As the owner of a video production company, I take a lot of pride in the videos my team and I make for our clients.

Oftentimes, these videos feature cinematic storyboarded shots planned out before we ever arrive on ‘set’, custom soundtracks, and animated graphics all used to help tell the story. These videos often have large budgets attached to them. The truth is, however, not everybody can afford to bring out a professional videographer if they’re working with a smaller team or a smaller budget. Maybe you just need a simple Facebook live-stream, or a brief message from your CEO to a camera. I want to talk about ways to make videos better without breaking the bank.

Until just a few years ago the barrier to entry was massive. Cameras that cost tens of thousands of dollars, expensive editing software and computers, it was all prohibitively pricey.

But recently this has all changed. Technology has improved and prices have dropped. These days almost everyone already has an amazing camera capable of filming in quality unheard of just a few years ago. I am, of course, referring to your smartphone.

Smartphones can have incredible cameras on them—some of them are even able to record 4K images at 60 frames per second. It is bewildering how quickly cameras have advanced on your common smartphone! But a decent camera does not promise a decent end result: let’s go through some tips to help you get the best possible end product.

A common mistake people make when they start shooting is understandable: placing the subject in front of a window. I get it—there’s a nice view behind the window, why not put the subject in the most attractive space available to you? The truth is, you’ll end up with a lighting problem: the room is always going to be darker than the natural light outside. What happens? One of two things: (a) your background looks great, but your subject is dark and undefined, or (b), your subject looks fine, but your background is completely overblown. Either way, you’re losing critical visual information in your shot. This is a common mistake.

You need to flip your shot around and use the natural lighting from the window to cast light on to your subject. Make sure your brightest light source (your “key light”) is shining on the subject’s face so that they are properly exposed. Your background is not as critical as your subject—make sure your subject is visible.

Now that your subject looks good, it’s time to focus on your background.

Another common mistake: putting your subject directly against a wall. Without any space between your background and your subject, your shot will look flat and, honestly, boring. There needs to be room between your subject and your background to get a good shot.

Oftentimes, I’ll place my interview subject four feet in front of their own desk—using the desk as a soft-focus background. Now that there’s a little depth there, it’s going to look better. Lack of depth is a rookie mistake (a mistake I made all too often in my early days) that you don’t need to make. Think your shot through before you hit the record button, and you’ll see a world of difference in your results.

Audio really is 50% of the experience of watching a video. Clear audio allows your audience to retain the message and understand the points you’re trying to make, but audio that is echo-y, noisy, or unclear actually distracts from the message.

Anyone who’s ever worked with me knows that when I arrive at a shoot, I have a lot of gear with me. In fact, I bring a whole drawer of gear dedicated just to audio equipment. This stuff isn’t free, but it’s worth it for me to get the audio I need.

But, you can actually capture amazing audio using equipment you already own. Yes, we’re back to the smartphone! While you can record audio at the same time as you record video on your phone, this isn’t what I suggest you do. When using your phone’s built-in microphone, you run a huge risk of the audio sounding distant, echoy or noisy. But there’s a simple trick that won’t hurt your wallet if you want to get better audio.

Most mobile phones come with headphones that have a microphone built-in to them. These microphones are much higher quality than the phone’s actual microphone. Use that microphone!

Have your subject take the headphone cable, and run it up underneath their shirt. Bring the microphone part just outside of their shirt, by their collar so that it barely pokes out—not visible on camera. Plug the cable into their phone and start recording a voice memo on that phone. The microphone’s going to pick up the voice, the audio will be recorded to the phone, and you can sync that audio to the video you recorded on the other smartphone using free editing software (like Davinci Resolve).

These things are likely already at your disposal. You probably already have the bare minimum of tools to help you create better videos—and these tips should help! You don’t need to spend extra money purchasing new gear to produce videos. Use the resources you have—think it through, and your videos will turn out much better.

Since the inception of our company, we’ve been using Sony cameras. Our two cameras were the Sony FS7, a bigger broadcast-style camera, and the Sony A7S II, which is a great camera in its own right. But we’re not doing that anymore.

