Easy to follow steps to help create better Travel Videos
I’m no expert when it comes to creating travel Video, in fact, all my learning has been self taught through trial and error, learning by following other video creators and through taking action.
That’s why, when I say anyone can do it, with the correct attitude for travel video, it’s totally possible.
I truly believe that practice makes perfect and you must break down the fear of video in order to move forward.
There is some sort of easy security surrounding writing and photography which the medium of video doesn’t have to face, especially when you are talking face to camera.
You have no where to run to, it’s you and the camera and when you start rolling you want it to be perfect.
It’s extremely difficult to start doing one take cuts straight away, that’s fine!
Once you understand that it’s a learning process it becomes easier and you allow yourself the space to breathe, practice and most importantly improve every take.
Stop being perfect when it comes to videos!
Being perfect puts off first timers, you first think that in order to do video you must be a big time award winning director, when in fact, audiences are starting to prefer video as a form of online content.
Today the viewer online doesn’t mind not having to watch a big time blockbuster as long as what you create, is engaging, entertaining, created with passion and full of energy.
Use the power of video to get your message across, solve problems and entertain the new wave of online audiences.
You have the power already in your pocket, many smart phones are video ready and able to start shooting out of the box.
It’s never been easier to start creating video and reaching out to a global audience, you no longer need a big budget and a TV studio, create your own Online TV channel and draw in your own audience.
It’s predicted that by 2017, 69% of CONSUMED online media will be Video.
If you are not already doing Travel video, you should.
For years they have been saying Travel video will be the future, now it is already the future.
Embrace it and innovate, more people than ever before are waiting to watch your travel content online.
Now is the perfect time to create Travel Video
Cast your mind back 10 years ago in 2006.
We had the technology to create a video, but we didn’t have:
• YouTube was just starting out, it wasn’t easy to consume video and didn’t have the community numbers.
• Homes didn’t have broadband readily available
• Standard home computers were not powerful enough to edit standard video content
• We had no 3G, 4G or mobile wifi powerful enough to stream video readily available to the masses.
• Technology such as smart phones and tablets were not popular
• It was tough to find Wifi anywhere
Fast track to today, a few months ago whilst walking around Langkawi in Malaysia, I noticed whilst grabbing a coffee, 4 local Malaysian grandmas surrounding themselves around a smart phone laughing at videos on YouTube.
They had completely jumped laptops and wifi and gone straight for an easy to use Smartphone with an affordable data package.
This just goes to highlight the progression of where video to the masses has reached. The Travel video content needs to be created to meet these newly adopted audiences and you hold the power to do so in your pocket.
The World has never been more connected. Now is the year to create Travel video, a global audience is ready to consume this content and you can be the TV channel, the content creator to this growing audience.
Use Travel as the inspirational canvas and capture your travel moments to make the world more entertaining to the world.
Steps to help you get started with creating great Travel Videos
I hope by now you are buzzing with excitement to get started with Travel Video, awesome!
Here are some beginner’s tips to get you started with creating Travel video:
Practice, Practice, Practice! Create your first 100 videos by putting yourself out there.
(Start by doing! Create your first 100 videos and start rocking and rolling.)
Just like ice swimming, you just have to jump! By the time you’ve got around to your 5th plunge, it’s a piece of cake and you wonder what all the fuss was even about.
The best advice I was given with regards to being comfortable on camera is in order to succeed, you must make your first 100 Videos, become natural and comfortable in front of the camera by doing loads of practice.
I believe in this model: by putting yourself out there you can overcome your fear of being camera shy and breaking down the barrier by keeping on doing it.
This will take time, practice and courage. If you never do it, then you will never gain the confidence.
I will never forget my first video. It took me over 22 takes in order to get my first video correct, I was being too pitch perfect and I was on the edge of frustration as I just wanted to nail the clip and I simply couldn’t do it!
Time after time, I had to keep retaking, then boom! I did it! Even though the video was less than a minute I did!
The next video was easier, still difficult but I took what I had learned from the 22 takes forward and got better at it.
Ask Friends what they think of your Travel Video footage.
Gather your best friends, 3 or 4 friends who will really tell you how it is, you need tough love for this part.
I like to use my Dutch friends as they have no problems with passing on constructive feedback directly.
You could even use Travel video Facebook groups, many of them have weekly feedback sessions for video creators, you can ask the community and receive the feedback your after.
