by Angela Moore | Featured Contributor
I’ve been working with video for a pretty long time now, actually since we launched our company back in 2010.
We make video much different now than we did at the beginning and I’m thankful we hired another video manager in 2013.
When we first started with video we used a Kodak zi8 and a set of softbox lights and a muslin background that was the biggest pain to iron to keep the wrinkles at bay.
Now we have a much better camera and honestly even smartphones can take awesome video nowadays.
While we’ve certainly come a long way since our first days of video, there are things that remain consistent.
If you are comfortable being on camera, here are five essential ingredients you’ll want to keep in mind as you go through the stages of your production. And honestly, three of these points are applicable any video, whether you are on camera or not.
Here are the elements to consider if you want to have a great video:
Script – It all starts off with your script. It needs to be engaging. It needs to be the appropriate length for the message and the medium in which it is being shared.
For instance, a video ad would be a different length than a how-to video. And both of these may be different than the welcome message on your website. There is no one size fits all but remember you don’t need marketing videos that are ten minutes long.
Audio – This is one of the most important pieces of your video. And a lot of time it’s overlooked. Remember we said how smartphones can take great video these days? Well even if you do use your smartphone for filming I recommend an external mic for your audio. Your audio has to be sharp and you don’t want a lot of other noise picked up. Have you ever watched a video and clicked away because it was just too hard to hear? Yeah, me too. Audio Technica is a great brand and that’s been what we’ve used since day one for live filming. Just make sure you have a quality mic when you film.
Lighting – Ok so similar to having great sound quality, you also need to be seen. If there are a lot of shadows in the video, it makes it difficult to watch. Unless your video is about shadow puppets, stay away from shadows. To do this you need a good set of lights. Most videographers will tell you to use three to four lights to get your subject lit properly. We’ve gotten by with two or three many times. It really depends on how you have your studio set up or where you are filming. Sometimes you can leverage existing light from a room as well. Investing in a good set of lights is a must.
What to Wear – This may sound sort of funny but then again maybe not. Even if you were going out to have professional pictures taken, you probably spend more time that you wished thinking about what you were going to wear. Now here’s how this works with video. There are a couple of things to think about. One is you don’t want to wear the same color as the background you are filming against. Next is you don’t want a busy pattern. Have you ever watched a TV show or seen a video where the person’s clothing looks like it’s moving, you know all those squiggly lines? Yeah that. Ok so that can happen with certain prints. To play it safe, try to wear a solid color.
One other thing, is if you are going to have a lapel mic for your audio, you want to be sure that you aren’t wearing any necklace that would disrupt the mic.
Call to Action – Ok so the call to action pretty much ties in with your script. You’ve got to tell the viewer what you want them to do next. So if this video is an ad, perhaps you want them to click on your link. If it’s a welcome video on your website, you may want them to fill out a form. If it’s a video where you are trying to build your brand and get engaged, you may want to tell the viewer to leave comments, or like and share your video. Whatever it is, just let the viewer know what you want.
And that’s it. Now you have 5 essential ingredients for filming a great video! So what are you waiting for, take a leap today and see what you can create.
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Ah the Bio section. Let’s change this up and start with a quote. “Don’t adjust your dreams to accommodate your reality, adjust your reality to accommodate your dreams.” Yep I wrote that. I’m Angela Moore, Founder and President of Six Degrees Digital Media. We launched the company in May of 2010 and have the good fortune to still be helping others. We love creating awesome video over at Six Degrees as well as e-Courses and websites. If you need help telling your story, we’re here for you.
Also, I’m a mom of two awesome kids, which I believe is my real legacy. And if you’re still reading this, I’ll throw in that I’m a huge fan of Disney (movies and the park), as well as superheroes. I’d love to save the world but right now I’ll settle for saving the Internet one byte at a time.
Connect with me anywhere you like.
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Angie’s first marketing venture was a lemonade stand in her grandparents’ yard. Fast forward to her first marketing class in college, which is where she realized this was her true calling. After working in sales and marketing in the education and technology space for ten years, Angie felt an entrepreneurial calling to start her own company. Her goal was to help organizations while leveraging her integrity and creativity. From there, Six Degrees Digital Media was born.
When she’s not in front of her computer bringing campaigns to life, you’ll find her studying a new language, learning about technological trends, binge-watching her favorite shows, or playing games with her family.
