So, you want to make some killer video content?
Who would've expected that with a mix of personality, heart, and quality - you could draw millions of eyes to your brand?
That's the current wave that quality video content is riding in the year we live in. Videos don't simply go viral by accident.
The exploding trend of vlogging (video-blogging) embodies a movement where you can build a loyal audience and a potential stream of revenue just by recording snippets of your everyday life and sharing them with the world. Heart-strings can be tugged through an emotional video that goes "behind the scenes" of your experiences.
It's a simple format, that helps you build awareness while ultimately giving you free reign to be yourself. The great thing about vlogging is that everyone can do it, and frankly everyone is doing it in one capacity or another. Due to this, the idea of starting a vlog in such a saturated space may seem daunting. Don’t let the cloud of "I won’t stand out" loom over your head. Just remember, the factor that separates a highly-shareable piece of video content over thousands of others is - QUALITY.
You won't be winning any hearts without exchanging interest and giving viewers a reason to care. Quality should never suffer when it comes to creating your content. Keep things clear, simple, and relatively easy to follow along.
Keep audio & visuals crisp without breaking the bank
With the ease of starting a vlog, people even record and publish content from their smartphones. Most newer generation smartphones have built-in cameras that are comparable to some great DSLR and point and shoot cameras, so if you’re just starting out you don’t even need to worry about buying some fancy camera.
There's no reason you can't whip out your phone and start recording yourself as you read through this article now and maybe even posting it to DTube. ;) We even have a breakdown on how you can succeed on DTube.
If you’re really going to dive into the video space and want to do more, invest in a good camera and tripod.
Affordable beginner cameras
- Nikon D3400
- Sony A5000/A5100
- Sony Cyber-shot RX100
The main point to keep in mind is that you want to have clean sound and visuals. Use natural daylight if and when available, as this will keep costs down and will cut out the need for fancy studio lights. In fact, daylight also looks better than any studio lighting. But when shooting indoors; keep these in mind:
- Facing the light - If the light is coming from behind you, your features may be victim to being shadowed.
- Window lighting - Find the balance. If you find yourself with too much lighting, then throw a white sheet over the nearest window.
- Multiple light sources - Having multiple light sources can help alleviate shadows and avoid the dreaded situation where a viewer has to turn down their brightness to watch your video.
Plan your videos out by having a pre-production ritual
Whatever format of video content you’re producing, there has to be an amount of consideration for the location or people that you plan to include in your footage. We're not saying write a to-do checklist for every second of your video, but try to stick with and include certain steps in your pre-production process.
- Shot-list - A list of every shot that will be included to complete your video.
- Storyboard - Illustrating and structuring your complex shots or transitions will come in handy when it comes time for you to hit that record button.
- Prop-list - A list of every item that you plan to include in your video (you can even plan it out per scene).
- B-roll - Give thought to including any additional footage that will help shape your story and make it come to life.
Fall in love with Editing
This is the step in the video production process where you have the chance to make your content unique by mixing your own creative flair when it comes time to edit. For people just starting out, there are several video editing programs to choose from. A few of the most popular at the time of this article are Adobe Premiere Elements, Final Cut Pro, and Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X10.
Bonus: iMovie and Windows Movie Maker are great beginner friendly programs, that usually come pre-installed on your computer.
When you first get started with editing, try filming your content in small clips and stringing them together while you edit. This is where you can mix in transitions and music. It is important to keep in mind that there are copyright laws and you cannot just use your favorite songs from the radio. There are many websites that provide free creative commons licensed music on the internet.
We truly hope that this has inspired you to take your filming process to the next level and maybe even provided the extra push for you to start a vlog. Don't worry about mistakes or tumbles. Brush yourself off and get back up, cause HyperFundIt has your back!
Get out there and start filming. The world is your studio!
Always looking forward,
Slide over to HyperFundIt and become a part of the positive disruption in your community: https://www.hyperfundit.com/members/kenwayne/