- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 2
-
Sparkle (0)
I've been having fun with with web video for awhile now. From professionally shot videos to just goofing off with my webcam, I was always more concerned with what I was saying rather than how the video looked- a big problem. That would lead to my early experiments where my face was unlit, my choice of a shirt with a pattern made the audience nauseous, and the feedback from my laptop speakers sent the views clicking away quickly.
So I did some research, and came across several great resources for shooting great web video.
Let's start with audio-
Melissa Worden's post on How Good Video Works tackles the biggest audio issue if you are filming yourself while sitting in front of your computer:
"Headphones. You wear them for your audio recorder. You have to wear them for video. Just get over feeling like you look like a dork. No one really cares."
A really good point. PUT YOUR HEADPHONES ON. Use earbuds if you want to hide them, but plug them in and GET OVER IT. It means no feedback, none of that "but wait I hear her TWICE" stuff. Headphones are your friend.
Your wardrobe:
Joanne Mallon covers the basics, and what applies for a tv interview or film shoot pretty much holds true for the web:
"Don’t wear all black. You’ll look as though you’re disappearing into a hole. This often throws women into a panic, as we love the slimming properties of black, particularly when TV will probably make you look slightly heavier than you are in real life. Black trousers or skirt will normally be fine as a filmed interview will generally concentrate on your top half, but do go for a colour on top if you can.
Don’t wear all white. It makes TV lights bounce back and you’ll look as though you just descended from the heavens on a cloud.
Don’t wear anything with a very small pattern such as pin-stripes, tweed or polka dots. Again, it has a strange effect on TV lights known as strobing. Men should avoid pinstripe shirts – bring a change of clothes if you’re not sure."
I would add that solid, bright colors are almost ALWAYS best.
Now the part where I still have trouble- lighting.
While you can find a ton of information about every aspect of lighting at the University of Texas website, my rule of thumb has always been- if there is a light nearby TURN IT ON. Ok don't go running around the house turning on everything and anything, just make sure if it's daytime the shades are up, or if there is a lamp nearby you flip the switch. CreativePro also has some good tips:
"Bring light bulbs of various wattages. If you're shooting indoors, you can replace the bulbs in existing light fixures to improve the lighting. Clamp lights from the hardware store are also handy.
Avoid harsh shadows on faces. If you're shooting outside, the direct overhead sun can make ugly, harsh shadows in the eye sockets and around the nose. Move your subject into the shade or shoot near the end of the day when the sun is lower in the sky and not as bright. Also be aware of the shadow your own body casts when standing over an object..."
That leaves us with the hardware in the house: your webcam. I've now used everything from my Blackberry to a Flip Cam to my laptop's integrated webcam, to a handheld cam, to a huge camera you see the TV guys carrying around at a press conference.
Here's the thing- they all work. And how expensive and fancy you go depends on you. I like the cheap stuff. Not because it gives the best video, but because it's the easiest. I like turning it on and seeing the green light and hitting "go live" or "record" and letting that be the end of it. But YOU can mix it up with just about anything on the market. A very quick search will show you the many cameras available. Start out simple or complex- either way you're ready to upload YOUR video and look fabulous.
Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog
