How to Improve Video Production Value

Here’s a video and dot points to demonstrate how to improve video production value.

It’s cold out there, but what does a video producer do in his spare time?  I’m afraid so, I take photo’s and videos.  Sad I know.  Here’s and example, shots I’ll put under the theme Melbourne in Winter. 

Touches which add production value to look out for:

  • slider shots to ‘reveal’ or to move the foreground against the background (parallax effect)
  • framing and movement to lead the eye to a focal point
  • back lighting, with the sun in front of the camera instead of behind, so it creates a rim of light through a models hair or leaves.
  • brightness and colour correction to give a cold winter feel
  • rack focus, to change your point of focus during a scene
  • Gimble shots to add smooth camera movement
  • “Muddy Shots” taken through grass or with something in the foreground blocking the view
  • Foley sound effects – in the case the actual sound of milking a goat
  • meteor explosions in the night sky – special effects

These things (except perhaps the last) can help establish a tone or mood for your clip.

Of course the basics before any of this are getting focus, exposure and audio levels right. Having great talent in your video and locations that pop helps too.  Keep camera movement slow, smooth and steady.

Here’s some further information about production values in films.  Feel free to call me any time to discuss how we can make something with high production values.