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How To Make Great Videos: Tips, Questions, and Answers for FAQ

Hi!  Thanks for visiting Video Production Tips.  On this page, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we get about making videos and using them online.  Chances are high your answer will be found here.  If not, please feel free to write us.

1.  What video camera should I buy?

This is by far our #1 most commonly asked question.  There are so many wonderful video cameras on the market; all of them have pros and cons.  No one camera is best for everyone.

Which video camera you buy depends on a lot of things, start by asking yourself these questions:

  • How you are going to use this camera?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you want to delve into video making and learn all you can, or do you just want something simple that works without having to know what you are doing?  (There’s nothing wrong with that!)
  • Does your project demand high technical quality or is it OK to have less-than-technical perfection, maybe even a “homemade” video look?

Once you answer these questions, you can decide what level of camera you want.  There are four basic levels of video camera:  (Prices listed are ballpark)

  1. Cell phone and/or webcam-Easiest to use, but not too many bells and whistles $60 and up.
  2. Consumer Grade-Easy to use, a few bells and whistles, $250-$2000
  3. Prosumer Grade- Harder to use, lots of bells and whistles, $1000-$8,000
  4. Professional Grade-Harder to use, extremely durable and highest quality, $8,000 – $150,000 and up.

Once you narrow down which level of video camera you want, then you need to decide what features are important to you. The single biggest consideration is what kind of record format the camera uses.  Does it record onto a tape?  Hard drive?  Memory stick?  Disc?  There are pros and cons to each method and which one you choose depends on whether you want to edit and store your videos on your computer or just watch them.

B&H Photo is one of the largest video retailers on the planet.  If you want to buy video equipment or just look, their website is a great place to start.

 

2.  What video editing program is best?

There are dozens of video editing programs available and all of them have  pros and cons.  There is no one best program.  My personal favorite is Final Cut by Apple.  It’s a high-level program though and not suitable for beginners.   Sony Vegas is frequently recommended for PC editing.   For a freebie, Windows Movie Maker is common and does a reasonable job.  There are better free programs though, here is a post on the best free video editing programs.

The single biggest difference between a high-level video editing program and a simpler program is NOT that your finished movie will lack pizazz if it’s edited on a simple program.  Nope.  The biggest difference is that in a high-level program like Final Cut, the editor has complete and total control over every tiny little detail.   That is what makes them complex to use, controlling every detail means you have to know ten-zillion different commands.  In a simpler program, the editor just chooses from basic looks that are more template based.  In a simple program, the details are taken care of by default and the editor sticks to making major decisions, not tiny ones.

For a free video tutorial on basic video editing, click here.


light kit for video production

3.  How should I light my video production?

Great question!  Lighting is the single easiest way to either screw up, or make your video look awesome.  It does not have to be difficult though.  The biggest thing you need to remember is that the light should fall ONTO your subject, and not BEHIND it.  So if you are videotaping someone talking, do not stand them directly in front of a window because you will get a silhouette.  Instead, stand them beside the window, with the camera’s back to the window.  This way, the light falls on their face.

Besides the direction the light is coming from, the other consideration with lighting is whether it is direct or diffused.  Direct light is harsh and creates deep shadows.  Diffused light means the light is bounced against something.  It is softer, with fuzzy shadows or even no shadows.  Diffused light is kinder to faces.

Click here for two free video tutorials on lighting for video.

If you are seeking simple and inexpensive ways to light your video, you can just use home fixtures.   You do not have to have any kind of “real”  photographic light fixtures, although they sure are nice and can provide exquisite lighting.

Click here for a free video tutorial on using simple home fixtures to achieve professional lighting.

 

picture with shallow depth of field

4.  How do I get the best sound for my video production?

Quality sound is more important for viewer satisfaction than quality video images.  I can not emphasize enough how true that is.  If someone can not hear your video’s sound distinctly, they will  click out of it in a nano-second.   Most people will, however, endure crummy video resolution if the video is compelling enough.  (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not recommending lousy video quality but I am telling you it is not as big of a problem as crummy audio.)

Video cameras come with attached or internal microphones.  These work fairly well, but are meant for generalized sound and are not the best way to record an interview or someone speaking.   For that, it is best to have the speaker wearing a lavalier mic clipped onto their collar or speaking directly into a hand held microphone or stand mic.  Lavs are popular choices for video because they are tiny and disappear into your shot.

No matter what kind of mic you use, make sure all background noise is OFF while recording.  If you want music or sound effects in the final video, that is added during editing not while you are recording.

 

tv studio

5.  What kind of equipment do I need to set up a video studio?

Setting up a studio is absolutely the way to go if you are going to be making a lot of videos.   Even a simple set-up tucked in the corner would allow you to crank out lots of videos fast.

Typically, a video studio has multiple cameras (at least three) and multiple mics.  Lights are attached to the ceiling.  Shows are edited as they happen using a video switcher and an audio board to control all the separate inputs.

Editing live using a switcher and multiple cameras saves tons of editing time. Studio technique can crank out a finished 20 minute show in about 25 minutes.  To edit a similar show using one-camera technique and video editing software after the shoot could take days.

Studios are huge time and money savers if you are doing enough video to warrant the upfront expense.

For a very detailed and informative post giving more information on setting up a video production studio, click here.

Do you have further questions?  I’d love to hear from you.

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