subject: Advice On Producing A Corporate Video [print this page] Advice On Producing A Corporate Video Advice On Producing A Corporate Video
A well-executed video presentation is a great way to convey your message in a corporate setting. Not only does video engage an audience during a presentation, but if produced properly it can even be edited for marketing or education purposes on television or a corporate website. For those who choose to utilize video presentations, it is very important to understand that if the video is not produced properly, or if the video is of low quality, its viewers could consider the presentation as a failure. Avoid this trap and read on for some helpful tips that will make your video presentation a hit.
Equipment - The first outlay of money you are likely to experience is going to involve the purchase of camera equipment. Digital cameras dominate the market and will serve to keep costs down and make editing a snap. When considering a digital video camera, there are three basic levels of quality to consider. At the lower end are home video style cameras that will do the job, but may leave something to be desired. A step up to a DVD quality camera will improve the output quality, but for the best quality video, consider an HDV camera.
Lighting - Dark subjects that blend into the background will give a bad impression to your audience. Be sure to adequately light the subjects to make sure they stand out from the background. A single light source will produce harsh shadows, which should be avoided. To do this, use several lights from different angles. This may be something that you will have to adjust several times to get just the right effect, and this would be time well spent. Professional results are most often due to meticulous attention to detail in the placement and use of lighting for video.
Audio - If there are several people talking in your video, a sound mixer and sound operator should be used to get the best quality results. If there is only one person speaking, only one microphone is needed. If there are two people speaking, two microphone outputs attached to the camera may suffice. Microphones should be of the directional type and mounted in a fixed position or on a boom handled by an operator.
Wireless or radio microphones can be used as well, but should be limited to those videos in which the subject may be moving around a lot. Remember that these microphones will provide a lower quality audio and may be susceptible to interference. If your video involves someone speaking to a crowd, it may be a good idea to employ the use of a roaming microphone in cases where input from individuals in the crowd will need to be recorded.
Capturing Video - The content of your video will obviously include relevant actions and sounds germane to the subject matter at hand, but it is also very important to obtain video that will be used later during editing to ensure a smooth, professional looking flow. This content would include seemingly mundane close ups, wide-angle shots, as well as video of an interviewer nodding. These can all be pieced together with other content that will give the video a good sense of flow and direction.
After all of the video has been recorded, the time will come for editing. This will involve a lot of time and care to get the work to flow nicely and look professional. Once the editing is done, the video can be put on a DVD, thumb drive, or laptop to be used for your final presentation. Of the methods available to us for presenting ideas, video content will provide one of the strongest platforms when done properly.
Producing your own video can be a difficult and time-consuming task, but for the right project the results will be worth it.
