Making better videos
Christie Goshe
Maybe you’re luckily hiring a pro (hello, again!) but maybe you’re not. Here are some tips to help make your videos look better when you’re gathering self-shot or user-generated content.
Shoot widescreen
Rotate that phone! Video should be shot horizontally. Why? Because our eyeballs are side-by-side, not one on top of the other. Instagram content is the only exception to this rule, and shooting your video for one specific platform isn’t usually the best idea. So my advice is to shoot horizontally whenever you can. You can always crop it later, especially if you are shooting in high resolution.
Use a microphone
Good picture is actually just the half of it. Good audio is just as important, if not more so. Using a mic that plugs into your computer, phone, or camera is going to be lightyears better than using the one that comes built-in. In a pinch, you can just use the mic on your headphones. If you can spare $30, you can pick up a pretty decent clip-on lav mic (not sponsored).
A few more rules: shoot in a quiet place, close the door, and turn off the AC.
Find the light
You can use whatever is available. Hot tip: turn off those overhead lights! Sit near a window and let the light fall on your face (don’t put a window behind you in hopes of seeing the view, as you’ll just be backlit instead). If you’re outdoors, find a shady spot out of direct sunlight, and make sure your backdrop is also in shade.
Clean the lens
This seems too obvious, but it’s surprising how easy it is to forget. So just give that lens a good wipe before starting to film. You’ll thank me later.