6 articles from October 2009

Great sound: Use a lapel microphone October 13th 2009

Use an inexpensive lapel mic to give your videos the great sound quality they’ll need to stand out from the user-generated video crowd.

If your audience can’t clearly hear what you have to say then your video is a waste of everyone’s time. Use a lapel microphone instead of your camera’s built-in microphone and get a massive boost in audio quality for a minimal investment.

Business backgrounds: Set the tone for your videos October 12th 2009

Choosing the right background for your videos helps set the tone before you say a single word. A light background looks good for business.

Before you say a single word the background in your video is already speaking for you. A dark background that looked like a stage curtain didn’t set the business tone I wanted. Choosing a lighter, structured, background now sends the right message from the very first frame. It also turned out they are easier to work with.

Video monitors: Speak to yourself and relax October 10th 2009

It can be difficult speaking into the camera’s unblinking eye, so try placing a large monitor behind the camera and speak to that instead.

You know to look around your audience when presenting; web video demands you do the exact opposite. Put a large monitor at eye-level right behind your camera to get accustomed to looking directly at your camera. You also get to speak to a real person (yourself!) and not just the camera’s unblinking eye.

Video monitors: Avoid frustrating wasted takes October 9th 2009

Better to avoid problems shooting your video than to try fixing them during editing. Get a full HD monitor to see exactly what you’ll get.

While Hollywood can afford a high ratio of footage shot to used, you cannot. Don’t waste time editing your web videos; know what you’ll get before pressing record. Save time and reduce frustrating wasted takes with a Full HD monitor that shows clearly (in real time) every pixel your camera sees.

Tripods: Shoot above your office furniture October 8th 2009

Clearing an open space in an office is tricky. So, go vertical instead by standing your tripod on a desk and shooting over the furniture.

Unless you have the luxury of a separate recording space, you will have to record in your existing office environment. Present standing up and you can shoot over the top of desks and other office furniture. Putting your tripod on a desk saves space and keeps your camera stable and safe from knocks.

Teleprompters: Read your presentation from a script? October 5th 2009

Using a teleprompter well takes lots of practice, so you’re much better off studying your material and then practising speaking freely.

Reading from a script is the very last thing you would consider doing when giving a presentation. Why is it then, that as soon as people start making web videos they think they are playing a newsreader on TV and want to read a script from a teleprompter? Just say no to teleprompters for your business videos!

Not found what you’re looking for? Then try the Sell to Camera site map to explore by article title, category, tag, month and author.