Step 6: Filter Out Bad Footage

Sorry, there's no filter to retroactively remedy your sloppy videography, but if your footage comes out of the camera looking less than optimal, pile on some effects to make it look like you intended it to look that way - it'll be our little secret. Camera shake? That's no match for the Earthquake effect. Forgot to set the white balance? Adjust it with White Point Adjust. Crappy camera (or camera operator)? Exaggerate poor quality with the Aged Film effect. And if your footage looks really, really bad, go Impressionist style by laying on Water Color, Edges, or one of the distortion options, which include Glass, Bump, and Circle Splash.

Add a little Aged Film juju, and nobody has to know that you don't yet know how to use all of the controls on your camcorder.