6.1 Introduction
You are
excited to create your own vlog and picked your type of presentation. By now
you will have your topics, sub-categories, an idea of your format and
presentation, and the audience you want to reach. Now is the time to learn
about the actual quality and impression your video will make. Online marketing
and social networking embraced the use of video years ago. Today, video is not
just used, but touted as the most popular online blogging choice. The vlog is a
highly effective way to reach the world of online viewers. Although it looks
easy to do: turn on the camera and start talking about anything, there is more
work behind the scenes to ensure the success of your vlog.
The most successful vlogs are interesting to watch and appealing for the viewer. Your video is the first thing a viewer sees: like a book cover design, you have two to three seconds to convince them to stay and watch the rest. To begin your vlog with poor quality lighting, fuzziness, bad audio, and an awkward opening is a sure way to lose your audience. Your vlog will be viewed on computers, mobile devices, and other electronics. It has to look stellar across all these mediums.
The good news: you don't have to be a Hollywood film producer to make this happen. Good video presentation does not take a long time to master, and you do not need expensive equipment. In this module, you will learn how to make great vlog videos with something as simple as your smartphone. High-quality video will allow your vlog to shine among others, and increase your likes and subscribers faster than many other vlogs.
6.2 The Skeleton Outline of Your Successful Video Production
Our skeleton is the frame that holds us up.It makes the basis for bodies to be strong and agile. In our heads, we compile the original idea:
-Our spine is the type of vlog and the straight road to success
-Shoulders provide the support for good content
-The rib cage is our topics and categories
-With our arms, we reach a particular audience
-Our legs are the takeaway we want to accomplish.
If we look at ourselves, the skeleton is the strength inside. The outside is the presentation of who we are. Our eyes, the colour of our hair, our skin, and our choice of wardrobe are all how we present to the world. The quality of your video is what you present to the world. The factors that make up its strength, or spine, are all covered here to teach you the techniques that go into a popular video. These are the secrets to film making and creating videos worthy of a large audience. Viewers are accustomed to technology providing them with a quality product. Here you will learn the elements that make up the final presentation: how your video appears to viewers worldwide.
Fact
Zoe Elizabeth Sugg, known best as Zoella, is the most successful vlogger in the UK. Her YouTube vlog has more than 11,765,000 subscribers, and her number of views is fast approaching one billion! Zoe started her vlog with a smartphone.
Source: bbc.co.uk
6.3 Start at the Top
Your idea originated as you thoughtfully formed the elements and subject in your mind. You have learned what a vlog is, read about successful vloggers, what equipment is needed, and a few samples of what type of vlogging is out there. Now the visual and audio elements are most important, and the video quality and presentation are going to be picked apart to enable you to be a vlog star; a vlogger whose channel people are excited about and want to visit often.
Now that you have your equipment, it is important to learn the first secret to video success; knowing how to use your equipment to its maximum potential.
If you are starting with expensive video cameras or even an elite GoPro, the line of action cameras popular with sports enthusiasts, you will have to read the instruction manual, (yes, actually read the instructions) and learn about your equipment before you address the other elements that make a good video. If you have an older video camera or you are using your mobile phone, a viable choice, the learning curve will include working around the limitations of this type of equipment.
6.4 Using Your Smartphone for Video
Not a person on earth, well maybe a small percentage, is walking around without a smartphone in their pocket or purse. Learning how to use this convenient tool to create powerful video for your vlog includes a few key elements. You can start recording awesome footage for your vlog on the fly when you keep these tips in mind.
For the best presentation, you will want to record your video with a smartphone in a horizontal or landscape position. If you hold your camera upright, or vertically, there will be a black bar on either side of your video when viewed in HD. This gives a cheap, low quality feel to your film. Also, shooting video with your smartphone in landscape allows for more background footage and a full-screen final product.
Zoom
Zoom is often not an option when videoing with a smartphone. Most smartphones decide on the zoom most advantageous to the scenery provided. The best way to zoom in on yourself or your subject is to get closer to the main object. This allows you to create tight shots, focused on the main element of your video. Seems elementary; but this is the best way to work around a smartphone's video limitations.
Flash
Flash is the nemesis of smartphone videos. You have seen the result of picture taken with a smartphone while flash is enabled; yellow skin, glaring red or green eyes, and dark backgrounds. Those LED lights that make up the flash are too bright, removing the natural look of your video. They also skew the original colours of your content. Turn off the flash on your phone and provide proper lighting for your video.
Use the lighting tips found in the previous module for the best effect. When outside, the flash should not be needed, but, if in a shady area, be sure to have light in front of you - not behind you. Backlit scenes are also culprits for washing out your subject, creating dark, ghostly figures. If you cannot eliminate the background light, take your video from the side, having your subject or yourself turn a bit to face the camera. You will need to experiment with these options before creating your final smartphone vlog video.
