Thank you for making (or being in) video for our church services. Please take the time to view this video and read through the notes for your preparation. It will help improve your final product.

Check out Karl’s 7 Hints for Speaking to Camera

Preparation

  • Film the video in landscape (sideways) not portrait (normal phone mode)
  • Good lighting will improve the quality of your video. Face an outdoor window. Make sure you have more light on you than behind you. If outdoors, don’t film with strong overhead sunlight. Often the best time to film outdoors is before sunset (golden hour).
  • Check what is behind you and make sure the background is suitable.
  • Position the camera at eye level.
  • Our mobile devices produce a great video, not so great audio. Yet audio is more important than video. People don’t notice poor video if the audio is good, but they struggle with bad audio. To have the best audio try filming inside, or if outside, in an area without wind. Consider the background noise (birds, planes, cars, kids, etc). You can check it by doing a test recording and listening to what comes through).
  • Using a microphone is best. For mobile devices, you can use the phone mics often connected to an earpiece. These might work with laptops too. But if you do not have a mic, film as close to the subject as possible. Get them to speak with loud voices.
  • Don’t have the camera too close to the face. The lens makes the image a little fish-eyed, ie noses can get bigger the closer to the camera!
  • If using props watch the noise they make as it may be heard in the video. Place a blanket or towel on your desk to muffle the movement of items.

Recording

  • When you start a recording, look at the camera for two or three seconds before you speaking. This makes video editing easier.
  • When you are finished look at the camera for another two seconds before you reach for the stop button.
  • Look at the camera as much as possible.
  • Smiling before you begin and end helps the video look friendly.

Sending

  • Video files are often too large for email. We suggest you use dropbox to transfer files.
  • If you are able to name your video, use a name that identifies who recorded it and what it is. ie “JCitizenKidsTalk”