It’s easier to get into video production than ever before. Modern smartphones mean we all now have access to high-quality cameras, and there are numerous editing platforms that are packed full of incredible features. However, video production is an art form. It’s not something you’re going to be an expert at straight away. To help you hone your craft and improve your video-making skills, we’ve put together three key pieces of advice. Read on to check them out.

Watch Lots of Content

If you want to get better at making videos, one of the most important things you can do is to watch lots of video content. Think about any creative practice, such as music for example. Talented musicians will listen to lots of music, this teaches them how it should sound and gives them a benchmark to measure themselves against.

It’s exactly the same for video production. By watching lots of video content, you’ll eventually start to understand what works and what doesn’t, knowledge you can then use to inform your own projects in the future. Think about what kind of videos you want to make. Short films? Advertisements? Music videos? Whatever it is, make sure you are watching lots of this kind of content specifically. This will help you learn the tricks of the trade and common tropes and techniques used in this type of video.

However, you should also try to watch video content that is different to the videos you ultimately want to make yourself. Watching different kinds of videos can give you fresh ideas and will make your videos more unique and interesting.

Film Everything You Can

They say practice makes perfect, and this adage is certainly true for the video production process. You need to be comfortable filming and operating a camera, so to do so you should try and film as much as possible. Given that everyone has a smartphone equipped with a camera these days, there’s no excuse for not getting out there and filming as much as you can. If you can’t think of anything to film, that’s ok! This is just for practice; you don’t actually have to use the footage you shoot. Film anything and everything; a flock of birds overhead, your cat eating its dinner, or a bus driving along the road. The more you film, the better you’ll understand how to frame a shot and find unique camera angles.

Before you can think about finalising your video masterpiece, complete with royalty free music and colour correction, you first must learn how to get the raw footage. The only way to do so is through practice.

Your phone can be the perfect tool, but as your skills improve, you may want to move on to something a little more advanced. When it comes to choosing a camera, you’ve got a lot of options. Take the time to read over the features and functions of each and be sure to check out user reviews to find a camera that is perfectly suited for your needs and requirements.

Learn Your Editing Software Inside Out

Half of video production is shooting the raw footage and the other half is editing the footage into a cohesive finished product. This is where editing software comes in, these sophisticated platforms offer an incredible degree of control and can be used to achieve all kinds of effects.

Once you have imported all your clips for your project, you can start arranging them on the timeline to build a basic framework. This is where your narrative will come together, think about the beginning, middle and end of your video and how to guide the viewer through this journey.

Once you have your basic structure laid out, you can begin the process of adding cuts and transitions. These are done to smooth out the gaps between clips and to make your video into one long, cohesive piece.

Editing is also where you can change how your video looks. You can adjust colour balance, light, saturation and contrast to get a professional, cinematic look that will wow your viewers and ensure they keep watching.

Finally, once your video is completed visually, you can add music and sound effects. While this might not be something you give much thought to in the early stages of the production process, you’ll be amazed at the effect it can have. Adding music and sound will tie everything together and make your video into the finished article. Mix music, sound effects, and dialogue together to create a rich sonic tapestry that complements your visuals.

Conclusion

Video production is both an art and a science. It can seem intimidating if you’re just starting out, but with enough practice, you’ll be making professional videos in no time. Use the advice we’ve outlined in the above guide to master the art of video production.