Events have changed significantly since the beginning of 2020. And it’s no secret that remote work is probably here to stay for some time, making digital interactions the new normal. Digital communication is now required for the majority of company events to function. However, finding enough quiet space and the right spaces for creating video interviews for events is proving tricky for many. So, what can you do to ensure a professional setting while creating video interviews for events? We’ve identified several essential tips for you to adopt when creating videos on your smartphone to help with your virtual events.
Location
Where will your video take place? When shooting, you generally want a space where you feel comfortable and relaxed. Being at a comfortable temperature helps. Knowing you are not going to be interrupted for the duration of the shoot helps too.
Lighting
Your smartphone footage will look best when you shoot with lots of light. If you’re shooting indoors, adding supplemental lighting will go a long way. If you can’t get your hands on any studio lights, but you’re still shooting indoors, position yourself facing a window, and use the sun.
If your shoot takes more than a few minutes, be aware of the sun changing position outside the window, changing the light’s direction. If you later want to cut between different interview parts, the sudden change of light position can look ugly.
When light from a window is too harsh, hang thin white curtains or cloth to soften the light. This also helps with a changing sun position. Avoid shooting with a window at your back (unless it is a cloudy day or evening); otherwise your face may be too dark.
Background
Unless you use a plain background – maybe a curtain or a wall – the environment can serve as an interesting backdrop to the interview. Perhaps the background is somehow relevant to the subject, or it just looks impressive. Play around with your position in relation to what is behind you. You can also re-arrange things in the background aesthetically. Be careful of awkwardly placed objects in the scene. A large pot plant that appears to be growing out of the top of your head can ruin your shoot. Also, be careful that the background doesn’t distract from the subject – maybe move further away from objects in the background if there’s space available.
Sound
Noise is the curse of all live filming situations. The problem with loud noise is it’s almost impossible to fix. If the room is dark, you can use lights. But if there’s building work going on across the street, it can be a nightmare. The audio is key. So make sure the noise level in your interview space is acceptable.
A general rule for clear audio is to get your microphone as close to you as possible. The newest smartphones have built-in optical image stabilization, which makes shooting decent handheld footage reasonably easy. But no matter how steady your hands are, nothing beats using a good old-fashioned tripod.
If a tripod isn’t available, you can do a few things to help create a steady video. Keep the phone close to your body. Rest your elbows on a nearby object. Use your body to absorb bounces and shakes.
To Zoom or Not to Zoom
Avoid the temptation to use a smartphone’s built-in camera zoom. Since the lens isn’t zooming optically, you’re just enlarging the picture digitally, which means you will quickly enter the world of unsightly pixelation. Using it will likely make your video look grainy.
General Notes:
- Make sure your smartphone is charged
- Free memory space by clearing videos (and possibly photos too) from the phone
- Switch to flight/airplane mode, so you don’t get messages and/or calls while filming
- Always shoot in landscape mode. This is an essential tip since portrait mode gives you those ugly black borders in your final video clip.
- Clean your camera lens regularly. Wiping dust or grease away with a microfiber cloth takes 10 seconds and doesn’t hurt to do.
During this uncertain time, shooting videos from a smartphone proves to be a challenge for everyone. When you can’t have a live shoot with a professional videographer, you need to adapt to technological avenues.
By creating exciting, exclusive videos, you can bring the event to the people, reaching a massive audience that wishes they were there. Done right, these little snippets can quickly foster brand recognition, helping people see your company as one with its finger on the pulse.