Rule # 1  - DO NOT PAN  (but see panning comments below)

Rule # 2 - DO NOT ZOOM

Rule #3 - Always remember rules # 1  and # 2

If you must break rule #1 - PAN SLOWLY - 5 times slower than you think you should. Or at least 3 times slower.

USE A TRIPOD - steadicam - wall, door or anything to get shakiness out.

Use different view levels - on the ground, looking down - looking up -  ANGLES.

Get some "establishing shots" INSIDE, OUTSIDE -

Get Cutaway shoots - anything - focus on something small - wheels, clock, hands, feet, monitors - Look high and low. GET UP CLOSE -

If you cannot use a tripod, then get as close to the people working without trampling on them and use wide-angle on your camcorder. This will minimize camera shake and allow you to pick up voices very clearly.

Panning comments - One technique that sometimes works well is the pan to the object - know your final ending point on the pan - and then come up, over or down to it - panning and zooming not generally a good idea

Zooming comments - somewhat effective is the quick one second or mini second shots - each being more of a closeup. - Not really a zoom - but just a shot - then a closer - then a closer shot

And of course the most important rule - Break the Rules - that's where creativity comes from.

Examples"