Taking a few minutes to prepare before shooting the video can save you a lot of time video editing later.
When you decide to use home-grown talents instead of professional actors to shoot for a video production, the cost can easily explode way beyond budge if preparations are not done properly. Below are some tips that you can tell your talent to make the preparation effort most effective.
Rehearse many times beforehand. Scripts should be prepared, edited and well rehearsed before the take. The more preparation he makes, the more relaxed he will be during the shoot, and the better the production will turn out.
What not to wear… Wear the clothes that you feel comfortable in, but avoid distracting patterns or colors. The camera does not like black or white, or small patterns such as tweed and herringbone. Solid colors work best. Do not wear scarves or jewelries that would rub on or hit the microphone. Chunky jewelries that may hit the furniture and send off extraneous sounds should be avoided as well. The lapel-style microphones work best with collared shirts, lapel jackets and cardigan sweaters.
Location, lighting, and other set-up issues. Shoot in a big room to maximize the depth of view. Cover the window with shades to avoid sunlight. If you want to showcase the skyline view of your office, the crew can gel the windows properly for shooting, which will take some extra time. Plan plenty of time for the crew to set it up before shooting, at least an hour.
The script should sound, rather than look, good. Be aware that some nicely written sentences can sound awkward when read. Make sure the script sounds smooth and natural when read aloud. Do not Corporate brochures should not be read directly before the camera without being edited.
Prepare the talent mentally for the shooting. Tell your talent to prepare as much as possible beforehand – rehearse the script, dress properly and plan about 10 min makeup times for the makeup artist. Also tell him or her that it is going to be a professional shooting with a crew to avoid any jitters caused by unexpected elaborated shooting setup. On the day of shooting, he/she should just relax. Non-live shooting can always be edited after the production, so no need to worry about making mistakes.
Once again, relax.
