If video is the wave of the future on Social Networks, how do you go about creating a quality video with your smartphone? Well, first and foremost, there is no replacement to working with a professional videographer to create a quality profile for your company. Yet, there will be those times when you are in a setting where you need to react in the moment and want to take advantage of the opportunity to create a brief video to upload on YouTube, Vimeo or directly to Facebook.

How do you go about creating a video on the fly?

The easiest way to explain this is to create a scenario. You are at a dinner meeting where the speaker’s message is so spot on to what you would like to share with your clients and rather than share the message yourself, you would like the message to come directly from the speaker. The speaker agrees to be interviewed. What do you need to do to create the video?

You need a smartphone, something to prop up your phone so it will be on a steady surface while taping, a quiet area, and good lighting. The next part of your video on the fly is to determine the message to your audience.

The Message

What is the goal of the video? Determine the message you want to send to your audience. Like a blog your video has parts: The reason; The benefit; The body; The end, which reflects the solution to the reason.

Write down the questions you will ask the speaker to create the message for your audience. Next, find a quiet location with little to no background clutter and good lighting. It is more important to find a quiet location over good lighting. With the video corrections available, you are able to adjust the lighting but it is more difficult to eliminate background noise.

You’re ready…

The closer you and the speaker are positioned in front of the phone, the better the video will be. If you notice that the speaker moved around when at the podium or traveled across the stage, have them sit down with you for the video to avoid several retakes.

Make sure to set the phone so you can see what it is taping and can adjust the “set.”
 

Test! Yes test to make sure the video and sound are set correctly.

Create signs with key points on them that will be out of sight of the camera yet accessible to the speaker and you. They can be placed near the phone, as tents on the floor, or taped to the wall.

What if you make a mistake? Here’s a trick I use — create dead air by having both of you stop talking for about 30 seconds. Then begin the conversation again. Before publishing the video eliminate the portion that is in error with special effects available to fade in and out of the video.

Take one last look at the video to make sure the lighting and the sound is good. Review the video for errors.  Send to the speaker before publishing the video, to make sure they approve the message being shared. Make sure to credit the speaker and link the video to their site.

Once approved, share the video on your website and all your social networks. The most important thing about creating videos on the fly is to be prepared. Again, this should never replace videos for your business created by videographer who have the proper equipment and environment and training.

Get involved with the video craze that’s happening on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to name three of the major social networks who are making it easy to post videos.

Alyse Mitten, owner of Interlace Communications, Inc., helps small to mid-size businesses with online and print marketing solutions. Visit www.gomaava.com to learn more about their services. For more information contact Alyse @ 610.914.0142.