Top 11 DIY Videography Tips For Beginners
Top 11 DIY Videography Tips For Beginners
1. INVEST IN LIGHTING.
Lighting is the most important part of videography (and photography). There are a ton of options for all budgets, including: A mini ring light for your phone ($10), compact LEDs ($119) and softbox kits ($123). Don’t assume that you can fix bad lighting with editing or filters; editing is used to add a certain style or vibe to your video, not to fix bad lighting. There is a reason this is at the top of the list- capturing good footage the first time around will save you lot of headache in the long run.
2. TURN YOUR PHONE SIDEWAYS (HORIZONTAL) WHEN FILMING.
Every time I see black bars on the side of a YouTube video I die a little inside. It’s 2020, cell phones have been around for a long time- there’s no excuse for this ongoing atrocity! Turn your freaking phone sideways when filming!!!
3. BUY A TRIPOD.
Tripods are everywhere; Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Goodwill….the list goes on and on. They are not expensive and will open up a whole new world for you in terms of shooting. Stop balancing your phone on a pile of books.
4. KEEP LEARNING.
I’ve been shooting video since 2006 and I would estimate I still spend about 5 hours a week in learning mode.
5. PRACTICE EDITING IN-CAMERA.
Practice putting together an edit without using any editing software. Create a basic storyline, it could go like this: A girl wakes up in the morning, goes on a walk, picks some flowers and puts them in a vase at home. That’s your story. What shots do you need to tell this story? TikTok and Instagram Stories are already set up for this and you’re essentially creating a little story inside the apps. Editing in-camera helps you get a fundamental understanding of the shots needed to create a more professional video when the time comes.
6. SHOOT B-ROLL
B-Roll is considered secondary footage. If you were shooting a concert, the band is A-Roll and shots of the audience are B-Roll. Don’t underestimate the power of B-Roll!! It’s soooo important to crafting a story and making your content compelling.
7. SHOOT A VARIETY OF ANGELS.
When shooting people, having a *slightly* high or low angle tends to be a bit more flattering. But don’t stop there, go crazy- stand on a chair, lay on the ground, mix it up!! You might feel somewhat self conscious at first but trust me, it passes with time.
8. PRACTICING MOVING WITH OR AROUND YOUR SUBJECT.
If you’re shooting a static subject, like a tree, try moving all the way around it. If you’re shooting a person practicing filming them while walking behind or in front of them.
9. PAY ATTENTION TO SOUND.
At the very minimum, record in a quiet space with all the doors and windows shut. If you are filming yourself, make sure you are less than 5 feet from the camera while speaking. If you get “serious” about making videos you will need to invest in a microphone, but to start out just be aware of the sound in your environment.
10. DON’T STRESS ABOUT SHARING.
Set time aside to practice shooting without worrying about sharing it on social media. Set aside 30 minutes 3 days per week to practice.
11. JUST GET STARTED.
If you’re waiting to have the perfect camera, backdrop or model before shooting you’re holding yourself back. If you’ve been keeping score I’ve mentioned purchasing 3 things: lighting, a tripod and a microphone. You can buy all three of these for under $250. But if you don’t have any money to spare just get started. You can practice all the other elements that I mentioned and naturally you will get better over time. There is nothing holding you back from starting!
Holding my first camera from 2006. It cost $300 and took mini DV tapes.
