There is an opinion that in order to create spectacular videos, it is enough to master the basic skills and acquire high-quality professional equipment for shooting. However, the presence of these two factors does not guarantee success. We talk about what is worth paying attention to operators who are just starting their journey and dream of professionally shooting videos that will not leave viewers indifferent. Looking for Video Production in San Francisco? At Marketme Video Production, we will help you with this. We are offering a whole cycle of video creation, such as:
- Pre-production
- Production
- Post-production
Our team consists of real professionals who will do the best for our clients. So, let’s start from the 1st tip.
Tip #1: Postpone buying a professional camera
There is a popular misconception that an expensive camera will automatically improve the quality of shooting even for a novice operator, but this is not true. Agree, real professionals, create beautiful and high-quality photos and videos even with cameras on inexpensive phones. To develop the necessary skills, a budget device or even a regular phone will be enough. With their help, you will be able to experiment with angles, while studying the compositional structure of the frame, as well as understand the features of working with sound and light, and much more.
Tip number 2: choose a position and hold the camera correctly
To avoid one of the most common mistakes in amateur video, namely shaking or twitching of the picture, you need to pay due attention to this aspect. To stabilize the frame, professionals use both conventional tripods and carts, rails and other stabilization devices. A tripod is the most budget-friendly and easy-to-use device that helps to completely get rid of unwanted shaking and get smooth footage and a high-quality end result. However, it is fair to say that it is not always possible to work using a tripod. In this case, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the basic rules of video filming, based on many years of practice and the experience of many operators. In order for the camera not to shake, you need to know the correct position of the body: in a sitting position, you should rest your elbows on the table, and in a standing position, against your stomach. This will help you achieve a more rigid design that eliminates camera shake, vibration, and wobble. It will not be superfluous to spread your legs shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Thus, it will be possible to achieve even greater stability of the position and additional smoothness when moving with the camera. We strongly recommend that you pay special attention to this issue and in no case shoot with the camera on outstretched arms.
Tip #3: For staged videos, prepare the script ahead of time
If your goal is to shoot a staged video and you want to get not just a chaotic set of beautiful pictures, but an interesting video, you need to prepare a shooting script in advance. Even if you accurately represent the final result and are confident in the strength of both your and the heroes, it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid surprises during the shooting process. Collect all the necessary information, write the text, then structure it and divide it into several thematic blocks. Important: Even if the text sounds perfect, be sure to read it aloud before shooting to make sure it sounds just as good. The speech should be simple, interesting, easy and accessible to a wide audience of your viewers. A serious approach to shooting planning and careful study of the script will help reduce the number of unsuccessful takes and get the desired result,
Tip #4: Get the right amount of space in your frame
A novice cameraman should definitely follow the rule of thirds: the frame should be divided into 9 parts (3 vertically and 3 horizontally). Key objects of the survey should be located along the lines of the section or their crosshairs. If the picture is not static, be sure to leave more space in the direction of its movement.
It is worth noting that a small amount of empty space, in principle, should always be left, because it is unlikely that the subject of your shooting can be in the same position throughout the entire process. Naturally, he can slightly change his position, stand up, straighten up or vice versa, and much more.
Important: if you are shooting animals or children, you should take a position at their level. Otherwise, when they run up to you closer, all that will remain in the frame is the back or the back of the head, which, you see, can hardly be called a good angle.
In the process, be sure to pay due attention to the background to avoid incidents when a lantern or a tree sticks out of your hero’s head in the frame.
Tip number 5: pay due attention to lighting
Do not underestimate the role of lighting, because it affects not only the quality of the picture but also the overall mood and atmosphere of the video. Natural daylight can make the operator’s job much easier as it eliminates the need for additional light sources. But on the other hand, natural lighting can also cause a lot of problems, because it is not in vain that it is an uncontrolled light source, and in the case when the planned shooting of the scene is delayed or postponed to another time, it will be simply impossible to achieve identity in terms of frame illumination. There is some magic in mode shooting, if you want a soft, low-contrast picture, the ideal solution would be morning lighting or sunset.
Remember the main rule: avoid overexposure and, in particular, an overexposed background. Do not place the model with its back to the window, the light should evenly illuminate the object. Pay special attention to the white balance, because in the video, unlike the photo, it will be very difficult to correct it.
Tip #6: Experiment with shooting modes
If you want to shoot not only a beautiful but also an interesting video, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve the desired result without using different shooting modes. At the beginning of the journey, each operator should try different shooting modes: manual, with increased sensitivity, control of the depth of field, with a slow shutter speed, or simple programmable. Of course, you can read dozens of articles about each model, but still, only in practice will a novice operator be able to understand their main features and, accordingly, their scope.
Tip #7: Edit videos
The editing process is just as important as the shooting process. It is at this stage that the improvement of work begins: improvement of stabilization, sound processing, cropping of unsuccessful frames and glueing, selection of music, captions and covers, adding interesting effects, and more. All this is a lot of work, which should be treated with all responsibility and seriousness. It should be understood that it is almost impossible to make a good video without editing. This process, although not easy, is fascinating and very interesting.
Tip #8: Shoot!
You should not wait for ideal conditions and study books, articles and other materials for years. Good results require not only high-quality theoretical training but also constant practice. Remember: skill comes with experience, so feel free to start your journey and improve the level with each new cutscene.
