8 Tips for Creating Better Videos

Do you struggle with creating videos of your family? What about when you’re traveling? Do you have oodles of footage on your phone only you don’t know what to do with it? When you follow some of these tips, it will make creating videos of your family easier, fun, and a treasured memory to last a lifetime.

Use the Camera You Have

These days, you don’t have to run out and buy the most expensive camera. Granted, there are plenty of nice options, both as video cameras such as a GoPro, or a combination DSLR with video capabilities.

However, your phone also likely creates amazing videos. Phones have come so far even in the last five years. Don’t let having only a phone or lack of professional video equipment stop you from creating videos of your family memories.

Create a Plan

Have you ever heard the term storyboarding? It’s what filmmakers use to get an idea for the shot by shots of a film.

Now I’m not saying for your family travel videos you need to create a shot by shot storyboard. However, to get you out from behind the camera and have time to enjoy yourself, have a plan for the shots you want to get. Are you looking for the sweeping panoramics of the Grand Canyon, or do you want to film the kids oohs and ahhs of the dramatic landscape?

Creating a plan helps you know what to look for and what shots you want to get. But keep in mind this can be a loose plan. The idea is for you to still have fun when you’re traveling.

Don’t Film Everything

When you have a plan, you’ll do better at not filming everything. However, do remember that if you film every moment, you have to edit every moment. Capture the important moments and leave the rest behind.

Also, keep in mind, that when we’re behind the camera, we’re not in the moment. Filming your moments is important, but so is living them. Don’t hesitate to put the camera down. You’ll remember more.

Don’t be Afraid to Cut

If you have filmed a lot, don’t be afraid to cut too. Just like you need to go through and organize your photos and delete the blurry ones, you’ll need to cut the moments that don’t make sense. Additionally, no one wants to see hours of you walking through the streets. Save that just for you.

Remember when you’re putting together your final video, you don’t have to delete videos that don’t make it into your final cut. However, keep in mind that you may need expanded storage if you have a lot of video footage.

Include your Photos

When you go to edit your video, many video editors allow you to input your photos. You can even add special pan and zoom effects so it’s not so static across the screen.

Adding your photos to your videos can add in moments you may not have caught on video.

Get Out From Behind the Camera

Moms, I know you’re guilty of doing this. Get out from behind the camera and be in your family videos. Have your partner take some videos, and if you feel the kids are old enough, get them to film too. With younger kids, you may need to set a limit or you’ll be back to editing a lot of footage.

Imagine what you’ll see through your family’s eyes.

Interviews

When you’re in a special place, ask everyone what they think of it. Often when we return home we are at a loss to put into words how special a place truly is. Include in your plan to take a few minutes after you visit somewhere to capture on camera what everyone thought of what you saw.

Think about looking back on these videos of your 5-year-old explaining Walt Disney World.

Hire a Professional

When you really don’t want to do it yourself, you can hire a pro. You can choose someone like Ketsum Bilt Video Production in Tampa. Imagine how much fun you could have got a professional video done.

From their website, “Are we a full-service production company? Hell, yeah.” This sounds just like the kind of folks I want to work with.