by Doug Gruse
You can create effective videos for business presentations or to add content to a website without spending a lot of money hiring a professional videographer or purchasing fancy equipment.
Most smartphones are equipped with cameras that shoot video at a high enough resolution to use for basic promotional purposes. With a little practice, you can be shooting videos like a pro.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Put the phone in “airplane mode.” Your battery will last longer, and it also will block phone calls and push alerts, which can interrupt your filming.
2. Keep your charger handy and purchase a car charger. Video drains battery life quickly.
3. Always hold the phone horizontally. Think of your phone as a movie screen as you film to help with framing.
4. Short clips are easier to work with and don’t drain the battery as quickly. Try to keep shots less than one minute, if possible. It is easier to edit a number of short clips than one long clip.
5. Use an external microphone, which plugs into the headphone jack, to enhance audio during interviews.
6. Imagine the finished product as you shoot. Shoot segments that can be used for “B-roll” and voiceovers, when appropriate. Try to get action whenever possible. Think beyond the talking heads.
7. When filming an interview subject, capture video of that person’s face in addition to the audio. Even if you only use a few second of “face time,” it will enhance the project.
8. Get people’s names whenever possible, especially if they speak on camera. You will want to ID them in the finished product.
9. Lighting is important. Try to position the camera to take advantage of whatever light is available. Low-level lighting is most challenging.
10. Try to be smart about your framing, just like in a photo. Is the background distracting? Choose a different camera angle to adjust.