18 Video Production Tips To Get Better At Creating Videos

To create videos, you need some basic gear, a bit of planning, and a few simple tricks to get started. We've put together some video production tips that helped us create better content without spending tons of money. These are the same techniques many YouTubers use to make their videos look good.

Part 1. 18 Video Production Tips - From Planning to Marketing

1. Plan Your Video With a Clear Goal

How do you become good at making videos? First, map out your full video idea. When making an ad, short film, vlog, or music video, draw all scenes on a storyboard to see how they come together.

This helps you see what your final video might look like, plan your best shots, and stay on track during filming. For live events, you can't control what happens, but good planning still helps you capture the right moments.

2. Write a Good Script

The script makes your video work by telling the story. It shifts focus, adds drama, and shows details that keep people watching.

That's why you need to put real feelings into what you're making! Pick a topic viewers connect with, throw in some problems or challenges, and end with a good solution that ties things up nicely.

Once you have a draft of your script, read everything out loud to catch awkward phrases. Then, time yourself to make sure it fits your planned video length (usually about 150 words equals one minute of talking).

3. Keep the Backdrop Simple

You think you can film almost anywhere now! But you shouldn't! People quickly get distracted, and if your background is too busy or unrelated to the video, it can pull their attention from you or your message. This is especially true if you are shooting indoors.

Also, always make an effort to find a simple backdrop that won't compete with your subject. You can use a solid color, a simple office setting, and a plain wall. Remember to keep a few feet away from the wall so your shadow won't cast shadows on it.

4. Select A Good Location

When shooting outside, pick a good spot since it changes your light, sound, and video feel. Always check out the place before filming to spot issues like wind, noise, or not enough room for your gear.

Also, don't forget to get the okay to film there, especially at businesses or parks. Many people have been kicked out mid-shoot because they didn't ask first.

5. Set Up Good Lighting

Good lighting needs to be at the top of your list! Pick out what lights you need before you start filming. Also, figure out where to put them so you don't get weird shadows on people's faces.

Let's say you're filming indoors, and the sunlight is not giving you enough room. To fix this, you can use a fluorescent, LED, or ring light or even a beauty dish to improve the surroundings. Place your main light at a 45-degree angle to your subject, then add a softer fill light on the opposite side to reduce harsh shadows.

In the case of outdoor video, check the weather forecast and then choose a day and the time when the sun is up.

6. Get Good Talent

Not everyone feels okay when a camera points at them, and this can really mess up your video shoot. Try to pick someone who's done similar stuff to what you're making now.

Camera shyness is one thing, but also make sure they can memorize the lines, speak and act normally in front of the camera, show emotions, and fully understand what you need from them.

7. Improve Your Frame and Composition

Now, here comes the part that matters the most: Production.

The rule of thirds is the most important cinematic video production tip. It's about where you put things in the frame.

You can break down the scenes into thirds, vertically and horizontally, to create a grid-like setup and then place the subjects along those dividing lines or where they cross.

For example, if you're filming a person talking, don't put them dead center in the frame. Instead, position them slightly to the left or right of the center, with their eyes roughly a third of the way down from the top of the frame.

8. Keep Your Camera Steady Shots

If there's one way to tell your viewers that you are an amateur, it's shaky footage. It can also make it hard for people to focus on what you're showing, and not to mention some might feel seasick or motion sick.

To avoid this, place your camera on a tripod, monopod, or gimbal while shooting your video. If you want to zoom in or add a movement, keep it consistent.

9. Get Good Sound

You may shoot the most beautiful video ever, but your viewers may totally lose interest if they can't hear you right.

It is best to use a dedicated mic like a lapel or lavaliere for sit-down interviews and a boom setup for big production. Also, check if your microphone has a muffler on it to reduce plosive sounds and prevent it from picking up background noises. These are types of wind muffs that work great in outdoor shoots, too.

10. Shoot Extra Footage

The most common mistake newbies make is they just film what is needed and get frustrated in post-production. You can't get the perfect shot in every frame, so try to capture more and discard the rest in the editing phase.

Another way is to plan to film each scene at least three times. This way, every take may capture slightly different energy, timing, or delivery, and you can choose which one goes best with your content in the late phase.

And don't forget to go for B-roll. Don't know what that is? Well, "B-roll" refers to supplemental or alternative footage that complements the main footage (A-roll) to add context, visual interest, and smooth transitions.

This technique works great in documentary films or interviews because nobody wants to see one person talking to the camera all the time. When you add a B-roll, you can transition to visually interesting footage and shift back to the main one without putting off the focus from the person.

