Adding production value in front of the camera is vital to ensuring that your video looks its best. If you have to choose between nicer catering and a good makeup and hair artist, pick the latter. Everything from wardrobe, props, to location and how polished your talent is helps to determine whether or not your video is putting out the right message.
While it seems like a talent’s wardrobe isn’t vital, it will reflect on how your organization or business is viewed. Everything in front of the lens presents your brand and you want to make sure what you’re showing is what you value. Match your talent’s wardrobe with the image and style you would like to see your brand project. Beyond ‘image’ there are practical reasons to make sure that one’s wardrobe works. You don’t want busy patterns or stripes distracting viewers, or particular colours clashing with the background you have chosen. Your producer can supply you with some useful suggestions. It is also helpful to keep some extra shirts on hand in case someone spills a drink or the colour they come in just doesn’t work.
In the case of hair and makeup, you would be surprised at the difference a professional artist can make. Plus, being made over often helps talent feel more prepared to go in front of the camera and really adds to the production experience for them. This is especially true of amateur talent who may have never been on a set before.
When you start to think about props, remember that using them is dependant on your subject matter. Any product demonstrations definitely require the product, but there are other items you may need to create the right feeling on your set. Something as simple as a few pens to scatter on a desk, or a laptop for someone to sit behind may work for you. No matter what you use, keep a list and make sure everything is on hand the day of the shoot.
Lastly, the location you choose really makes the shoot. Working with your producer you can either choose a location in advance or suggest some ideas so that the video crew can scout out what might work. We’ll get more into how to pick a location in another post.
Below is a video that has focused on putting production value in front of the lens. Can you spot the elements that involved the suggestions above?
Mabel’s Labels – Animal Sound Labels from Atomic Spark on Vimeo.
