Making videos and putting them on the internet or social media platforms is a terrific method to get whatever you’re promoting out there. This type of exposure is free and provides intriguing content for the general public to consume because videos are the most versatile and powerful medium for communicating your ideas to others. If you intend to create videos, you should be aware that there are certain techniques that you must employ in order to receive more positive feedback from your audience. The best videos are always done professionally, so here are 5 videography tips that will help you improve as a videographer.
Improve your lighting setup
It should come as no surprise that lighting is extremely important in any video. Those who have handled a camera before are well aware of the huge influence that lighting has on the overall quality of their recordings. So, before you begin filming, make sure you have appropriate lighting. That implies that you should assess your lighting sources’ quality and make the most of them. For example, working with natural light gives you less control than working with artificial lighting. However, natural sunshine is definitely the best kind of lighting in videography, so it is recommended that you use it whenever possible. Because natural lighting is uncontrollable and unpredictable, most filmmakers use artificial lights for their videos. This sort of illumination includes a variety of bulbs that may be angled and adjusted to meet your specific demands and goals. An ideal example of this would be employing overhead lighting to highlight specific items or elements in your shot, which is a wonderful cinematographic way to enhance the storytelling in your video. Furthermore, artificial lighting allows you to experiment with various effects, adding to the ambiance of your video clip.
Be careful when selecting a background
The background is another important aspect of any video. You will have various good alternatives depending on your budget and the sort of content you want to record. In any case, the rule of thumb you should follow is to keep your background as basic as possible by removing all clutter. If you are out and about filming an interview or a documentary, you should try to capture it in front of a basic wall. A basic white wall or a sheet behind your video’s topic is great if you’re recording indoors. Because there will be no distractions in the shot, this will direct the viewers’ attention on the subject of your film. However, if you want to take your video quality to the next level, you may consider purchasing a green screen. With one, you might employ chroma key technology in post-production to generate colourful and thrilling backdrops to your videos. With a green screen, your options become nearly unlimited. This method, however, may not be suitable for beginners and might be fairly costly. So we wouldn’t advocate going for this unless you have at least intermediate filming abilities.
Stabilise your camera shots
It is recommended that you should never use shaky shots, unless it is what you are intentionally trying to accomplish. An unsteady camera might damage the viewers’ experience, so you must have steady hands or equipment to help you stabilise your camera. To prevent camera wobble during steady photos, you can also place your camera on a level and solid surface or use a tripod. Furthermore, to prevent your camera from shaking while you are moving, you should move it gently and steadily, avoiding abrupt movements or stops. This may be difficult at first, but the more you practise, the steadier your hand will become!
Switch up the type of camera shots you take
Changing up your filming methods is vital while shooting any video to keep viewers’ attention. Using a variety of perspectives and viewpoints keeps your video from getting repetitive, which is a typical mistake made by inexperienced videographers. So don’t be scared to experiment and try something new! Testing different recording techniques is an important aspect of the journey of every video maker. Some filming techniques that you should experiment with are using the zoom effect on your camera, taking wide shots and using close-up shots to illustrate dynamism.
Pay attention to your mic placement
It’s easy to disregard where your microphone is positioned when filming videos, especially if you’re alone. This is common when you don’t have a mic stand or someone to hold the microphone for you. All of this might lead to poor audio quality, which neither you nor your listeners appreciate. That is why you should pay close attention to where your microphone is placed. The mic may be on your camera or it could be placed on your shirt or in an earpiece that you wear. In any case, evaluate your sound quality before pressing the record button on your camera.
Making professional videos is very beneficial and easier than you think. By improving the quality of your videos, you are setting yourself up for success and more exposure to your targeted audience. Some ways to make your videos more professional-like, you can improve your lighting setup, pay attention to your background selection, stabilise your camera shots, switch up the type of camera shots you take and pay attention to your mic placement. Applying all of these tips to your next filming session will put your videos onto the next level.
