10 tips for DIY video content
We all know that video content makes a great impact, but you can’t always afford a big budget production.
Sometimes, a simple phone video might be all you need to share a quick update with your supporters, so here are our top 10 tips for doing it well.
1. Lighting. Flood your shot with as much light as possible – preferably natural light. Film outside or get near a window so the light is shining onto your subject (not behind them).
2. Use the best camera you have access to. It might be an SLR camera or your colleague’s latest iPhone.
3. Clean the lens before you start. Smartphone lenses are usually covered in fingerprints, fluff and crumbs from your pockets!
4. Portrait or landscape? Shoot in landscape if you want to show your video on a big screen or upload it to YouTube. If you’re making a video for TikTok, or Facebook/Instagram Stories or Reels, film in portrait mode.
5. Frame the shot well. What can you see on the screen? For videos of people: is their head sticking out of the frame? Are they too small or too big? Try to get your subject’s eye level about 1/3 down from the top of the frame and position them a little to the left or right, not dead in the middle of the shot. Don’t use your camera’s zoom to get this right as you will reduce the video quality – just move the camera or person closer! If you are filming yourself, film a little bit and watch it back, then adjust your framing until you’re happy with it.
6. Get the sound right. It makes a huge difference to the quality of your video if you can hear the person speaking clearly. The sound in a room will echo, the wind will blow, and all that is picked up on your camera or phone’s mic. So invest in a small external microphone like a lapel mic that you can clip to the person speaking. You can plug this right into your camera or phone to record the sound you actually want to hear - it’s a gamechanger.
7. Consider using multiple camera angles. Can you set your camera and your phone recording at the same time from different angles? You can then edit the footage together which helps break up the video and add interest, keeping the viewer’s attention.
8. Keep your shot as steady as possible – instead of a colleague holding the camera, use a tripod, a phone holder or make sure it’s solidly wedged with some books!
9. Plan it out. You don’t have to write a whole script but plan the points for your subject to cover and start again if they go wrong or start waffling. Whatever your video is for, if it’s longer than 3 minutes it’s probably too long.
10. Test everything. If you’re in the shot, get a colleague to check the framing, sound and lighting before you start. Is the sound actually recording? If your head in the right place? Don’t be afraid to do it again if you didn’t get a good result.
Good luck!
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If and when you need a higher-quality film for your website, a video series, or some purpose-made Instagram Reels, get in touch!
