VIDEO SMART
Make smartphone videos like a pro
PELPINA TRIP
Copyright 2020 Pelpina Trip
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 9789083088013
First Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please go to pelpina.com and fill out the contact form.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of the authors knowledge. Any advice or recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or publisher. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information.
PELPINA Publishing
Pelpina.com
DEDICATION
To anyone who believed in me when I said smartphone video is the future. To the folks who kept telling me smartphone video was just a fad: you made me work harder. To my husband Rik for always supporting me in my silly dreams (who writes a BOOK on making VIDEOS?) and our children: I could not be prouder of you.
This one is for you three.
LEARN MORE
To stay up to date with video tips and tricks please visit my LinkedIn profile and hit that follow button:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pelpina/
Also check out my online courses and virtual workshops.
And finally get access to my free video gear sheet here.
CONTENTS
PREFACE
Youre not actually going to use that, right? the director asked as he pointed to my iPhone. It was 2014, and we were shooting a video for an international brand. Nobody I knew was using smartphones to shoot business videos. But my brand new iPhone had just arrived in the mailbox that afternoon. So, I put it on a selfie stick and brought it with me to the shoot in Amsterdam.
Well, were also going to use that camera, I assured the man, as I pointed to the camera operator with a professional camera.
This was the first time I brought my smartphone to a professional video shoot. Whats interesting is that most of the footage that was actually used in the final video were shots I took with my iPhone.
At that time, bigger was better. For high-quality, effective business videos, you needed a big budget, a big crew, and a big camera. But I had been experimenting with my smart-phone for years. In 2012 I used not only my DSLR, but also my smartphone when I was shooting a segment for a national TV news show. Its hard to imagine now, but back then I never dared to tell the TV crew that I was doing that (even though, with the right lighting and composition, no one noticed anyway).
Its unbelievable how the technology and the perception of this has changed. Smartphones have become completely ingrained in society. We use our phones to take pictures, send emails, and keep up with business and our family. But not everyone has truly discovered the camera yet. My goal is to enable everyone who has a phone in their pocket to use it to make good videos. Youve got it on you anyway!
My mission is to give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to be able to make business videos yourself.
As an early adopter of smartphone video, I regularly receive requests to share my expertise. Ive trained thousands of people to make effective videos, and its exciting to see people understand the benefits of filming with their smartphone:
| You dont need a big budget to create professional videos. |
| You always have your smartphone with you. |
| You have everything in one device: camera, edit app, publisher. |
| The smartphone is light and small, which makes it easier to capture unique and creative shots. |
| People tend to be less intimidated in front of a smartphone, which can be helpful during interviews, for example. |
This book captures many years of experience to help you make professional videos to reach your business goals. Good luck and HAVE FUN!
Pelpina
CHAPTER ONE
Watch this video by simply holding your
smartphone camera towards the QR code or:
CLICK HERE
Do you want to make goal-oriented videos and save time making them? Spend less time on shooting and editing? Then you need a good plan.
After almost every videomaking workshop I give, participants will tell me: You were right. I should have planned better. It would have saved me a lot of time.
So, trust me: This is the most important chapter!
Before you grab your camera, take a step back. Take the time to plan out your videos and save a lot of time, energy, and frustration afterwards. Planning your videos doesnt have to be complicated.
For each video, you need two things:
1) A video plan
2) A shot list
The video plan is the content of your video. The shot list shows the visuals. And trust me, this doesnt have to be an extensive plan with a lot of details. I like to keep things simple, so lets start out with a basic video plan, and a short shot list.
VIDEO PLAN
Well start with the content of your video: the video plan. You might already have some fun ideas for videos you want to make; now you just need to give shape to those ideas. Thats exactly what the video plan is for. (If you have no inspiration, dont worry: Ive got you covered! Check the video format canvas later in this chapter.)
Simple video plan example
Each video plan has a few basic elements: the length of the video, the intro, the outro, how your video starts, whether it has subtitles, etc. First, Im going explain the different basic elements, so that you can create your own (simple!) video plan.
Length of the video
One of the biggest factors that determines if your viewers are actually going to watch your video is its length! Do not underestimate this. Decide beforehand an approximate length of your video. At the end of this chapter, you can find specific info for the ideal video length per platform. But keep in mind that these specifications differ per target audience and change over time, so always keep up to date with the current guidelines and keep an eye on your own statistics.
The main questions you need to ask yourself: How long will my viewers watch my video? When and where (on wht platform) will my viewers likely watch this video? What is the right length for my ideal target audience?
Beginning of the video
Another big watch factor: the start of your video. What triggers your viewer to keep watching? What happens in the first few seconds? A few uninteresting ways to start a video: someone introducing themselves for more than 30 seconds (boring!), the exterior of a building (boring!), a full screen logo or a long paragraph of text (boring!). Some interesting ways to start a video: a powerful statement, an intriguing question, a unique product attribute shown visually, or a funny blooper.
