nikon Coolpix S3700. Both of them will cope with the task perfectly well;
- A tripod – Some may think that it’s expensive, but when it’s needed, it’s really needed. A tripod is the main component in any good film-making setup. You’ll be able to create really professional looking films if you have a good tripod;
- A storyboard – Storyboards help your child film their ideas because they need something to show to their family. A storyboard is simply a diagram of scenes. They are useful because it’s easy to add images and text onto the storyboard;
- A light – Kids love attention and getting their picture taken, and a lot of the time filming can be really fun. But it can also be really tiring for your child and their filming. A light is handy to help make a child a bit more comfortable. It’s best to get a light for video, and have the option of changing the light from incandescent to fluorescent.
Once you have the set-up ready, you can proceed further and make a film with your kids.
How to Start
Kids really enjoy watching what is happening and asking questions. 
When you want to start recording, make sure that you’ve put the microphone on your camera and you’ve turned it on. After your camera is ready, then you can start filming. We have prepared some tips for parents that will make a film-making process easy and fun for all the participants.
1. Prepare the Set-up
Start with your storyboard and get your child to hold it up. Make sure you’re both comfortable with how the camera is set up. Then try to get a little bit of practice before you start filming. This way you can get used to the distance between the child and the camera, as well as the angle the child is facing the camera.
When you make a movie with your kid, it’s always important that you talk to them and keep them engaged. This will help them to become familiar with what is happening. It would also be a good idea to make a checklist before you turn your camera on.
When your camera is ready, you need to set the focus. Children love moving around, so it’s easy to forget to focus on them. If your camera is on auto focus, it should focus on the subject within the first second of filming. Try to capture as much of your child as possible without moving the camera around too much. After you’ve focused, you can get your child to move around the camera a bit. They may need some direction but be really happy to move around.
2. Decide on a Scene
If you’re going to be filming a few minutes, don’t think you need to record a whole scene. That will take forever. For the first bit of film you make, it’s better to record the storyboard, without adding any additional images or sounds. Once you feel you are recording a good sequence, add the sound and visuals.
The best way for children to learn about film-making is by observation. Your kids will be watching what you’re doing and will notice things they don’t see. For example, your child will look at the storyboard and ask you “how did you make that?” and you can tell them. With a bit of patience, your child will soon catch on and film their own storyboard.
Remember: when you’re filming, it’s best to explain what you are doing and show your child the settings you’re using. It will show you’re not just recording something but also educating them about what the camera is doing and how it works.
One of the greatest parts of creating films is showing your child’s reaction to what you’ve created. It’s always great when they say “that was awesome!” That’s why the best films in the world are always about a family. It’s not about the actors, it’s not about the camera. It’s about you and your children.
3. Do the Editing
Editing films is simple and can be done in just a few minutes. After you’ve recorded a video, import it into any video editor and do some simple edits. If your kid really wants to be in the film but is struggling with the camera and sound, you can help them with that too.
You can add their sound and voice to the film without them really understanding what they’re doing. You can add their image or text to the storyboard or even better, create a new storyboard for the edited film. You can easily replace the sound and pictures that were not on the original storyboard.
If editing programs are a disabling burden, try something more kid-friendly, like a video collage maker with music. It will let your kid make a pic and video collage at the press of a button. You can simply combine some media to create automatic video grid collages along with music and other rich media.
4. Take Care of Post Production
Once you have your video edited, you can decide whether you want to post it online. If your child really likes the film, then sharing it online is a great way to show them. Even though they’re going to see it on a big screen, a mobile phone will help them feel like part of the action. So you can also film on iPhone.
5. Rewind the Film
If you think your child may be getting bored of a particular part of the film, you can rewind the film to show them. When you rewind the film, they will see where you’ve rewound the film, and it will be easy to show them where you’ve rewound it. They may ask questions like “how did you do that?” or “why is that important?” You can have a conversation with your child about what is happening in the film. Even if they have to rewind a little, they will still love watching the film in their own unique way.
Creating Memories Together
One of the best things you can do with your child is to help them write a story for their film. The same is true of adults, you can find yourself getting into your own story and write a script. When your child is writing their story, they should feel like they are the narrator. In fact, they should enjoy writing their own script. Once your story is ready, you can add your own soundtrack or choose a background music together. This could be something they’ve sung to themselves or recorded onto a CD.
When your child is making their first film, it’s all about capturing the special moments they have and how you spend time with your kid. You can create amazing films with the right equipment and support. It’s a great way to get your kids to enjoy the process and create their own memories together.
