You Shoot We Edit Video Services. the simple answer is, You Shoot the video, then DW Video does the edit.  In today’s world of connecting with customers a consistent mix of messages need to be sent out on your behalf.  Contact Duane with any questions you may have. 

Shooting the video is usually the easy part.  Especially with the quality coming off today’s phones.  Editing and wrapping your brand message around it, takes time.  Time that may be better spent with you ‘Taking Care of Business’.  

As a video producer our bag of tricks, equipment and techniques is huge.  However, for the most part you may not need all of that. This is where the We Edit part comes into play.  Once you have the video (see Lighting and Composition Tips below) send it to a cloud based platform like Dropbox and share the folder with us.

Our job and what we do best is clean up the edit, add titles, logo and additional b-roll if needed.  You run a business, it may not be a million dollar venture yet, but you need to look professional and have a strong brand identity and message.  

Let’s take a look at Producing Tips for your next video:

1. Use a Script keep it short and to the point.  people do not want to hear you talk and talk and not get to the point.
2. Be Concise, the beauty of video is they see what you are teaching.
3. Audio is 90% of a good video.  Pay close attention to background noise, radios, chatter etc.
4. Are you doing this in front of background or on-site. What is pleasing to the audience.
5. Set up your scene: Long Shot or as it is called an establishing shot.  This lets the viewer know where you are. Then use close-ups and medium shots as needed to tell the story.
6. Use two cameras and sync in editing.  One can be your establishing shot and one covering the close ups.  If you only have one camera, then shoot the scene from multiple angles to get your shots.  Pay close attention to match cuts so the edit is smooth.
7. Lighting: depending on what you are doing, will natural light work or do you need additional lighting?
8. Use your script and outline as a guide to make sure you have captured all the shots before leaving the site.
9. Create additional graphics, animations, images that fit within your script and story.
10. Edit – putting it all together.  This is time consuming but where you see the video come to life.  From script to real.
11. Distribution.  Are you streaming this?  Providing DVD’s or on thumb drives?  Setting up a dropbox or similar account that your people can download.

You Shoot We Edit Video Services Tips: (these are not in any order – just good overall tips for shooting better video)

1. For professional video hold your phone horizontally (landscape mode) so you get the full 1920 X 1080 HD look.

• Vertical Shooting (portrait mode) is good for video chats and some live social media platforms.  For me, whenever I see a business shoot this way, it looks cheap and not professional. First impressions and your brand are key.

1.  Frame your shot well.  For the most part frame the objects to the left or right of center.  For example a golfer that is teeing off. Place them more to the side with the open area the direction the ball is going to go.  
2. If you are shooting for editing later. Using our Golfer as an example. Begin with a WIDE SHOT.  This wide shot is known as the establishing shot – begin back a ways to show the person walking up to the tee off area.  Tells the viewer where you are. Then if you can, re-shoot each scene as a MEDIUM SHOT which may be half as close as the open shot. Showing the person, head to toe as they do their practice swing.  You can see the full swing. Then a CLOSE UP SHOT. This can be of a person’s face, the area near the golf ball as the club head goes by the ball, shot of the hands and the grip. Then maybe a couple EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOTS.  Tight on the ball as it is hit. In tight on their face as they watch where the ball goes. Then back to a WIDE SHOT over their shoulder looking down the fairway to again establish what just happened. 
3. Resist the urge to over use the zoom. To much zoom and people get motion sickness and it cheapens the look of your production. 
4. I came up with the term: Slow, Smooth and Steady when teaching High School students how to shoot video.  When you pan (turning the camera left and right) or tilting (looking up or down) do it slowly. Do it with a smooth flow and be steady in your motion.  If you are going for a professional look, remember the three S’s. Slow, Smooth and Steady.
5. Use a Tripod whenever possible.
6. Do you want sound with that?  Audio is 90% of a good video. If your viewer cannot hear what you are saying, there is too much wind noise for example this is very distracting. Adding a Lavalier Mic or Shotgun Mic to your camera will take care of most of this.

The closer the camera is to the subject usually the better the audio. 

