logo

The Best Videos Always Have These Things

Camera

We all know when we’re watching a good video. It moves us in some way. It makes us feel, or think, or laugh.

But what about a great video?

What about the best videos?

The best videos are the ones that make you forget you’re watching a video. They never interrupt your experience of the video itself. And they elicit that universal “yes” we all want to feel.

But what does that really mean?

The average viewer doesn’t notice, but it means that all the various technical and creative elements used to create the video are working together – fluidly and seamlessly.

But let’s break it down even further. The best videos always have these important elements.

The basics.

All of this should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway:

  • Sweetened, leveled audio
  • Proper color correction
  • No errant cuts or other basic errors

A video simply can’t be amazing if it lacks these fundamental components. No exceptions.

Beautiful footage.

This might seem obvious, but you want your footage to be stunning. You need it to jump off the screen with color and clarity.

To capture gorgeous footage, start with excellent lighting. If your video has interviews, you want your subjects to be lit appropriately for the look or the mood that you are going for. The ideal lighting feels effortless – it’s the kind that you don’t realize is professional lighting. You want your subjects to look natural, bright, and attractive. Put people in their best light, literally.

Movement.

Action is critical. No one wants to watch an endless take of a talking head. Unfortunately, that’s often what happens in corporate videos, when you’re capturing people’s stories, often consisting of interviews in a stationary setting.

Introducing movement into your video makes it instantly more lively and interesting. There are a number of tools out there to pull this off: gimbals, drones, sliders, dollies... the possibilities are nearly endless. If you’re able to incorporate them (when the story calls for it), go for it.

Even the most mundane subjects can be transformed by motion. Look for simple ways to make your video more dynamic.

If you’re shooting a beautiful finished plate of food on a table, why just record a static shot of it on a tripod? Why not put the camera on a slider and pan the camera around the plate while you slide from left to right? Or why not use a slider push-in mixed with a rack focus? These techniques aren’t difficult, but they bring your video to life.

The right music.

Many people underestimate how important music is. But try watching a video you love without the sound on. It’s missing something essential, isn’t it?

Music is the very first thing our video production team works on. Before we do any editing at all, we pick out the music. It’s a roadmap that guides us through the edit. It’s the foundation of the house.

Music can dictate so much of how you experience a video. It evokes emotion like nothing else. If you want people to feel happy, or sad, or nostalgic, or fearful, or any other emotion – you have to start with the music.

It also becomes your guide for timing. Once you have that perfect track for a video, build around it. Edit according to the tempo whenever possible to give your cuts (and your video overall) a rhythm your viewers can feel deep in their bones.

Also, don’t forget to change the music track throughout a video. Keep it interesting. Surprise your viewers. Don’t let them get bored or complacent. If your video is longer than the normal length of a song (say, three minutes or so), change the music halfway through, especially if the story calls for it. Remember: a good turning point needs a new music track.

A strong ending.

The grand finale is your moment to shine.

What do you want your viewers to see and hear in those last seconds? What do you want to stick with them?

Make sure your music ends on a strong note – something that packs a punch when you fade to black or show the company logo for a final time. Never just fade a song out. It’s a shortcut, and it’s not worth it.

Take the time to plan out your ending so the video concludes with a definitive moment. End the piece with purpose, and your viewers will remember it.

Need a flawlessly executed video? It’s our specialty.

Call us. We can help.