In this industry, you always have to keep an eye on what leaps in technology are worth investing in. I wasn’t really looking hard for new cameras, honestly. These Sony cameras were great, and the people purchasing them from us will be very happy with what they can offer.

I used to go down to a trade show in Las Vegas (NAB), and it was there that Blackmagic Design caught my eye. I’d been putting off thinking about making a switch, but they had just released the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6K Pro (yes, that’s a mouthful!), and it checked the boxes of what I was looking for in a new camera with a reasonable price tag.

Before committing to the switch, I had already been using a software called DaVinci Resolve–which is owned by Blackmagic Design. Resolve is a non-linear editing program (NLE) that our company has used since 2020 for editing our projects (we made the switch from Adobe Premiere, and you can read about that transition here). At some point, I realized that I wanted to commit fully to their ecosystem, and switch to using Blackmagic cameras for our shooting too. The reality is: this software plays really nice with the Blackmagic cameras. This switch could make our company more efficient.

One of the neat features of these cameras that sealed the deal of me is something called Blackmagic RAW. For anybody who has ever shot RAW with a still camera, you’ll know that it’s a very powerful way to give yourself more control in post-production. Recently, advancements in technology have given way to video cameras that are able to shoot in RAW as well.

It would have been possible for me to shoot RAW with my Sony cameras had I purchased a module for the back of the camera, but it would have cost me an additional several thousand dollars to achieve it with the gear I had. I didn’t think that was worth it. With the Blackmagic camera, it happens right out of the box.

The Pocket Cinema 6K, like the name suggests, does shoot in 6K . Now, obviously, we don’t deliver our finished videos to our clients in 6K. There’s no need to. But like they say, “garbage in, garbage out”: the opposite is also true. The higher resolution we get when we capture footage, the more control we have over how we handle the footage in post-production. With 6K of visual information, we’re able to zoom in farther without any loss in quality–making a multi-cam shoot possible with one camera. We did a shoot yesterday with some folks on a couch, and we just used a wide shot that we could later punch-in and punch-out of to create a more dynamic video. It looks incredible, and while we’re never exporting in 6K, it gives us a lot more control.

I’m currently editing a video right now where I’m manipulating all sorts of stuff that I never could have done without Blackmagic RAW.

I will say, the massive touch screen on the back of the camera has taken some getting used to. The file sizes are also enormous. I knew this was coming, so it wasn’t a complete surprise. I purchased a portable 2 TB SSD that sits on top of the camera.

For our archives, previously, we were probably going through about 16 TB of storage a year at the office, and we’re looking at a hell of a lot more than that now.

A lot of people have their camera brands that they stay loyal to. I’ve had people try to convince me out of it: “Are you sure you want to switch from Sony? They’re doing some great things!” Others have encouraged me to make a different switch entirely: “Why aren’t you considering moving to Canon cameras?” At the end of the day, my job is to make sure that I don’t raise the rates my clients pay too often. If I purchase cameras that are prohibitively expensive, I would have to raise my rights. With Blackmagic, I could purchase two of their cameras for the price of one Sony. And I did.

Instead of having two different styles of Sony cameras, I now have two BMPCC 6Ks Pros. Two of the exact same camera. The settings can be dialed in identically. The shots will have the same colour profile. It would cost us time in the past during multi-camera shoots, because every camera is a little different–even if they come from the same brand. Different sensors, different ways of recording video. It’s a challenge to match the footage from the two different cameras. With having two of the same cameras, we can know we’re getting the same type of footage from both cameras.

The world lives online now. Businesses, personalities, and ideas alike are all most commonly engaged with virtually–through social media. 

If you’re somebody looking to get your ideas, products, or services visible on the internet through video, you may already know just how critical an online presence is. You need strong ratings on Google Reviews. You need to ensure your location exists on online map services. You need a website to give your elevator pitch–and your contact information–to the public.

And of course, you need a social media page–on multiple platforms–to demonstrate what you’re doing to existing and potential customers. 

Here are three ways you can optimize videography to generate bigger traffic on social media. 

There are a multitude of social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram) out there, but they don’t all service the same markets or demographics. Plenty of research is publicly available that sheds light on which people are using which platform, but that doesn’t necessarily give you a recipe for social media success. 

