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Hope you're doing well! Today's tips and tricks will focus on filming flow videos as well as pointers for silk fan choreography. You can use these pointers for the FireLily Fan Dance Challenge '21 (just 12 days left now!), or for flow life in general!
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1. Check your frame
It may sound simple, but check your video frame before you start filming! Either someone can adjust the shot for you, or you can do a test video of yourself to adjust on your own.
Stand where you plan to shoot. Move your arms up and down, as well as out to the side. If know you will move away from the centre when dancing, walk to that area. Adjust your shot until you're confident that no limbs or props are cut out of the frame.
There's nothing more frustrating than finally get the take that you're happy with, only to discover half your head is cut off!
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2. Do multiple takes
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Think of multiple takes as your safety net and back up. So when you get home and you're watching what you thought was your best take, only to notice that weird man in the background of your video... no problem! You can use one of your back up shots instead, or even a combination of the two.
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3. Watch your videos in between takes
Video feedback is SO useful, I swear by it! Watching back your videos during your filming session is a great way to get feedback not only on your shot, but also on your movement. This was you can make any desired adjustments for the next take.
Maybe it looked really awesome when you came up close to the camera. Maybe that bit you thought your majorly stuffed up was actually barely noticeable at all. Maybe you don't want that random rubbish bin in the corner in your shot, which you hadn't noticed before. You get the idea!
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4. Lighting
Lighting can be super tricky, but can make a huge difference to your video. As a general rule, try to avoid any uneven shadows or any areas that are very dark. If you are in very bright light, this can be overly harsh and overexpose your shot. This is why overcast days can be good for filming, as you get a soft, bright light!
If you are being fancy, the ideal time to shoot outdoors is 'golden hour' - just after sunrise or just before sunset. This is also an ideal time for LED or fire, as you can see the props clearly but the dancer doesn't disappear into the darkness.
Hack for filming indoors: instead of shining a light (e.g. a bright lamp) directly on the subject, direct the light onto a wall next to your shot. The bright light will bounce off the wall and provide you with a nice soft light for your shot! The success of this does depend on your light, but if you get the right balance, gives sweet results.
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1. More energy
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Give more energy at the start of moves to really ‘flick’ the fan. This means the tails have more energy to follow through, and are less likely to get tangled! For the FireLily Dance Challenge choreography, it’s okay if this means you need to adjust the counts slightly :)
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2. Shake the tails free
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If the silk tail gets caught on the fan frame, give the fan a little shake. This will often free the tail, and is a small enough movement that it does not distract too much from the overall movement (see the very end of the demo video!).
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3. Tails hang behind
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When we hold our silk fans up without momentum, the tails will hang either behind or in front of the fan frame. By aiming to let the tail hang behind the frame (e.g. by tilting the fan slightly as we raise our arms), it is less likely to get tangled in front of our face/body.
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Those participating in the fan challenge - remember your videos must be in by October 24th 11:59PM Australian Eastern Daylight Time, and the winners will be announced October 26th 08:00AM Australian Eastern Daylight Time. Yay! :)
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Hope these tips have been useful :) Feel free to respond to this email and let me know your thoughts!!
Big love FireLily Family!!!
Hugs,
Jessy xxx
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FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
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You can find FireLily Dance family by using #firelilyfamily or tag us @firelilydance - we love to see your pics + vids and to feature you on our pages!
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