PROFESSIONAL VIDEO RECORDING Ι PROFESSIONAL VIDEO COMPANIES Ι PROFESSIONAL VIDEOGRAPHER Ι PRO VIDEO
Video is a versatile medium it’s perfect for explaining tricky concepts, educating your audience, demonstrating new products or just entertainment. It’s no wonder video has become the best way to communicate on the internet. But sometimes videos don’t quite deliver on their promise, and this can be due to a number of reasons, including:
Poor sound quality
Too much movement
Editing that distracts
While using high-quality video equipment will definitely improve the end result, it’s only one factor in the video production process. You can achieve much-improved results with these eight simple tips for shooting better videos.
Tip 1. Plan Ahead
Organisation is key to a great video, even if it’s a simple clip, shot on your smartphone. Make sure you have everything and everyone you need on the day of your shoot.
Tip 2. Rehearse First
While proper equipment and techniques are crucial to video production, it’s the on-camera performance that matters most. Your presenters or actors should be well-rehearsed and know what they are doing.
Tip 3. Location.
Choose a filming location that is appropriate for your content. This could be a studio or an office space or even outdoors. The place needs to be quiet enough to record good sound and big enough to fit all the people and equipment required. Product videos, in particular, can benefit from attractive locations, such as a stylish modern kitchen for a food product.
Tip 4. Keep It Steady.
Too much movement and the viewer will start to focus on your camera work, instead of the message you are trying to convey. Even very small cameras work better on a tripod, and any movement should be appropriate to the content. A beginner’s mistake is to continually zoom in and out, without any real justification.
Tip 5. Get the microphone close.
If your audience can’t hear what is being said in your video, they will quickly give up. The secret to good audio is simple- get the microphone as close as possible to your on-camera performers. You can achieve this using a clip-on lapel mic, or an overhead boom mic.
Tip 6. Let There be Light.
Good lighting will make your talent and products look amazing. Sometimes this does require extra lighting equipment, but choosing a location with good natural light can make the job a lot easier.
Tip 7. Editing should be Invisible.
Just because your editing software has amazing transitions like scrolling pages or cube wipes, this doesn’t mean you should use them all in your video. Too many effects can be a distraction and could discourage your viewers. A well-edited video is one that flows, and the techniques should be almost ‘invisible’ to the audience.Â
Tip 8. Let it be Seen.
A great video that no one sees is a huge missed opportunity, so make sure you research how the video will be used beforehand and ensure it gets seen by the audience you are targeting.