When it comes to creating visual content, there are many roadblocks that stymie people along the way. They do not have the right camera, lighting, or sound equipment; the list goes on. With everyone working from home for the foreseeable future we have been presented with the opportunity to create engaging personal content. You do not have to be a professional when it comes to shooting video, but I wanted to give some tips about what you can do to stand apart from the hordes of people yelling into their phones with AirPods on.
Set Up and In-Home Studio
Lighting
When it comes to lighting, you likely do not have studio caliber lights and guess what - that’s ok! Find a large window in your home that allows for tons of natural light to come in. Use this as your key light - this means you want it to light the part of your face furthest from the camera.
TIP: Set up a white sheet or film on the window that allows the diffuses the light. It will give you a softer more flattering light.
A Pop Of Color
When it comes to shooting a video, there is nothing worse than having a boring white or off white background. As Ryan Gosling said in Crazy, Stupid, Love, “Be better than The GAP.” If you do not have access to a roll of seamless paper, grab a bed sheet you have not used in a while - not the fitted kind - give it a good iron and then pin it or tape it taught to the wall behind you.
On the flip side you can use your office as a background, just remember to tidy it up. No one wants to be distracted by the 67 post-it notes you have all over your desk.
Swivel Chairs Are Not You Friend
When it comes to choosing a chair to sit in, pick either a stool or a chair with a back that does not swivel or roll. You are likely to fidget when sitting and it will become distracting to your audience.
Now that your studio is set up in a quiet space, next to a window with good light, and you have a chair picked out - it’s time to shoot!
Your Phone Is A Powerful Tool
Our phones are often an afterthought when it comes to creating quality content. I’m here to tell you that your phone is really all you need, but as with any tool you need to know how to use it to get the results you want.
Exposure
I talked about using natural light above, but what we need to remember is that natural light fluctuates. Luckily, many of the smartphones on the market have an exposure locking feature. This means that you can tell your phone to exposure for one certain area, and in many cases, you can easily dial in your exposure using sliders built into your native camera app.
Landscape Mode
When it comes to shooting videos to share across social media, please, please, please shoot in landscape mode. There are a few exceptions to this rule, be it creative reasons or that you’re choosing to upload videos directly to TikTok or Instagram who natively use vertical video. Shooting in landscape mode will allow you to avoid the blurred background or bars you often see on vertical videos on sites such as Facebook and Linkedin.
Sound
One of the elements that set video content apart is sound. You don’t want to be the person who is too quiet, or too loud, you’ll lose viewers instantly. Invest in a microphone. Rode Microphones has tons of products that connect directly to your phone. I suggest the Videomic Me or their Lavalier’s for smartphones. Always remember to test your levels before you start recording, that way you know if you’re too loud or too quiet.
Framing
Keep it level - make sure that your camera is level before you start shooting. This will ensure you can get the best framing possible. Plenty of smartphones have level apps built-in - use those to double-check.
Use Your Grid & Learn Composition - This is going to help you immensely when it comes to making your frame look good. Check out this Pinterest board for inspiration.
Hopefully, this helps you start creating the content you want to make! Check back next week when I talk about how you can edit your videos, best broll tips, and more.
