How to shoot videos like a professional?

Do you want to create an impeccable, professional video that blows your audience's mind? Well, it's easier than you might think.

Whether you intend to become a cinematographer or want to learn the art of shooting professional videos, you need more than just good equipment. Attaining a professional look says more about how you do it rather than your tools.  

So you don't really have to spend a fortune on fancy equipment. Because the chances are that you can make incredible videos with whatever you've got at the moment. 

How? Simple, all one needs to get that perfect video shoot is to pay special attention to certain key aspects.

Understanding the key points of video shooting will certainly alleviate the frustration many videographers often experience while Video Editing. And before you even realize it, these tips will come to you so naturally on how to shoot videos and how you'll be able to focus more on creativity and not just the basics.

Excited to learn how you can shoot top-notch videos? Keep reading to find out how to shoot videos and improve your quality.

10 Things to consider while shooting Videos

You might have noticed so many videos getting viral instantly. Ever wondered what sets them apart from the ones that just couldn't create that magic? Let’s see!

1. Creating storyboard

Well, shooting the perfect video is an art; it does not just happen overnight. What you see on your screens results from much planning and preparation.  

It doesn't start with the angle you shoot from or the lens you use. Rather, this entire process begins before you consider getting your equipment ready.

Consider creating and putting up a storyboard and shooting a script together. Storyboarding will help you understand what shots you need before you begin filming, and a script is like a screenplay for your video.

Of course, you don't need to draw a striking masterpiece for your storyboard. In fact, you can choose not to draw it at all. You can put up a series of photographs as a storyboard, rough sketches, or even stick figures – whatever you find most convenient. Just keep in mind what shots you need before you start shooting.

The more time you spend planning your videos and working on the script and the storyboard, the less likely you will miss a shot later.

Source: Pinterest

2. Pre-production

Pre-production involves planning or preparing all the resources, such as props, models, locations, etc. The production involves three stages: pre-production, production, and post-production. The pre-production process ends when the planning stops, and the content starts being produced.

Source: getty images

3. Lighting

It's no secret that lighting is integral to a video shoot or even photography, for that matter, because lighting creates a visual mood, the right ambience, and a sense of meaning for the audience. 

Whether it's installing a set for shooting or blocking actors, each step of the shooting affects the lighting setup and the other way around.

The most common lighting setup is a three-point one, which puts a scene's main actor or subject in the highlight and makes them stand out from their background. 

Source: techsmith

4. Rule Of thirds

Rule of thirds is the concept in video and film production, where a frame is divided into nine imaginary sections. This generates reference points that act as guides for framing the image.

Points of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up the frame rather than in the centre. Like many framing rules, this is not always required; however, it is one of those rules you should understand well before breaking it.

Source: Word Stream

5. ISO

ISO is a camera setting that can brighten or darken a photograph. As you increment your ISO number, your photographs will get brighter. Consequently, ISO can help you take pictures in darker conditions or be more adaptable about your aperture and shutter speed settings. 

Nonetheless, increasing your ISO has certain consequences. A shot taken at an excessively high ISO will display a lot of noise and might not be useful. So, lightening a photo via ISO is often a trade-off. 

Therefore, increase your ISO only when you cannot lighten the photo via shutter speed or aperture instead.

Source: phlearn

6. Shutter speed 

Shutter speed is responsible for adjusting your photo's brightness and creating breathtaking effects by either freezing action or blurring the motion. The camera shutter is a curtain in front of the sensor that remains closed until the camera shots.

When the camera shots, the shutter opens and ultimately exposes the camera sensor to the light that has passed through the lens. Once the sensor is done gathering the light, the shutter stops the light from hitting the sensor. 

Shutter speed – 1/500 Sec (freezing motion) Source: brentmailphotography

Shutter speed – 1/8 Sec (blurring motion)

Source: brentmailphotography

7. Aperture

The aperture is the opening in the camera lens through which light passes to enter the camera. It is a straightforward concept to understand if you consider how your eyes work. The pupil in your eyes expands or shrinks depending on the intensity of light. The aperture in a camera lens also behaves the same way.

You can adjust the size of the aperture to let more or less light reach the camera sensor. Aperture adds a dimension to your photos by controlling the depth of the field. 

Aperture can give you a blurred background with a beautiful shallow focus effect or sharp pictures from the nearby front to the far-off horizon. Besides it also adjusts the exposure of the images by making them brighter or darker.

Source – photographylife

8. White Balance

White balance (WB) is the process of eliminating unrealistic colour casts so that objects that appear white in person are presented as white in the images as well. 

While shooting, one has to take proper camera white balance of the light source into account, i.e., the relative warmth or coolness of white light.

Understanding digital white balance can help you avoid unnatural-looking colour casts, enhancing your shot under a broader range of lighting conditions.

                                                                 Source: cambridgeincolour                                                                            

9. Shoot your B-rolls

B-roll is any footage that isn’t of your main subject. Suppose you’re filming an explainer video featuring your software product. In that case, B-roll footage may include shots of satisfied consumers using your product or, perhaps, an external shot of your workplace.

Whatever footage you require, figure it out in the pre-production phase to avoid situations where you need footage you don’t have. 

In case you need a shot that would be hard or perhaps difficult to film on your own, such as aerial shots or shots from exotic regions, you can always utilize stock B-roll footage.  Having used B-roll myself, I can surely vouch for the quality and diversity they offer.

10. Shoot multiple takes

Even experienced videographers can make mistakes, and the last thing you need is a situation where you have only a single take of a crucial element of your video.

Therefore, it's always wise to take multiple takes on the day of the shoot. This way, you'll have a backup in case you find something awry with one of the takes, and you'll always have more than one option to choose from to use in your final clip.

Remember, even if the first shot goes right, take another one. Because what might feel right at the moment may not really work for you while editing. 

Source: Word Stream

Ready to become a professional videographer?

Creating a professional-looking video doesn't always mean spending on high-end videography equipment and attending filmmaking workshops. One can become a skilled videographer by paying close attention to key details and practising their skills. 

Follow these video shooting tips, whether shooting for a high-end production or creating a vlog for your social media account.

Looking for a video production company or video editing company? Well, do get in touch with us now!

Editor: Richa Sharma

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