Whats the most common mistake inexperienced video producers make when shooting promotional videos?
Jordan: The biggest mistake I see is people shooting their videos in a hurry and on the cheap. Keep in mind that customers will compare your online promotional video to TV commercials. Over the past 50 years, TV ads have become embedded in our national psyche. They have rich colors and high production values (except for low-budget local promo spots). So the worst thing you can do is create something fast and cheap that demeans your business or what you sell. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to produce a quality video. But you need to take your time and make it look good. Q: How do you make your video look good? Jordan: Three things apply to any type of promotional video you’re shooting: • Put your camera on a tripod. This gives your video a polished professional look, as opposed to a jerky amateur appearance. • Light your subject properly. Too many videos suffer from poor lighting. • Use a quality microphone. I recommend never using your camcorder’s built-in microphone. An extern
