How to Make Your Video More Effective
With the rise of the digital age, companies are moving toward a model of internal content generation to create more leads, brand awareness, and elevated customer experience. Because of this increase in content generation, consumers are constantly bombarded by content in all shapes, sizes and media formats. They experience advertisements from brands they follow, sponsored ads that pop up in their feed every now, and not to mention, their cousin’s funny videos, that well, really aren’t that funny. With this surplus of content, it’s imperative that a brand has the knowledge and tools to create content that stands out from the rest. Below, we dive into three key elements to create a more effective video, taking your content from “just okay” to amazing!
1. Quality of Video
Ever watch a video of a cool new product and immediately turn it off because it looks like someone just set up their iPhone and filmed it in their garage? That’s a sign of poor video quality. It’s great to have a good story or product to feature but if it is not told in a professional and cinematic way, it can often lose the viewers. This is why we think it is important to either consult a professional like us (shameless plug) or invest in equipment that will enhance your video. One of the questions that we get asked the most is what camera should I buy? Truth is, it all comes down to what kind of videos you are trying to produce. When it comes to cameras, there are a few differentiators in the marketplace. One being sensor size. Two being ISO limit. Three being additional features. Since we’re not diving too deep into cameras in this blog, we want to share that as long as your camera is shooting 1080p and you have the correct lens, you are on the right track to enhancing the quality of your video.
2. Good Audio
Audio is often times overlooked when it comes to generating content and nothing is more cringe worthy than opening up a video and hearing the ambience of a reverberated, echoey room. If you want to elevate your content to get more views, we suggest investing in good audio equipment and studying up on ways to master it (or simply hire a sound person). It’s more than just buying a mic and hooking it up to the camera. There are audio levels that come into play, sound testing and if you want to get really technical, sound boards and on-location mixing. In the editing room, we get into sound design which is a whole other level of audio. For audio equipment, some brands we recommend are Rode and Sennheiser. They have not let us down to date are our go to on all of our shoots.
To dive more into what pieces of equipment to get and how to use them check out our blog on audio here.
3. Professional Lighting
Last but not least, we are left with lighting. Lighting is the basis for everything and without it, we would all be left in a dark cloud of nothing. In terms of video, we leverage lighting to bring the image to life and helps shape the mood of the story of which we are trying to tell. When it comes to lighting on set, it can be quite strenuous and really delay production. That’s why most professional sets have lighting experts called gaffers. They work hand in hand with the director of photography to make sure scenes are lit how they are supposed to. For those who are not working on professional film and commercial sets, there are still ways to incorporate lighting in a simple and professional way. Below, we give examples on way to create a mobile studio that will not only illuminate the face, but enhance the overall video.
Utilize Natural Light
Positioning your subject or product in a well light room with the subject or the product facing the window, will do wonders to your video. Doing this will ensure that the subject/product is illuminated by natural light and that the background is exposed properly (assuming that there are no windows behind you).
Invest in a Ring Light
This is the most practical outside of using natural light and are super affordable. You can find these on Amazon and buy them without breaking the bank.
Master the 3 Point Lighting setup
This is gearing toward the professional studio setup and allows more creativity with the tools at hand. This lighting technique lights the subject or product from multiple angles. The key light is the main light. It is usually placed on one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow. The fill light is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The third light is called the back light. This light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
Utilizing and mastering these basic production techniques can help raise the production value on any project and how people perceive your brand. Honing in on the craft and paying attention to the details will help aide in crafting a compelling narrative and will elevate your message to the audience. For more info or questions about production or how to create an effective video, shoot us an email line here!
