How To Film YOURSELF - Solo Cinematic B Roll Demo

We're doing a raw solo film making kind of behind thescenes demonstration today.

It's going to be super raw. I'm going to show you exactly how I film an entire solo B-roll section of me doing some fun things over here. And then towards the end of the video, I'm going to show you how all of the shots that we capture can

actually work with each other to create an impactful scene.

The actual scene that we are going to be shooting today is going to be pretty simple, but it's going to be a fun one.

We're going to really try and get creative and do interesting, unique, and cool shots that are not necessarily specific to this scene that we're filming, but just to spark ideas and

creativity for you, no matter what scene that you might be filming in your own little shoot. Starting out. And the

little shoot. Starting out. And the

first thing that we're going to do is I want to open my video with a really unique and cool shot that uses this door

as kind of part of the video. The way

that we're going to do that is by using these. This is not a sponsored video.

these. This is not a sponsored video.

Um, and the idea is not to make it that you have to have certain tools. It's

just to give you ideas. You can do it without tools as well. I'm doing a double setup here to make it extra safe.

And I'm going to use this suction cup over here.

And then I'm also going to use this clamp. Just clamps onto the ladder. Just

clamp. Just clamps onto the ladder. Just

so I can attach the camera at two different points. If this fell off or

different points. If this fell off or this fell off, uh the camera would still be fine. Okay, we'll start down here

be fine. Okay, we'll start down here and then we're going to move it like this.

That should be fine. We'll cut to our next next shot. Okay, that looks cool.

That one worked. A lot of effort for a simple shot, but I think putting more effort into like a few really creative and unique looking shots is more beneficial than just going full volume

and getting like as many shots as you can. So stoked. Let's get the next one.

can. So stoked. Let's get the next one.

My last shot I was sitting here and what I always am kind of trying to look out for is just super unique perspectives.

Instead of being eye level like this. So

that one was like a straight top down.

And then the next shot of me putting my shoes on, I think I'm going to go for like a straight looking up shot. So I

kind of be almost underneath where I am.

I'm always just trying to think of like weird and unique shots, things that are different, things that are stand out. I

feel like that's really what makes people stop the scroll or pay attention. So,

let's be there.

Okay, perfect. The next shot after putting on

perfect. The next shot after putting on shoes, we're going to be using this again. And like I said, you don't need

again. And like I said, you don't need any tools. This is just to spark

any tools. This is just to spark creativity. You can think of your own

creativity. You can think of your own unique ways to do this without having any of this stuff, but we're using it cuz I have it and it makes it easier.

So, we want to get a kind of reverse object POV of the skateboard. So, I

think I'm going to attach this to this part of the skateboard on the truck here and I can get me picking it up and performing an action again. It's just

another weird unique angle. This camera

as of now has been a 16 to 25 lens and we're pretty much shooting everything at 16 just cuz we're doing some weird um like kind of interesting

angles and close-up details. So, having

that really wide angle just makes it feel like you're really up in the action.

So, we're going to swap over lenses in a moment, but for now, we're all in on the wide.

Something else I always kind of look out for is to film shots that can be started or cut kind of within an action instead of starting it before something happens

and then letting it play out and then stopping. If you cut or start on that

stopping. If you cut or start on that action, it just makes it flow like really smoothly and seamlessly. the

viewers looking at that specific shot and then boom, it's the next one and it flows into it. So, the the way that we're going to do that for this one is we're going to pick the board up and then as I I'm going to turn around and

close the door and as I do it's going to cut to the next shot as that door closes. So, this looks cool and we're

closes. So, this looks cool and we're going to pick it up and we'll cut as that door kind of closes. And I'm going to watch this just

closes. And I'm going to watch this just to make sure we've got it. From that

door slamming shot, we're going to straight transition into a really nice low angle kind of close up of me pushing on the skateboard. So, it's going to be with that impact like and then it's

going to go past. So, it's going to cut together nicely. We're going to be

together nicely. We're going to be really low over here, super wide, and maybe facing slightly more into the light.

No, the sun's getting quite hard because of how late in the day it is now. So,

we're going to stay this way and I'm going to come past and just push right in front of here and that's going to be the cut. And then I'm going to skate

the cut. And then I'm going to skate away and I'm going to get a few other creative shots of that.

