Your attempt to create the next viral video could be a tremendous waste of time and energy. Instead, why not capture your ideas with the goal of telling a great story. When you watch videos, you might not realize that the best videos tell a story that holds your attention. The method used to make the video is less important than the final video.
“When I write an original story I write about people I know first-hand and
situations I’m familiar with. I don’t write stories about the nineteenth century.” ~ Satyajit Ray
Camera
Grabbing a camera to capture video has never been easier than it is today. Thousands of minutes of video are posted to the Internet from mobile phones and video cameras that are pointed at every possible event. Unfortunately, capturing video has taken precedent over helping people trapped in dangerous situations, but I digress. Using any camera to capture events requires a few skills that will make your videos easier to view.
Cell phone or video camera – You will want to become very familiar with all of the settings and adjustments on the device you use to capture live video. Before you set out to record, spend some time using the device and making changes to the settings to get the right effects. As you become more familiar with each setting, your efforts will produce amazing video footage. Countless hours of extra video will be useful when you want to discover which effects should be applied in each setting.
Hold steady – Until you see an unsteady video, the importance of holding the phone or camera perfectly still will go unnoticed. In some settings, the use of a tripod allows you to focus on the device settings while the video is recorded without unnecessary movement. Your viewers will thank you for your diligence and steady hand when your videos are smooth and fun to watch.
Count to 5 – One day, I saw a video where the person holding the camera was switching directions constantly because there was action to her left and to her right. The video was impossible to watch because the context of the motion is lost when looking through the viewfinder. In this situation, you must find another vantage point, or make a choice between the two sides. Video watchers cannot see the rest of the scene that is outside the frame and few people will continue to watch your video.
Edit your video – Countless tools are available for “cleaning up” your video. In just a few minutes, you can remove extra seconds that make the video harder to watch. Extra effects can be added to improve the color, perspective and lighting on the video. You might want to add music or voiceover to improve the viewing experience. Improve engagement from your viewers through annotations and links that transform your videos into useful tools.
Software
You might be surprised to hear that you can create entire videos without the use of a camera. That might sound crazy, but affordable software has been developed to assemble scene elements in your workspace right on the screen. Each software package takes a unique approach that will answer the call for your various video needs.
VideoMakerFX – Imagine my surprise when I first heard that I did not have to follow the crowd and make boring videos. I had been dreading the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on a software package that would be underutilized and produce boring videos. Perish the thought! Inside VideoMakerFX, you will find sets of slides that can be assembled in any order to make attractive videos. Your images can be added to tell your story. A set of royalty-free music traks completes your choices. Effects can be added to improve the visual appeal of every video you create.
Easy Video Suite 3 – Opening with a handdrawn scene sets Easy Video Suite apart from all the others. Your video is preceded with an outlined scene that draws attention from the outset. Viewers want to know how you took a standard image and made an intriguing sketch.
Doodly – Innovation is the name of the game with the newest hand-drawn video creator. No more canned scenes! Elements inside the software can be assembled into scenes that will be drawn according to your preferences. The possibilities are truly endless! You can upload your own images and have Doodly draw them right into your scenes!
Discover What to Do With Your Video
Video is THE Medium
Too many people are overlooking the importance of the video messages people love. The assumption that an entire production crew is required to capture a story on video is just outdated. Countless methods have been devised to allow anyone, and everyone, to start with an idea and produce a video that has “viral” potential.
“I want to make videos that, if I didn’t know myself, I’d want to watch.
As long as I’m making myself laugh, I’m usually having a good time.
That’s how I know I’ve made a video that I’m proud of:
I’ve made myself laugh.”~Grace Helbig
Your attempt to create the next viral video could be a tremendous waste of time and energy. Instead, why not capture your ideas with the goal of telling a great story. When you watch videos, you might not realize that the best videos tell a story that holds your attention. The method used to make the video is less important than the final video.
You might be surprised to hear that you can create entire videos without the use of a camera. That might sound crazy, but affordable software has been developed to assemble scene elements in your workspace right on the screen. Each software package takes a unique approach that will answer the call for your various video needs.
