Today’s consumers are used to moving images, They have grown up on them. They are inundated with images in hundreds of ways every day. With video, your site will feel familiar,  get a point across in less time, and portray your company as being forward thinking.

But there are issues.

• You can’t just put video up on your site. It has to be compressed and coded in the right way for your site. If not it can take too long to load and you’ll lose people.
• Don’t make the video last more than 30 seconds to 1 minute. People aren’t there to watch a movie, they are there to learn a little bit more about whether or not they want to learn more, buy something or sign up for something.
• The end of the video should have a call to action–what do you want the viewer to do now?
• Don’t start the video automatically, especially if it has sound attached. Unexpected sounds will cause people to jump off the site quickly. Let people decide to look at it, but use a compelling headline to get them to watch it.
• Use more than one video in different spots on the site if it makes sense.
• Make sure the spots are tailored to the users and make sense. They need to have value to the viewer-what did they learn about you or your product by watching. Don’t waste their time.

Your website is often the world’s window into your business. If you add video, you will increase your search effectiveness, but if you add it incorrectly, those new viewers may leave without taking the actions you need to build your business. An unprofessional or incorrectly loaded video can do more damage that you might imagine.

A well done and properly loaded video will have more value than you can imagine. Your message reaches people who are predisposed to the concept AND there is no additional media cost.  Why would you pass that up?

What is a Virtual Set?  It is a computer generated set that allows you to place someone where they are not. From a studio in front of a green screen you can place your talent anywhere. They can appear to be in a newsroom, church, arena, office, lobby, in front of a cityscape or on a golf course and hundreds of other locations. Visit  a site like www.virtualsetworks.com to see some examples.

What are Digital Effects? Well, it’s not so easy to blow things up on a budget, or make your actors bleed, but you can do all of that with computer generated effects. Over time and with the right equipment, they actually look quite good.  Okay, the better the technician, the better the look. Sites like www.digitalthoughtsoftware.com have inexpensive packages that work with some of the most common editing software.

Both of these tools save you time and money and give you control over the elements, the sound and lighting in a way that location shooting would not.

So whether you are shooting a corporate video, or creating a horror flick for your friends, both of these tools can help you create a better look for more money!

If you haven’t paid attention to the white balance settings on your video recorder, you are in for a real eye opener when it comes to getting better video. Proper white balance is the key to correcting some of the most common problems that keep your video from looking true to color, bright and crisp.

First what is white balance on a video camera? Basically it is what tells the camera what “true white” is, then compensates for the difference in intensity, or temperature, of the light in which you are shooting. Sunlight, cloudy days, candlelight and fluorescent and tungsten lights all cast your subject in different light. So varying the white balance can compensate for these lights to keep your subject looking the way they are supposed to.

Your camera may be set to the auto setting—and in some cases that will be a good thing. Other times you might want to play with some of  the other settings to see how you can improve the exposure.  Finally,  the manual setting can really come into play in mixed light settings. For instance when you are shooting on a bright day and your subject is under a shade tree.

Settings vary from camera to camera, so check out the dreaded “manual” to learn more about your model or just play around and see how much better your videos can be! Next time we’ll cover some of the basic settings.

The secret is in part, better lighting. While “professionals” also use better quality cameras, the fact is the major difference between Uncle Charley’s underexposed home videos and really excellent broadcast television pictures is principally lighting and exposure.

If you are creating a video for use in your business, hire a professional and get the right cameras, lighting and sound. It’s the only way to get the job done right.

But let’s say that you just want to shoot some video at home. You aren’t going to go out and hire a professional to light your interview of grandma for the family video album. But with a few tips and some inexpensive equipment, you can make sure that she isn’t overwhelmed by shadows.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Let there be light! Even with “low light” camcorders you probably need more light than you have in the room.

Silhouettes belong in fashion—NOT VIDEO -Don’t put the subject in front of a window. Your camera will have a hard time with all the light and your subject will be in silhouette. This means you won’t see their features, just their outline and lots of light.

It’s not easy being Green. Fluorescent lights can turn your subjects green. Get your subjects lit with another source. This is where some cheap alternatives (or an inexpensive light kit) can make a difference.

Mugshots are never pretty So avoid them. Don’t place your subject up against the wall and shoot them head on. By adding some backlight you can help add depth and definition and avoid that “just arrested” look.

Dark shadows-was a great old TV show, but look awful on your subjects. A few simple tools and techniques and you can quickly remedy the problem.

Here’s the good news about all of these issues. They can almost all be fixed as simply as one, two, three.

