5 Lessons from Filming a Live Performance
Filming live performances means no rehearsals, no second takes, and no room for mistakes. Here are 5 lessons I learned while shooting Philipp Hochmair’s avant-garde book presentation.
Lesson 1 – Camera Setup
Always think in layers. My fixed back camera captured the entire scene, while my handheld camera allowed me to move closer and capture emotions. This combination gave me both structure and freedom.
Lesson 2 – Sound is fragile
The tech crew warned me about my recorder not surviving the intensity. I had to improvise and fix a lot in post – but lesson learned: always protect your audio first.
Lesson 3 – Lighting chaos
Gallery lighting is made for art on walls, not for actors on stage. That meant embracing imperfections and trusting in post-production magic.
Lesson 4 – Storytelling is editing
Without a script, you have to build narrative tension in the edit. I used intercuts and audience reactions to turn a performance into a story.
Lesson 5 – Show people as heroes
My rule: always show your talent in the best light possible. Even in chaos, that’s what gives the video its soul.
Every project teaches me something new. What’s your biggest learning from filming live events?
Watch the Making of HERE!
