As video content consumption rises throughout the country and the world, with mobile consumption rising 100% each year, it is undoubtedly an increasingly valuable asset to marketers. This vital platform is sought out more than ever today, as it’s story-telling capabilities are unmatched.
Here are a few statistics:
With numbers like that, it’s hard not to feel the pressure to implement video as a key component to your branding efforts. But how do you approach crafting this content for your brand?
The barriers to entry for video production can be daunting. Independent film-crews/freelancers can have exorbitant fees for single days of shooting on only one-time projects. On the other hand, it can be difficult to find full-time personnel with this skillset as well, and you may be unprepared for a full-time videographer commitment. And then, there’s the equipment. Factoring DSLR cameras, multiple lenses, Gimbal rigs, mics and SD-Cards, after all is said and done, the feat of merely researching all of these products can be an investment of time and energy that might make one reconsider their desire for video.
But despite these limitations, it’s still possible for brands to develop quality video content. Here’s a streamlined guide for getting started.
Let us assume that, for now, you will not be hiring a full-time videographer or freelance video partner, and will be dipping the proverbial “toe” yourself. We should acknowledge that the first thing most people misconstrue is the need for the pinnacle in cinema-quality video cameras. In reality, effective, quality footage can be shot on a smartphone. Just take a look at “Made in Paris”, an iPhone X Cinematic short, shot in 4k. With an iPhone, most would be nervous to just hold it and point and shoot. Luckily, an affordable gimbal rig for a smartphone is not hard to find at just $100 dollars. This tool stabilizes your phone and mitigates the shaking of a human hand, offering an amateur videographer far smoother movement for a more professional piece of footage.
This already breaks the first barrier to entry, the video quality.
The second barrier is editing. Granted, this can be daunting, especially for a first-time editor. However, if you’re starting with something like a customer testimonial or tutorial video, you likely won’t have many edits to make. These videos are often shot at one to two angles and can be condensed with a few clicks of an editing tool. On top of that, there are intuitive and free editing programs such as iMovie which make access and experimentation easily available.
Check out this general comprehension tutorial video just under 15 minutes.
Lastly, we look at audio. Audio is probably the most essential piece of your videography as sound is not noticeable until it is bad. When shooting live, it’s best to simply invest in a worthy external microphone and wear headphones to ensure you’re picking up what you need. Lavalier mics that clip to interviewees are functional and affordable at around $80 dollars. An equally priced Rode Mic Me-L to capture all external audio for general shooting is also a worthy investment.
If you splurged and went for both, plus the stabilizing gimbal rig, you can still keep your total video budget within less than $260 dollars and be sure that you are capturing quality content. Both of these devices plug directly into your smartphone and can offer performance for general videography needs at budget pricing.
As video grows in strength as an asset to marketers, an affordable way to get your foot in the door can make all the difference in implementation of this content.
This is part one of a series.