5 Video Production Tips

We separated for you #5 great tips of video production. Check it out!

1# - Get close to your subject

We know you can zoom into a shot but it's not the same thing. The visual perspective is different, and so is the sound. You take better shots when you are closer to the subject and the sound will be much clearer.

2# Film scenes using more than just one shot

It's usually best to film a scene using multiple shots, giving different perspectives to what's being viewed, but don't overdo it.  Decide on the style of shots that you will use, and be consistent unless there's a reason to change. 

3# Use an external microphone

If you can't get close enough to what you're taping, or you're in a noisy environment, then using a microphone that's remote from the camera really helps get a much better sound.

4# Use a tripod

If you're filming something that needs a steady shot, then you need a tripod (or place the camera on a stable object). It's very distracting to watch something like someone speaking at a presentation, if the camera is wobbling all over the place as if it were being filmed during an earthquake. 

5# Edit and be ruthless with ShotClip

Editing means putting together just the shots that you need.

You should remove anything that doesn't belong to your video (mistakes, lots of waiting around for something to happen, boring pauses between things, etc.).

PS - Be careful, you can't fix filming errors with editing, you're stuck with them, so if you make a mistake while filming, re-do the shot straight away.  

via Camera Tim

Capture your Customers Attention with Exciting Video Content.

Video can be your best communication tool in business- if you've decided to use it you've just tapped into one of the richest ways to create content and promote yourself or your business. In 2012 Comscore tells us that viewers watch 22 hours of video a month. What's even better is you no longer have to hire expensive studios or equipment to achieve a great video that is going to boost your companies awareness and importantly, the profits.

Whether you want to create a video to email to clients, generate content for your blog or advertise and create press awareness, we at ShotClip want to help you do this. Body language can communicate more than writing ever can, so don't just tell your customers what to buy-show them the benefits.

Getting Started

You've taken the leap and decided you're going to make a marketing video. What do you want to gain from your video? Do you want to build a rapport with your customers? Do you want them to download your whitepaper? Or go to your website and buy? For example, perhaps you have an online farm shop and want to promote your market fresh produce, you may want to create a video about the benefits of organic produce.Customers love to see the "Real You".
Creating a video telling the story of your produce can go a long way to building a rapport with clients. 

Tip: Be authentic, if you make a mistake, it's ok, it makes you look real. Don't adopt a persona that is not you.

Planning Your Story 

This is the first step that ShotClip can help you with. Your video needs a beginning, middle and end. As well as populated guides with great shooting tips, we have customizable guides wherein you can plan your scenes and shots before you make your video.
Think about your call to action, what is your angle? Based on this create your story that will engage your viewer. Planning is key, we all want our videos to be as real and personable as possible but we want them to look sleek and professional and really make your company shine. You can go to our Guides and get some pointers on how to frame and shoot these shots.

Tip: Try to keep your video under 3-4 minutes long. 

Lighting and Audio

If you get this right your video will look even better, you don't need fancy equipment just a reasonable camera, a tripod is desirable and as many lights as possible  to create a professional looking video. 

If you have access to, or can get a clip mic, this will benefit audio quality. 

Tip: Shooting outside is great, you have all the natural light you need.

Editing

Okay, so you may think this is the hardest bit of the process, it's not! With ShotClip, it's easy and you don't need to get confused with complicated editing software or processes. After you have planned your story you can "Make Your Movie" in the editing section of the website. Simply upload your clips and rearrange them, cut, trim, or add text and effects to make it look professional and sleek.

Tip: Take a look at our blogpost about royalty free music to add to your video! 

When you have rendered and published your video, you will have created rich compelling content for your website as well as a personable video that can be shared on social media and with your customers. Upload it to youtube and embed it on your site and get sharing!



Siobhán. 

Crafty Videos: Show of your craft skills.

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick update on the Blog to remind you off all the awesome stuff you can be doing on Shotclip this year! Ok so you may be an amateur right now but with our help we'll help you build your story and be creative and wow your friends with cool videos!

Craft and DIY 

This year we're all about the personalized do it yourself gift! Lets face it, after Christmas we all want to be a bit more frugal with the penny's, yet birthday's crop up, not to mention Valentines day and anniversaries.

