VideoRetailer.org - Exploring the Intersection of Video and e-Commerce.

Holding the camera’s the easy part! Here are some tips to speed up the editing process and increase your video production productivity.

1. Buy a good camera

There are dozens of good cameras available on the market to create your videos. One thing to keep in mind if the fact that videos on your site will typically be 320×240 pixels, which do not require high-definition. However, we recommend buying good camera (HD typically) because they will give you more editing options. Also, try to get a camera with a hard-drive, as opposed to tapes.

2. Use a microphone

Sound is an important part of your videos. You need to use a mike at all times when recording your clips. Wireless or wired mikes typically run under $100. It’s an excellent investment.

3. Prepare what you’re going to say

It’s good to be spontaneous but your imagination and creativity will likely wear off after you have assembled a few videos for your site. Prepare your points ahead of time for each video, and try to be concise when delivering your message.

4. Limit to number of products or points per video

Your viewers have limited attachment span and in general, it’s best to limit sequences to 1 or 2 minutes when filming for eCommerce applications.

5. Starting and stopping the camera

If you are filming product video clips, start filming your anchor a few seconds before she starts talking, then stop a few seconds after she’s done. This will give you some additional editing flexibility down the road.

6. Single-sequence clips work well

When presenting a product you may decide to cut your video clip in two sequences (general frame then zoomed-in), sometimes even more. A highly effective approach that’s been successfully implemented with our clients is to shoot single-sequence clips instead. These are generally shorter, more focused - and it also greatly increases the number of videos you will be able to create a day.

7. Use noise reduction

Even with a good mike you will still need to do some noise reduction on your clips while editing. Adobe Premiere has an excellent Noise Cancelation feature that works perfectly for clearing out all the background noise.

8. Take lots of notes while filming

Another great productivity idea! Write down some basic information about any clip sequence you are filming. Simple notes such as “Keep”, “Delete”, “Not sure if this will work on the site” will save your editors tons of time since in a typical production day you’ll create hundreds of small clips.

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