For example, if you’re looking to capture the imagination of the 18-to-29 year old demographic, you may be aware that you’ll have more success on Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok than if you targeted Facebook. If you’re looking to attract attention from the media and/or business world, you’d be right to publish videos on Twitter and/or LinkedIn. The real question is, “how do I produce high quality video content that will actually engage those who watch it?” 

For example: in the world of Instagram and TikTok, time is precious. When video is produced with these user bases in mind, they take into account that these are apps designed for sharing short videos. The audience is looking for quick, informative dopamine hits that get viewers in and out of the door quickly. You’ll need to prioritize hiring a video production team in Kelowna that excels at efficient, snappy messaging. You only have a few moments to present yourself or your business, so every second has to count. 

In the world of YouTube (a website the majority of people under the age of 65 say they regularly use), there’s more of an appetite for long-form videos. Many popular content creators often post videos upwards of 10 minute videos, so if you need a social media video that has a lot of depth, you know that YouTube (or your own website through embedded code) will be more receptive to it. 

Ideally, you should be looking to have different types of videos for different applications. Need to introduce a concept to get people interested? Use the right platform for the intended goal. Need to demonstrate a product or service in its totality? Use the right platform for the intended goal. 

Consider your market and your goals, and then make your methodology decisions. Many video production companies in Kelowna are eager to brainstorm your project with you to find a way to meet your audience where they’re at. 

“Professional video production” probably brings up a mental image for you. When I hear that, I think about sweeping, cinematic shots with precise lighting and emotive music. 

Some people are getting results by using professional video production for that TV-ready style, but it’s not the only way to use video in the social media age.

Some brands are using professional video studios to create stop-motion “reminder” advertisements–perfect to catch the eye of somebody casually scrolling through Instagram. These are effective videos because they can be engaged with even if your phone is muted, and they get their message across very quickly. The result is a clever and memorable marketing campaign. 

Other companies successfully augment professional content with shareable “real life” videos that strip back the gloss and showcase their brand in a more relaxed light–in this example, we see a sports league seem relatable on their Instagram page, while still investing in deeper-dive professionally shot videos on YouTube. 

Other organizations, like TED Talks, are bound to long-form conventions but have discovered their voice on shareable social media platforms by utilizing “snippets” of longer clips that act as a hook to the viewer. This means that the organization does not have to dilute the purpose of their videos (each “snippet” contains a link to the longer video), but instead manages to be realistic about who/what they are while showcasing their “voice” in truncated form. Sometimes you can have it both ways. 

What your “voice” is might come through repeated experimentation, and you don’t need to be in a rush to find it. It is, however, important to be open to different case uses of video production to discover just how you can best make use of the medium. 

As your business or idea grows, managing your social media content will begin to exhaust you. You can only wear so many hats, and for many, the right choice is to find the right person to take ownership of your online presence. 

If you have deep pockets, it’s easiest to find a combination of a marketing strategist with a big idea and a video production company with the means to execute. In smaller cases, your first step might just be to hire somebody already in your organization to take more time to focus on product videography and/or social media campaigns. There isn’t one right way to do it. 

But if you’re only able to dedicate a fraction of your time to generating great video content for your organization or brand, your social media presence will suffer. 

Identify and start discussions with experts locally or remotely who can elevate your brand to the next level with clever video production. Brainstorm with videographers who can help you generate ideas about what your “voice” could be, and how you can use different social media platforms to your advantage. In many cases, you can literally just call a video production company in Kelowna with only a fraction of an idea–it’s their job to help you flush out the idea to its totality. They know that world better, and if they’re good at their job, they’re going to get you a higher return on your investment. 

For most people in 2021, it’s no longer enough to exist by word-of-mouth. Get your message out with video production: find your voice, identify your methodology, and hire some-one (or yourself) to make it happen. This is a digital, visual age where it’s critical that you look good. It’s time to put your best foot forward.

Distill Media is a video production company in Kelowna, serving the entire interior of British Columbia, dedicated to the “essentials of visual storytelling”: isolating and expressing the core messages of businesses and organizations through video. We provide industry-leading products with high return on investment.

