Videos content are the most popular form of content in 2016.
Videos are the future, it’s a given because of the ease of taking one and it’s ability to be more expressive than text, audio or images. If you are new to the term Velfie, this is what it is. Velfie = Video+Selfie.
The selfie took the world by storm and was introduced to the dictionary in the year 2014.Having said that, most young people have taken to the craze of properties like Dubsmash and Velfie.
Velfie videos have gained in popularity because of their abilities to make the user look good and share it with their friends. People are appreciated for their quality of their Dubsmash and Velfie videos. A lot of users take special effort in making the Velfie look good. Although the camera quality has considerable Improved and made the life of video creators much easy, there are some tips not known to the general people and we thought we will list those tips down for the other users as well.
The main factors of a Video are the Sound and Visual. So here are some tips that help you take better Velfie Videos.For today’s tips, we take a look at some of the best in the business in Velfie’s and they are the Youtube stars.
Practical tips for Video bloggers to record better selfie videos
Background.
A lot has been said about the Background of videos and some say blogs suggest having a plain background, although that is good advice, it does sometimes give a boring look to your video. We take a look at Youtube superstar Casey Neistat’s video and see that his background is cluttered with a lot of things, but it’s blurred! This gives it a not so boring background but also focuses on Casey.
The next case in point is of Superwoman’s Lily Singh. She also has a cluttered background and it isn’t blurred, but the lighting in her videos are pointed at her and throw no light in the background which makes her stand out and make her glow!
So there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the background as long as you can make it work. Though. to save yourself from confusion, here is the simple role: Record video selfies with plain background or anything that doesn’t distract the audience from main object of the video, that is you!
Light
One of the first phrases in the Bible is ‘Let there be light’.
This cannot be truer for a Velfie as light plays a major role in having good production value. What kind of light do you need? Again, a lot of blogs just suggest a lot of light, but that isn’t true in a lot of cases.
What if you had to take a Velfie on your camping trip in the night? There cannot be any other light in that case. So for morning shoots, it’s best to have natural light as it’s just the perfect amount of light for the camera which adjusts it’s aperture according to the light that is sent in.
Take a look at Lily Singh’s video with over 10 million views that uses Natural Light.
In the dark, when using artificial light, a light with a yellow tinge really gives a look. White unnatural light looks a bit fake compared to that of a yellow. Take this example of yellow light used in a Dubsmash video.
Light on the subject is also super key. When you are taking a video make sure light falls on you that will help with you being the focus on not everything else around you. A sharp light that is focused on your face will enhance your features on the camera and make you look sharper and people will be able to see your features better. If you have low light issue, do check out Chatlight, which is an innovative product for front camera recording.
Movement and Steadiness
Most of the time while taking videos, a movement is involved. But cameras need to adjust to those movements and many a time they do not succeed in this endeavor.
Take an example of panning. A lot of people pan while taking videos to show their viewers the entire scene. This is a small movement for us, but a giant movement for the camera which has to adjust to the rapid changing scene in seconds.
Use Equipment.
Equipments are dime a dozen do these to give extra support to our camera work. A steady cam equipment like the one helps you give better grip by holding the larger handle and letting you take control of your phone. You can of course buy high-end gadgets to ensure your videos look steady but to start with even a decent smartphone tripod is enough. In coming days I will share some of the best equipments you can buy for video blogging.
- Shooting Without equipment.
If you need to pan and take a steady shot. Make sure you hold the phone with both hands close to your body, and keep your arms steady. Also, your knees should not be locked and you should swivel with your hips.A lot of movement related techniques come through practice and it can be learnt.
Avoid the Portrait Mode & use Landscape mode.
This is a rookie mistake when taking Velfies. Although taking a video selfie in portrait mode is far easier. It is important to use the landscape mode because of the depth and reach and also watching videos on the phone are best through the landscape mode. Look at the two examples below. The first screen grab only takes the middle portion of the screen but the second one is distributed and gives a broader visual which is a better experience.
Audio quality: Without good audio your video sucks!
Sound is a major component in a Video selfie. You can have a great video, but if the quality of the sound is bad, your video’s experience is lost. Imagine watching a Star Wars movie without any sound.
The best tip for having good audio is, avoid any sort of distracting noise. The biggest culprit is the fan. The fan pushes win towards the phone and muffles your voice while talking. The best is to put the fan off.
Most of us live in cities, so it’s difficult to avoid vehicle noises, and the sounds of other humans speaking and interacting. The best is to plan the timing of your video where the least noise is expected. Taking the video is a closed room is also a solution but make sure it does not echo.
Another strategy for trying to cut as much as possible video is to try to cover the audio hole with your hand and cup it towards your audio source. I use Rode smartlav+ Mic for Smartphone (iPhone + Android) & it makes the sound pretty crisp. See the below video to see the audio quality in action.
Bonus tips to improve the selfie videos:
Blur because of the screen guard
This is a problem that I’ve encountered personally. My Phone’s Android phone’s screen guard happened to cover the front camera, which blurred the Image and made it hazy. When you put on a screen guard, make sure there is a opening for the front camera. This was a bad experience because I had to remove my old screen guard.
Do not zoom in
Zooming in is one of the fastest ways to reduce the production quality of your videos. Zooming technology pixelates your video considerably and makes it grainy. If videos are pixelated at this day and age, then nobody will see your content. With 720p being the standard, avoid pixelating your video with the zoom.
Be generous with your expressions – Use that Face
One thing I’ve noticed with the camera is, it does not capture all the subtle expressions that you can notice in real life. This is true because our eyes have zooming in capabilities and nuances that cannot be got in a camera in the present day.
So when you are taking a selfie video, make sure your expressions are exaggerated slightly, otherwise it comes out looking expressionless. When you smile, smile generously.
Remember, ‘Smile when you are on camera’
I’m still experimenting & learning to take good videos with Smartphone & DSLR. In coming days, I will keep sharing my learning & experiences to help you improve your videos too. Do make your first video selfie & share the link with us in comment section below.
Hope these tips have been useful to you to take video selfies as much as we’ve had fun making this article. For now, if you want to share a tip or two, do let us know in the comment section below.
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