So, why is a professional video production company trying to tell people how to make their own videos when you can just come to us? We’re a small business and would like to help other small businesses out with these five useful and valuable tips on how you can make and distribute online videos if you can’t hire a professional.
1. PRE-PRODUCTION
Story & Message:
Figure out what exactly you’re looking to create. Whether it’s a testimonial video, video blog, text & animation (PowerPoint) video, all of these need to have a clear and concise vision with a script or outline.
Start by brainstorming your ideas on a piece of paper. And ask yourself the following questions: What is the most important elements of your message? How do you want to organize them? How will they be presented on camera? 
All of our videos begin with a script and then move to a shot list and storyboard. You can do this on a smaller scale and then add and remove elements. Another thing to keep in mind when planning your video is the target length and audience. 2-3 minutes is the best length for any online video. You want to engage your audience and get them to keep watching your video. For some length tips check out our post on the ideal length for videos.
Once you have all of this figured out, you can move on to the production phase.
2. PRODUCTION
Location and Set-Up:
Choose locations that best represent your company and what you are all about. Show your company’s environment, interactions with customers/consumers, and essentially what it’s like to work with you.
How to Make Your Office Look Like a Studio:
There’s some great equipment out there to make your video look professional. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to achieve great results. Think about an office or conference room, which might make a suitable backdrop. Lighting and professional microphones can also go along way.
Digital video cameras create a professional format but may be pricey. Those video features on your smart phone may not be very professional, but it is an option if your budget is low– just don’t have a shaky hand. Keep your sound clear and try to avoid muffled background noises. One program, Audacity, is a free sound recorder and editor that exports the audio into mp3 files. So, if you can you may want to splurge for a simple $500 HD camera that will likely come with an input jack for a microphone, a high-speed USB port to transfer the video to your computer and other very useful accessories that will make editing much easier.
We like to use Sony EX 1 and the Canon 5D or 7D SLRs, which are more stylistic and better for different focal lengths. On the higher end, we like to use our C300 Canon, which is the best camera to use for corporate shoots. With so many options out there it can get confusing to choose which camera to use. You can contact McElroy Films if you would like to know more about what to buy and what would work best for your company.
3. POST-PRODUCTION: EDITING
Editing programs can be pricey, so be careful when choosing the right ones. There are a couple of ways to go about this. First, look at the simple options such as iMovie or even YouTube’s cloud-based video editor. For more advanced program, you can try a 30-day free trial, such as with the program, Chamtasia 7, so you can see if the program is right for you. We use Final Cut Studio to get the most professional results and can certainly give you more insight into tips and tricks of editing.
Banding:
You need to think about banding when it comes to titles and graphics. Make sure they have universal fonts and sizes. Edit the audio so it’s understandable and make sure the voice doesn’t compete with the music.
Background Music:
Add some nice background music to create a professional feel. Check out royalty free music. Royaltyfreemusic.com offers over 10,000 high-quality, royalty-free stock music tracks to choose from.
DVD Authoring:
Consider DVD Authoring, which is the process of creating a DVD video capable of playing on a DVD player. This may also consist of adding menus with play and chapter scene buttons. This will also come in handy in the marketing process.
Compressing and Uploading to YouTube:
Larry Jordan has terrific website that walks you through step by step on how to compress and upload your videos to YouTube.
5. DISTRIBUTE THE VIDEO: SEO & MARKETING
SEO:
The title of your YouTube Video is crucial when trying to take full advantage of your SEO. You want people to find and watch your video, so use good SEO.
Check out the blog we wrote about How to Create Good SEO for YouTube, which gives you four simple points to follow.
Create a Blog:
Use WordPress, Blogger, or any other type of blog publishing service to embed your video and get it up all over the Internet. These sites are easy to use and each provides online tutorials on how to get started. Again, a blog is a great way for more people to find your video. Make sure to upload/update it regularly and you’ll likely attract a core audience.
Social Media:
The best and easiest way to distribute newly created video content is online through social media. Export your video to YouTube, Tweet about it, Facebook it, get it out there! McElroy films utilizes YouTube, Facebook, as well as a professional website to post videos. We find that these are the most effective ways to get videos out to the public. Creating a page for your business on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media websites and releasing content on there is a good way to expand as well.
Now that you’ve got the gist of it, you can begin planning your own video. And if you have any questions at all, contact us at 781.229.5900.