Video content is the most desired content from brands currently. Whether this is your first time creating video content, or you are just looking for ways to improve, we hope the following tips will help you stand out on campaign applications!
- Good camera quality.
- Choose your lighting well.
- Design your background.
- Make sure the product is clearly visible in frame.
- Get comfortable in front of the camera.
- Try to avoid using still images.
- Keep effects to a minimum.
- Use music in moderation.
- Consider your text placement.
1. Good camera quality.
Let's start with the obvious! While not everyone can afford studio quality cameras, thankfully most smartphones these days come with the capabilities of some of the best cameras in the business. Even if your phone is a little older, there are still ways to ensure the quality of output is as high as possible:
- Make sure your subject is in focus. Usually tapping on the object on screen will shift the auto-focus away from some other object in frame.
- Make sure your exposure is not too high. Over-exposure causes the subject to appear washed out on screen. If the light is washing out the rest of your background, you can tap the screen and drag up or down to increase or reduce exposure.
- Change your settings to make sure you are recording at a higher frame-rate. Most phones will allow you to choose what size of video you film, whether that be 1080p or 4K. If you normally use a lower frame rate on the day-to-day, try swapping to a higher frame rate when you film your content.
2. Choose your lighting well.
Try to avoid harsh lighting, such as bright lamps or your phone's flash to light your video. Natural daylight is always best! Even if you are not able to actually film outdoors, using a window as your light source will work just as well.
While using the window as a background can create some cool shots with unusual lighting and shadows, the best way to get a well lit shot is to film with the camera facing away from the window. Place your camera between the subject of your shot and the window to allow for natural light to brighten your shot.
3. Design your background.
While the focus of your video may be the product in hand, it is important to remember that your background will still be visible! Make sure your background is clean and organized, so the mess does not drag your viewers' eyes away from the important product in frame!
4. Make sure the product is clearly visible in frame.
When showing off these products to your audience, it is important that they can clearly see the product name and packaging so that it is recognizable. If you struggle to know whether an object is centred in a shot or not, you can turn on the grid setting which will divide your phone screen into thirds.
5. Get comfortable in front of the camera.
While video content of all kinds is desired by brands, the most elusive type of content they are looking for is that where the Creator appears on the screen alongside the product. When advertising skincare and makeup, brands are looking for Creators who can show before-and-afters and the way the product sits on different skin types. If you are comfortable, try putting yourself on screen for once and show off your beautiful skin in all it's varieties!
6. Try to avoid using still images.
While technically still a video, a recorded slideshow of still images is not what the brands are looking for. They want to see movement with the product, different angles and textures!
7. Keep effects to a minimum.
While preset transition effects and filters can be eye-catching, sometimes they can be distracting and take away from the product on screen. More natural transitions (such as moving the product close to the camera and pulling away to show a new scene) have become trendy on TikTok, and when mastered can be really effective! Try studying some TikTok masters and perfect your transitions to make your video fast-paced and engaging without the need for 'dissolve' and 'swipe's.
8. Use music in moderation.
Using music that does not match the vibe of the video, or that is too loud, can overpower the content you have created. Especially if you are talking or using a voiceover, if the music is too loud it will drown out the words and make it hard to hear. If you are not sure what music to match to your video, try a gentle instrumental on a low volume as a pleasant background noise. Alternatively, choosing the song first and editing your video around the tempo can ensure that the pacing matches and will result in an engaging video.
9. Consider your text placement.
Using on-screen captions and labels is a great way to make your content accessible to a wide audience. It is important to hit the text sweet spot; it can't be too big or too small. If the text is too big it can cover up the product on screen. However, if it is too small it won't be readable at all. If you plan to include a lot of text on screen, it is best to plan ahead and arrange your shot so that there is a lot of blank space for you to place text. Remember that on most platforms, text placed on the bottom will not be very visible, so aim for the top of the screen.