If you’re a business owner, with the rise of the digital world and social media, you might feel pressure to consistently be creating perfect content. While content is important, at PN Digital, we recognise that not everyone can afford to hire professional videographers and editors for every single piece of content – especially NFP’s.
Luckily, with the increased quality in Smart Phone camera technology, any owner of an iPhone or Android has the power to create a professional-style video in the palm of their hand. The content marketing team at PN Digital often collaborate with our clients to teach them tips and tricks for DIY video content – so we’re sharing some of our knowledge below.
How PN Can Help
At PN Digital, we don’t just work for our clients, but rather with our clients to help them up-skill and learn rather than just see the work produced. Rather than just paying someone to do the work, your entire team can learn something new so that anyone can shoot content, anywhere, anytime. We have noticed this collaborative approach become particularly helpful over the past 12 months in lockdown, where our team hasn’t been able to travel on site to clients to create content.
Shooting your Video
Use a Tripod
While some of the newest smart phones are built with automatic image stabilisation, it’s always a good idea to use a tripod to ensure your shots are as steady as possible. While tripod might sound intimidating, there are some relatively inexpensive ones specifically designed for phones that can be found in most affordable department stores.
If for some reason your tripod has gone missing, or you don’t have one and need to shoot a video last minute, below are some tips for shooting handheld:
- Keep your phone as close to your body as possible
- Rest your elbows on a nearby object for stability
- Use your body to absorb any bounces and shakes
Refrain from Zooming
While it can be tempting to simply zoom in to focus on an object while filming, it’s best to avoid using this technique. This is because a smart phone’s lens doesn’t zoom optically; instead, you’re essentially just enlarging the picture which increases image pixilation, making for a blurry video. To achieve the perfect up-close shot, simply move closer to the subject with your phone until you get the shot you’re after.
Lighting is everything
Just like in photography, when taking a video, getting the right lighting is perhaps one of the most important aspects. When shooting on a smart phone, videos will generally always look better with lots of light, preferably natural light, However, if you’re shooting inside, supplemental lighting is your best friend. Just like your tripod, you can purchase inexpensive video lighting from various department stores that will change the way you shoot your videos. On the other hand, if purchasing lighting isn’t an option, try to shoot your indoor videos facing a sunny window spot to ensure the light is hitting the subject.
Place the microphone close to the subject
To achieve the best audio for your video, it’s important to place your microphone as close to the subject as possible. The best way to do this is to place an additional smart phone next to the subject’s head to record clean audio through the voice memo app. A pro tip is to clap at the beginning of each take to cement a reference point to sync the good sound from the voice memo with the lower quality sound from the video.
Edit on your Computer
While there are some great smart phone editing apps, editing on your computer will always achieve the best result. Once you’ve finished filming your video, plug your phone into your computer and offload your footage into your files. From here, you can edit your clips on iMovie or Windows Movie Maker which are both simple to use and create a great result.
If you’re interested in learning more about creating content for your business, contact the team at PN Digital on 1300 131 932.
