Bradley H. Smith >

DIY video (practical) tip: find a clean blank wall and light it so that no shadows show.

Do not waste energy to create some "aesthetic environment” for your subject.  Web video for business is inherently “small screen” so little details are lost or become a visual distraction. Also, complicated backrounds will add a significant lighting complexity that you just don’t need. Place your talking head in front a clean black wall – wall color does not matter. Light the wall to remove shadows from the subject

 

Don’t concern yourself about the wall lighting being even. In fact, a gradient (hot spots) will create depth. The hot spot left is a desk lamp on the floor. Simple. Cheap. This was shot (with two cameras) in a very small office.

Maximize your marketing ROVI. (Return On Video Investment)

You have expended your energy and money in video creation. Use it where ever you can.The web craves video. 

 

I created a first ever stock exchange Tweet-up (NASDAQ Marketsite in Times Square) with special guest renowned author/marketer David Meerman Scott.

DIY video (practical) tip: zoom in close to your talking head to create intimacy with your audience.

Web video is more intimate than broadcast TV. (Intimate being marketing jargon for "smaller screens that we sit too close to all damn day”) Zoom in to your talking head and bring your subject “closer” to your audience to visually take advantage of this intimacy. We trust people we are intimate with.

 

I use my two camera DIY technique below. I cut to the close shot when I want use intimacy to add emphasis to a point.

Be strategic with your Skype locations and background. This will become your live video "brand."

Skype is video - so the same visual rules apply... ESPECIALLY for marketers. Create a dedicated location for your Skype calls. Clients don’t want to see your messy office and co-workers don't want to see your tacky basemant paneling. Don't get visually casual. This is your Skype “brand.”

 

I stretched a couple yards of black felt over a simple PVC pipe frame. Lightwieght. I can use it in any room.  (even in my deck on nice summer days... shhhhh....)

DIY video (practical) tip: use TWO inexpensive FlipCams

To really give your "business DIY quality" videos a quantum leap in watchablity, set up two FlipCam cameras (they are ridiculously cheap). Besides the obvious visual interest -watch a couple examples here... if your presenter flubs up (as we all do) you can SEAMLESSLY insert the corrected video at a visual cut point - use the other camera angle footage. You cannot do that with a single camera shoot.

 

You don’t need to put the cameras very far apart but zoom one in tight on the speakers face.

DIY video (practical) tip: teach yourself simple video editing ASAP

The only editing you really need to master to make "business DIY quality" videos is… 1.) cut video segments to remove deadtime, 2.) merge two video segments together and 3.) overlay simple text.

You can buy very capable editing software for $60. For simple the 1-2-3 editing I mentioned above, I use SONY but I asume the others are all the same. It is easier than you think.

Practice on something fun before you need it for work. Your kids, your dog, your garden, etc. Something you love and won't get sick of looking at, LOL! This was my “practice” using a complicated program and every damn possible effect. 

 

DIY video (practical) tip: always use a tripod

Simple but essential. The stability of the image makes a huge difference between "amateur DIY quality” and “business DIY quality.” This is especially important if you are using the incredible, but light weight FlipCams. 

Equally important - a tripod will allow you to concentrate 100% on the content ( and your subject) rather worrying about holding your arm still. You don’t want your CEO all shook up.

  

(Upper left, hand held, lower right - this small tripod. Cheap.)