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It’s 2021, and everybody on the internet is looking to get an edge: you want video to sell your products or service for you. And why not? Video is proven to be an excellent way to introduce an idea to the public, and its eye-grabbing nature guarantees people will pay attention (at least for a moment). These are all reasons why people choose to use video marketing.

But what if you’re not getting the expected response from video marketing? 

Here are three possible reasons why your video marketing isn’t working: 

You may have heard the term “visual storytelling” thrown around a lot–we run a video production company in Kelowna, and we use this term all the time. 

A video does not move the needle for your potential clients if it’s just a collection of pretty product shots. 

You need to answer questions that the viewer is asking in their head (sometimes subconsciously). And to do this, you need a vision for your video that executes a narrative first and foremost. What is the application of your product? What problems is your non-profit solving? What can people expect when they walk into your store?

Identifying a video production team that is good at telling a story is paramount. 

Another great angle to take: clearing up misconceptions. Your intended viewer may be the target audience for your new tech product, but if they don’t know what problems your product will help them solve (or if they misunderstand its purpose), they will be harder to reach. What are common misconceptions people may have about your product? Identify them and clarify the matter for your audience. 

What’s your hook? How do you engage a viewer within the first five seconds to capture their attention? You won’t retain viewership if they’re not immediately grabbed by your video. The structure of the narrative is critical. 

Be prepared to take a new angle when you’re preparing to make your next marketing video. Your messaging has to be clear, and it has to answer questions your potential clients may have. 

Instagram. YouTube. TikTok. Vimeo. Facebook. They’re all platforms that you can share video to, but the similarities peter out after that. 

It’s important to be considerate of the platform you’re using to get eyes on your video. Demographic studies reveal that very different types of people are using each social media platform, and they’re often looking for different things. A video designed for TikTok should be snappy, clever, and easily shareable; a video for YouTube could be long-form and detailed. An Instagram story video should utilize a portrait orientation (“vertical video”) to look natural to your clients; your Facebook video should be presented in landscape orientation (widescreen) to account for the users who view Facebook videos using a personal computer or tablet. 

It can be overwhelming to think about all the different uses your video might need. Do you need separate versions of your video for each social media platform? Not necessarily. A big part of getting the most out of your video investment is to understand where your market really is. If your video is a sleek, in-depth product demonstration, you’re just not going to be able to get much mileage on Instagram–the audience isn’t there to watch something like that. If you’re making a pithy, efficient and shareable quick video that says all it needs to say in short order, it’s not a good candidate for a platform like Vimeo–your intended audience should be using one of the more “social” apps, where attention spans are short but engagement can be high. Different mediums; different methods. 

If you’ve got a great video made, make sure you optimize it to match its strengths on the internet. If you’re hoping to make a video, consider where on the web the video should live before you start storyboarding and scripting. 

The internet age is rapidly evolving, and changes can be quick. If you’re making the investment in video, make sure you also invest time into how you can best use it to its full potential. 

We’re in a golden-age of content right now. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are producing their films and TV shows at a staggering rate. Amateur content creators on YouTube use professional lighting and expensive audio equipment. Things that get shared and viewed these days are of a much higher quality than they were in years past. The result of this change is evident: people click ‘play’ on a video are expecting a certain standard. 

People are used to a very high quality of presentation. 

This is relatively new, but it means if you’re a smaller or local figure, it’s harder to get away with a low-budget production. People are being actively  re-wired, whether they like it or not, to discredit a video that doesn’t look like what they’re used to. The good news: as equipment and training has become more accessible, so have quality videographers. You don’t need to travel for or spend big to get high quality. 

You do, however, have to identify who can deliver quality at a reasonable price. We’ve talked a bit already in another blog about whether or not professional video production companies are worth your money. Most videography companies can prove their suitability with their portfolio. And if what you’re looking for isn’t represented in their portfolio, give them a call and ask for any examples they might have that match your criteria. 

Time and money spent creating a video that audiences will reject is a wasted resource.