We have recently gotten into  www.etsy.com for all things crafty and cutesy! Making something yourself is fun, cheap and personal. We bought some crafty paraphernalia on Etsy o make ourselves and friends some jewelry. There are lots of Etsy Haul Videos online that give you advice on the best shops and also craft videos to show you how to make and do!

We wanted to make our very own, to promote our jewelry and to show off our skills! To help you make your own Etsy craft or Haul video, we created guides on the ShotClip website to start you of making your videos and showing off your talents. With our help your Etsy related videos will look professional and fun and most of all get loads of views and bring buyers to your Etsy shop!

Our Etsy haul, ready to be crafted.

Make an awesome Christmas video card with ShotClip.

It's Christmas time! And that means letting friends and family know you are thinking of them! Instead of sending out the same old boring Christmas card why not  we want you do do something a little different! Why not get your friends to collaborate on a video. This is a really cool way of letter friends and family that are scattered around the world know that you are thinking of them!

It's really easy to make a Christmas video card, our GUIDES can help you put together your greeting card. Choose between, Christmas shout out, Sing along Christmas, and Christmas day Highlights!

Have a great holiday and remember to capture all your Christmas memories and build your story!

21st Century Spielbergs

J.J Abrams & Steven Spielberg on the set of Super 8

The age of the amateur film maker is upon us. Although in most cases many of the "amateur" or "found footage" films that have been released in recent years have had more people working on them than their marketing campaigns would lead us to believe. Many of our modern movie makers have a background in making their own special effects, sound recording and editing. What they learned during their youthful exploits enabled them to develop and hone their skills so that we, the audience, could benefit from these formative years.


During the summer of 2011 the film "Super 8" was released which brought together two pioneers from the movie making industry. Through the imaginations of Stephen Spielberg and J.J Abrams, producer and director of "Super 8" respectively, we, the audience were treated to one of the summers better movie adventures. From anyone who didn't get a chance to see it, Super 8 is a 1970s-set thriller wherein a group of teenage filmmakers witness a devastating train crash - only to learn that there may be even more destructive forces threatening their town. It was a bit like "ET" only the alien wasn't as friendly. 


Spielberg, throughout his career, has been inspiring young movie makers to reach and exceed their aspirations in terms of movie making. From the first short he made, "Fighter Squad", right through to his work on "Tintin", the capacity to use what technologies were available at the time to create something for others to see and enjoy was evident in all his works. For Spielberg, his movie "Fighter Squad" was the beginning of a love affair with movie making and editing that in its amateur beginnings shares a great amount with many of his contemporaries. 


John Landis, the director of "The Blues Brothers", "Trading Places" and "Coming to America" was inspired to make movies after seeing "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad". His amateur ambitions when it came to making movies was limited only by his imagination. Much like Spielberg, Landis used his surroundings and friends to his advantages to make movies in different genres. From using his parents swimming pool to film sea battles, to making a James Bond parody using his friends, Landis was showing at an early age a capacity to entertain and enlighten through the medium of film. 


A movie with the title "The Ultimate Disaster" could not be seen as being very subtle introduction for any director to the world of film making. This feature was the first made by J.J Abrams when he was beginning his movie making career. He followed up his first attempt by branching out into different genres to continue his learning process. "High Voltage" was his attempt at a superhero movie made on a budget, "The Attic" his first foray into horror. 


Rolf Harris as an action hero who in the two movies "Rolf Harris Saves The World" and "Rolf Harris 2: The Bearded One" fought terrorists in a play on "Die Hard" is an unique idea brought to the screen by Edgar Wright. Wright, the director of "Shaun of The Dead" and "Hot Fuzz", showed in his early work the same imagination and skill set as those mentioned already. 


Creativity and editing skills played an important role in the early movie making exploits of Spielberg, Landis, Abrams and Wright. Each director used the same camera type when starting off, the Super 8, and combined this with the a desire to produce something that they deemed fit to share with the world. 


For the modern film maker, the video and editing options available allow them to produce something,which although more technologically advanced, shares a kindred spirit with those that have come before them. The years spent creating various special effects, arranging storyboards and bribing friends and family members to appear in their movies has enabled the above mentioned movie makers to achieve fame and placed them in a position of authority in the eyes of amateur movie makers. Imagination afforded Spielberg, Landis, Abrams and Wright the opportunity to entertain the masses  throughout the years and in a sense they are torch bearers for those to come who have a passion for creating a story.