Internet Marketing Tools

Many details go into an effective video.  Don’t let the details deter you.  You will not be perfect the first couple of times.  Gradually you will develop a system, your own style and a format that works for you.   Expect some trial and error.  It’s part of the learning curve.

Key Ingredients for Your Video Shoot

Let the camera frame you. You’ve taken photography shots of family members.  When you did this, you made sure the people fit into the frame so all could be included in the picture.  Let your video camera frame you. This should be your head and upper shoulders.

How close should you be to the camera?  Make it the same distance as if you were talking to a friend.  With a friend you would never be nose to nose.

Check out your background. Your clothes should be brighter than your background.  Make sure your background is not cluttered or distracting.  Some shoot videos against a plain white wall.  You want to avoid making the background more interesting than you.

Microphones. This is not an issue with video cameras with built-in microphones.  These do a fair job of picking up sound.  If you are using a free standing microphone, make sure isn’ seen by the camera framing. Do not place it too close so that any movement you make, such as moving papers on your desk, is picked up by microphone.

Stabilize the camera.  Nothing is more distracting than someone constanantly moving the camera. Using a tripod will eliminate this distraction.

Look the part.  You want your viewers to instantly recognize your credibility.  Wear clothes that support what you do.  If you are a doctor, wearing a white smock would give you instant credibility.

Be yourself. Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.’’  You will need to experiment with your video voice.  It should be a mixture of energy, vocal quality, authentic, authoritative a dash of humor and a dose of salesmanship.  In professional circles this is call your stage presence.

Lighting. As I indicated in an earlier post, (http://budurl.com/VideoLighting) this is something overlooked in most small business videos.  Sunlight is your best light.  If you need to add light, use indirect light.

Here’s a secret.  You want to catch the sparkle in your eyes.  Your eyes open wider when this is more light. Your eyes add interest.  The eyes have been called the window of the soul.  There is a reason professional photographers learn how to capture the sparkle and depth in people’s eyes.

Conclusion

Don’t let the details overcome you.  Have some fun with your videos.  Do you remember as a child, dressing up and playing house?  This is your opportunity to return to some childhood playfulness.  Have fun and it will show in your videos.

In the next video, I will add some additional tips and suggestions for your shooting your marketing videos. Your comments are always welcomed…

Al Hanzal

Tags: Video Marketing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 5:23 am and is filed under Social Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Web Designs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.