Simple Tips for DIY Videos

“You can talk all day about SEM and SEO. What your client needs is great VIDEO,” said photographer and video producer Marc Creedon.

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Panelists speak to the #NIMRI attendees at Caleb & Broad in Newport, offering tips on how to make DIY videos look professional.

Video is increasingly important on social media – even Facebook has begun to feature it heavily. If social media is becoming more focused on video, so should your social media marketing strategy.

But video is expensive, right? How can you do-it-yourself without compromising quality?

Newport Interactive Marketers brought a panel of professionals who can give you tips and tricks of the trade in order to begin incorporating video more prominently in your social media strategy.

Each panelist has decades of experience but has also kept up with current technology. We’ve brought them to Newport for you, because that’s how we roll here at NIM.

Meet Our Video Pro Panelists

Hal Landen is a cameraman, producer, and author who has traveled the world on assignments and written how to books to assist businesspeople incorporate video in their marketing strategy. He says to check your equipment before you start shooting so you know that when the time comes, everything will be working correctly.

Jim Egan, who was a commercial photographer for 30 years and now runs the Newport Tower Museum on weekends, has also written 12 books and now shoots web content for agencies and businesses in Rhode Island. Egan says the key to a successful image is gesture and proper lighting. Motion, emotion and visual appeal are essential to a good video.

Marc Creedon, a photographer and video producer, says the best camera is the one you have with you. Journalists often use their phones to document what is happening, so learn how to use your phone to make your video look professional.

Scott Indermaur is a former journalist who is now a commercial photographer, handling multimedia projects for clients. It’s important to interview well, he says, but make it feel like a conversation, with moments of true emotion.

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  • Don’t be afraid to shoot with your phone.
  • Make sure adequate battery and memory is available.
  • Close all other apps.
  • Shoot in landscape mode.
  • Instead of using zoom, use your legs and get closer.
  • Pan the camera sparingly.
  • Don’t be afraid to get the shot.

Editing Tips

  • Don’t edit on your phone; edit on the computer.
  • Take advantage of free photo editing software.
  • Use short snippets to show different aspects of a scene.
  • Leave cliffhangers to entice people to watch your other videos.
  • Music is essential to make a video professional. Try Free Stock Music for free downloads.
  • Create a look by trying Font Squirrel for free fonts and Fiverr for logos.
  • Shoot a lot, edit a lot, and make mistakes.

What were participants tweeting during the panel?

 


Many thanks to our venue sponsor, Caleb & Broad. It’s a familiar location for longtime NIM folks, but it’s totally renovated inside and has excellent food at locals’ prices.

Check out NIM’s upcoming event here. Make sure you preregister because events fill up quickly!