What Does 'Good' Video Look Like?
Simple answer. But oh, so hard to execute.
Jakob Owens | Unsplash
(Originally written in 2020)
"What does 'good' video look like?"
I'm asked this at least once a week. And my answer is always the same:
"Good video is whatever makes your audience feel and do what you want them to."
Simple, right? But not easy.
There's only one hard and fast rule when it comes to making video: Tell a story with excellent audio.
(And if you have a strong story but poor audio? Begin again. Yes, audio really is that important!)
Good lighting, intriguing camera angles, stable hands are all worth striving for. And yes, mastering f-stops and shutter speeds will help control tone.
But at the end of the day, it's not about megapixels or lenses.
Give me a phone or laptop and a few stock photos, I'll create a powerful video.
Give me a camera crew and studio lighting, I'll create a video that goes viral that educates + inspires.
Turn the phone to selfie mode, hop on a skateboard and record for 20 seconds to create a national sensation.
Three totally different approaches, yet all resonate.
Why?
They make you feel something. And when you feel, you act.
You like, share, comment on the video. You buy, donate or volunteer.
When you go to press record, don't just capture a moment. Tell me a story that makes something inside shift.
Because once I empathize, you've got my trust - and that leads to action.