Camera technology has come a long way in recent years and the affordability of cameras that can shoot high quality footage has meant it’s become increasingly easier for anybody to buy a camera that’s capable of filming top notch videos. Even iPhone cameras, in good light, are capable of producing nice looking videos, especially when viewed on a website or other small video window.
However it’s important to note; it’s not just about the quality of the camera.
When making a professional level video which will do justice to your company, products or services, and potentially have a long life on your website, YouTube channel or other social media pages, you don’t just need a good camera, you need to know your camera intimately. This includes understanding white balance, aperture and the varying effects of different f-stops, appropriate shutter speeds for different types of shots, your frame rate, your resolution, the waveform monitor, your ND filters, your ISO, the internal file formats and your colour profile, and the nuances introduced by adjustments to each of these settings. Also the lenses you use and an understanding of how different lenses create different looks.
You also need to know how to compose a shot, how to frame an interview, or a conversation, how to use depth, foreground and background, colour, texture and contrast. You need to understand lighting, the type of lights and the colour they emit, how to soften them, where they should be placed, how to make a person’s face, a place of work or a product looks its best, how to avoid flare or reflection, what to do if there is light flicker and how to adjust your camera’s settings to overcome this.
And then there’s audio, which is just as important as how the shot looks. Do you have the right microphone for your environment? Where do you put the mic and how do your record the sound? How do you get around the common problem of loud room tone, air conditioning hum or rustling clothes? Or nearby traffic or background voices? How do you sync audio between cameras and audio devices?
You also need to understand the different requirements for shooting in a studio, or a workplace or outdoors, with regard to light, sound, shot composure and the old unpredictable weather.
This really just touches the surface of the things that need to be considered to produce high quality footage. Depending on the size and type of shoot there are many other things to consider like hair and makeup, wardrobe, art design, catering and autocue. How to book on-screen talent and actors, how to deal with agents, understanding of the shots you’ll need to keep the editor happy, how long a shoot is likely to take (and then adding at least another 20% for comfort!).
And even before the filming day you need to have established a lot of things such as how the video should look, who the audience is, where you’ll be filming and whether you need permits. You’ll also need a script or a list of questions, a shot list and maybe even a storyboard.
Once your shoot is wrapped it can be a very satisfying achievement, but then of course there’s post production, and this usually takes more time and effort than the shoot itself.
There’s the proper construction of a story, colour grading, graphics, animations, titles, subtitles and captions, as well as output to the appropriate resolution, aspect ratio and codec for a wide variety of different platforms. Then there’s the audio edit, which is really a whole separate edit to the visuals, plus music (choosing and using) which can make or break a video. And that’s just the basics. Sometimes you need to employ all your editing trickery to get around unforeseen problems with the footage or the audio, to make a poor performer look good or a good performer look flawless.
The bottom line is, if the person making your video doesn’t understand, or isn’t capable of controlling all of these different factors, then you won’t be getting a professional video. Now, admittedly, the average viewer doesn’t watch a video and think “gee they haven’t really nailed their three point lighting in that interview set-up, and they probably should’ve used an f1.2 prime lens in order to create pleasing bokeh”, but you inherently know when you’re watching (and listening to) a poor video, just like you know when you’re watching (and listening to) a good one.