Pet Videos: How-to
You have a pet and would like to film it? Here you will get useful tips!
A video of your pet is a great way to capture lovely and funny moments to share with your friends and family.
You will need:
- A camera phone or
- A Camera with video function or
- A video camera
Filming is so much fun! When your budgie does a funny dance, your dog shows you those puppy dog eyes, your cat disappears into a box - these are the moments that are perfect for capturing on video. Here are a couple of tips about which situations make for interesting videos:
- Playing with boxes or other toys
- Cuddling (e.g. two cats)
- Looking “innocent” (“I didn’t eat anything!”)
- Barking or meowing
- Pulling funny faces
- Exaggerated yawning and stretching
- Funny actions (dancing; drinking from the faucet; jumping)
- Showing off cool tricks
Cool Tricks
Dogs, birds and even some rodents can be taught commands. Practice with your pet without a camera first, with no pressure. Don’t push your pet. If it loses interest, it’s best to leave it and try again another day. If the trick works, you can try to film the whole thing. It’s a little different with cats. They don’t really care if you say: “3, 2, 1, play with the yarn” or “sit there and lift your paw up”. But most cats are hilarious by nature anyway.
Show Your Pet the Camera
Give your pet time to get used to the camera. It will usually be curious and sniff the camera rather than do something funny. Once it gets used to the camera, it will turn its attention to other, more interesting things.
Don’t Panic!
Funny or cute moments often don’t last long. Before you’ve reached for your camera and pressed the button, it’s all over. Just don’t panic. You might drop your camera or even hurt yourself. There’s bound to be another moment where you have your camera on hand.
No Punishment, No Coercion!
This doesn’t just go for videos. Your pet is a living thing that feels pain and sorrow just as much as you do. Treat it how you would like to be treated: with respect and compassion. Don’t force your pet to do anything, don’t put it in any danger and don’t punish it. Use friendly, loving words and always keep a couple of treats in your pocket as rewards. Respect your pet’s personality: if your dog isn’t particularly energetic and prefers to doze on the sofa, then a fast-paced action video won’t work.
Don’t Give Up
It might take hours for you to take a funny video. Nature researchers spend weeks or even months (!) filming for TV documentaries until they capture a great scene. And it might only last seconds. You don’t have to always run around with a camera on you, but the more often you turn it on, the more likely it is that you’ll capture a funny moment by chance.