Activity 1
Estimated time: 20 - 30 minutes
Pick a topic for a vlog and prepare a short script, not to read, but to familiarise yourself with the subject. Be sure your smartphone is fully charged for the best performance and know how to set it for the auto start video function. Find a room indoors or a place outdoors to film your video. Look around you and consider lighting, background, how audio friendly the area is, and how appropriate the environment is for your topic.
Next, dress for your vlog, and if you choose, fix your hair and/or makeup to look your best. Find a stable place to set your phone, being careful how you frame your view, and look through the lens to check the scene. Be sure you have your phone in the landscape orientation. Film at least a two to three-minute clip of your subject and stop the video. Play it back to evaluate your quality and content. Jot down any mistakes or problems you see so you can use this information for your next try.
6.5 You Need a Particular Set of Skills
In the popular movie, Taken, a retired CIA agent's daughter is kidnapped while in Paris. On his quest to find his daughter, he has a short phone call with her abductor. The retired agent, actor Liam Neeson, assures the villain that he will find him. He lets him know that he has no money for ransom. What he does say is, “But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career.”
The agent is a sort of super power in this film. You as a vlogger need to be a super power videographer! A vlogger needs a particular set of skills to create a vlog video. We discussed using your smartphone for video, but regardless of what equipment you have, there are skills to learn and acquire for the best film making and videotaping indoors and outdoors. Here is a breakdown of the essentials to create a great, viewer-friendly video.
Proper Setting
What kind of setting do you need for your vlog? If you are selling a product, a simple, clean background is best to highlight your explanation and demo of the product. A cluttered set distracts the viewer from paying attention to your demonstration. A blank background works, using a plain fabric to create some colour and dimension, but blank backgrounds can be drab and boring.
Product demonstration goes well with a setting relative to the type of product. Makeup would be paired well with you or your subject sitting at a makeup counter in your home. Hairstyle vlogs are best at a hairdresser's station whether real or created by you as a set.
Sporting products usually entail a gym or outdoor setting. For this, you can use your own garden area, a park, or with permission, your gym or another community exercise and activity centre. Health and wellness vlogs are fine to shoot in your home with a simple background and lighting that reflects your activity
For example
Bright rooms for aerobics and muted lighting for yoga. In all your videos, create backgrounds that include elements and décor related to your topic or subject. A cooking vlog must be filmed in a kitchen setting, or the viewers will not grasp the steps to your recipe. A fun vlog would be cooking for campers: filmed at a campsite with eager diners waiting for the final result of your recipe. Lighting
Proper lighting will make or break your video. There are many variants based on where you are filming your vlog footage, so you need to be familiar with all scenarios and how to adjust your filming for the best result. Lighting can be tricky, no matter what the quality of your gear. These are some of the situations you may face.
Your lighting challenges have two options: learning how to correct it by spending money on equipment or by going the free route. By spending money on lighting accessories, you provide yourself more flexibility and save time with automated equipment such as lighting kits. Lighting gear doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. You can easily find photography light kits on Amazon anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00. Vloggers with a large budget will likely go with higher priced lighting gear, but the average vlogger does not always have such a budget.
The free option is simply to learn how to make use of your video camera or smartphone and the setting you are filming in. Without automated settings, which can sometimes misread lighting, you need to learn three main concepts of lighting; fill, main, and background light. These were previously discussed in Module Four.
There are many configurations available with all of the types of lighting. Main and fill light together gives the presenter's face a natural look. The main light creates subtle shadows on the face, and the fill light softens the person's face, creating a professional look. Never use background light only: it will result in silhouettes.
Background light should always be used with main lighting, fill lighting, or both. The type of bulb you use and the configuration of lighting angles are up to your preference. Making use of lamps and lights you already have is a cheap way to produce perfect lighting. There are also lighting options for videotaping you can purchase locally or online.
Video Stability
The first rule of videotaping your vlog is 'no moving around!' A video that is not stable is amateurish and annoying to your viewers. Use a smartphone or video stabiliser stand of some kind to prevent your audience from getting motion sickness! A plain tripod will also work fine. Selfie sticks are not an option.
This is because the video is still subject to the movement of your hand; unless the Selfie stick comes with a tripod.
Although Selfie sticks are sold for video, leave that for family picnics and holidays. When all else fails, and only without any other resources available, you could rig up some pillows, the edge of a bookshelf, or other random items to keep your smartphone or video camera stable.
Audio
If you create a great video for your vlog, but have hard to hear or choppy audio, you have lost your audience. Not only do you 'appear' to be unprofessional; you sound unprofessional. If the only source you have for videotaping is your smartphone, there may be a few sound quality settings on the phone, but they are mainly for output of sound. Video cameras have built-in microphones, but they may not be high quality.
