That’s a good point. Fiddle instruction videos in particular leave a lot to be desired in their camera work. They tend to be filmed by setting a camera on a stand and filming from one angle, head-on. This happens a lot because the instructor has no cameraman and has to do it all alone. The instructor often ends up framed poorly. With the growth of YouTube instruction videos, more people are now making their own versions with iPhones. Unfortunately a lot of them are also poorly framed, and the instructor is often too close or filming up the nose. Altogether, many of the videos just end up looking like hostage videos for ransom demands.

If there is a cameraman available or the instructor is thoughtful enough to consider taking shots of important things with the hands (compare these videos to videos of woodworkers or crafters that have significant followings), a lot can be shown without the instructor talking. A lot of car repair videos are thought out carefully enough so that the subject is well lit and the framing allows for a good view of the part, the vehicle, the tools, and the work.

I’ll never forget the film “They Shall Have Music” that features Heifetz playing the Hora Staccato. The real audiences at the time would crowd around the stage hoping to get a good look at his hands as he played that piece because his upbow staccato was so brilliant that no one could ever surpass it. In the filming, that eagerness to see his hands was faithfully captured. It’s really the only Hollywood film I can think of where such careful attention is paid to getting good shots like that and not just going for more dramatic angles or composition.

quote:

---

Originally posted by learn2turn

Random thought ... There was a TV series "Julia" about Julia Child including the development of her cooking show. One thing the related early in the cooking show which was revolutionary is put a camera up high pointing straight down allowing a clear view of what was being done on the preparation counter. I wish instructional fiddle videos did that. The standard angle from the front has the back of the hand blocking the view of the fretboard and finger tips.

---

They do. You've just got to find them. 

Maybe''''some of this guy....... youtube.com/@banjorex/videos