Top 10 Filming & Editing Tips
To help those taking part in our Cooking at Home vlog competition, we spoke to this summer’s resident video editor for our Cooking at Home series. Here, Nick talks us through some of his top 10 filming and editing tips!
Make time to plan!
Before jumping straight into filming, it’s a good idea to take a few moments to plan out your video. Professional productions will use scripts and storyboards to make sure they realise their vision, but a simple list of notes could help smooth out the filming process and ensure you don’t make any mistakes or miss anything important! A good plan may not be an essential part of filming, but when pots are bubbling and the pressure is on, it can help keep you on track, just like any good recipe! You can also use this time to ensure that your equipment is charged and you have enough storage space for your footage.
Think about ‘Mise-en-scene’
Mise-en-scene is a fancy way of describing the “stage” where the action will be taking place. When filming, it’s a good idea to try and make the frame free of clutter, focusing on one element of the video at a time. For example, in one shot you might want to show the ingredients you’ll be using, and in the next shot, you might want to cut to the chopping board while you slice up your vegetables. Try and make each shot have a specific purpose.
Don’t forget your lighting
Lighting is an often neglected part of video making, and good lighting can take a video to the next level. Cameras work by capturing light, and therefore, low-light conditions can lead to a fuzzy or grainy effect. A nice, balanced light, avoiding shadows where possible, will contribute to sharp and colourful footage. Don’t have access to any lighting equipment? Don’t worry — the best light conditions can come from a totally natural source — the sun! Morning or afternoon sunlight is perfect for filming, so try shooting in an environment with windows nearby, although you should avoid pointing the camera in the direction of the light source, if possible — the light should be behind or to the side of the camera.
Grab your smartphone camera
Shooting a good video doesn’t need expensive equipment or an intimate knowledge of technical details — all you need is a bit of creative flair and smartphone! Smartphone cameras are capable of capturing high quality video straight out of the box, although there is one mistake beginners often make and that is holding the phone in the wrong orientation! Most video outputs are designed to be played in landscape, which means holding the phone horizontally, rather than vertically, will maximise the quality of the final product.
Mix it up with A-roll and B-roll
Another quick tip to remember when filming, is the difference between A-roll and B-roll. A-roll is your main footage, and contains all the important information. However, a single, static shot can be a bit boring if it goes on for too long, which is where the B-roll comes in. B-roll clips are secondary shots that are used to break up the main footage. These can be much more creative, so this is where you can use your flair! Close up shots and alternate angles are good options to make your video a bit more interesting!
Find your inner presenter
Hidden behind all of the technical aspects of a video is its character and personality, and this is where you can really make your project unique. Being bright, bold and bubbly when the red light is pointing at you is a surprisingly difficult skill, and we often retreat within ourselves and make our content more formal. There’s nothing wrong with a well-produced, formal video, but a bit of extra character can really bring something extra to a video that even the most-well produced content can’t compete with. You are a part of your production — don’t be afraid to have fun and embrace your role!
Limit your background sound
Inbuilt microphones are useful for phone calls when your mouth is right next to the speaker, but can be substandard when speaking from a distance. You don’t want your information to come across as muffled or muted, so make sure to speak in a clear and confident tone to ensure your message is heard! You always want to try and minimise background noise, such as televisions, passing cars or screaming kids!
Keep the editing simple
Most editing software comes with pre-built effects and transitions, and it can be tempting to add them to your video to make it look more visually interesting. However, this is a bit of a trap, and can have the opposite effect of making your video look tacky, or generic. When editing, it’s best to keep things simple — let the video you have filmed speak for itself by cutting out all the excess and focusing on only the important details. If you’re feeling extra confident, you can try an advanced technique like a time-lapse, but if in doubt, a simple cut works best.
Offer useful captions!
If you do decide to add any extra graphics to your video, such as captions, then you should try and make sure these are easily readable and don’t get lost in all the action that’s happening on screen. If you want to include some text, consider adding a solid colour background behind it, to make it stands out. Make sure also that you give the audience enough time to read it!
Check your music copyright
Music can make for a good addition to almost any video, and it’s fairly simple to add a track to your video, but be careful! Music tracks are often copyrighted, or available for use only under certain conditions, such non-commercially, or with attribution. There are lots of sources of free music out there, but just make sure to read the fine print before adding a track to you video. A good starting place when looking for free music is YouTube’s audio library.
Now that you are ready, head on over to our Vlog Competition pages to check out all the info you need, and inspire yourself by exploring our Cooking at Home recipes and videos.