Are you looking to expand your advertising techniques outside the range of traditional mediums? If you are, you might want to consider turning to video advertisements.

7 Tips to Up Your Videos’ Production Values

Quality videos can help your business succeed in even the most saturated markets. As half of all businesses fail within five years, taking advantage of these sorts of tools is a must.

However, you also need to consider the production values when making videos. If you don’t, all of the time and money you put into the production process will be for nothing.

Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to improve video editing.

Keep reading to learn about seven things you can do to improve your video production.

1. Create a Plan

Before you even pull out the camera and start filming, you want to make sure that you have a solid plan as to where the video will go. Look at video production as an opportunity to be a director.

A script, a storyboard, and shot lists are all must-haves before beginning the filming process. Even if your video will only be 30 seconds in length, you’ll still want to take the time to map everything out beforehand.

Aside from getting the shots that you want, you should also make sure that you have enough extra footage, as well. This will help you out later on.

2. Work With the Right People

You can have the best idea and plan in the world, but if you don’t work with the right people, then it’ll all be for nothing. Ensure that you work with only the best of the best when filming your video.

If you have actors delivering dialogue on camera, make sure that they all seem like naturals. Viewers will associate them with your brand, so you want to steer clear of people that seem cold or stiff.

You’ll also want to ensure that everyone knows their lines. This might mean running through things a few times to ensure proper pronunciation and cadence.

3. Have Good Audio Quality 

The quickest way to spot an amateur filmmaker is to look at (or listen to) their audio quality. Poor audio quality is a clear indicator that someone is inexperienced and not an expert.

While you don’t need Hollywood film-level audio quality, you do want to ensure that viewers can hear everything they need to. The easiest way to do this is by using microphones and eliminating background noise.

If you’re using a smartphone to record video or audio, don’t worry. You can choose from plenty of microphones that fit into the headphone jack of your phone.

4. Don’t Shoot Without Good Lighting 

Another rookie mistake is shooting without good lighting. Videos with poor lighting are clear indicators that someone isn’t great at video production.

While studio lights and professionals setups can be great, don’t think that you have to go out and buy an expensive set of lights to produce videos. Natural light is powerful, free, and easy to use.

Try to find the happy medium between too much exposure and too little. You want everything to look well lit and bright, but you also don’t want to look washed out.

5. Be Steady 

Take a moment to look at the shots that you’ve recorded in the past. Are they level and steady, or wobbly to the point that you feel nauseous? If the latter, make a point to film steady shots that don’t shake.

A tripod is the easiest way to do this. Different editing software can also help you steady shots post-production, although this can change the final appearance of your videos. Prioritize steadiness while filming.

Aside from not shaking the camera, a general rule of thumb while filming or taking pictures is to have the horizon be level. You don’t ever want it diagonal or at an angle.

6. Edit, Edit, Edit 

While getting amazing shots while filming is important, it’s only half the battle. Post-production is where your medley of clips becomes a single, cohesive work of art, so give it everything you’ve got.

Depending on your budget, you can use a free editing program like iMovie or a premium one like Adobe Premiere Pro. If you’re never edited a video before, a simpler piece of software is probably all that you need.

If you’re new to the world of editing, you might want to consider working with a video production agency. They’ll help you get the shots you need in the filming process, then bring everything to life while editing.

7. Optimize Your Video for Different Platforms

Depending on where you plan on sharing your videos, you’ll want to consider their specifications. Failing to do so will make it difficult for users to watch your content, and in some cases, unable to see it at all.

Sites like YouTube don’t start counting views until after 30 seconds, so ensure that you make the start of your video as entertaining as possible. You’ll also want to think about things like resolution and adding subtitles to your videos.

All of these things can make your videos better suited for different platforms. This can increase the number of people who watch your content, helping your business out in the long run.

Raise Your Production Values With These Tips

In the world of business, you need to use everything at your disposal to stand out from the competition. For many companies, that means creating video advertisements.

Make sure to follow the seven tips mentioned in this guide. When you do, you’ll have no problem boosting production values and creating content that resonates with people.

Are you ready to make better videos? Before you go, remember to spend some time checking out the rest of our site for more guides and tips that can help your business.

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