Getting Better Footage

We get it. The budget doesn’t always allow for a professional to come out and film for you. However, that doesn’t mean your footage has to look amateurish. Below are a few tips to help you get better footage for your project. Please remember, this is a crash course of the basics. If quality is important to you, we recommend having us do an on-site shoot. See our pricing for more info.

Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee any particular standard of quality by following this guide. This is a free resource to get you pointed in the right direction if your budget doesn’t allow for other options.

When should I choose to shoot my own footage?

Sometimes, your budget will make that decision for you. If given the option, you should almost always choose to have a professional shoot for you. It’s the same as building a deck in your back yard. Could you do it by yourself? Perhaps so, but it’s probably not going to turn out as well as if a professional did it.

However, we’re not about to leave you hanging if that “deck” turns out to be more complicated than you first thought. If you find yourself forced into shooting your own footage, we want you to have the best end product possible. Take a look through the sections below for some pointers on how to get the best possible footage from what you have available.

What camera should I use to film?

It’s a common misconception that an expensive camera will automatically shoot better footage than a cheap one. A camera is a tool, and like any tool, it’s only as good as the skill of the person using it. You’re probably better off using a cheap camera that you’re very familiar with than an expensive one you’ve never used before.

Having said that, some “middle of the road” cameras have a lot of features geared toward beginners. Expensive cameras often assume you already know how to use them, while mid-range ones tend to have a lot more built-in features to automate the process. “DSLR” cameras are a popular choice for beginners that pack a lot of features at a low pricepoint. Some examples here. DSLR cameras typically have the ability to change lenses, which can give you much more flexibility whether filming or taking photos.

The bottom line is: no matter what camera you use, take some time to familiarize yourself with its features. Your end result will almost always be better when you know how to properly use your equipment.

Can I use my smartphone?

Yes and no. Smartphones have come a long way in the last few years, but most smartphone cameras just can’t compete with a dedicated camera. Smartphones should be treated as a last resort. They can work in a pinch, but getting good footage with them tends to be an uphill battle.

What about my family’s camcorder?

This is probably a better option than a smartphone. Though, depending on the age of your camcorder, your smartphone may actually have a more powerful camera. Usually, whichever is newer is going to have the more sophisticated camera. There is a plethora of factors that go into this, but you can always test them side by side to see which one looks better.

However, before you shoot on a camcorder, take careful note of what it records to. Do you have an older camcorder that still uses some sort of tape cassette? Trying to use footage from one of these will be difficult and will involve converting it to a digital format. This process is usually both tedious and expensive. Your best bet is to use something that records digitally. If possible, use a camera that records to an SD card. Many laptop computers have SD card readers built-in to their hardware, and even if yours doesn’t, an external USB reader can be purchased very cheaply online.

What about my webcam?

We STRONGLY advise against using a webcam to record your footage. Most webcams (especially those built into laptop computers), are made as cheaply as possible. Webcams are also made to send live video over the internet, meaning the picture has to be heavily compressed. Your footage will probably look grainy, choppy and just generally won’t look good. Unless you happen to have access to a very high-end, very expensive webcam, you’ll likely be better off using something else.

How to shoot

• Film your subject in a controlled environment. Make sure there isn’t excess noise or changing light conditions. Finding an isolated room usually works best.

• Frame up your subject so they fill most of the frame. Try not to leave any space above their head.

• Shoot with a tripod if you have one. Have your subject sit somewhere comfortable. This will avoid excess movement and keep everything framed up nicely.

• You may want to have the subject look at someone slightly to the side of the camera, rather than directly at it. People who don’t have much experience in front of cameras often feel uncomfortable staring directly into one. You’ll usually find you get the best footage from someone who feels comfortable. (Note: this depends on the style of video. This method works well for interviews, but not so much for ads or promos)

  Should I have my subject read from a script?

  That depends. Most people have difficulty giving a natural performance while reading. Reading in front of a camera is also difficult unless you have a teleprompter. Holding a sheet of paper looks sloppy, and trying to place the script somewhere off-frame usually makes the subject look distracted as they read it. It’s generally best to either have them memorize what to say, or simply speak from the heart so as to sound more genuine.

  Lighting

• Make sure your subject is brighter than the background you’re shooting against. Don’t place them in front of a window or other light source. Cameras have a difficult time adjusting to a dim subject with a bright background behind. This is commonly called “back lighting”, and will likely make your subject look much too dark.

