I have done my best to be concise without sacrificing any information I feel is essential to DV production. The degree of grip work, camera handling technique and hardware applied in the shooting of most narrative feature films is far more extensive than is usually applied to shooting video. The cuddly physique of a consumer DV camcorder lends itself to all kinds of hand-held exploits not usually associated with narrative features. Video news coverage, on the other hand, is full of this stuff. At IFMP, I have used this extra mobility more to make shots from tricky angles and in extremely close quarters than to make shots that look like a cross between home video and news footage.
Techniques Get or make some camera support and grip equipment, and learn how to use it.
Start with a tripod and monopod with a decent fluid head. We have built a variety of lightweight jib arms and Steadicam-type devices, as well as western dollies with pnuematic tires. On most surfaces, a simple wheel dolly with the air let down in the tires will suffice. For extra height with a tripod or jib arm, pop the whole rig on top of a picnic table or cube van. I prefer hand-holding to any kind of Steadicam rig, but without my 30 or so years of practice, I don't know if I'd have the same bias.