Video is a beast of an undertaking. Every element: pacing, storytelling, lighting, etc. must be working in top form to achieve a truly successful result. Here are five quick and free ways to improve your video work.
As photographers and videographers, we get caught in thinking that improvement means spending money, when really, there are so many adjustments we can make with what we already have that will have a huge impact on the output. For example, one item I particularly appreciated in this list was the emphasis on music and sound choice. As someone who has scored films, maybe I'm a bit more sensitive to sound's connection with visual elements, but music can make or break a video for me, and I think it's well worth taking the time to find exactly the right track for a video and to edit both to achieve a level of synchronicity (without excessive Mickey Mousing). Beyond that, paying attention to your lighting, learning your software to its full potential, planning your shots around the edits and storyline you want, being sure to have motion, and paying attention to the time and location of shots can all improve your video work quite dramatically in no time.
Do you have any quick tips? Share them in the comments!