If you don’t have any experience in recording videos of yourself or others, this process might seem a little scary at first but once you have the right information, tips and tricks, you’ll become a pro in no time. Tips on recording videos come under different headings. The first one being:
Location: Make sure that you are in a room with plenty of light like opposite a window or alternatively, you can get a ring light or an artificial means of lighting. Lighting is important as it not only sets the mood but also reflects the emotion of the speaker. Ensure that the room you are in has minimal background noise like traffic, street sounds or music. It should be a quiet space that doesn’t produce any echoes as that will come out on the recording. You should position yourself on a stationary chair, one that doesn’t move or slide to be able to focus fully on delivering your content. Avoid backlit settings.
Setting Up: Make sure you have a high-quality camera or phone that can capture video well. It is advised to place your camera or phone on a tripod or steady surface to avoid shaky recordings. Make sure that you have a clean background, one that doesn’t have posters or signs that can read so that your learners don’t get distracted. Shoot horizontally, there is nothing worse or more distracting than having two vertical black bars in portrait mode. Not to mention shooting horizontally is more aesthetically pleasing and can easily viewed on all types of devices and even TV’s.
Presence: Make sure that the camera is pointing directly at you. It’s also easy to not look at the actual camera and it will look like you’re talking to yourself rather than to your student so practice speaking to the camera itself. You can also download teleprompter apps like PromptSmart to help you. Have the right posture by sitting up straight and keeping your shoulders relaxed, no slouching. Keep your hand movements to a minimum as they can become distracted, instead keep your arms to your side or folded in front of you. Finally, smile! Smiling is a great physical and visual cue for the student to engage in what you’re saying. Make sure you avoid all black/white clothing, flashy fabrics or shiny, noisy jewelry as they can cause a glare on screen and lessen the quality of your video.
Composition: This all about different techniques that are backed up by science to make your video look aesthetically pleasing. The rule of thirds is the most prominent one when it comes to video recording. Wave.Video explains it best: “Imagine that there’s a 3-by-3 grid laid over the field you’re filming. Instead of placing your subject right in the middle of the shot, you should place your subject along one of the lines of the grid. The points where the lines intersect are particularly strong areas of focus, so situate important elements of the video there, if you can.” You don’t have to use this all the time but it can be a handy technique to keep in mind when filming.
