"We shoot tons of video of the kids but yours are the ones we watch."

You are out in the park on a sunny breezy day. Your camera is focused on a child's small hands holding tightly to the kite string. You pan upward to an eager little face, sunlit hair blowing in the wind, eyes filled with wonder as she gazes upward. You zoom in even closer-the child's face fills the screen.

A parental voice calls out "Wave to Grandma."

You groan as your grandchild turns towards you with the pasted-on automatic smile. The magic is lost.

The above scenario brings me to my rule number 1 - to get the most natural video of kids, suggest that the parents might like some time to themselves and you and your grandchild will be happy to keep each other company. When they have more than one kid they will be only too happy to oblige.

Each year I present a DVD to my daughter and son-in-law of various scenes I shot of the kids during the past twelve months. They oooh and aahhh and sometimes I see tears glisten as they watch their little darlings on TV. One of the greatest compliments I received was, "We shoot tons of video of the kids but yours are the ones we watch."

I was fortunate enough to have my granddaughter all to myself from babyhood for at least a whole day a week. She is so used to seeing Grandma with a videocamera permanently attached that she pays no attention while I capture memorable moments. That's rule number 2. Have your camera charged up and hooked around your neck at all times. The kids will come to think of it as a Grandparent surveillance quirk and ignore it rather than "perform" for the camera.

The idea for my video Company's Coming (2008 AMPs festival - click here to view) was triggered by an everyday scene I had already shot. My six year old granddaughter loves to set the table for company. She had also just learned to read and I had a scene of her sitting on the couch engrossed in her book and reading out loud. I also had a recent scene of the two year old playing with toys on the floor.

Two year olds don't take direction. I needed a scene where Jeremy dumps out his toys after his sister had just picked them all up - that was key to the story. He usually delights in emptying the toy bucket over his head but on this occasion all he wanted to do was to put the toys back in the container. Finally I had to give up and toss the toys myself and I used the off-camera crash sound.

With the six year old it was easy. She happily pushed the vacuum cleaner around pretending she was vacuuming up the toys. Her proud look when she showed me the cleaned-up family room was a natural. It got a little tricky though when I said, "Let's pretend you accidentally vacuumed up Jeremy." She stared at me. I hastily reassured her it was "just pretend". I was able to get that last scene of a close-up of her shocked face when she looked at an imaginary bulging vacuum bag.

In the movie it appears that the children were there at the same time but I actually videoed each of them on separate days. It only took a few minutes to get each scene. Rule number 3 - keep the scenes short. A little kid's attention is fleeting.

I did the non-kid scenes, the movie trickery with the disappearing toys, and the finale with the bulging vacuum when the kids were not there.

After editing I showed my granddaughter the finished version and anticipated her giggle. She didn't laugh. For a moment I was taken aback. My friends had thought it was a hoot. "Where is Jeremy?" she asked in a small scared voice. I had forgotten that little kids see movies as total reality and in the moment. I had to quickly reassure her with lots of hugs that she didn't really vacuum up her little brother. He was perfectly safe at home with Mommy. It was a good opportunity to let her know that movies aren't real and we moviemakers can use our imagination and have the power to make anything happen. Once I convinced her of that she decided it really was funny and now she laughs along with everyone else and is eager for us to make more "funny" movies together.

Although short story movies with the kids are fun to create, my best video scenes of the grandkids come from everyday events - the baby's gaze of pure delight watching a butterfly's wings gently open and close - a close-up of the two year old talking quietly to the big horse leaning over the fence - the absorbed concentration of the child at the beach stirring a bucket of sand crabs.

Every grandparent wants to capture the events - Halloween, birthdays, the school play or the dance recital. But I look for the images others may miss - the satin ballet slipper on a tiny foot, a shy three year old admiring her reflection in a mirror, and one of my favorites - the retreating figures of a tall daddy holding his little girl's hand as they walk to the first day of kindergarten.

Those are the moments that will endure over time and in twenty to thirty years , hopefully your grandkids will be showing your videos to their kids.

Words of caution

Just a word of caution if you plan on showing your movies of the kids to the public (Youtube, festivals etc.). Be sure that the movie location doesn't indicate where the child lives or anything else identifiable such as a car license plate.

Another word of caution. Safety first. In my script for Company's Coming I was going to tell a six year old to plug in the vacuum cleaner but quickly realized that was a no-no. I used the camera lens to trace the cord to the wall as she came up with "her idea" and that actually made a more dramatic scene.

A brief summary of helpful hints.

Audrey Bishop

No Parents Make your camera a permanent accessory. Short scenes. As many close-ups as possible Look beyond the big picture for the small moments

Photos and frame-grabs from Company's Coming by Audrey Bishop.
Visit YouTube to see more of Audrey's movies. Start here and click the triangle beside "More From: audreyinca".

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