Video Testimonial Tips

Short version – Audio, Lighting, Level.

Longer version as follows:

Don’t make this this difficult, we are not looking for a Hollywood production. Some simple tips:

1 – Audio

Find somewhere quiet. Recording next to a window above a busy street is going to create a lot of background noise that you won’t realize exists until you’ve finished recording. Eliminate as much kids, TV, etc. as you can.

2 – Lighting

Lighting is a crucial factor for shooting videos. People (including you!) don’t want to watch a video of someone with dim lighting. To shoot with great lighting, find the brightest room or go outside.

3 – Level – Get the right angle

The camera needs to be at eye level.  No one wants to look up your nose or see the top of your head. This is one of the most common mistakes. You want them looking at you just as they would if you were sitting across from them talking.

Shooting with the camera horizontal always looks better for the viewer, but if you must shoot it vertically, OK fine.

Tripods are by far one of the easiest video equipment to finagle at home. But it you don’t have one that’s fine – you can use drawers, nightstands, shelves, books, decor, etc. to prop up your camera or phone so that it’s at the perfect angle.

Of course you can just hold it with your hand, but hold your arm as steady as possible.

4 – Use the back facing camera if possible

As you know, there are two cameras on your phone. The screen facing camera is easier to use because you can see yourself, but using the back facing camera takes better quality videos and audio. The back camera of a phone also keeps you from looking at yourself while you’re filming. In either case, please look at the lens of the camera while you are talking—if you look at yourself on the screen your recorded video will look like you’re talking slightly away from the person watching the video.