Digital shorts available through sites such as http://video.ez-tracks.com/ and www.youtube.com are increasing in popularity as more and more internet users are seeking out homemade, music and other types of video files for entertainment. As the user driven format has grown over the years, internet savvy individuals have taken note of the entertainment value inherent in homemade videos. The result has been a selection of popular titles that have spread like wildfire over the internet. From rapping and lip-syncing teenagers to stunts and caught-on-camera buffoonery, these often hilarious clips have found a home in the collective conscience of internet users. Likewise, music videos from various artists, once a mainstay of MTV, are now finding an audience online. Many cite MTV’s move toward regular programming as one of the reasons for the increased availability of video content produced by musical artists. According to Matt Bradley, director of videos for up and coming recording artists from labels such as YepRock and Liberty and Lament, “From the artists perspective, the internet offers the opportunity to produce something and immediately find an appreciative audience. From a consumer standpoint, people are still very much into music videos, and the television outlets available such as MTV2, MuchMusic and Fuse aren’t able to deliver because of the commercial element that dictates what is seen and heard. Artists and fans have found the internet to be a medium where they can subvert the powers that be and match the audience with the art." In addition to homemade and music videos, clips from the television and motion picture industries are also invading the World Wide Web. Studios and networks are beginning to realize that the internet is a medium that has the potential to reach an audience that only a decade ago might have been in front of the TV set. For movies and shows aimed primarily at youth culture, advertising on the internet is becoming less of a novelty and more of an essential marketing tool. That’s not to say that traditional advertising methods don’t still hold water. In fact, revenues for television advertising are at an all time high, even for cable networks. The issue at hand, however, is not if, but when television advertising will be eclipsed by internet advertising. With recent market studies indicating that many people now spend an equal or greater amount of time online than watching television, video shorts that feature trailers for upcoming releases in all mediums may be the future of advertising for the entertainment industry.
1. Good Lighting.
The main difference between amateur and professional videos is the quality of the lighting. With poor lighting comes graininess which results in poor quality video. In film and television studios, you must have seen them on TV, there is always an excess of lights and the cameras can be adjusted down to suit the amount of light. It is not so easy or successful to adjust the camera up when there is not enough light. This will lead to noise and graininess and a low quality video.
For your home studio make use of fluorescent light bulbs. These bulbs have several advantages over tungsten and halogen lights, namely no heat output, low energy consumption and a nice soft light with not so harsh shadows. You can buy fluorescent light kits or you can save a lot of money and make your own fluorescent light box as we show you elsewhere in this web site. It is best to use a three point lighting system which is fairly standard in most studios and again we will show you how to do this elsewhere on the website.
2. Tripod.
Use a tripod for shake free shooting. Tripods come in all sizes and quality but don't go overboard to start with. The camcorder that we use on this site is only small and weighs in at just over 500 grams (1.1lbs) so there is no need to buy a tripod to suit a heavy professional video camera.
3. Microphone.
The built in microphone on your camcorder is not the best to use if you can avoid it. Typically the quality is not good enough and it has a wide pattern picking up lots of other noises, even the running camcorder noises. Don't scrimp on buying a microphone, buy a uni-directional one that preferably can be mounted on the shoe on top of your camcorder. Otherwise mount the microphone on a boom or support just out of view of the camcorder but close to the subject.
Another option is to use a lavalier microphone, the sort that clips onto your lapel and as used by newsreaders on television. These are very effective and decent quality ones can be purchased for less than $50. No need to buy a wireless unit, but you need enough cable to run from the camcorder remote microphone, up the inside of your shirt and to your lapel. Bear in mind that you will normally be seated within two metres of the camcorder so the microphone should have plenty of cable.
4. Avoid Zooming and Panning.
Another amateurish trait, avoid these actions as much as possible. If you are videoing yourself or a subject in the garden for instance and want to 'set the scene' for your viewers then by all means zoom out, pan a little if necessary and then return to the subject and continue with the recording. This should be as much zooming and panning that you need.
5. Pre Roll and Post Roll.
This is the time from starting and stopping the camcorder and the actual start and finish of the action you want to record. This allows for better editing once the shooting is over. Not allowing for the pre and post roll can make editing difficult, resulting in amateurish videos. If you are filming yourself then start the camcorder recording with the remote control, wait six seconds before you start talking and at the end let the camcorder run on six seconds before stopping. This will give you plenty of time to play with when editing.
6. Remember It's A Small Screen.
When shooting videos to add to your web site, normally the player will be 320 x 240 so avoid wide scenes, keep it close to see the detail. Typically you will be shooting close or very close shots. If you are filming yourself talking then you will be within two metres of the camera and shown from the waist up. Keep the content simple and uncomplicated, do not have much happening in the video and keep movement to a minimum. Watching action from a football game in a 320 x 240 player is not great. So keep it close, keep it simple and keep it quiet.
7. Think Like a Photographer.
When shooting a video see it like a photographer taking individual shots. Compose your shoot, take a few seconds from one position. Stop the camera and reposition yourself then shoot again. Do not have too much camera movement in your video.
Using these tips will ensure that you can shoot and produce quality website videos of a better quality than most people. As with many things in life, practice makes perfect and it will not be long before you are getting good results on the first take.
Both Ez- Tracks & Bruce Walls are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ez- Tracks has sinced written about articles on various topics from Keyboard Synthesizer, Site Promotion and Keyboard Synthesizer. To view and download free video clips visit our site You can also find free mp3 music downloads our sister site. Ez- Tracks's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Bruce Walls has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Site Promotion and Affiliate Programs. Bruce Walls writes about using video on your website to increase traffic. You can read this article and more at . Bruce Walls's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.