1. One light can work for more cases as long as it has a diffuser. This will soften the light a bit and not make your subject feel like they are staring into headlights.
2. Two lights (positioned in front  and off to the side and one positioned above and behind the subject) and a bounce card (a piece of white foam core board) angled to reduce shadows can be used to light the subject for better results.
3. Three lights (with one replacing the bounce card) will give you the best results.

For most of what you do, simply adding the diffused light (and perhaps a bounce card) will improve your video significantly. Just watch for the shadows from the brow and nose.

Check out some of the many samples on our site to give you an idea of what’s involved in producing quality professional video. www.jgstudiohd.com

More on lighting terms next time! Until then, live, love and learn. Shoot video, not each other!

Unfortunately, this is a common thread with amateur and even some corporate videographers. I’ve seen it hundreds of times. A client brings in a tape and asks if we can improve the sound. They are often shocked when we tell them point blank, probably not.

Simply stated…the best way to fix bad sound on video is to record good or acceptable sound to start with, no matter what your budget. And a few simple, relatively low cost remedies can make a world of improvement.

Here are some very bare bones basics, remember, professional audio production is an art and profession in itself. The bigger the budget, the more that’s spent on just the audio portion of the program.  I could go on for days…

It amazes me how many people think that the built in internal microphone on a camcorder is all you need. Whoa! That mic is for ambient sound only. If you want to hear a person speak clearly, you’ll need to have a separate microphone aimed close to the yapper.  Generally, the closer any mic is to a person or primary source of sound, the less ambient background noise will be heard. For example, without attention and focus on sound, the chatter of other people in the room if it’s a party or public setting, or even loud air conditioning blowers in a quiet setting might not be noticed until its too late.

There are basically two different styles of microphones. A boom mic that is either on a specially made pole or often simply handheld. This type of mic is usually called a shotgun because it is long and thin like the barrel of a rifle. I’ve seen this style mic for as low as $100. A sensitive high end one will run several hundred to a thousand dollars and up, up up.

When used outdoors any shotgun needs to be equipped with a special windscreen or “zephyr”, otherwise under certain windy conditions it will pick up a very distracting if not totally disastrous wind noise that will make your audio track annoying at best if not totally un-useable.

The second type of microphone commonly utilized in video production is a lapel or clip on mic called a lavalier.  Lavs can be wired or wireless. Each has its advantages. Used outdoors, it too needs to be filtered for wind noise, although often not as much as a boom. Prices on these range from around $50 into the thousands as well. An acceptable wireless lav can be had for around $150.
(Wireless mics are tricky and keeping fresh batteries in them (and extras nearby) will always serve you well.)

The relatively small cost of basic entry level microphones will greatly enhance the quality of your end product, so don’t skimp!

What if you need to have two or more people talking. There are two ways to go. The most basic is to have a boom mic on a pole and a skilled person aiming that mic in the direction of the speaker as each one talks. The audio person needs to always keep the mic out of the picture (frame) but close enough to the speaker to pick up solid and clear sound.

Depending on the size of the crew, the camera person or another audio person should be monitoring the sound with a headset and also watching and adjusting the volume meters. The volume (VU Meters), show a read out  and needs to be monitored and adjusted to keep the sound constant.

Keep in mind that most low end cameras don’t have these meters so you’ll need a converter module ($125-$250), just to allow the use of a decent external mic. These can be found on the Internet by searching terms like  XLR-Pro Adapter box. The nice part of many of these converters is they mount easily on the bottom of your camcorder and also add VU meters as well as the XLR inputs which most if not all pro audio gear requires.

Now say you want to mic two people separately, each with their own lavalier.
First you’ll need a camera capable of inputting sound onto two separate channels or an XLR converter like I just described.

The bottom line is always pretty much the same. If you expect audible and clean sound for your video production, it takes more equipment, more attention and more skill than is typically applied to it.

Sound quality is one of the key differences with a professional video production. Very few shoots we undertake at our company are done without a dedicated audio professional. They use the correct type of microphone, monitor the sound during the recording process and when multiple mics are used they mix or monitor each and every channel. Sometimes as many as four or more.

Check out some of the many samples on our site to give you an idea of what’s involved in producing quality professional audio. jgstudiohd.com

Like video…quality audio production is not a simple process. It is a highly skilled profession that mixes technology and art.

Its well worth it to take the time to connect the picture and sound as your next job may well be riding on it and more often than not, there is no going back.

If you are looking for more tips and tricks we’ll keep exploring every week to see how you can improve the look of your video. Next time around its lighting!

Until then, live, love and learn. Shoot video, not each other!

Jay Gross

info@jgsmediaservices.com

www.jgstudiohd.com

It all starts with the camera. The camera must be capable of high quality images suitable enough to be broadcast on television, in other words, a broadcast quality camera.

