That don’t require a pro! I am hoping to give dancers some options in this post as to the best tech for filming your bellydance performances that don’t require you to hire a professional videographer to follow you around. Although, wouldn’t it be fabulous? The three things that I am going to list below have been the ones that have worked best for me over the years and I hope to be able to add even more in the future.
The first is your cell phone. I’m sure some of you said, “Well of course Amartia!” but your cell phone is your first line for video. That or the cell phone of the client/customer. I know that we like to hang on to tech and get as much use out of it as possible so if you don’t have it in your budget to upgrade to the latest and greatest to improve your camera, there are apps that you can add to help you out. A few that work well are Hollywood in the palm of your hand, Vizmato, Quik, FilmoraGo, and there are many more! They aren’t very expensive and if you check out tutorials and reviews you can figure out which would work the best for you. I tend to like to be able to adjust as much as possible so the apps I go for have a bit of a learning curve. The other thing that you can do is get a cell phone tripod or stand that allows you to keep it steady for film. A lighting addition doesn’t help either. You can buy a lens adaptor/light from 5 below- if it’s good for selfies, it can usually help your video too!
The second option is a Go-Pro. Now this one is a bit more of an investment but it’s great. The Go-Pro is super small so it can easily fit in your gig bag and it is made to be easy to use. I mean, they put it on the top of helmets and in the water with sharks! You can set it up anywhere and it has this nifty wide angle lens option that will capture an entire stage from wherever you place it. It will also take photos every 30 seconds so you can have photos and video of your performance. The wide angle lens is not good if you want a close up view and the files are large BUT you will be able to see the entire performance without needing someone to hold it and move it around as you dance. It makes for a much less wobbly video.
Lastly, is still the standard video camera. You can still buy a traditional camcorder and they’re really small and will take great video. You can set it up and then walk away as a lot of the models offer remotes so you don’t have to be there to push the button. If you happen to have someone who can man the camera then this can zoom in and out far more easily than a cell phone camera and as an added bonus will not have the blurry moments that can occur if you camera isn’t fast enough.
I hope that this post has been helpful and has perhaps given you some ideas on things that you can try. So feel free to comment below on my ideas on the best tech for filming your bellydance performances and feel free to add your own! I’d love to know what else is out there to try!