Top tips for wannabe videographers

Think of a recent example of truly viral content and, most likely, it will not be in the form of text or even an infographic, but some piece of video. A recent case in point is the catch made by Odell Beckham Jnr. for the New York Giants in the NFL.

Cue a 1,001 ‘catch it like Beckham’ headlines, and its own news story on the BBC.

While creating a video won’t guarantee virality, the popularity of the form is growing in content marketing – and we’re not just talking about catchy seven-second posts on vine. According to research firm Nielsen, 64% of marketers expect video content to top their agendas in future.

Despite indications that the cost of producing videos is decreasing, a large number of marketers who want to use the form may still lack the budget to hire a professional – meaning just one thing: they’re doing it for themselves.

This list is a cherry-pick of tips from Videomaker on the dos and don’ts of videography.

Avoid the centre stage

Avoid placing your subjects in the centre of the shot. Whether you are interviewing an expert, filming a sunset or shooting wildlife, use the rule thirds to set up the composition of your shot.

Keep it on the level

If you rely on placing the camera at eye level for every shot, you run the risk of your video looking amateurish. Use a tripod to both steady the camera and experiment with different heights for your shot. If you want to hold the camera, avoid shake by imagining that you are holding a full cup of scolding coffee (or tea).

Five to 10

Keep your shoots between five and 10 seconds long. Beneath five seconds, and you’ll irritate your audience; longer than 10 seconds may bore them.

Don’t firehose

What’s firehosing? Flashing about all over the place, trying to get in as much of the scenery as you can. Instead, set up four or five static shoots and pan the camera sparingly.

Sound it out

While almost all cameras can record sound, it doesn’t mean that they should. A lot of the useful information you want to tell your audience is likely to be audio in form, so it is worth investing in (or renting) a decent microphone or recording device. It’s also worth listening to the audio through headphones while you record.