As video production technology improves while dropping in price, almost anyone can make a video these days. It’s certainly simple and inexpensive. With a few simple steps, you can produce a decent, low-cost, amateur video.But, your business deserves more than just an amateur, mediocre-quality video. After all, how you tell the story about your product or service communicates a lot about your brand and professional image. Here are some common video production mistakes to avoid with creating a professional video:
Poor Planning
The old saying goes “if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail” and this is certainly true in video production, whether you’re creating a two-minute interview or a thirty-minute product presentation. One of the most crippling mistakes in production is to not have a solid plan before starting. It’s understandable that you want to just dive right in and explore your inner director, but even the best directors plan meticulously. Poor planning results in higher production costs and schedule delays.
Poor Scripting and Story Structure
The script and its visual elements form the backbone of the production. With a video, you have only a short amount of time to grab the attention of your audience – not only do you have to grab their attention, you have to keep it. A good story structure will allow you to plan which footage to capture and which to discard. A solid story structure helps you communicate effectively while being mindful of your time constraints.
Poor Lighting
One of the most common video production mistakes is poor lighting. What you are filming, the conditions of the day, whether you are inside or outside, even the skin tone and hair color of the person being filmed – all of these variables play an important role in the visuals being captured. And it’s not just the lighting that’s important, but how you light your subjects. Whether it’s flat lighting, dramatic lighting, hard or soft lighting, each story has its own lighting requirements.
Poor Audio Quality
Audio production is a vital component of video production; yet, some production companies will cut costs by relying on sub-standard audio gear and crew. Unfortunately, the audio quality is often poor and this can easily ruin what could have been a solid production. If your audience cannot hear what is being said or it sounds buzzy, grainy, or maybe it picks up too much background noise (air conditioner, traffic, mobile phones, coughing, electric hum), then the production will appear amateur. For a quality video production, you need the right audio equipment in the hands of audio professionals both on and off set.
Poor Editing and Pace
It’s common to capture more footage than needed so it can be edited into a final, succinct story. Proper editing is vital. A great story can be written, captured and produced but completely ruined in post-production. Background music, audio mixing, shot selection, and visual effects must be meticulously woven together to create a finished product that flows smoothly, delivers your message and moves the viewer to respond.
At Top Pup Media, we can help you with your video production needs. Feel free to contact us for your next video production.