1. Be aware of what is in the background.  Pop cans, unwanted posters or messaging, stacks of papers and people can all cause distractions to the viewer. 
2. LIGHTING – cameras need light, this light adds features to your face.  There are many ways to do this. One big no no is do not place your subject in front of a window.  The backlighting will darken your image. Not using enough light (place in the right places), your video will look like an amateur shot it.  Remember this is your brand you are protecting – do not go cheap on this aspect.
3.   Practice, Practice, Practice.  This not only goes for shooting the video.  Also pay attention to how you carry yourself on camera.  BTW, most people do not like the way they look on camera BUT, it this is your business, no one sells it better than you.  You are the expert. Take time to feel comfortable in front of the camera. This takes practice. Remember with the You Shoot We Edit approach, take 2 is a good thing.

Accessories to consider.  We are not endorsing anybody here.  (Used as examples only)

LED Lights

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Pieces-Bi-color-Video-Light/dp/B06XW3B81V/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2OIG8TGMHFJTX&keywords=video+lighting&qid=1574372481&s=electronics&sprefix=video+lighitn%2Celectronics%2C166&sr=1-5

Soft Lights https://www.amazon.com/HPUSN-Professional-Photography-Continuous-Reflectors/dp/B07NBP6D98/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2OIG8TGMHFJTX&keywords=video+lighting&qid=1574372616&s=electronics&sprefix=video+lighitn%2Celectronics%2C166&sr=1-3

Portable Lights

https://www.amazon.com/Dimmable-Digital-Camcorder-Panasonic-Samsung/dp/B004TJ6JH6/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=portable+video+lighting&qid=1574372788&s=electronics&sr=1-17

Mics for phones (this can be tricky as phones are changing all the time – check the model of phone you have before making a purchase)

https://www.amazon.com/CVM-SIG-LAV-V05-MI-Omnidirectional-Microphone/dp/B07NQ91QNZ/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?ac_md=4-3-QWJvdmUgJDUw-ac_d_pm&crid=30XGD49G75PSM&keywords=lav+mic+for+iphone&pd_rd_i=B07NQ91QNZ&pd_rd_r=26ba5648-90c3-4149-8d4c-d09a5a71d223&pd_rd_w=UAQ2j&pd_rd_wg=PWTus&pf_rd_p=24d053a8-30a1-4822-a2ff-4d1ab2b984fc&pf_rd_r=1FWR0REE1YEJC9T8ZG3Z&psc=1&qid=1574372889&sprefix=lav+mic+for+iphone%2Caps%2C187

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Smartphones%EF%BC%8CNoise-Cancelling-Recording-Conference/dp/B07TB8PX1V/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?ac_md=1-0-VW5kZXIgJDIw-ac_d_pm&crid=30XGD49G75PSM&keywords=lav+mic+for+iphone&pd_rd_i=B07TB8PX1V&pd_rd_r=cc80d84f-3f9f-4220-b871-fff288d6a033&pd_rd_w=37SLj&pd_rd_wg=68cPk&pf_rd_p=24d053a8-30a1-4822-a2ff-4d1ab2b984fc&pf_rd_r=BFZZSWAEWNB4VES1ZY72&psc=1&qid=1574372922&sprefix=lav+mic+for+iphone%2Caps%2C187

Audio Recorder (great for running pro mics into and syncing the audio tracks to the video through editing)

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-4-Channel-Recorder-Windbuster-Adapter/dp/B01GOUVLZM/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=zoom+recorder&qid=1574373097&s=electronics&sr=1-8

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Alvoxcon-Recording-Conference-Interview/dp/B07TV7J574/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=cordless+mic+for+phone&qid=1574373187&s=electronics&sr=1-11

Training

One key element to this approach is when you are working with DW Video for You Shoot and We Edit is we will train you.  Train you with your camera/phone. Your success is ours. So before you go out and shoot your video, take time to learn.  We are here to help.  

There is so much that can go into a video.  Your message needs to be clear, the images in focus and the storytelling concise. Have fun.

AUTHOR You Shoot We Edit Video Services:

Duane Weed, Video Producer since 1983

Cameraman, Editor, Director, Concept guy and even carries and sets up his own equipment.

https://dwvideo.com

Video Blogs produced by DW Video:  Buy Local Michigan  Welcome to my basement Jus Jammin  MI Basement Session