11. Experiment With Different Angles

Besides taking multiple shots, do experiment with different angles, too. This way, you can add some perspectives and moods to your videos.

Experienced filmmakers do that! They usually use over-the-shoulder, high, low, wide, close-up, and bird's eye angles to add some drama to their content.

For example, you can use a high angle to make someone seem vulnerable or show a fuller scene. The low angle, or as some call it, the "Heroic" angle, on the other hand, highlights the power or importance of your content.

12. Use Manual Focus

Autofocus on your camera is quite a handy feature that does much of the heavy lifting. However, it can sometimes shift the focus to something else, even if you don't want it to, or "hunt" back and forth, which ruins your entire shot.

Manual focus is your savior here! That's because you get to choose exactly what you want to be in focus. You simply set it up, and it stays that way. In fact, you can also use it to add some cool effects to your video, such as rack, pull, or follow focus.

13. Color Correct Your Video

If you are using more than one camera to record your video, they may capture colors differently. You may notice one looks bluer while the other shot is more yellow.

This happens because cameras see color temperature differently (even if they are from the same brand).

The fix is pretty simple! Set the "white balance" on all your cameras before you start filming. This keeps the colors more constant and the video professional. It also saves you time later when you're editing your raw clips.

14. Apply Cinematic Techniques

Another key aspect of any video production is applying varied cinematic techniques. Your basic camera movements, exposure & light, transitions, and composition play a huge part in highlighting what you are showing and how well you want to communicate the emotions.

You can pick a couple of techniques that tell your story better and apply them to your video. For instance, you can add a pan (horizontal) or tilt (vertical) movement to introduce your subject or show a tall building.

With this approach, your viewers stay hooked, and their focus remains on the subject.

15. Stick to a Time Limit

Believe it or not, the "Duration" of your scenes and entire video should be on the top of your moodboard or list!

Why? If your scenes are too long, your viewers simply lose interest, and if they are too short, they may make it difficult to know what you are trying to convey your message.

So what's the solution here? A good rule of thumb is to keep your shots between 5 to 10 seconds unless the topic is really interesting and needs more time to capture.

16. Organize Your Files

Since you've captured multiple shots, you may end up with many video clip files, along with music & sound effects, transcripts (if you want to add captions), project files, and graphics.

If you just add them to a folder without organizing them, it's going to be a nightmare to find anything later during the editing process.

To avoid this, create a folder on your device. Then, create sub-folders in it, name them with each file and date, and save your assets there.

17. Do the Final Edits

After capturing the video, it is time to edit it to make it exactly look like you want. For this purpose, you can use a video editor like HitPaw Edimakor to do more than just good.

You can crop, split, or trim your entire video to keep the fun bits and add smooth transitions between them. Remember to also look at the audio elements to ensure no distortions are present. If your camera fails to do its job, you can pan and zoom the video correctly.

The point is you can do a ton of stuff to overcome the issue you may have experienced while filming without knowing.

18. Market Your Video

Here comes the last part: post your videos on different platforms.

Getting your video seen takes work but pays off. Start by picking the right platforms to share it based on who you want to watch it. YouTube and Facebook work in most cases because you can post long videos without any restrictions.

On the flip side, TikTok and IG reels are better for short clips. While at it, post the link of your video to every social platform and do the same on community forums that host the audience you need. Tags in all of these social platforms also help people find your content when they search for related topics.

Your video thumbnail and title matter a lot - they're what makes someone click or scroll past. Good ones tell what the video is about and look interesting.

Part 2. Bonus Tip: Enhance Your Videos with HitPaw Online Video Enhancer

So you've done the hard work! You've captured the video, edited it, and it's ready to be seen. However, there's one more thing left to do: enhance it with HitPaw Online Video Enhancer.

This tool analyses your video and gets rid of all the visual imperfections in one click using its AI models.

• Face Model: Improve the faces of people in the video that a low-end camera may fail to do on its own.
• Color Enrichment: Add more color depth to your videos.
• General Denoise: Fix granny and blurry footage in an instant.
• Low-Light Enhancement: Improve the brightness level of your certain clips.
• Colorize: Convert a few clips into black and white to add a classic feel.
• Enhance Resolution: Upscale the video resolution up to 8K.

Part 3. FAQs of Video Production Tips

Conclusion on Video Production Tips

In this article, we've discussed 18 video production tips for planning, creating, editing, and marketing your video. These guidelines are the basis of making a great video. With time and practice, you'll get better with each video.