A number of years ago, I was in an airport finishing up a conference call with an agency and I happened to mention that I was just about to get on a flight as I was “going to shoot the president.” As the words left my mouth, I realized that people could overhear me and their assumption would not be that I was filming but rather planning to do harm to someone’s president. I know it sounds a bit funny now, but it really struck me at the time that with so much violence in the world, I should intentionally stop using the word “shooting” and instead use the term “filming”. So, from that point onwards I tried to do so whenever possible.
This choice isn’t about being artsy or trying to make myself sound like a film maker. It is a choice rooted in a desire to foster clarity and professionalism in communication. While “shooting” is a common industry term, and I do admit that I still use it periodically, it can sometimes carry unintended connotations or evoke associations with violence, which I just don’t want to do.
So, I choose to use the term “filming,” which more accurately emphasizes the creative and collaborative nature of video production.