Video Help

[TheBelly]

Anyone here have experience with making a more professional looking video?

I would like advice as far as setup, equipment, and post-production.

The end result is that I'd like to shoot, edit, and produce a DVD of shooting stuff. There's still a lot that I can learn, but I'd like to get good at the video production side now, rather than pay for someone else to do it later.

Current equipment set is:

camera: Sony DSR-PD170
tripod: Sony VCT-870RM
video timing/rough cut: Sony GV-D1000
editing: MacBook with stock software

[Irving]

I'll give you some input based on effective techniques I see on other popular channels.

- More than one camera. This is going to add considerable time to your editing, but it will help you choose the best shot. You'll have one camera set back enough to see the scene on the macro scale, then one zoomed in on what you are doing. This allows you to switch back and forth between shots so your audience can see you reach for a tool in full view, then be brought up close to where the tool is going. This will be important so you have the establishing shot to show which area of the gun you're working on, then the close up shot to show exactly what you are doing. Also, having more than one camera means you don't have to do each task more than once to get the shot you want.

- A microphone will allow you to make one clear audio track, regardless of if you are standing near or far from the camera. This will also be nice so you can use multiple sources of video, but just one audio. This will keep your sound even.

Here is a video from Wranglerstar. I chose this video because he's shot it in a manner that you can tell what he is doing with zero narration on his part. If you keep that technique in mind, then if something happens to your audio, you still have something you can work with.



I chose this video from Foodwishes as an example of using a voice over that was recorded later. Cooking videos are good at catching the shot when you only have one chance to get it right. Chef John likes to shoot everything, then record the voice over later. This probably makes it easier to say the right thing at the right time. Also, it looks like Chef John only has one camera.



- Make money. Many popular channels also do specific things to help their channel make money. On Foodwishes, none of the ingredient amounts are discussed in the video, you have to visit the blog for the measurements. This gives the site two clicks. Wranglerstar includes a link to every tool he uses in his videos to where you can purchase the tools that appear in the videos. Every time someone purchases a tool after following the link, the owner of the channel they followed the link from gets a percentage of the sale of that tool. There is a specific term for this, but the name escapes me at the moment. You use and review a lot of tools in your videos, so it would be beneficial to your viewers to have links in your video descriptions. That way, when I'm wondering just what kind of work bench you have, and where I can get one, I just follow the link. Hope this was helpful.

[TheBelly]

very helpful, Irving!

[CobaltSkink]

Google "Amazon Affiliate" or Amazon referral" for an idea of how it is done.
Here is a link to Brownell's program: https://www.brownells.com/aspx/general/Affiliates.aspx