With the entry of smartphones and fast internet, the way users consume information has changed. In the last couple of years, videos have emerged to be at the top of digital marketing techniques.
It is not uncommon to find entrepreneurs sending a video email. Apart from being engaging, videos also lead to more conversions and increase sales.
YouTube has over 1 billion users, and more than 500 hours of videos are uploaded every second. For these reasons, videos are hard to avoid.
With multiple simple tools at your disposal, conceptualizing and making videos is a fun process. However, putting out high-quality videos is not always so. With just one small oversight, you may find yourself back at square one.
The good news is that you can easily avoid this situation. All you need is to keep a few things in mind before you start making the video.
Here is a round-up on the factors that can help you in making high-quality videos.
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Get The Right Equipment
You do not need to buy the most expensive camera to make good videos. Depending upon your budget, you can either use a smartphone with a decent camera, a camcorder, or a film-grade DSLR. It is inadvisable to spend money on a camera that is neither too costly nor too complicated to understand.
A smartphone is the best option if you want to record vlogs or make videos for your channel. However, your audio quality may get compromised, as there is no audio input in smartphones.
Buy A Microphone
If you record your videos using your phone’s microphone, you may observe poor audio. It happens because the microphone is incorrectly placed and almost always catches environmental noise.
Recording your audio separately and then syncing with the video isn’t always the best option. It can cause unnecessary delays, and at times, render your effort wasted.
You can consider investing in a microphone that your camera supports. It will save you a good deal of time and effort. Moreover, it will edit out the background noise and other disturbances that may spoil the quality of your video.
Use The Right Lighting
There is a reason why movie stars are so particular about good lighting. Nothing can make or break your video like good or bad lighting. It becomes all the more crucial if you use smartphones as they have small image sensors and lenses.
You can make use of natural lighting, desk lamps, or a professional lighting kit to make high-quality videos. It all depends on your budget and the purpose of the video. For instance, if you want to make videos for clients, you may want to invest in more sophisticated lights.
Do Your Homework Before Recording The Video
With the right equipment, you can ensure a good start. However, you are far from done. Before the camera starts rolling, you need to be clear about what you want to achieve.
It is advisable to work on your script before you press the record button. Understanding your audience and the purpose of your video is the key here. For instance, a promotional video will be significantly different from an educational one.
Select The Right Background
To maintain consistency across a series of videos, you would want to spend some time thinking about the background. If you are planning to shoot at home, you may want to consider a blank, light-coloured wall. Avoid having too many artefacts in your surroundings as they clutter the picture.
You may also want to invest in a sheet to maintain uniformity. Before you start recording, make sure you have three sources of light. One should be behind the camera, the second one should be on your left, and the third one on your right.
Another trick to high-quality videos is to fill your frame with the subject. If you leave out too much space, it may not appeal visually. Cutting the extra space later may be problematic.
Keep Your Camera Steady
If you want to record travel vlogs, you should hold the camera with both your hands to keep it steady. At home, you can make a temporary arrangement by piling up books to give your camera the right height, but this may not always work.
If you are in the professional field of making videos, it is advisable to invest in a tripod, camera cage, or stabilizer to get the desired effect.
Avoid Zooming In
If you want to take close-ups, always make it a point to stay close to the camera. Avoid zooming in as that may blur out the image. It will also ensure that the noise is filtered, and the focus of your video is better.
If you need to take close-ups to focus on something, you may want to use macro lenses. These are easily available in the market and will fit on your smartphones.
Use The Landscape Mode
Have you seen those videos that have two black lines on the sides? They can sure spoil the viewing experience. To avoid this, always make it a point to record your video in landscape mode.
In simple words, it means to hold your phone horizontally and not vertically.
Screen Recording
If you want to record your computer’s screen to make a video, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, your system should allow a minimum frame rate of 30 frames per second. Also, your system performance should be good to allow high-speed recording.
Use Apps & Software
You can explore the apps available on your smartphone or laptop to enhance the video capabilities. These apps can enhance your video-quality very much. Some of these apps are intuitive, user-friendly, and have superb features.
Similarly, consider investing in a good software for editing your videos. It is unlikely that you would want to publish your video in the recorded format. Such software can give you greater control over your content.
You check out Hippo Video or Vidyard that allow you to host and analyze video performance.
Conclusion
In today’s time, videos are the centre of a digital experience. With the tips given above, you can make high-quality videos and wow your audience.
