Video Best Practices

Best Practices

Recording a high quality online video for a webcast, interview or presentation is incredibly easy. Below you will find some "Best Practices." None of these are hard rules, as each environment and project is different, but this is a great place to start and ensure that your video looks professional no matter what cameras or microphones you are using.

Framing

Framing means what appears within the camera shot or "frame." This can involve deciding how far, or how close the camera will be to what it being filmed, the angle the camera is at and the spacing around your subject. See the example below for the best framing:

What is great about this frame?

  1. Subject is centered.

  2. Enough headroom (space above the head) but not too much

  3. It is a mid shot from belly button to top of head, it allows hands to show when they are used to gesture.

  4. Camera is at eye level and not tilted up or down

  5. Camera is static on a tripod or surface and leveled horizontally

  6. Great frontal lighting with no bright lights or windows behind subject.

  7. If shot on a phone, video is shot horizontally, not vertically.

Video Safe Zones

These imaginary lines are called "Safe Zones." The green rectangle shows you where most of your body should be. The top of the head should generally be close to the top safety line. Any higher and you risk cutting off the top of the head. That's a big "No-No" in film. If the head is too low, on the other hand, you get too much headroom and the video looks unprofessional because there is unused space. The center guide shows you where you should appear in your video.

Avoid the following framing mistakes! These are Huge No-No's!

Subject is NOT centered or not on a third
Too much headroom (Too much space above the head)
Camera is too close. It actually alters the proportions of your face and it's not flattering. Also, head is cut off.
Camera tilted upwards and not at eye level. Fans or lights can be seen behind subject's head. Also not a flattering angle.
amera is handheld or not leveled horizontally. This is ok for a vlog, but not for a video presentation or webinar.
Bright lights or windows behind subject = bad lighting. Shot will be either overexposed or under exposed.

Background

  1. Avoid bight lights behind you. No windows even if they are closed

  2. Choose a simple background without too many distractions or a professional background like a book case for example.

  3. Don't be right up against the background. Create some separation of at least 4 feet. Depending on your camera this might even create some a nice depth of field.

  4. A clean blank wall is ok but again, don't put yourself right up against it because it casts unflattering shadows.

  5. Avoid doors in your background, even if they are closed. This avoids someone coming in during your video.

  6. No objects should be "coming out" of your head. Like a light, a fan, a pole, a frame or other elements in your background. Reposition yourself or your camera, even a few inches.

Lighting

  1. If you are using a light, a lamp or a windows for your primary lighting, position at a 45 degree angle from the light source, this creates nice shadows on your face. See pictures below.


Sound & Video

  1. Record in a quiet room with few distractions.

  2. Make sure you turn off fans, AC units or other devices that might make noise around you. I can edit out some low level noise as long as your voice is clear.

  3. You can use your phone camera, a regular video camera, your webcam or other device. The format doesn't matter. I can read .mov, .avi. .mp4 and any other type of video file.

Editing

  1. Leave 5-7 seconds before you begin talking and stay in character and silent for 5-7 seconds after you finish your recording. That way I have space to edit.

  2. If you mess up it's ok. You can just begin from your last phrase or idea. You DON'T have to get all perfect in one take.

  3. Leave at least a second of space between each of your thoughts or phrases. It will feel awkward because that's not how people talk in real life, but this will help me when editing the video.