We are sure you will agree with us when we say, “getting started with video marketing can be difficult.”
There is a steep learning curve whether you’ve got a videographer on staff or not. Quite frankly, even if you’ve mastered production, there are many more things to learn and develop.
The thing is, the most common mistakes that companies make with video could be easily avoided. In most cases, they simply occur due to lack of experience and/or direction.
These are some of the most common mistakes we see businesses make when they get started with video marketing…
Filming with Poor Lighting or Exposure
Poor lighting can be tolerated but is less than ideal, especially if you’re making videos for professional purposes and want to keep your brand looking strong.
Whether you’re using natural lighting or powered lighting, inside or outside, you want to keep your subject properly exposed, contrasted from the background, and maintaining normal colors.
This can be done with the help of technology by using a field monitor, histogram, and/or judging it by sight.
Some questions you might ask yourself are:
- Is your subject’s face completely visible?
- Are there hard shadows on either side?
- Is there enough contrast between the background and foreground?
You can capture great lighting by simply sitting next to a window, but you need to understand how light affects your subject. This means you’ll also need to be familiar with exposure and how your camera captures lighting in different environments.
Capturing Bad Audio
Bad audio stinks. No exceptions.
Capturing good audio that is properly leveled, isolated to the person speaking, and easy to listen to is the goal. This means you need to calibrate and monitor your audio while you are shooting. Many audio issues cannot be fixed in post production.
In most cases (like 99.9% of cases), your onboard microphone on your camera will not cut it. Instead, you’ll need external microphones and recording devices to capture all of your audio.
Different scenarios will call for different microphones as well.
Breaking the Rules of Composition
It might not sound critical, but it makes a big difference when you can create aesthetically pleasing shots. This requires proper framing using balance and intention.
There’s actually a science to this formula, known as the Fibonacci sequence, or golden ratio. This has been linked to the way that we perceive beauty, as well as a way to direct our eyes to a subject. I’m not going to explain all the science, but using the rule of thirds is important.
By using the rule of thirds, you avoid the byproducts of bad composition like:
- Improper Head Room – having too much or too little space above your subjects head
- Improper Lead Room – not able to see where the subject is looking or where the subject is moving to
Another element of proper composition is using leading lines, or in other words, framing the subject in a way that draws your eyes. By using this technique, you create a more pleasant viewing experience and avoid distractions for the viewer.
Improperly Using a Video Script
In most cases, scripts are a very valuable element to the production process. Using a script template, you can make a full outline which gives the camera operators, on-camera talent, editors and others an order of events. This script, though, is not meant to give a full dialogue to your educational marketing videos.
It’s rare that you’ll have “actor level” talent within your organization. But that’s okay because we aren’t trying to act. Instead, you want to put real people in front of the camera and have them speak to viewers as if they were there in person. You shouldn’t need a script for that.
We’ve found that the best way to write and use a script is to divide your message into sections and bullet point your lines. This way you can communicate each bullet point with your own words. This comes across more genuine and helpful rather than robotic and rehearsed.
As a side note, this doesn’t always apply to every video. If you’re making hero content that requires very specific lines, script away.
Using Default Transitions and/or Titles
Resist the urge to use all those “fancy” transitions. Those 3D blocks, stars, and wipe transitions that come with Premiere and Final Cut Pro don’t represent the quality you want to produce.
At this point in 2017, jump cuts (no transitions) or dissolves (fade in or out) will be plenty and won’t distract from your message.
If you want to use more complex transitions, consider purchasing professionally made transition templates that you can import into your video editing program.
Forgetting Visual Aids or Examples
This is a crucial part of education and reinforcing your message. Teachers use dry erase boards, presenters use slideshows, videographers use video overlays. In nearly every video, there will be opportunities to illustrate, demonstrate, or otherwise show examples of what you’re speaking on.
They don’t even have to be fancy, they just need to fit within your frame and be easy to read.
Nearly every video editing program, including smartphone apps, will allow you overlay images, text, and in some cases, other videos.
Visit us at SeodaPop To continue learning more and more about what you need to know to avoid common mistakes when you first start your journey as a videographer
