[Al Skierkiewicz]

While my day job keeps me behind the camera I can lend a few tips. Remember you are telling a story so all of those rules apply and more. If you are trying to show off the robot for instance, you do have to have a few shots to establish a point of reference. The shots don't need to be moving, but they do need to give the viewer a starting point from which to begin. Sometimes, as little as a second or two is enough to make the point. Watch TV shows and you will see what I am talking about.
Never think that running hand held is good enough and never think that using a phone is good enough. If you are covering a news shot, the public has gotten use to the little bites they see on CNN. That does not suffice for the kind of documentary you might want people to sit through. Use a tripod when you can and don't be afraid to get close. In most cases you will not have a quality lens that can make the shot from the next county. Just like driving a robot, you have to practice to get better.
Don't shoot a scene with a lot of backlight (like an interview in front of windows looking outside). Unless you have a lot of light on your subject, they will be too dark to see against the background. Some backlight is needed to make the subject standout from the background but no so much that it changes the balance of the shot.
There is not substitute for planning. Unless you are shooting news, have a script of some kind so you can be sure to get all the video and audio you need at a particular location to tell your story. Don't be afraid to shoot "b roll" that will be used for transitions and fill over a long audio segment.
As far as editing tools, whatever you use, know what it can do and use it's features.
Above all else, watch other people's work and decide for yourself what you like. It will take a while but you will get an idea of what works and what is a waste of time.
Al