Welcome to part 2 of our blog series on creating your own in-house professional-looking videos.
In our first blog we went over the basic step of outlining and creating a script for your video. You can check that out here.
Once you have created a script or at least an outline for your video, it is time to get “on set” and “rolling”.
In this article, I want to talk to you about the importance of sound quality as well as lighting.
The Importance of Good Sound in Your Videos
Sound is very important when it comes to video production.
Sound enhances the viewing experience. Good quality sound can help viewers immerse themselves in the video and feel more engaged, whereas poor sound quality can immediately put viewers off and lose their attention.
To convey the message you want to get across, you need to ensure your audience can hear it and isn’t distracted by unpleasant noises.
How to Get Improved Sound Quality in Your Videos
When recording your video, take the following steps to help ensure better sound quality in your videos:
1. FIND A QUIET LOCATION
We often accustom ourselves to noises that are regularly around us. Take a minute to close your eyes or focus your attention and see if there are any sounds you have subconsciously been ignoring.
Find a room or space that isn’t too close to busy streets or tons of noise. Shut off any devices that are making noises in the room. Such as monitors, AC units, radios, etc.
This may not always be necessary – as in when you are making a behind-the-scenes video or demonstration of a medical procedure or some such. Or if you are making a fun video on your mobile phone while out and about at a restaurant, park, etc.
2. INVEST IN AN EXTERNAL MICROPHONE
Consider purchasing an external lapel microphone that you can connect up to your phone. This is the type of microphone that clips to your shirt or blazer. You can find these pretty affordably on Amazon, Best Buy or similar stores. This can make all the difference in your sound when it comes to creating in-house professional videos.
If you are going to be more than a few feet from your camera, you will want a microphone. These microphones also help reduce ambient noises. (At the end of this post, I share links to a microphone and a light that you may want to purchase.)
Check out this video where we demonstrate the sound quality in different scenarios:
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How to Improve Your Video Lighting
Lighting is one of the basics when it comes to both photography and videography. In fact, the word “photography” quite literally means writing with light.
A word should be put in here on the subject of equipment. This whole series is aimed at providing you and your practice or business with the tools needed to create affordable in-house videos to use in your marketing.
We are assuming most of you will be creating these videos with a hopefully newer phone. However, we do have an article that covers some affordable additional tools that are well worth the investment. In that article, our CEO provides direct links to tools like microphones, tripods, and lights. You can read that article here: How to Get Started with Video on a Budget.
Now, let’s get onto lighting.
Proper lighting is crucial in making videos as it can significantly affect the overall quality and visual appeal of the footage. Good lighting can enhance the subject’s appearance, create depth and dimension, and set the mood or tone of the video. It can also help to eliminate shadows and unwanted glare, resulting in a more polished and professional-looking final product.
There are two options when creating your in-house videos.
- Set up near a window or source of natural outdoor lighting. This is personally my favorite lighting source. This will do the trick in helping you create your videos, however, it can be inconsistent – clouds or items can cause shadows.
- Purchase an external light source. Even purchasing something as cheap and simple as a ring light or “softbox” light can make a world of difference in the quality of your video.
Here are examples of various lighting situations. These are all taken on my cracked-up phone (thanks to my children).
Some other items of note I want to put in here:
- Before filming, wipe off your phone’s camera lens. Our phones get dirtier than we are aware of. I see videos all the time that look blurry simply because the person recording forgot to wipe off their lens before shooting.
- Use the right camera lens. Recording with your back camera (the one on the back of the phone) rather than the camera on the front of the phone will turn out better. The main lens of the camera tends to be better designed and more advanced than the front or “selfie” camera.
Good luck shooting! We look forward to seeing some amazing videos.
Best,
Christine Leacox
Director of Marketing Operations
RESOURCES:
LIGHT USED IN LIGHTING VIDEO: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6V16YD9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
MICROPHONE IN VIDEO:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P3T1X8Q?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_2BEADGHWNHNF8CASQ437