9th May 2024

8 Top Common Video-Making Mistakes

As a beginner in video production, you might want to know what are the common mistakes all the novices occasionally make and how to avoid them.

Hopefully, this list of common mistakes and ways to avoid them will help you improve your videography skills and create an aesthetically pleasing result your customers will love.

1. You Don’t Plan Your Videos Properly

If you don't plan to succeed, you're planning to fail. Planning your movies is critical and can result in a much easier and painless editing experience. Before you start shooting, plan out your videos and write a script. Have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish and what has to be done. Take out your favorite pen and paper, and jot down these points. Make a list of the locations where you plan to shoot. Do you have permission to shoot there? What props and equipment would you require? This will allow you to focus your efforts on becoming more creative on shoot day.

2. You Are Too Fond of Zooming

Constant zooming is a guaranteed method to make your audience motion sick. Beginners often pick up a camera, start shooting, and zoom in on whatever they see. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with zooming in, but maintaining a smooth and steady hand is a critical component of a professional-looking video.

3. You Don’t Pay Enough Attention to Audio Quality

Audio accounts for 30% of most videos, making it an essential component of your content. In most cases, your camera's built-in microphone will be inadequate. It's recommended to consider purchasing a nice external microphone. A shotgun microphone will often pick up clear audio, and while conducting interviews, aim to position the microphone as near to the person as you can.

4. Your Camera Is Shaking

Making a wobbly video is another great technique to get viewers to hit the thumbs-down button. Shaky footage is fine if it is deliberate, but if you want to show off a stunning environment, keep the camera stable. Shoot as smoothly and steadily as possible. There are numerous attachments available to assist you in achieving this goal, like gimbals and tripods.

5. You Don’t Consider Framing and Composition

This is by far the most effective free approach to increase the quality of your films and make them appear professional. Declutter the background and remove as much visual distraction as possible to keep the attention on the main issue.

6. You Just Film Everything All Along

This is another error that almost all newcomers make. You come up, push record, and begin filming indefinitely, hoping to figure it out along the way or throughout the editing process. It's a bad tactic that goes back to planning - know what you need before you begin filming. It's fine to shoot a few more photos to offer yourself more possibilities, but don't go overboard with filming. This saves storage space and improves editing efficiency. 

7. Your Clips Are Too Long

Try not to shoot extended clips. Instead, use one shot for each clip. For example, if you need a location for your next shot, stop recording and only resume once you've found one you like. Do not continue filming as you roam about looking for the perfect location. Unless absolutely necessary, do not record anything without carefully considering framing and camera movement.

8. You Don’t Use Light Properly

Lighting is one of the most effective techniques to improve the appearance of your film. Even if you don't own a light, consider the illumination. Try to take use of free, gentle natural light whenever and wherever possible. Investing in a lighting system will upgrade your videos significantly. A softbox can produce excellent diffused illumination or LED lighting to set the mood. Consider which colors complement or contrast with one another.