If you use a smartphone, be sure the room you are in is quiet and not near any noise intrusions such as a train track or crossing. Outside noise can ruin your video if emergency vehicles are rushing down your street. Pick an area, whether you are at home or in a building, that is at the back or at least insulated by other rooms.
Video cameras usually have an input for a microphone. Make use of this option by purchasing a vocal microphone.
It is not necessary to purchase a top end recording studio model; just one that will give you a quality audio feed.
Again, you can refer to Module Four for a review on microphone types.
If you are the main speaker or you have a companion vlogger, always keep in mind to speak clearly. A radio host learns to enunciate properly and speak at a comfortable level. Once you set up your video equipment, try a short video and play it back on all the possible devices a viewer may use to listen. Check the audio for clarity, loudness, and that it is clear of background noise.
Length
The shorter video vlogs gain the most subscribers and views. Not because their composition and content are incredibly staged, but it is the length of the video. Viewers are accustomed to a fast-food world. They want to watch, learn, enjoy, and leave.
Shorter videos, one to three minutes, are perfect for quick updates by you or your vlog presenter. Announcements, product advertising, your own personal vlog pranks and jokes, and other topics yield a better amount of views when shorter. Sub-categories of your subject are perfect pieces for shorter videos, created as a titled series. Even a speech can be separated into shorter segments with proper editing. However, in the case of teaching a class such as yoga, or demonstrating a complicated recipe, longer videos are appropriate, and your subscribers will expect the increased length.
Fact
Facebook has a larger average number of cumulative video views for a year at 182,500,000,000 then YouTube at 13,184,522,532.
Source: 3screenslondon.co.uk
6.6 Your Personal Self
Many a vlog is created by the person putting it all together and doing the filming. If this is your vlog style, you are presenting yourself to a limitless audience around the world. Put your best face on! Smile - a smile goes far in attracting viewers and subscribers to your vlog. Even if your vlog is about a negative or dreary subject, always introduce yourself in the beginning with a big smile and a gregarious welcome. Viewers will be more inclined to stay around and watch.
Be prepared to create your vlog having all your equipment, lighting, settings, and topics prepared. Then, relax and be yourself. Vloggers are not typically trying out for a movie part or to be the new TED speaker of the year. A vlog is indicative of a more relaxed presentation.
Avoid rambling, disorganised thoughts, awkward pauses, and self-mutilation. Self-mutilation is when you demean yourself as not qualified: 'Oh I am not photogenic,' or, 'I'm new at this so sorry for all the mistakes.' Instead, promote yourself and find the balance between appearing egotistical versus confident.
6.7 Indoor Versus Outdoor Filming
The last item we will discuss is the location for videotaping. There is a big difference when filming indoors versus outdoors. The type of vlog you create will help determine whether to shoot indoors or outside. It is an important choice for reasons such as topic, lighting availability, weather factors, and scenery. There may be times when you film in both places. The first consideration is your topic.
Filming a makeup application vlog would make filming outdoors undesirable. The setting may be busy, and not relative to your makeup demonstration. There may also be unplanned distractions. Lighting and audio will also suffer from an outdoor environment. Indoor filming is the best choice. If filming something like an explanation of an environmental issue, the outdoors is perfect.
Discussing the pollution of a nearby lake by boaters dumping rubbish overboard? Film it at the lake, if possible. Indoor filming allows for a more controlled set. To create a vlog about teaching your dog basic commands, start indoors for the best behaviour from the dog. When the steps are complete, film outside, enjoying a leisurely walk while implementing commands such as sit and stay. Take note of the lighting, use of your equipment, and stability. These will all change as you take your filming from indoors to outdoors.
Practice filming both indoors and out with your particular equipment to create settings for all your parameters.
Light and audio are the most important elements. It is best when the two filming locations, inside and outside, can result in two video sets with similar lighting and audio quality. This will streamline your entire vlog for viewers, keeping them distraction free.
Activity 2
Estimated time: 30 - 60 minutes
This activity may take a bit longer then activity No.1 depending on the readiness of your equipment. You will film a short video clip of one to two-minutes inside and then a similar length video clip outside. If you already have a setup indoors with video cameras, audio input, and lighting accessories, you won't have to modify much to film a short comparison clip.
Decide on a topic, maybe using the already formatted topic for activity No.1, and setup an indoor area to film a one to two-minute clip. Pay attention to position of your camera, audio, lighting, and the setting. Now, repeat a similar short clip outside. There will be challenges to deciding where to film this portion. If you filmed the indoor clip at home, moving your equipment to an outdoor patio is a good strategy. Once complete, compare the two clips, checking for the items listed here; lighting, audio, set, and consistency.
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