Professional-Looking Video Production: 6 Tips

Videos are a great way to add content to your website: in addition to providing your clients a more personal view into your organization, they are easily share-able and can help increase the visibility of your organization. So what are the steps involved in creating a quality, professional-looking video?

1. Use good technique.

Shaky, grainy, and dark videos should be a crime, and are a guaranteed way to earn negative PR points. The easiest way to remedy this, of course, is to simply buy a high quality camera – but this will not necessarily guarantee the avoidance of errors of many-a-youtuber. Indeed, the need for expensive gear is also becoming decreasingly relevant given the number of quality cheap cameras now available. So, how can you avoid a virulently unappealing video? My number one suggestion would be to avoid excessive zooming and panning as this makes the video difficult to view and timing can often be difficult to get right. Additionally, zooming and panning be added post-production. My second suggestion would be to use a tripod, to avoid a shaky video. If no tripod is available, set the camera on a solid, unmoving surface – you may think your cameraman has a steadfast grip, but I guarantee after more than one minute of holding that camera up he’ll want a break.

2. Implement lighting.

Yes, we all have the gift of sight – but please, don’t make this video a sight test. Poor lighting will prevent viewers from connecting with you, and will make you look shady – literally. You can help your camera perform its best by simply using the camera light if so equipped, or by using auxiliary lights (yes, household lamps will be suitable, with halogen desk lamps being particularly versatile). If your subject of your video is a person, the ideal lighting set up would be shining at eye level – too low means excessive reflections and too high means too many shadows. With one lamp being your primary lamp, you can then add additional lighting to fill in shadows if necessary.

Note: be Careful about Windows. Make sure your subject is facing the window (window will be behind the camera) so as to maximize the effect off the natural light. If the window is behind the subject, facing the camera, the light will wash out the subject, turning your picture into a silhouette.

3. Prepare as you would for a public speech.

Sounds obvious, yes, but if you want to sound like an expert make sure you at least write down notes about what you want to say. ELIMINATE THOSE UMS and UHS! In addition to helping you avoid embarrassing fibs, you will ultimately save time during the production process by reducing the number of takes. Use cue cards if necessary (you can get a friend to hold them up beside the camera, like a teleprompter), but avoid reading them excessively. Finally, don’t be afraid of looking in the camera and talk naturally!

4. Keep your video concise.

People have short attention spans. Realistically speaking, you have less than 20 seconds to convince them to keep paying attention. Video content should be concise, relevant and to the point. The purpose of this video should be clear. If you’re making a ‘how to’ video, lists – much like point form in writing – are an effective way to get to share information quickly. Ideally, most videos shouldn’t be more than 5 minutes long. If you have a lot of timely content, consider breaking it up into two videos or more.

5. Edit your video.

While it certainly is possible to upload your video directly to YouTube, it is highly recommended that your video undergo some post-production processing to add polish. Chances are your computer came with either Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, if you have a Mac; both will most likely meet your needs. If these programs are not available to you, or you would like to try another program, there are free options out there, such as Lightworks (beta), or jaycut. The more advanced video maker would likely use Adobe Premier Pro or Final Cut Pro but investment in one of those programs is not necessary to begin making good videos. With most video editing software you can add introductory and concluding credits, captions, transitions, effects, in addition to adjusting zooming/panning/angles, cropping0/cutting, and much more.

6. Share your video.

Upload your video to YouTube, Vimeo, or HD Share, for example. Use the embed link to embed the video link to your website or blog. Use the regular, or shortened link to post it to you Facebook, Twitter or Google+ account. Make sure to double check that your embed link works – this is a common source of error. Congratulations – you’ve now produced a quality movie!

Looking for examples of good videos? Here are two of our favourites:

Want to see more videos, some involving humour and animation? Investment pal has compiled an excellent list of very high quality business-related videos.

Img src: http://mediamasala.com/sites/default/files/celeb_types/director-chair.jpg

About the author:
A UBC bachelor of commerce graduate, Jinn-Erik is a CMA student with an interest in social media. Outside of the office, Jinn-Erik enjoys gardening, dining out, and coveting obscenely expensive cars.
You can email Jinn-Erik at: jinn@advisorwebsites.com

 

Please Note: this article is for informational purposes only. We strongly encourage you to verify any content and information you use with your own compliance department or legal counsel.