11 Essential Video Production Techniques for Beginners

Whether you want to film a podcast or create a promo, a quality video is crucial, and the key is in the video production process you choose.

Producing a video from start to finish involves thought; the proper steps now will help you avoid problems. If you’re new to all this, you might wonder where to begin or where to get help.

Mosaic Media Films is here to assist with your video footage. However, we will also share some techniques to help you get started.

What Are the 3 Stages of Video Production?

There are three phases of the process of creating video content: the pre-production phase, the production, and the post-phase. These three phases are broken down into steps to help you create achievable goals.

In the pre-production part (first phase), you will develop a strategy, plan the content, scout a location, find talent, schedule your shoot, and gather the equipment.

Production is next, which requires you to shoot the video. Ensure you’re speaking directly to the audience and using the camera to tell a story.

Lastly, you have post-production. You’ll edit the video, add graphics and sound, and render the video. The finished video files will be in the right formats and qualities for distribution. Most platforms, including Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook, prefer mp4 files.

Why Video Production Stages are Crucial

There are many things to remember when filming a video with a camera. As you complete every step in the process, you’ll stick to the deadlines and budget, ensure the video hits its objectives, and require less reviewing and editing during post-production.

You should follow the process for each film you make from pre-production to post. When you do, you’ll have an engaging and compelling video that inspires trust among viewers, boosts audience engagement, and will be shared on social media.

Most people feel the pre-production phase is essential to your video content creation process. This is where you plan and cover everything. The video production process consists of everything from the pre-production process and choosing a target audience to the video editing process, video marketing, and getting feedback from the production team.

Production is the primary step, including setting up your equipment (camera), rehearsing for the shoot, and filming the video. The previous stage of the process has led up to this point. You can create a checklist to make sure you’ve covered the basics.

Depending on your video type, you may interview people, focus on capturing B-roll footage, record voiceovers, and create animations.

Finally, you have the post-production process. This type of production is the last part of the production process. You’ll be video editing, adding audio, and all the rest before distributing the film.

What Are the Different Ways of Video Production?

There are many video production options, and the top five are:

• Informational videos

• Promotional videos

• Educational videos

• Entertainment video options

• Documentary video options

What Are Examples of Production Techniques?

You’re focused on so many things when producing video footage with a camera. Here are examples of the top production techniques to consider:

1. Develop a Video Strategy

You should define the video strategy initially. Why do you want to shoot the video? You might be increasing engagement or raising brand awareness, but each aspect of this production process should share your core message and focus on the goal.

During this phase, you’ll research the audience you’re shooting for, gathering insight into the viewers, their problems, and how you can solve them.

It’s also wise to focus on the video equipment you’ll use when filming. Create a timeline, set a budget, and ensure you can build something amazing.

2. Plan the Content

Part of the video production process is figuring out what your video is about. Remember your objective, and create a creative approach for what to include. You may also write a script, depending on the video type you’re producing.

For example, a video podcast might only list points you wish to have in the discussion or some questions for the interview to promote a flowing conversation.

It’s also helpful to create a storyboard to visualize the video. This will help you plan different shots.

3. Lighting

Lighting will make or break video production. Fluorescent lights, poorly chosen locations, and lousy clothing might damage the video.

It’s possible to address specific issues when editing, but starting the shoot with premium footage is best to get the best quality possible. The goal of lighting while filming is to get the maximum capture quality.

A modern camera can automatically optimize the images in various lighting conditions. In this case, you can point and shoot and develop decent footage.

However, artificial lighting is unforgiving and harsh, so you might have to control it and place extra lights around. Generally, the cheapest and best advice is to use natural light whenever possible.

Reflectors can lift dark regions, placing the subject appropriately so that they’re facing the lighting source. You’re here to light the person instead of the background. Therefore, you don’t want a dark backdrop, even with decent lighting.

4. Sound

Bad sound is generally the most common problem with DIY video footage. Even if you use a pro-video kit, recording the sound separately and then synchronizing it within the video is best.

Generally, high-quality audio is what you want, so it’s wise to use clip microphones and add background music later.

5. Script

Sometimes, you want things to seem spontaneous, but you need the plan to know what to say within the video. Though you don’t require a script, having a few bullet points is crucial when shooting.

6. Performance

Storyboarding will help you make a deliverable message to pitch to peers and gives a better idea of the footage you need.

Rehearse everything before shooting with the camera to ensure you understand the obstacles and issues you might not have noticed earlier.

7. Shooting Tricks and Tips

Consider each shot’s composition. If you’ve got a fixed camera angle with a stationary presenter, you may not want to put them in the middle of the shot. Instead, consider the rule of thirds. This concept will help you create better-set pieces by using the aspect ratio.

Most smartphone cameras feature a grid setting with four lines across the screen. They’re the power lines, and whatever is put along them will appear well. The intersections between them are the power points, where the eyes naturally gravitate.

Therefore, it’s a good shot if the presenter is along the vertical power line and their face is right in the middle of the PowerPoint.

However, suppose the camera is static, and the presenter enters the shot. In that case, you might consider crossing your screen with a diagonal path between the power points, with the presenter being on a power line in the final shot. Generally, this requires manual focus and control.

Overall, it would be best if you didn’t cut too soon. Once you have a shot, let the camera roll a few more seconds to avoid issues with editing.

8. B-roll Footage

B-roll clips are complementary footage that will add visual interest to the primary subject. When you shoot an interview, you might consider a mid-shot of the person when they’re speaking off or to the camera.

Capturing B-roll footage is a good idea; you want as much of it as possible during the shoot. It will help you break up the monotony.

For example, you decide to interview someone about their favorite product. You could shoot them speaking in the A-roll and have additional clips showing them using that product for the B-roll footage.

It might also help to get a few close-ups of the product or locational context shots. Also, get capture shots of feet, hands, and laps. This will generally make editing much easier.

9. Post-production Value for Your Video Project

Clearly, you wish to capture the best raw footage before editing. However, there will surely be sections that let you down. Therefore, post-production is crucial.

For example, the interview subject might have twitched when speaking, or the natural lighting stopped working for you. However, the B-roll will help you!

Editing in the after-production phase is where you mix the A-footage and B-roll footage to cover any errors. Just make sure that you focus on relevant content.

Once you’ve done that, you should focus on video distribution. This is where you put the finished video for your audience to see.

YouTube is a popular free hosting option, but it doesn’t provide you with the analytics capabilities that paid-to-host does. Analytics are crucial to assess how well the video did.

10. Jump Cut

Good editing is invisible, and the audience shouldn’t notice anything strange. If you see it, then you haven’t done your job.

Therefore, the Jump Cut is one of those techniques that can help you. It erases the slip-ups, um and erm sounds, repetitions, and all the rest.

11. Smooth Soundtrack

It’s wise to select the background music before you begin editing. Then, you can use the musical beats as a template for when to cut.

Though music creates an atmosphere, you don’t want the presenter to battle against it. Instead, the sounds should complement the delivery and pace.

How to Manage Your Video Content Effectively

Understanding the video production process is crucial. With the 11 production techniques talked about today, you should have a successful video. However, it’s not easy to focus on your core message and handle all the required pre-production tasks.

If you’re having issues with pre-production or want someone to help you create videos, Mosaic Media Films can assist. We make videos that will drive results from corporate video production to suggesting video editing software. Call (512) 601-5732 for a free consult today!