Your videos don’t have to be giant productions, costing lots of money and requiring expensive equipment. We’ve already learned how quickly a little cropping and some filtering gets people taking and sharing more pictures — see Instagram.
Video is the same. With the right color treatments, editing, and sound, you’ll take your video from a mash-up of footage to a narrative that conveys real messages. You’d be surprised at what a few touches can do to transform your video.
Below, you’ll see side-by-side comparisons and the end results of footage we’ve used here at The Starr Conspiracy.
To enrich your video, follow these steps:
- Plan ahead. Put together a driving concept for your video, determining what’s the most important thing someone needs to know or learn when watching this video. Then storyboard the shots and other details you need for context, like scene-setting shots or interviews.
- Take time editing. Most movies we love come together with great editing. Your videos should be clear and concise, especially if you’re keeping it to a really short time frame, like a 15-second spot. Use color filters, transitions, and appropriate effects to customize your footage. Be warned: This isn’t PowerPoint — don’t use all the tricks just because you have them.
- Add some mood music. Sound and music add another layer of life to your video. You don’t have to always compose a custom piece, but finding the right song can evoke emotions that the footage alone can’t.
Even if you initially captured video on a phone, take the time to edit your footage. The end result will be worth it.
In the video above, we show you some samples from the full video here: Welcome to The Starr Conspiracy