Avoid these 7 common videography and video editing mistakes

Among other things such as presentation design, Prezlab also specializes in video production, and because we notice a lot of videos that leave a lot to be desired. We thought it would be a good idea to share our insights on the 10 most common videography mistakes so that your videos look more professional rather than amateur.

01 Planning

If you do not plan to succeed, you plan to fail. Planning your videos is pivotal and can lead to a much smoother and pain-free editing process. Structure your videos and develop a script before you begin shooting. Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what needs to be done. Pull out your favorite pen and paper and write these points down. Write down where you are going to be shooting. Do you have permission to shoot there? What props and other equipment would you need? This will help you focus your energy on being more creative come shoot day.

02 Avoid constant zooming

Constant zooming is one surefire way to make your audience feel motion sick. It’s common for beginners to pick up a camera, start shooting, and zoom in on anything they see. There is nothing inherently wrong with zooming in, but keeping a smooth and steady hand is a very important characteristic of a professional-looking video.

“There are no rules in filmmaking. Only sins. And the cardinal sin is dullness.”

Frank Capra

03 Bad Audio

30% of most videos are audio, making it a critical component of your videos. Generally speaking, the inbuilt microphone on your camera will not be good enough. It’s best to consider investing in a good external microphone. A shotgun microphone will generally do a good job of picking up clear audio, and if you are doing interviews try to get the microphone as close to the subject as possible.

04 Shaky footage

Another perfect way to make people hit that thumbs-down button is to make a shaky video. Shaky footage is alright if it’s intentional, but if you are trying to show off a beautiful landscape focus on keeping the camera steady. Shoot as smoothly and steadily as possible. There are plenty of accessories out there to help you achieve this – Gimbels, tripods, etc.

05 Framing and composition

This is by far the best free way to improve the quality of your videos and make them look professional. De-clutter the background and remove as much background noise (visual noise) as possible so that the focus is on the main subject. Follow the rule of thirds when framing (not sure what that means? Learn more about it here).

06 Filming too much

This is another mistake that almost all newbies make. You show up, hit record, start filming endlessly and then try to figure it out along the way or during the editing phase. It’s a terrible strategy and goes back to planning – know what you need before you start shooting. It’s okay to take a few extra shots to give yourself some options but don’t go overboard with filming. This will save storage space and make the editing process more efficient. 

07 One shot per clip

Try to avoid shooting long clips. Instead, dedicate one shot to each clip. For example, if you need a suitable location for your next shot, stop recording and only restart recording once you find a location you are happy with. Do not keep recording while you walk around looking for the perfect location. Do not record anything without putting any thought into framing and camera movement unless it’s necessary.

Bonus tip! Lighting

Lighting is one of the best ways to improve the look of your video. Even if you don’t own a light, still think about the lighting. Try to take advantage of some free soft natural light whenever and wherever possible. Investing in a lighting setup will help take your videos to the next level. A softbox can create nice diffused lighting or LED lighting that sets a mood. Think about colors that work well together or contrast each other.

Putting these 8 tips into practice will easily improve the quality of your videos and take them to the next level. If you enjoyed this blog then you might also like our blogs about digital marketing and 3 Ways to get people talking about your brand.