Quality Assurance In A Video Production Company
Broadcast television sets the standard for video. Say what you will about the content of the shows; the quality of the actual video on a broadcast television station is always some of the best in the world. And even more, the broadcaster conditions viewers to expect that quality in every video they watch. When the viewer’s expectations are not met, they may not even know why, but they will develop a negative impression and often will stop watching. So, if you’ve produced a corporate video, you need to pay attention to quality.
At Communications Concepts, Inc., we have written down what you can expect from a good video production company.
A. The number one thing that turns viewers off is the bad sound quality
If you shoot your video with a phone and the presenter in the video is more than about 18” from the phone, the presenter’s audio will not have a strong presence in the video. This is called off mic or off the microphone. You want to make sure anyone speaking is on-mic or in front of a microphone. Further, when you add music to your video, make sure it complements the presentation and is not so loud that it makes it hard to hear people speaking. Also, make sure your presenters are not drowned out by background noise like a loud air conditioner, a train or plane going by, street traffic noises, a dog barking, or other similar sounds.
When a viewer watches your video, they do not know what you did to make it happen. They don’t care about the real-world constraints that may have comprised your shoot, your budget limits, and the deadlines that you had to meet. The viewer just knows what they see on the screen. You should only show a video that makes you look better than you actually are. If the video does not do that, don’t show it.
How can you ensure a professional-sounding video?
Watch your video. Put yourself in the shoes of your viewers. Do you like what you see? Can you hear what you want people to hear? Does it tell your story? Does it engage your target audience? Are you pleased when you watch it? Or do you cringe when you watch it? Of course, the time to ask questions is back when you are planning your video, not after the video is shot. As you are planning your video, ask yourself where the best location to get the pictures you need is. What is the best time of day to get these shots? Go to those locations and look and listen. Try to go to the location at a similar time and day as you plan to shoot. The time of day makes a difference. For example, what if a train only passes your building three times a day? What are those times the train passes? Once you are in or on the location, do you hear a lot of unwanted noise? If so, are there ways to reduce the noise, or could you use a different location?
In reviewing your raw footage, if the audio is bad, it probably is bad and may need to be redone. Yes, you can fix or minimize some audio issues during editing with filters, equalization, and boosts, but the reality is bad audio really cannot become good audio.
When we produce videos for clients, we almost always do a site survey which includes checking for noise and any other constraints a site may have for shooting a good video. We often use two microphones or more for recording location audio. Typically, we use what is called a shotgun microphone that is very directional. Even though it is directional, we try to get it as close as possible to the person speaking without the microphone being in the shot. We also use a small lavaliere microphone that the person wears. Again, positioning the microphone near the mouth of the person speaking. And if there are multiple presenters, we usually use at least one microphone per person speaking.
B. Other aspects to keep in mind
1. Lighting
Bad lighting is another issue faced by amateur videographers. Picture quality is very important too. Most issues with picture quality today involve three things: lighting, composition, and camera/talent movement. Viewers want to see what they are being shown in a video. If your subject is poorly lit or backlit, it is almost impossible to see the person speaking. Look at your shots. Can you see what you want to see?
Bad lighting is most often corrected indoors by using supplemental lighting. To get correct lighting outdoors, pay attention to where the sun is shining. Many times, a slightly cloudy day defuses the sunlight and gives you more even lighting. Similarly, silks or frames with big white sheets of cloth are used to defuse the sunlight over the subject. Reflectors are used to redirect the sun. Did you know now sunlight or daylight is often the same color as indoor lighting? This is referred to as color temperature, and most video cameras can only make one color temperature correct at one time. So, for example, if the camera is set for indoor lighting when shooting outside, your video will look blue. Conversely, if you shoot inside with outside camera settings, your video will look brown or orange. Finally, the sunrises and sunsets offer a few minutes of beautiful light. This is called the golden hour, and professional videographers and photographers often take advantage of this light to make gorgeous pictures.
Take a look at your video. Do you like what you see? Viewers want to see what they are being shown in a video. They don’t want to have to guess what they are watching.
2. Shot composition
The shot composition also affects viewership. Simple things like making sure there is some space above each person’s head or “headroom” is important. For example, no one wants to see people talking with the tops of their heads cut off. Finally, make sure the camera is stable and only moves if it makes sense to keep the subject in the picture. “Shakey Cam” can be used for an effect now and then, but a solid, stable shot is best. While there are other things to check for quality, like the use of color, legibility of graphics, and so forth, the three quality checks listed above make a big difference in the success of your video.
4. Storytelling and use of talent
A good video starts with a good script. If it is not in the script, it will most likely not be in the video. Part of scripting not only outlines what you are going to say and show but how the story will be told. If your story needs to be told by you or employees or others, what is your plan to get them to be comfortable, so they can share the information you need for your video? Could the story be told better by an off-camera narrator? Or do you need an on-camera talent to demonstrate and point things out? And if you are using an outside production company, make sure they have an eye for this type of shoot and share your vision.
Takeaway
If it is your video, then you should look at and listen to every part of the video. Successful videos are found in these types of evaluations. Success is in the details. All factors are important in evaluating a video. No amount of beautifully shot images will make up for terrible audio. A super talent can’t make a bad script sing. Every detail impacts the ultimate success of a video.
If you are looking for a full-service video production company in Florida, reach out to us at Communications Concepts, Inc. We are a full-service video production company with complete in-house facilities and comprehensive services. We have a full-time staff of writers, artists, producers, directors, videographers, and engineers who share over a hundred years of professional video production experience. We have successfully provided professional video production services to more than 5,000 projects for companies, government agencies, and service organizations.
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