A couple of important things that I wanted to note on while I change over this lens to a more zoomed in one is that I kind of roughly thought of these

ideas before I actually came here uh yesterday. And I just jotted down like a

yesterday. And I just jotted down like a few words for each rough shot idea. Also

so that I can just think about how they flow together and what works well next to each other as well as trying to come up with like some creative ideas like the door thing or this one that we're

about to get. And it just helps to have just a rough idea, even if you don't really stick to it. But having a few kind of standout shots in mind before

you actually go film, so that you're not there trying to figure it out and be like, uh, well, do I want to do what do I actually want to film here? Makes a

big difference. So, I would highly suggest just just think of a couple. It

doesn't need to be anything crazy. It

doesn't need to be um in detail. You can

literally just be like, "Oh, that would be cool. We may try and do something

be cool. We may try and do something like that." And then when you're there,

like that." And then when you're there, you've got something to work with. And

you can change it up and mix it up as much as you want. But just having that rough idea will help a lot. This next

one that we're going to be getting is from inside the car. So, I'm going to set this longer lens up that zooms into the rear view mirror cuz I was skating

away back there. So, it's going to be into the rear view mirror. I mean, the like side mirror of the van just cuz the van's included in the scene. And then

I'm going to skate away. And I think that's going to look pretty cool. It's

going to be hard to tell if that's getting me or not. I'm going to lock focus onto the rearview mirror

and I'm going to have to watch it back and see if it works. But I'm going to go try and get it.

Okay, let's see if that one worked. Ah,

I think it did. While I'm looking back at this footage to see if it worked. Oh,

that's cool. I went past the mirror.

Ah, that's sick. I didn't even think about that part. Okay, that worked.

Before we move on, if you guys want a completely free solo film making workbook, there's one linked down below somewhere. It's completely free. It'll

somewhere. It's completely free. It'll

take you through some cool stuff that you can think of and get your head space in the right space before you actually film. Again, it's free. Check it out.

film. Again, it's free. Check it out.

Next one's pretty simple, but it's one I always love doing, and it's just a nice way to add some extra movement into the shot that you are creating. And that's

basically by just doing like a cheat selfie. And for this one, I'm going to

selfie. And for this one, I'm going to be doing it upside down because I want a shot of the skateboard kind of moving part past. I can add so much movement.

part past. I can add so much movement.

So, I'm just going to hold it as like a a selfie kind of thing. Point it at my feet. No one would ever know that I

feet. No one would ever know that I didn't just film that myself.

I mean that I did just film that myself.

So, nothing crazy. We're going to go from here and get like some movement around the the bottom here. So, let's

go.

I lied. Well, I'm going to get another version of that and it's going to be like a slow shutter speed one. Um, so

I'm going to put my shutter speed down to something like 25.

And by having that slow shutter and I'll just have to crank up my aperture unfortunately, but having that slow shutter adds so much energy to a shot.

We got it. Next, we're doing two shots that are going to kind of cut together.

Super simple. But we're going super low and we're going super wide. We're going

to be here and I'm just going to come into the middle of the frame and stop.

Uh kind of look around and then we're going to cut to another creative shot of the same thing. And we can put them next to each other as a little sequence. I'm

going back to regular shutter speed. And

that sun is looking a little too hard.

So, I'm going to be more here.

And then if I am about here, it's going to work

about here. And I'm going to stop here

about here. And I'm going to stop here like this. Look around and then move.

like this. Look around and then move.

Okay. And then we'll watch it. Uh, by

the way, I thought trying to sell you more stuff, but I would just want to politely interrupt and say if you like the way that these videos are color graded or any of my videos, I color grade them all using my kind of instant

color grading preset where you just click one click, apply it, and it kind of works for any footage on any camera and in my opinion turns it into like

really nice vibrant and filmic style footage. So, if you want to check it

footage. So, if you want to check it out, that'll also be down below. The

second one is going to be another of these like super looking up style shots.

So, we're going to take this off. And

this is what I mean by like you really don't need any tools whatsoever. This

I'm putting the camera flat on the floor. I'm just using a jumper to not

floor. I'm just using a jumper to not mess the camera up too bad. Be as close as I can without hitting it.

Okay, let's check that one. Okay, we

will get one last shot as a kind of ender. And I generally like to end shots

ender. And I generally like to end shots off with something bigger, something slower, just to kind of leave the scene.

So, it's not going to be crazy. We are

literally just going to get a shot of me walking away, which we'll cut with the last one. And it will just be from where

last one. And it will just be from where we were, which was picking up the skateboard. And I'll perform the same

skateboard. And I'll perform the same action. I was picking it up so I can cut

action. I was picking it up so I can cut where I wanted between them. So I'm just going to be here. I was looking around.

And that is a wrap on this video. Let's

take a look at how it actually turns out when we put it all together. We kind of do some basic editing and we just cut the clips in the right part of the

frame. Let's roll that.

frame. Let's roll that.

Okay, hope you thought that was cool. I

hope you found some inspiration or useful ideas for using in your next solo film project. Remember, if you want the

film project. Remember, if you want the completely free solo film making workbook, it's down below as well as the lot for all of these videos. See you in the next one.