Making corporate or how-to videos? It’s time to make them to the best of your ability. Let’s quickly review two ways to make your how-to videos shine!
1. Framing
Let’s remember that videos are of course a visual medium. The viewers will tolerate a few odd shots here and there but ultimately, you want to be efficient in your storytelling, or in this case your instructions. Be sure to frame yourself in a way that best aligns with how the information is being told. Let’s look at two options.
1. Center Framing
Let’s use this shot of YouTuber MKBH or Marques Brownlee, king of talking head tech videos. You see he is in the center of the frame, his head is not cut off at the top, in fact leaving maybe a quarter of an inch above his head. This shot is very effective because it forces the audience to view the speaker and ONLY the speaker. We can safely assume that if this shot remains, there will not be graphics or images on the screen to the left of the right of the speaker because it would destroy the symmetrical effect of the shot
2. Picking a Side
Let’s review this shot, where the subject is on the left side of the frame. The speaker’s head is not cut off, leaving a nice half inch of space above his head. The background is blurry, showcasing that the subject in the forefront is most important. On the right side of the frame, we have a large space where the editor is able to introduce new graphics to the video whenever they please. Choosing the right shot will always encourage your instructions to be told exactly how you want them to be consumed by the viewing public!
2. Lighting
Those familiar with the KKO blogs might assume the second subject in this article would be about sound. It almost was. But we’ve gone over sound here already so we can talk about the importance of lighting your video.
Let’s looks at an example of a well lit how-to video and a not so well lit video.
This is a great example. Option #1 shows the speaker in a dimly lit room and his face is very dark. Studies have shown that darker images get less reach and less engagement than a brighter image. Therefore, the first and second lighting example showcase a non-effective lighting strategy for their video.
How about the third option? Can you spot the issue in this photo? The speaker’s face is not evenly lit, casting a harsh shadow on the right side of the frame, on the left side of his face. It’s important that the speaker is lit evenly, so that the viewer’s eyes are not distracted by unfortunate lighting choices, even if the viewing public doesn’t know what they are necessarily distracted by! It simply will not be appealing.
When it comes to making how-to or corporate videos, the trick is making the image an appealing one for the viewing public. It’s really that simple! If you’re set to be releasing many videos throughout the month, it will benefit you to sign up for a video editing subscription service so that you can film more and edit less. KKO offers an extremely affordable video editing subscription service option for content creators!
I know how it feels to film your content but spend way more time editing it. You should be filming more and posting more. We’ve decided to solve this problem for you. Kelby KO Productions now offers a video editing subscription service to relieve of you the stress. For a low monthly fee, we’ll edit your videos within 48 hours and it’ll include amazing high definition royalty free stock footage and audio, lower thirds and titles as well as epic transitions. Choose the best monthly package for you today and make your videos stand out!