7 Considerations Before Shooting Your Website Video

Planning your video before you start will go a long way to producing a better video for your website and [tag-tec]video sharing sites[/tag-tec]. Here are seven points to consider before you start shooting.

1. Lighting. Try to get decent lighting for your video. If you are shooting indoors in a room that has windows then open the curtains wide to let in as much sunlight as possible. If it is dull or overcast outside then you might have to leave the shooting for another day.

If you have set up a studio area indoors already using artificial lighting then set up your lights and shoot a 15 sec clip to see how it looks. Adjust your light positions and shoot again until you are happy with the results. Just remember that your videos for submitting to video sharing sites do not have to be professional quality, very few on YouTube actually are. Do your best by trial and error until you are happy with the results.

2. Background. A plain wall is boring although it will not distract the viewer. Try to have something better but keep it simple as to much detail will affect the final video size when the video is compressed. Displaying your website name or company banner in the background is a great idea.

If shooting outdoors avoid a lot of movement in the background, a tree or shrub blowing about in the wind. The less movement that you have in the background, ultimately the smaller video file you will finish with.

3. Noise. Beware of unwanted background noise. Cars passing by your front yard, construction work down the road, the neighbors cutting the grass. Chose the right time of day or shoot the video in the quietest part of your back yard to avoid any unwanted sounds that will distract your viewers.

4. Camera Height. Always, at least whenever possible use a tripod to keep your camcorder steady and vibration free. If you are shooting a video of yourself sitting on a chair and talking then try different camcorder heights to see if they complement your appearance (makes you look better or younger).

5. Sound. Good quality sound is important in your videos. Do not rely on the built in camcoder microphone, instead use an external one if your camcorder has a socket for one. I use a lavaliere microphone that cost $40 and it works great.

Depending on the video you are shooting then sound effects, commentary or music can always be added later in the editing stage.

6. Rehearse Your Script. Rehearsing your script is important as too many pauses or ‘uuuums’ can spoil your video for your viewers. I am not a natural speaker and find it difficult to remember what I want to say. I have tried reading from a board beside the camcorder but it becomes obvious in the replay as I looked away from the lens and made me look amateurish. Some videos can be more ad-lib but if you are trying to put across specific points then make sure you remember your lines.

7. Relax. Being tense will spoil your video as you will appear stiff and uninteresting. Just relax, you are only making a 3 minute video clip for your website, not a television commercial. Don’t worry too much about the quality as your video will only be displayed in 425 x 350 pixel format on YouTube or other video sharing websites as well as your own website.