YouTube started in February 2005 (exactly two years before this blog) and already has one billion unique viewers each month. That’s 1,000,000,000. Where are your videos?
There are lots of reasons to create video. Let's assume you agree. You don’t need to hire anyone. You can create your own.
Better Than Professional
You won't get the same look as a professional. You probably won’t use fancy green screens or specialized lighting. Instead, you’ll be authentic. That’s valuable and costs less.A key reason to shoot your own video is the sheer flexibility. You don't need to worry about scheduling. You can do take after take. You can shoot more video and more often. You’ll get better with practice.
Equipment
To get started, you need a video camera, a tripod, video editing software, a computer, and an external hard drive. You may need lighting. For now, let's assume you use natural lighting.The camera can be relatively basic. These days you can even shoot good video with a smartphone. You'll have trouble mounting one on a tripod though. Consider a “basic” video camera. You can upgrade later if you want.
You might even start with the webcam in your computer or tablet.
Stage fright
Appearing on camera is daunting. Practice helps. Try using your smartphone with a free app like Viddy which lets you record and post 15 second clips. Maybe you can get someone else do the recording for you. Here are my examples.You need not appear at all. You can add a voiceover to a presentation from within PowerPoint (Microsoft explains how). A high quality external microphone USB is a worthwhile investment since audio quality is very important.
Video audiences keep growing, thanks to mobile devices. You’re losing opportunities if they can't find you.
Links
- YouTube reaches a billion monthly viewers, boosted by Generation C (The Guardian, Mar 2013)
- Gen C connects on YouTube on all screens (Google, Mar 2013)
- Get ready for your video debut
- Picking the best medium for your message
- Creating a wow: B+H Photo/Video in Manhattan
- Recovering from another computer breakdown
- Marketing with video: learn from an amateur
No comments:
Post a Comment