It’s tempting, I know. Just YouTube “how to make a company brand video” . Your boss is always talking about budget cuts, so you can save the day. You can borrow your friend’s new DSLR that does video. Your cousin has a nice microphone you can use, and your new Macbook has the latest version of iMovie. And you’re pretty creative so coming up with a good idea will be easy. So, what could go wrong, right? Well, not necessarily.

Problem #1: You’ve Never Done This Before

No, I’m not talking about taking out your cell phone and hitting the record button. That doesn’t count. I’m talking about actually making a real video. There is a lot more to making a great video than just having a nice camera. It’s not as simple as just hitting record and just “winging” it. Producing professional quality videos takes lots of time, practice and equipment; three things most first-timers don’t have.

Problem #2: You Don’t Know How to Use A Video Camera

Unless you’re using a cell phone or video is a hobby of yours, most likely you’ve never really used a video camera. It takes more than just having a nice camera to get high quality results. You actually have to know how to use all the settings on the camera. Things like white balance, shutter speed, ISO, F-Stop, and focusing are just a few concepts you would need to know what they are and how to adjust to produce high quality video.

Problem #3: You Don’t Have Any Other Equipment

Have you ever watched any “Behind The Scenes” segments of your favorite movie or TV show? How many of them just use a single camera and no other equipment? I can answer for you, none. That’s because to achieve professional quality you have to have more than just a nice camera. You need other things such as audio recorders, lights and other support gear. This stuff alone can cost thousands of dollars, so I don’t suggest going out and splurging.

Problem #4: You’ve Never Tried Video Editing

This is probably one of the most difficult aspects of video production. You have to take everything you have shot and put it all together into a video you hope people will actually watch. It’s much more difficult than dumping all of your footage into iMovie and hitting export. It takes lots of training and practice to edit professional quality videos. It’s not something you can just pick up in an afternoon.

So, I don’t mean to intimidate you, but these are just a few reasons why we don’t recommend trying video production on your own. So, whether your company is making their first, or next, video we are always here to help make your video great!

 

Check out our other blog post about the costs of professional video production here!