7 TIPS TO CREATING PROFESSIONAL VIDEO WITH YOUR SMART PHONE

(OR A BASIC VIDEO CAMERA)

Have you ever been asked to make a video for your business, and now you’re freaking out?! It really should be easy, but if you haven’t done it before, I know it’s really daunting. So that’s why I’ve broken it down into 7 really easy steps to making a professional looking video with your smart phone or a basic video camera.

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1. PREPARATION IS KEY

I cannot stress enough how important it is to know what you are going to say before you press record! You need to write it down first, and be sharp and concise about getting your message across.

Write yourself a script, and proof-read it BEFORE you start recording.
Make sure your script can be delivered in short sharp sentences with a clear pause between each sentence. This allows for easy editing afterwards (known as ‘jump cut’ style) and will also stop you from waffling on!
Don’t just read from a script underneath the video or make it up on the spot.

You quite literally only have seconds to capture and engage your audience on video before they scroll past, so don’t waste your opportunity.

Make it as simple as possible, get to the point and deliver your message” Melissa Scott.

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2. BE NATURAL

The days of putting on your best anchor-person voice when you are recording your video are long gone! And who wants to sound like a wanker anyway!! There is more value and connection when you look like and sound like YOU.

You want to connect with your audience and smile when you’re delivering your message. Keep it natural and let your personality shine through. Imagine you’re talking to a friend and just impart your wisdom to them as naturally as possible.

Video really amplifies how you are feeling, so the best way to get past the nerves is to practice and prepare your lines, have confidence in what you are saying and just deliver your message as authentically and comfortably as possible. Don’t forget to breathe!

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3. LOOK THE PART

As part of your preparation for your marketing video, you should have a clear cut idea of the message you want to convey and what results you want to achieve. Usually it’s to communicate an important message, attract people to a landing page with a call to action, impart special education around your services, and/or to build connection.

Once you know this, it’s a good time to plan your ‘look’. This includes your outfit, your style and choice of background for your video. You want the whole look and feel of your video to be as cohesive as possible and gel with your brand message.

You need to know what message you are trying to convey or in marketing terms, “your brand message”.

Be nicely groomed and pick an outfit and style that is representative of your personal brand.
Think about your backdrop, does it match the look and feel of your video? Avoid standing against a white backdrop or have a backdrop that is too busy and distracting. Remember, you are the star!
Consider the theme of your video itself, is it playful, fun and relaxed? Then you can be more casual in your clothing. Are you presenting information and cementing yourself as an industry expert? Then dress the part.

The most important thing is that you are feeling comfortable and confident.

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4. CONSIDER YOUR LIGHTING

The whole point of this is to do things simply, so you don’t need fancy professional videographer lighting equipment to make a video. But it’s essential that you get the lighting right. You can still achieve a professional looking video with nice natural light directly in front of you. Avoid having lights coming in from just one side as they tend to throw funny shadows across your face. If you do have side lighting, it needs to be replicated on either side.

Some important tips around lighting include:

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day, especially when outside. Morning or late afternoon in that beautiful golden light is best (and most complimentary).
Ditch the sunnies if outside, people want to see your eyes so they feel like they are connecting to you.
If inside, avoid harsh fluorescent lighting. Consider investing in a ring light, or you can even use two desk lamps, one on either side of you shining in the centre. Stick a piece of white paper over the globe to help diffuse the direct stream of light.

You always want your lightning to be natural looking, diffused evenly, and soft and gentle.

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5. CONSIDER YOUR LOCATION

It’s really important that the location you choose is relevant to your personal brand. For example, my online marketing course is all about learning how to be the rockstar of your industry, so a lot of my videos are shot with a fun, rockstar vibe. In your office space, if you find a quiet spot with great lighting, consider setting it up as a permanent video spot and shoot your videos from here. The added benefit is if you already have a spot ready to go, you are more likely to create videos which is fantastic for your business.

Video is the best way to create trust between you and your audience. There is no better way to create connection online.” Melissa J Scott

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6. COMPOSITION – FRAMING THE VIDEO

This can really affect the professionalism of your video by how you frame yourself in the shot.

Don’t be too far back as you will be lost in the composition, and don’t be so far forward that you risk cropping the top of your head off!

Ideally you want to have in the frame your torso up to a small gap above your head. This is so that people can see you, you’re filling the frame but you are not overwhelming on the screen. Develop your own style and practice.

Be mindful of your hand gestures, don’t be too big and animated, keep it natural.
Make sure if you are standing that you are not rocking on your feet as it’s very distracting for the viewer.
Look straight down the barrel of the lens and give your best delivery, with a relaxed smile on your face if appropriate to the content, so you look friendly and relaxed. People will feed off the energy that you are giving.
Centre yourself in the composition if you are having captions below, or off to the side if you want to have captions added to your video later and it makes sense for them to appear next to you.

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7. GET YOUR SOUND RIGHT

One of the main reasons why people switch off a video is if the sound is bad. It is essential to get this right!

If possible, get mic’ed up. You can plug a lapel pin mic straight into your iphone or video camera.
If you don’t have a mic, make sure you are standing 1 – 1.5m away from your device so that the natural audio will pick up your voice.
If you have the budget, you can buy podcast kits and little go pro cameras easily online and attach a shotgun microphone to that and be completely video ready.
A fuzzy sound ‘muffler’ is also a great way to help block out all of the extra background noises, particularly if you are outdoors. Be careful to choose a location where there is minimal noise around you.
Avoid the shakes and set you camera up on a sturdy tripod or even a pile of books if that’s all you have on hand. This is especially important if you are doing company video. And unless you’re creating a video for your social media stories, always video yourself in landscape rotation.

Don’t overthink it, use the equipment you have at your disposal. Most importantly, just remember that people really do care about what you have to say. And if you can get your message nailed succinctly and without rambling on, then you will be able to genuinely connect with your audience and get your point across. Video is the most valuable way that people can experience you, see you, hear you and feel you.

There is no better way than video if you want to create connection online!

If you want to have more success in your business and sales, you need to become an expert at creating trust and connection online through your personal brand, and creating quality content. Book a free half hour strategy session with Melissa today to find out how you can be the Rockstar in your industry. If you want it, it is possible.

And if you would like to check out Melissa, follow these links:

https://www.connectionmarketing.online
https://melissajscott.com/