PREPARING 

YOUR VIDEOS

CHAPTER ONE

 –ACTUAL BOOK HAS A QR CODE HERE—

Watch this video by simply holding your

smartphone camera towards the QR code

Do you want to make goal-oriented videos and save time making them? Spend less time on shooting and editing? Then you need a good plan.

After almost every videomaking workshop I give, participants will tell me: “You were right. I should have planned better. It would have saved me a lot of time.”

So, trust me: This is the most important chapter!

Before you grab your camera, take a step back. Take the time to plan out your videos and save a lot of time, energy, and frustration afterwards. Planning your videos doesn’t have to be complicated.

For each video, you need two things:

1) A video plan

2) A shot list

The video plan is the content of your video. The shot list shows the visuals. And trust me, this doesn’t have to be an extensive plan with a lot of details. I like to keep things simple, so let’s start out with a basic video plan, and a short shot list.

VIDEO PLAN

We’ll start with the content of your video: the video plan. You might already have some fun ideas for videos you want to make; now you just need to give shape to those ideas. That’s exactly what the video plan is for. (If you have no inspiration, don’t worry: I’ve got you covered! Check the video format canvas later in this chapter.)

Each video plan has a few basic elements: the length of the video, the intro, the outro, how your video starts, whether it has subtitles, etc. First, I’m going explain the different basic elements, so that you can create your own (simple!) video plan.

Length of the video

One of the biggest factors that determines if your viewers are actually going to watch your video is its length! Do not underestimate this. Decide beforehand an approximate length of your video. At the end of this chapter, you can find specific info for the ideal video length per platform. But keep in mind that these specifications differ per target audience and change over time, so always keep up to date with the current guidelines and keep an eye on your own statistics.

The main questions you need to ask yourself: How long will my viewers watch my video? When and where (on wht platform) will my viewers likely watch this video? What is the right length for my ideal target audience?

Beginning of the video

Another big watch factor: the start of your video. What triggers your viewer to keep watching? What happens in the first few seconds? A few uninteresting ways to start a video: someone introducing themselves for more than 30 seconds (boring!), the exterior of a building (boring!), a full screen logo or a long paragraph of text (boring!). Some interesting ways to start a video: a powerful statement, an intriguing question, a unique product attribute shown visually, or a funny blooper.

Logo/branding

How is the logo or company branding visible in the video? This is another element you’ll have to determine in your video plan. Most companies use a sound logo: a moving logo with sound or music that is visible for one or two seconds. (I know: I can hear the designers’ and CEOs’ doubts while I’m writing this sentence. Trust me: You really don’t need the logo to be on screen longer than a few seconds.)

You can put your sound logo at the beginning of your video, but you can also put it after a fun teaser, or at the end of a video. You can also choose to have a small semi-transparent logo at the top or bottom corner of your video. Whatever you choose: make sure it matches your audience’s expectations, and use the same branding style in every video.

“I always make a video plan. It helps me think about the creative shots I’d like to make, a possible start of the video, and a good ending. Every hour I spend in prep saves me at least two hours in editing.”
Geertje Algera, Smartphone Video Expert

Video format

Landscape video is still the most common form of video. It’s well supported on almost all social media platforms, and it’s the standard format to film on almost every camera. But vertical and square videos are on the rise, especially when you want to reach viewers on LinkedIn, Instagram, Tik Tok, or Facebook.

Vertical and square videos are a must for a young and mobile audience. In the final chapter and in the overview later in this chapter, you can find more on which format to use for what platform.

Keep in mind that, again, these specifications differ per target audience and change over time, so always keep an eye on current guidelines and your own statistics.

tus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur.

Magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur.