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Making videos, even when it’s done for the purpose of creating a promotional tool and running a business is at least something of an art form. The goal of making such a video is both to convey a message and to create and sustain an aesthetic that would be associated with your brand.
Here we offer a few tips to help you achieve both of those purposes. By following along you’ll be able to generate a look as well as be deliberate with your content so that it speaks to those who watch it directly.
Use Light to Your Advantage
Light is one of the most important features of a video and it’s too often overlooked by amateur creators. The proper use of light can change your video altogether and create an ambiance and an aesthetic that conveys more than what’s shown on the screen.
Amateur-made videos are too often left without enough light and therefore seem to be boring, gray, and unimaginative. Try to think of light in layers, starting from ambiance lights to that which provide an accent on a particular item or action.
Backgrounds
Clean backgrounds are somewhat of a trend in video making in recent years and we can see while that has become the case. That makes the video appear professional, clean and it’s rather simple to produce even with a limited budget that most of the small-time video creators need to rally on.
There are ways to set up a solid color background using software but you can also use a piece of fabric and set it up in your own studio or an office. With the proper lighting and editing, it can look just as professional as anything an expert video maker would make.
Removing Watermarks
Using stock footage or making a video of your own often results in the video having a watermark stamped across it. There are software solutions that allow you to remove it and you can use sites such as Truely to find the one that suits your needs the most.
Removing watermarks makes the video look more professional and clean and those are the qualities you want to achieve with as little expense as you can. There are ways to do so using a variety of different tools, most of which are free.
Editing Software
Editing software is an essential tool you’ll need to produce a video. It’s fine to try and save wherever that’s possible but if there’s no item that you shouldn’t try to save on it’s the editing solution. The end result, may look similar or even the same but with a good editing tool, the whole creative process gets streamlined and less difficult.
Within that, there’s a range of options and editing software can cost quite a lot. Make sure you know how to use the software and don’t try to purchase something you don’t actually need just because it seems like a high-end option.
Clear Audio
How good the audio is can make or break a video regardless of its qualities. The main goal is to have clear audio. The crisp audio is the only way to convey your message, but it also conveys a professional approach to advertising and your business in general.
Investing in a good microphone can also help with a variety of other marketing projects, such as recording a podcast. Therefore, it’s an investment you shouldn’t worry about making, especially if you plan to make more than a few videos in the long run.
No Shaky Footage
There was a time when shaky footage was all the rage in the world of promotional videos. They were seen as conveying authenticity. There’s some truth to that, but this fade has quickly gone out of style, and seeing such a video these days would be jarring and wouldn’t come off as professional.
A professional video needs to be steady and crisp, with open colors and a lot of natural lighting. Stick to those trends and your video will seem as if it belongs amongst the pros, within that, there’s plenty of room to explore.
The Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is pretty commonplace for those who are in the industry, but amateur filmmakers usually struggle with it, at least at first. The rule states that you can divide the screen into 3 by 3 grid and use it to stage the video in a more innovative fashion.
The focus of a viewer will naturally be drawn to the place where these lines cross each other. That’s something that you should have in mind when you stage the items on your video and especially where a person talking to a camera should stand.
How You Present Yourself to The Camera
If you plan to be on camera yourself, it’s critically important to know how to present yourself. No one is a natural in front of the camera as some may claim. In fact, it’s a skill and one that you can cultivate by practicing as is the case with most skills.
You should also be deliberate about where you’re looking at, what you’re wearing, and how you’re pronouncing your words. All of these will constitute the look you’re projecting when filming a video and all can be changed and improved in due time. There are classes and courses you can take to improve them.
Plan the Video Out
The video may appear to be unscripted and free form but it never is. It needs to be planned out in great detail in order to be efficient in what it’s meant to do. Make sure to have the script written in advance and that you have a variety of different angles lined out for the video.
Everyone involved needs to be prepared for a long shoot and a variety of different takes. Having backup footage to choose from and to edit allows you to be as creative as you can with the resources you have at your disposal. Having a plan that goes into great details about your video, pays out in the long run.
