The Plan

Your plan helps people get to know you. If you are just starting out, you may want to consider using videos to get yourself or your business recognized. This is called branding. Do you have a logo that identifies your business? If your business is established, you may want to use video to promote a product or service. Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users. (Wordstream) 

Setting your Resolution

HD stands for High Definition which means the video resolution is higher than SD (standard definition). If someone wants to view your video full screen, then HD would ensure that it doesn’t become pixelated and blurry. On an android phone you set your video resolution under camera settings and on an iPhone you you usually set your video resolution under settings. Remember you can always decrease your resolution, but if you increase your resolution or the size of your video, you may have a loss of image quality. To view the video on the right at full screen size, click the 4 arrow icon on the bottom right and then to get back to this page after viewing, click it again  

Backgrounds

Be aware of what’s behind you in the video. You might be filming while standing in front of a pole or tree that looks like it’s growing out of your head. People will often shoot a vertical video by holding their camera above their head and the background becomes the floor and that presents an odd angle for the viewer. Whether you are filmimg inside or outside, try to keep your backgound clean and pleasant to look at and not so busy that your viewers are focused on the background and not on what you have to say.

Using Tripods

You’ve probably seen plenty of shaky videos on Youtube from people hand holding their cell phones. The movement from hand held selfie videos can be distracting for viewers. Using a tripod is the best thing you can do to improve your videos. There are cell phone clips that will attach to a tripod. Many tripods are light weight and can be carried, but if you don’t like carrying one, a great alternative is a flexible tripod. Some are small enough to fit in your pocket and can be wound around tree branches or set up on a surface.  

Lighting

Your camera reads the brightest part of any scene, so if the background is bright you or your subject will appear dark. Keep your subject in the light, but keep the light behind the camera. Sunlight can cause harsh shadows, so consider filming in open shade for a more pleasant appearance. If you are shooting inside you can use window or door light. You can also use a small battery operated or electric video light to brighten your subject. Be sure the light you use is calibrated for daylight. Regular light bulbs give off a yellow hue which will be recorded on film.

Better Sound

Have you ever strained to hear what people are saying in a video? Be aware of the sounds around you when you are fiilming. If you are outside, it could be dogs barking, a plane overhead or construction down the street. Another way to have your voice carry is to film using the wide angle and getting closer to the camera. You may find that sounds inside buildings are recorded on film, like a noisy furnace or refrigerator. A lavalier mic might be a good option. It will decrease the background noise while increasing the sound of your voice.    

YouCut Video Editor – Part 1

Free Video Editor from Google Play Store or the Apple Store

• Selecting Videos to Edit
• Importing Video into the Editor
• Tour of the Editor’s Layout
• Adding Video or Images Once You are Inside the Editor
• Changing the Order of Video or Image Segments
• Adding Text and Changing the Color and Font Type
• Increasing or Decreasing the Amount of Time for Text
• Watching a Playback of the First Video Segment

 

YouCut Video Editor – Part 2

 

• Trimming or Cutting the Video
• Adding an Emoji and Setting the Timing 
• Adding Music and Moving the Track
• Decreasing the Sound of Music
• Fading Music In and Out
• Viewing the Video Before Saving
• Preparing to Save Your Video and Various Settings
• Converting Your Finished Video and Saving to Your Gallery

YouCut Video Editor – Part 3

• Using Filters and the Pro Upgrade Filters
• Applying Effects and How to Delete Them
• A Tour of Emojis
• Doubling Speed or Applying Slow Motion
• Voiceover Recording and Volume Controls
• Rotating and Flipping Your Video
• Cropping for Social Media
• Moving a Sound Track and Decreasing Time