• Get some light pointed at your subject. Try to place it at angles to the side. A common technique is to use a “two point” lighting system (see diagram below). Direct light tends to flatten the face on-camera and generally isn’t a flattering look.

• Overhead fluorescent lighting tends to give your footage a very “sterile” feeling. Most lighting commonly found in buildings or houses isn’t designed with filming in mind. Any steps you can take to control the light yourself will help improve the look of your footage.

• “Soft” light is usually better than “hard” light. Imagine the way light looks through a lamp shade as opposed to looking directly at a light bulb. Light that has been “softened” or “diffused” in some way usually looks better on a subject then hard light.

  What if I don’t have lighting equipment? How am I supposed to light my subject?

  Pretty much anything is better than nothing. Do you have a floor lamp with articulating heads? You could point one at your subject and use a thin piece of fabric or tissue paper to diffuse it (WARNING: Don’t tape or attach anything flammable to a lamp. This could pose a serious fire hazard). If you’re rigging up something yourself, you’ll have to get creative.

  Do I really have to rig up a special lighting setup to do this?

  Depends on how particular you want to be. Lighting is an essential part of the filming process, and if you want your video to turn out as well as possible, we recommend doing whatever you can with the equipment you have available. For some people, the work won’t feel worth the payoff, and we understand that.

Audio

• Capturing good audio is arguably as important as capturing the footage itself. Make sure your subject is audible. If your message can’t be heard, it defeats the purpose of making a video!

• Record somewhere quiet, preferably in a room with carpet and some furniture to dampen the natural reverberation of the room. Microphones pick up the reverb of a room very easily, and it can be very distracting to the viewer.

• Avoid using your camera’s built-in microphone whenever possible. You want your microphone to be as close to your subject as possible, and the camera’s microphone can only be as close as the camera.

• Most DSLR cameras can mount a small “shotgun mic” on top. Shotgun mics are excellent at capturing sound a few feet directly in front of them. An example of a shotgun mic here.

NOTE: If you record your audio on a separate device from your camera, make sure someone on screen gives a “clap” or a similar gesture to make audio sync more accurate.

What if I don’t have or can’t purchase a microphone?

Do you work for a church or another organization that commonly has public speakers? Talk to whoever runs sound for your organization and see if you have access to wireless lapel mics that speakers commonly use. There’s often a way to repurpose one of these mics to capture audio for your video project. If this is also not an option for you, you’ll have to work with whatever is built into your camera. Try to find a quiet room with as little reverberation as possible and keep the camera as close as you can to your subject.

How to Format and Send Files

What format should my files be in?

• Most cameras should give you an option as to what format you want to record in. We use .MP4 as our standard format (most cameras use this by default). If you have footage in another format, please contact us to find out if we can use it.

• If you need to send separate audio files, please use .mp3 or .wav format

What resolution should I record in?

• We use 1080p as our standard resolution (1920x1080). Most modern cameras record in this resolution by default.

• If your camera gives you control over frame rate, you have several options:

  • 24fps: this is the most “cinematic” look. Good for footage that needs to look more “artsy”.

  • 30 fps: a lot of smartphones and similar devices record in this format by default. This is the “standard” look for a lot of content on YouTube and other social media platforms. A bit smoother than 24fps.

  • 60 fps: gives a very smooth look that can be useful for capturing sporting events or other moving subjects. We generally don’t recommend this frame rate for most projects.

  • It’s best to stick to one of these options. Other frame rates can look either too jittery or too unnaturally smooth.

How should I send my files?

• Please upload your files to a service like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc and send us a link to download them.

Why can’t I send my files through email/ flash drive/ ect?

• Email services have a very limited cap on the maximum size of files you can attach, so a dedicated, cloud-based drive works much better for this purpose. Video files tend to be very large, much larger than emails can handle.

• Flash drives are simply too impractical. If you gave us your flash drive, we’d either have to just keep it or find a way to get it back to you. Whether through postage or hand delivery, either method would take time and money. Transferring files digitally is free, so it seems like a win/win to us!

  I have footage on an old DVD/CD/VHS/etc. Can I use it in my project?

  If you send it off somewhere to have it converted to a digital format, sure! Unfortunately, the equipment to do this is quite specialized and we are unable to do it for you. We cannot work with non-digital formats.