If you think creating video content is beyond you, think again. Contrary to most "beginners" guides you've probably read, you actually don't need a whole heap of expensive equipment to get started.

video camera

We started with 3 things (a camera, a mic and a pulse) and 0 expertise and we're here to tell you that it doesn't have to be an over-complicated affair. You just need to be willing to get started.

Here are some examples of our first videos:


Benefits of video content:

Why should you be investing your time into video? Well, the statistics are pretty convincing…

  • 59% of people said that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.
  • 43% of people say they want to see more video content from marketers .
  • 51.9% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
  • One-third of online activity is spent watching video .
  • Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
  • Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.

So you see, it's time to get over your video phobia. Here's the common concerns and how to overcome them:

No Studio…

A designated video room or space is awesome, but it's also not critical. We started by simply moving some plants into a space in our office with a nice blank stretch of wall.

If you don't have a suitable stretch of wall, no problem, you can also use a Seamless Paper backdrop and move your 'studio' anywhere. These are relatively cheap and available on Amazon or at any photography shop.

filming in a studio

No Lights…

Lighting is really expensive and, while they do add a professional sheen to you videos, there's a lot you can do with normal lighting before you go and invest a whole in the pro stuff.

Natural sunlight works really well, so being next to a window or in a bright room can look really good. For best results, try mornings and afternoons as midday light can be a bit flat.

If you don't have access to natural light, there are good quality light bulbs you can install in your standard lighting that will make all the difference. Read this article for more info on how to choose them.

natural light

No professional videographers…

We also started with 0 video editing skills, and we've come a long way! Luckily, there are many cheap tools that make the editing process relatively simple:

  • Apple iMovie
  • Lightworks
  • Shotcut
  • VSDC Free Video Editor

No professional presenters…

If you can speak, you can make a video.

Our tips:

  • Put your speaker notes on whiteboard that's positioned behind the camera.
  • Try not to write a full script for yourself – it sounds much more natural if you just talk to a few bullet points.
  • Don't try to do the whole clip in one take. Rather do it section by section and edit the best takes together.
  • Have fun with it – smiling, laughing and even funny mistakes can add to the charm of the video, don't get too serious with it.

whiteboard speaker notes

No fancy camera…

You don't need a professional camera to make a great video. Unless you're filming an HD movie, any camera that shoots in 400d is more than adequate. We use a Canon EOS 700D.

If you're in a pinch you can even buy a lens for your phone camera that'll take it up to nearly professional quality.


Our number #1 tip is that sound quality is more important than the image quality, so if you're going to spend money on everything, invest in a good mic.

No intro/background music…

Music makes videos awesome – and you can get it free! There are plenty of royalty-free music sources out there, you just have to click and download. Here's a great place to start:

  • https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/2
  • http://freemusicarchive.org/

Conclusion:

So you see, making videos is not as difficult or expensive as you might think. If we did it, so can you. The key is to start small and learn by doing.

desktop and Gopro

Tags: content, equipment, filming, video, video content

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