The Big Picture
It is generally wise to have an idea of what sort of footage you want to end up with, and a rough idea of how it will fit together. You might also want to visualize your video, through the eyes of your audience.
Just imagine a person sitting at their computer, browsing to your web blog or video site and then watching your video all the way through.
Storyboarding, Scribbling and Drawing
Many find that full storyboards are overkill; however, it can be helpful to draw a shot before you shoot it. This allows you to 'see' the composition of a shot before you take the time to record it.
Checklists and "Being Prepared"
These are especially important when you're shooting at a remote location. Showing up to an interview with all your microphones, but no audio cables, can totally screw your afternoon.
A few broad categories that might make good checklist material: Charged Batteries, Camera Accessories, Lighting and Accessories, Cables and Power, Audio and Accessories, and Media (tapes or memory cards).
Over-Planning
While being prepared is good, you don't want to spend all of your time planning and none of your time shooting video. Get set and then go shoot video.
Research and Interviews
In order to have pertinent questions, when interviewing an expert in a particular field (be it etymology or Nascar racing), you should take the time to do some homework.
Having both a specific and general knowledge of the subject, is smart. Think of an interview as a conversation — keep your cool.
We're always looking to improve these guides.
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