Advances in recording technology mean that the once exclusive world of the videographer is now open to us all. Whether you’re looking to promote your business via Facebook with a quirky video or have ambitions to become the next Spielberg, it’s now easier than ever to get started. However, before you dive into the creative process, we’ve got some handy tips to really make your video pop.
Tip 1 – Create a Storyboard
It’s important to know the purpose of every video, and a storyboard will help you map out exactly what you want to achieve. It’s unlikely that you’ll just turn on your camera and spontaneously come up with the perfect video.
Luckily, your storyboarding doesn’t have to be complicated. As long as you have a clear aim, a rough idea of the length of your video, the right topic, and key themes you want to touch on, you should be OK. It helps to have a script or, at the very least, a set of cue cards on hand to ensure you stay focused.
Tip 2 – Choose Your Target Audience
This step goes hand in hand with your storyboarding. Just who exactly are you trying to appeal to with your video? Are you looking for new customers? Promoting your content to a new market segment? Or are you simply looking to entertain? Even if you’re brand new to videography you should still have an idea of your target audience.
Research the competition and find what kind of content is being produced to target your chosen niche, and see if you can adapt some of those elements in your video. Check out the kind of thumbnails that are being used, as well as the music and graphics, to get an idea of what’s grabbing people’s attention.
Tip 3 – Set a Budget
This is incredibly important advice, especially for newbies or those planning to make a lot of videos. While cameras and recording equipment are now more affordable than ever, they can still be expensive once you’ve considered additional expenses. Depending on how professional you want your videos to look, you’ll need a HD camera, some reliable editing software, lighting, and good quality audio equipment.
This is before you’ve factored in the time it’ll take to film and edit your creation too. If you’re planning on making a profit from your videos, these are all key considerations to take into account and you might want to consider working out a cost per video in terms of time and resources spent if you’re planning on creating content for others.
Tip 4 – Check Your Audio, Lighting and Framing
You can save yourself quite the battle in the editing suite if you’ve perfected your audio, lighting, and framing long before you even start to film. If you’re primarily making videos at home, you might want to consider some acoustic foam or other soundproofing material in your studio to help give your recordings a warm, natural sound. If you’re filming outdoors, you should make sure to learn where the microphone is located on your camera so you don’t accidentally knock it or mute it while you’re capturing shots.
If you plan to make videos long term, you’ll almost certainly need some kind of professional lighting for indoor shooting. You can pick up some basic studio lights for a fairly reasonable cost these days, so it won’t break the bank to set up a small studio in your spare room.
Finally, make sure you set up the framing for each shot before you press the record button. Again, storyboarding helps here as you’ll know exactly what you want to film and when.
Tip 5 – Use After Effects and Stock Video
Editing is where the real magic happens, and some well-placed after-effects and stock video can really help your creations stand out. You can even find platforms that offer some pretty impressive free stock video footage as well as huge libraries of paid-for options. This kind of content can really help out if you’re putting together a professional video and you don’t quite have the expertise, or means, to capture it yourself. For example, you could add some stunning visuals of nature hotspots from across the globe, or include special filters to your video to give it a vintage feel.
Once you’re finished, don’t forget to promote your content across various social media platforms to expand the reach of your brand, and don’t worry if you don’t think it’s perfect. Being a videographer is a constant learning experience and you’ll soon find you’ll develop your own unique style.
