How to Light, Frame, and Shoot Online Video
While some of the time-tested principles of traditional video production still apply, online video is really a world of its own; here we look at key elements of online video production that distinguish it from producing for other media, including composition, lighting, and more.
Lighting Recommendations
In general, lighting plays a huge part in optimizing online videos, but you probably already knew that. What you might not have known is that hard, or heavy-contrast lighting can make your video look dark and noisy.
Most video encoders have a difficult time with hard shadows (see Figure 4, below), so I recommend using a flat lighting approach.
Figure 4. Hard shadows don’t translate well to online video.
Figure 5 (below) shows how you can accomplish this with two key lights on your subject. This setup results in less contrast and shadow, which is better for compression. If your video does call for hard lighting, you’ll need to invest in a high-end encoder.
Figure 5. Flat lighting compresses well.
Composing Your Shots
Framing is another area we need to approach differently in online video. Remember that you are producing for the small screen. Frame your subjects with medium close-ups, as on the left in Figure 6 (below). Details can get lost in wide shots and the audience is going to resonate more with the images they can see clearly.
Figure 6. While it’s good to mix up your shots, the medium close-up on the left will convey more about your subject on the small screen.
Also keep in mind where your finished video is going to end up. Is there going to be any kind of branding or logos that will be put on top of your video? Make sure to allow room for these as well as closed captions and video overlays.
Audio Tips
Let’s wrap it up with some tips on audio. Chances are that your audience is going to be listening to your video through computer speakers or earbuds. That means high-quality audio is more important than ever. Use good microphones and dedicate a crew member to monitoring audio.
Your audience will forgive an improperly white-balanced or soft-focused shot before they forgive any bad audio. Remember, audio quality gets reduced during compression, too, so make sure to record at the highest quality.
I know we’ve covered a lot in this article but we’re only just scratching the surface. It’s an exciting time in our industry. The internet and social media allow for endless ways to showcase your work, and that’s great news for visual storytellers.
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