Web Video DOs and DON'Ts

Hope you'll find the following Do and Don't tips as useful as I did:

Video
Do:
- Limit your dependency on the built-in mic
- Use manual focus
- Set manual white balance at every location
- Keep the camcorder steady (imagine it to be a very full cup of coffee)
- Use a tripod or a monopod
- Shoot to edit
- Move camera only when absolutely necessary

Don't:
- Zoom or pan when camera is rolling
- Place every subject in the center of the frame
- Stay on the spot instead of looking for interesting angles
- Shoot everything from the standing eye-level
- Shoot only 2-3 sec per shot
- Move camera too fast (if you must move it at all)

Audio
- Listen through headphones while shooting
- Get the microphone close
- Use an external mic
- Check and test before shooting
- Go where people are waiting, it's a good place to gather audio
- "Describe for me."
- "What?!"
- "You're kidding!"
- "Really?"
- "Why?"
- Gather ambient sound
- Don't talk over your subject
- Nod in agreement, instead of talking
- When they stop talking, pause before asking another question, sometimes people continue to talk.

Editing
- Never fall in love with a shot
- Kill your darlings, the shots you fell in love with
- Be ruthless
- It's your edit, so do it!
- Keep tweaking, rearranging, improving
- Think about the flow
- Show, don't tell
- Edit for the audio, cut to the rhythm
- Don't bury your lede
- Never make the audience wait too long
- Keep you audience in mind when editing