How to shoot a good video for the article contest bonus - Part 2 How to film yourself

Hello Community:

Do you want to know how to record yourself without looking like you're speaking from a cave? Are you one of those who say you ‘don't come off well on camera’? 

Today I'm going to share with you some specific tips that I learned after several years of filming interviews for television and networks. I remind you that these are tips in case you are thinking of taking advantage of the Article Contest video bonus. However, they are tips that I'm sure you can use for presenting webinars, video calls and filming yourself in general.

WHY ADD YOUR CAMERA TO THE TUTORIAL

It doesn't have to be during the whole video, but people like to see faces. It humanises us. There are numerous studies that talk about the positive impact of smiles, eyes and how much they influence the communication of a message. When a face tells us something, we pay more attention, we remember better and we understand better what we are being told.

As this is a tutorial, it is not necessary for it to appear at all times, perhaps at the beginning and at the end; but we will deal with that in the next article. 

LIGHT IS YOUR FRIEND

Whether you have a thousand euro camera, or a webcam that you got with the cereal, they will always work better with natural light. Try to rely on natural light. Even more so if you have a blind that filters the light. Light can be hard (direct sunlight) or soft (when filtered by clouds). Soft light gives a cleaner feel, creates fewer shadows and will evenly illuminate your face.

The first time I went to shoot an interview on my own, I was very lucky. The day was a bit cloudy, we were indoors and we were right next to the window. The make-up of the person to be filmed shone brilliantly and it was a very clean image. Try to take advantage of natural light when filming... but be careful not to get hard light directly in your eyes. It will make you wink your eyes like a beach patrolman looking for sharks.

Tip for the pros: if you're filming at night and you have a powerful spotlight shining in your face like the influencers do, try to create a scene with several points of light. Look for a corner (you will now read the next point) and put a small lamp in the background. That is to say: you have your face well lit and then in the background a small point of light coming from a lamp. This is called backlighting. It serves to separate the subject from the background. This is for the pros, for those who want to do it basic, just try to light your face with a main light that is not too hard, and if it is natural, the better. 

HOW TO FIND A GOOD FRAME

Here we could talk about different concepts that you may be familiar with. Tilt of the camera, air (empty space around the subject in a video), depth...

I recommend you to keep it simple.

Use a tripod/stand. Put the camera at eye level. Don't go super crazy at this point. Try to be centred, so that there is a more or less balanced air on the sides (not too far to the right or left, although obviously you will be moving as you speak). 

But above all, try to keep it clean. There should not be too much noise or distractions (for example, a bookshelf at the back full of cables or unplaced books). A background is fine, it doesn't have to be a white background. Here's what my ‘instructor’ used to tell me when I was filming interviews:

We used to shoot every day in a spot, so he always told me: "look for a natural light source and then try to place the subject with a corner in the background." The corner gives depth, but be careful that whatever is behind is discreet. It's in the background (we even used to blur it). This way we found the best set within a room.  

A good framing should be clean, balanced. This gives a sense of professionalism. Please, horizons must be straight! The first thing I see in a professional photo is to have a non-straight horizon. Of course photographers use diagonal framing on occasion, but it is very noticeable when it is an intended resource and when the camera is simply crooked because we have used the first thing we have found to hold it. 

TAKE CARE OF THE SHOT

A piece of advice: try not to let extraneous elements appear. Don't let things get in the background, don't let the desk be cluttered, etc. I'm sure you had this tip in mind.

SOUND

It's hard to believe, but this is important. You don't need to have a studio recording mastered by a professional. Just keep it in mind and don't put the washing machine on at the same time. Yes, I have had problems with sound pick-up on recordings, and it is very annoying. It has been my responsibility and I say to you: it is better to re-record at the moment than to hope that it will not be noticed in the editing. 

THE LOOK

In a tutorial we look at the camera, but not in an interview. Obviously if you record yourself doing the process live, you will be directing your gaze at the screen, but at some point (especially at the beginning and at the end) look at the camera.

Funfact: in interviews you don't look at the camera. Normally you look at the editor, sitting just to one side of the camera. 

One last piece of advice: practice scripting. Have a mental outline. You don't need to repeat or read word for word, it doesn't come naturally. Just an outline of what you are going to say. 

These are just tips. I'm sure your creativity or needs will make you adapt to your situation. That's wonderful. I hope you find them useful and soon you will have the (I think) last tutorial: short tips for good editing. 

THANK YOU! For reading me. I love reading you (and a special greeting to the English community, good luck in your contest).