3 Tips From A Commercial Filmmaker On Making Your Own Videos

Recently I’ve been coming across a lot of online courses for video… a lot of them.   

The cinematographer in me wants to cheer them on, while quietly judging their decisions and lighting and camera angles, etc. The businessman in me, on the other hand, wants to yell about sub-par content and how it’s hurting the industry all while secretly admiring the hutzpah these people have to sell a craft that’s taken me more than a decade to master and packaging it up as an “8 weeks and you’ll know it all” course.

Now listen, I’m not condemning any of these courses or the people who make them. You get yours. I’m also not passing judgment on the people who buy-in. Video is a big deal right now in the marketplace and if you’re not doing it yet or looking to learn it, you will likely have to jump on the bandwagon soon.

And listen, I’m sure there are some excellent courses out there that a self-driven person could take and really get their money’s worth. Please don’t be discouraged to dip your toe in the water of video. In fact, I’m convinced that the more people know about video, the more filmmakers will thrive.

The fact of the matter is, I love video and the more great video that’s out there, in my opinion, the better. But, if you’re going to make something that stands out, then you’re going to need more than the basics (which you can absolutely learn on YouTube).

Better Than The Basics

I believe that every person has something that they can and should be teaching the world and I am personally convinced that if it’s not being presented, at some point, in video form then it’s just not going to reach the people who need it most.

So, enough banter… I thought it might be valuable to share with my network of influence, and all those I can reach, some of the things that you’re probably not going to get from a 30-minute search on Google.

3 Video Tips

And, in true filmmaking form, I’m breaking the tips into 1) Pre-Production, 2) Production, and 3) Post-Production. If you’re like me, and not necessarily a big reader, here’s a really quick list.  

1. Scripts are video killers. Don’t use a script. Putting together a script is the easy way out and it’s really difficult to pull off well. No script means you’ll be more natural and THAT is going to help your video stand out. Do 10 takes if you have to… everyone who watches your video will be glad that you did.
2. B Roll is your best friend. The most seasoned on-screen talent struggles with monologues. When you’re filming one of the most important things to capture is the B Roll (or beautiful shots that you place over the interview dialog so that you cut things together, seamlessly). Plan to capture the B Roll as much as you plan to capture the speaking stuff.
3. The music selection makes or breaks everything.  There are a number of reasons I would implore you to painstakingly search for the right music. Like it or not, it’s the music that can make a bad video brilliant or an incredible video fall flat. Before you get deep into editing your video, pick the music that is going to play behind it. I promise it will make your editing go that much smoother. Just make sure you have the rights to it... "royalty-free music" is what you'll want to search for.

But Wait, There’s More

Listen, I’ve got more and if you’re hungry to learn video, like right now, then this is likely the point where you throw your hands up in disgust and start thinking of other keywords to type into your search bar. Hold On… we actually shot a video, a while back, called "How to Kill It On Camera" which provides a little guidance for being in front of the lens. Before you push record, it may be worth a watch.

If it’s more gear talk that you’re looking for, we put something together for that as well, back when LinkedIn first announced they were opening their doors to video - “Video is Coming to LinkedIn”

I’ll break each of these 3 points out in further detail in the near future, but for the time being, I truly hope this has been helpful. You can do this, so no excuses.

Sincerely,

Mr. Bowler 🎩💀