Ask them what they think of your footage, take notes, all travel videos have room for improvement and its important through your 100 video process that you discover the areas that you can work on.
No one is perfect and through helpful improvement advice you can tweak your videos each time to become better!
Focus on creating short travel video content
When it comes to consuming content online the easier the travel video is to digest the greater chance you have of keeping your audience engaged.
You can create Great Travel content by breaking up long videos into shorter, easier to consumer Mini episodes, rather than one big movie.
With YouTube Playlists, it’s easier to gather mini episodes and help the viewer to find the other videos collected together.
If you feel your content is too long, don’t be afraid to break it up and create quantity in videos.
I’ve been asked before, should you focus on quality or quantity when it comes to Travel Video online,
My answer is very clear, both!
You have to keep putting Travel video content out there as its a busy world wide web, but don’t cut out the quality just to make that possible.
Quality is just as important and once you start to reach your 100th travel video and your confidence starts to kick in you will be a skilled ninja and able to keep up both quality and quantity.
Just make it snappy, interesting and engaging. Try to avoid making your travel video long, aim to create engaging quick content.
Cut out introduction videos on your travel videos
Another big tip.
Avoid using fancy introduction videos, go straight to the action and chuck the viewer straight into the start of your video.
Online viewers don’t have time to watch introduction credits. They are online with limited time, add this all to the end of the video.
Bring the viewer to follow your channel or watch another video at the end of the video, not the start!
This will give you a quick advantage as many viewers online gives you 9 seconds of time before they give up on you and jump ship, don’t waste this first impression time with an introduction jump straight into the action.
It’s better to add this to the end of the clip when you have nothing to lose as the viewer is going to leave anyway.
Editing videos
Keep things simple when starting out, I like to use iMovie because it’s simple, easy to use and they even have a Smart phone app so you can edit and get to work straight away on the go.
iMovie also has free to use music as well as transition graphics you can use and its easy to chop and splice video clips into an HD movie clip that can easily be uploaded to YouTube.
Simple, that’s what I like to use and recommend for first time travel video creators.
Over time you can move on to more advance pieces of editing software, but for now, deal with the basics just to get started and not feel overwhelmed.
Sound quality is important
If you went to a cinema to watch a film with wonderful cinematography, but you quickly discovered that the sound was terrible, you would leave the cinema.
Sound is important, focus on putting the videos together, but be aware of quick tips to improve your sound:
Be aware of background noise, avoid busy roads or areas of high sound levels,
Work out where the built in microphone is on your camera, so you can point it towards your voice when recording and avoid covering it up with your fingers whilst shooting.
You can purchase a clip on microphone such as a Rode SmartLav+ if you wish to record direct sound and avoid background noise,
This is perfect for interviews too, this is something you can invest in as your skills progress, just highlighting the importance of sound to get you started and something to think about in the future.
Practice your steady hand and panning shot
By keeping your camera close to your chest whilst supporting your hands you can keep your shot more stable.
You can invest in buying a tripod, but by naturally training yourself to control a steady shot can do wonders to your footage.
I like to use a Gorillapod tripod with a smart phone mount just to offer a little more hand held stability, this works wonders as an additional support to my shot.
Practice, practice, practice! As long as you are aware that you need to keep your shot steady, then you are already ahead of everyone else.
Use music on your videos that you can legally use
Avoid using commercial music, this can cause your videos to run into problems, Either stick to the free music that YouTube offers or what’s already built into video editing suites such as iMovie.
You can always search for copyright free music, just be sure to credit music where its due and avoid causing problems to your videos, this way your videos won’t bump into issues.
Don’t worry about spending big money on equipment, start with your smart phone.
The easiest way to get started with Travel Video is to use what you already have in your pocket, such as your smart phone.
Remember, you have to make your first 100 videos to reach a level where you will feel comfortable.
I hear from many people trying to start out with Video, they focus too much on buying expensive high quality equipment.
It’s not about the equipment that makes a travel video great, it’s the creative behind the video.
Start today! Start now!
Thank you for reading my blog post about getting started with Travel Video. I hope you’re excited to get started!
My best advice is to just get started today.
Grab your smart phone, start filming your home town, highlight some must visit spots and try it out.
Don’t be afraid to mess up, just give it a go!
Once you’ve created your YouTube channel and uploaded your first video, feel free to post the link below in the comment section and I’ll happily give it a review for you!
There we go, let’s get started with making wonderful Travel videos!