You may think that you have heard it all before, but it’s very easy to make online video mistakes that could sabotage your project. For example, even the best storyboard or planning can’t save your project if the sound hasn’t recorded correctly or your shots are out of focus. Also, an online video shot can be ruined if a background object such as clutter interferes with the online video’s primary source. I’ve made my share of online video making mistakes. It’s all part of the process of improving and avoiding my top tips will improve your video production. So start producing better quality online video right away by avoiding these 5 Common Video Mistakes.
Video Mistake 1 – Poor sound & lighting
Have you ever tried reading in the dark or listening to your favorite song which has been badly recorded? Poor sound and lighting may sound like an obvious problem to avoid, but there are many video mistakes where the subject is not visibly clear due to inadequate lighting. Before rolling the camera, test some of the sample footage for clarity based on the existing lighting. If shooting in a low lit indoor environment or in poor light outdoors, you may want to consider purchasing a camera lighting package.
Keep in mind that the sound quality on some camera models may be impaired by their standard built-in microphone. Therefore you may wish to double-check whether your camera can support an external microphone for improved sound quality.
Video Mistake 2 – Inappropriate Video Length
Unlike sitting in a boring meeting that you wish you could walk out of, walking away from a video is only one mouse click away. Vidyard, a service the helps share video content has indicated that the optimal video length should be under 2 minutes. This will also of course depend on the type of video your brand or business plans on producing. For example, a video that is looking to promote a product or service may benefit from being short and snappy. On the other hand, a tutorial video posted on YouTube may benefit from being much longer. Creating a shorter video is normally the best path taken and content will normally resonate better if its clear and concise.
So time spent creating content is not wasted, make sure to use any analytical tools available. YouTube and Vimeo both offer an analytical component where administrators can view important stats such as online video viewing average durations. By paying close attention to these statistics, your brand can identify the types of video which are working best for your business and what the idea video durations are.
Video Mistake 3 – Filming fore the wrong target market
A challenge faced by any video maker is acquainting yourself with the target audience’s needs and desires and how to best reach them with your company’s message. A little research can go a long way in producing well-received content and failure to do so will result in a wasted effort. Before filming, keep in mind the following items:
Who is your ideal target audience? – Looking from their perspective, ask yourself what exactly is it that they require, along with any problems that they face.
Age – Which age bracket are you aiming for? This needs to be in line with the business services that you are offering.
Location – Where is your target audience located? If your business is offering one-to-one sessions in your home city, you may want to mention that your services are only available in that city. Gender – Which sex is your video targeting? If you are targeting both sexes, your video may risk alienating one or the other if the content of your video does not speak to them. Both the subject and the content they are speaking about should be chosen carefully
Gender – Which sex is your video targeting? If you are targeting both sexes, your video may risk alienating one or the other if the content of your video does not speak to them. Both the subject and the content they are speaking about should be chosen carefully.
Video Mistake 4 – Props left in the camera’s view
Remove any unnecessary props from the camera shot which may ruin the shot. For example, a stand left undetected in the scene and only discovered when the footage is reviewed in the editing room, can ruin the shot. Your subject should always be the video’s focal point so be careful what’s in the framing of each shot before any filming takes place.
Video Mistake 5 – Lack of pre-planning before a video shoot
All too often videos are shot based around an idea, but little time is spent on a script or thought given to the different camera shots necessary. It’s not until an attempt is made to edit video footage that these problems become clear, hindering the video.
A storyboard or time spent planning out the video will go a long way to improving its overall quality. Time spent putting together a storyboard will give video direction and will also act as a great editing guide once all your footage has been filmed. Keep in mind that storyboards don’t have to be complicated and can save a lot of time in the long run. More complex story boards could include the length of the shot, a list of transitions to be used, and descriptions of the shot.
Best of luck with your online video making