The difference in the consumer camera and the broadcast quality camera is like the difference between a passenger vehicle and a racecar.  Both are modes of transportation, but the latter leaves the former in the dust! Like racecars, high quality cameras are performance driven. They are highly tuned, create a better experience and have options that their lower priced competitors cannot begin to feature.

What are some of the features of professional video cameras?

• Manual focus—you get to choose what you focus on—and control that focus—it stays locked in on what you want—not what the camera thinks is best.
• A manual iris—this allows you to adjust how much light you let in—open it up to let in more light, close it to let in less.
• Multiple chips to create the digital image—consumer models have one chip, professional models have 3—the chips make the picture crisp and more color rich. Chips mean the difference between seeing the world through waxed paper or clear glass.
• Higher end audio controls-headphone jacks, audio inputs and sound control all make an extraordinary difference in the end product.
• Lenses-higher quality cameras have better lenses and the lenses can be changed or adapted. Choices such as wide-angle or telephoto lenses make a difference in the end product.

Cameras meeting these basic broadcast specifications start in the mid $2,000 range, but realistically are $5,000 and up.

Once you get into the higher end cameras, like we use, the camera and lenses are actually priced separately. Cameras used by our company range in cost from $30-$50,000 with the lens and accessories.

So if you want to shoot like a pro, you’ll need to make an initial investment in a high quality camera.

But like I said, it STARTS with the camera—there is so much more after that. Shooting video is a highly skilled profession that mixes technology and art. It requires proper framing, creativity and an eye for the unusual. It is a collaboration between the eye of an experienced and trained shooter, the sound quality of the professional audio equipment and the lighting tools and skills of the “gaffer” all mixed together.

Businesses and companies who understand the differences gladly pay $1,500 and up per day for a professional camera crew. They get better equipment, better technique and a better quality end product.

One final note, the importance of a solid tripod cannot be underestimated .  If your tripod isn’t sturdy enough to leave your camera on it unattended, then it is not a suitable tripod. A good tripod allows for stable shots for interviews and speeches, and it also allows you to shoot smooth zooming shots and pans. I’d say less than 5% of what you see on TV is shot hand held, tripods are a must for high quality video.

Next time around, we’ll discuss sound. After all, television is Show AND Tell!
Until then, live, love and learn. Shoot video, not each other!

Jay Gross

www.jgstudiohd

Just yesterday a caller told me…I have a camera and laptop edit system. Isn’t that what you use? It’s like asking a doctor if they operate with a steak knife!

Professional video production companies know how to shoot, light and edit in ways that the amateur is just touching on. And there is as much difference in the $300 video camera and the $30,000 professional model as there is in a Ford and a Ferrari. Both will get you to the destination, but one has way more horsepower and gets you there in greater style.

The do it yourselfer often wonders why professional videos look and sound different. Well the first thing is that there are usually a lot more people involved in the professional version. Watch the credits of any TV program and count the number of behind the scene people it takes to produce that show. The trick is to know when to use a professional and when to go homemade.

So how can you get the same results at home? Remember these three words. Lights. Camera. Audio. This week we’ll touch on them and in subsequent weeks we’ll go in more depth about each.

The first difference is in the lighting. (Our clients are often surprised that lighting budgets often exceed camera and audio equipment combined.) It’s the use of various types and color temperatures of cinematic style lights, that brings out any decent camera’s best images. A qualified lighting director known as a gaffer is an expert at directing light sources from natural (outdoors) and artificial (indoors) onto any scene or subject.

Next we have the camera. Selection all depends on the use. If you are just looking to put things up on YouTube or other websites, you can use models made just for that purpose which even have a USB connection built right in. If you are looking for home movies, expect to pay more and look for more features. If you are looking at selling your video services, you camera will cost $1,000 or more at the low end.

Audio is often the most overlooked aspect of video. If you have ever watched a video that sounded like it was filmed in a tunnel-you know what I mean. The mic on top of the camera is not going to give you the right sound quality for anything other than web use or family videos. There are a lot of factors that can affect the sound and high quality mics that are on or near the subject is just one critical aspect.

Quality video production is not a simple process. It is a highly skilled profession that mixes technology and art. It is a collaboration between the eye of a shooter, the sound quality of the audio professional and the lighting skills of the gaffer all mixed together.

But hope is alive. If you are looking for tips and tricks we’ll keep exploring every week to see how you can improve the look of your video.

Jay Gross is a former TV newsman with over 25 years of experience running a production company. Always known for being on the cutting edge of technology, he also knows how to the most out of each subject and enjoys sharing that information. You can reach Jay at  jay@jgsmediaservices.com