Find out what local options provide the quality and standard you’re used to seeing, and open up a conversation with them to assess if they have the ability to create the video you need. Are they interested in your vision? Are they interested in ensuring you get a good return on your investment? Are they good storytellers who know how to use different mediums to your advantage? 

They might seem like obvious questions. But these are the questions you need answered before you sink money into a video. A great video, or series of videos, can transform your marketing–it’s critical that you give yourself the best chance of striking gold. 

Distill Media is a video production company in the interior of British Columbia dedicated to the “essentials of visual storytelling”: isolating and expressing the core messages of businesses and organizations through video. We provide industry-leading products with high return on investment.

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It’s important to “de-mystify” some of the more common videography terms, and we hope this glossary will help. We’re not going to be discussing anything overly technical–we just want to look at some vocabulary that is likely to come up in a conversation.

Here’s a glossary of things we might talk about here at Distill Media, your Kelowna videography experts.

An aspect ratio is really just the shape of a video. If it’s a purely square video, the aspect ratio will be 1:1. You’re likely used to seeing video in the format of a standard television widescreen: this is 16:9. You might also see mobile-friendly vertical videos that are the opposite: 9:16. Which aspect ratio is used in a video all depends on the context the video will be used in.

Let’s say the main feature of your video is an interview subject. The “A-Roll” in this situation would be the interview shot itself. The B-roll is any footage that is used to supplement the main footage. If your interview subject, for example, is talking about making a coffee, an appropriate B-roll shot would be somebody physically making a coffee. Having good B-roll not only expands the visual language of the video, but it also gives the video editor more freedom to creatively arrange the main interview.

A “tight shot” is something that is very close to the subject, and a “wide angle” is the opposite: a shot that includes a lot of peripheral information. In a tight shot of a coffee cup, you’ll likely just see the coffee cup. In a wide angle, you will see the coffee cup and all its surroundings: the coffee table, the couches around it, and the room itself.

A lower third is usually text and graphics that appear in the bottom “third” segment of the screen. Typically, this will be used to connotate somebody’s name and position–helping the viewer know who’s talking to them.

This is a tried and true method of lighting an interview subject in a video. Like the name implies, three-point lighting has three different sources of light being used on the interview subject: a “key light” that shines directly on the subject, a “fill light” that eliminates harsh shadows, and a “backlight” that gives some contrast between the subject and the background.

In layman’s terms, depth of field describes how “focused” a shot looks. With a “shallow” depth of field, the subject of a shot will appear in full detail, while the background will be blurry (bokeh). In a “deep” depth of field, the subject and the background will appear in the shot with equal clarity.

A “shallow” depth of field is often what viewers call “cinematic”.

Simply put, bokeh is a deliberately out-of-focus background. When the subject of a shot is captured using a shallow depth of a field, the background appears soft, fluid, and blurred. This can be used to direct attention to your subject and create a high contrast.

This is a microphone that is used for capturing audio in a video shoot. It is distinct from other microphones, as it is always fixed on a pole or stand (usually above the subject). The microphone is high quality, and completely out of sight. The audio is transmitted through a cable to the camera.

Typically, we just call this a “lav”: it’s a small microphone that is attached physically to the subject, usually on a collar. The audio is transmitted wirelessly to the camera.

A tripod, like the name suggests, is a stand with three feet that usually is used to hold a camera. Using a tripod, instead of operating a camera hand-held, allows for a more stable shot.

C-stands are glorified tripods: three-legged, metal stands that are used to hold microphones and lighting. They are heavy and stable, keeping bulky equipment safely out of sight.

Gels, or “colour filters”, are coloured materials we place in front of lights to change the way the light appears. They’re like tinted sunglasses for our shot–they can change the way the lights interact with our subject.

A slider is a device that moves a camera along a track horizonatally from one position to the next. This can be used for subtle camera panning that looks buttery smooth to the viewer.

When we refer to a “gimbal“, we’re talking about a camera that is completely stabilized by a motorized gimbal system. The gimbal itself ensures there isn’t shaking or camera vibration in a shot, and allows smooth movement in pans and tracking shots.

Drones allow us to capture aerial footage–shots from vantage points previously impossible. Think sweeping, high-altitude panoramic shots–these are all accomplished by this little flying camera.