A lot of people I talk to simply avoid creating their own videos
because they think the upfront costs are just too high to justify. In
reality, there are many aspects of video creation that you can do at
home with inexpensive equipment. In fact, you may even have the makings
for a high-priced, Hollywood looking set right in your own living room.
I am going to give you some tips for creating a seemingly professional set, without the financial stress! These tips will help you tap into the incredible marketing tool that video can be even if you do not have high-end cameras, set lighting or a stage.
It may look like those beautiful sets in the background of infomercials, tv shows, and commercials have to be expensive to look that good. However, these tricks to turning a simple room in your house into an expensive looking set come with everything you see in the movies but the price tag. With a few well placed props, and the right lighting, you can look like you spent thousands.
Using Household Objects
Depending on the look you are going for, there are several household objects that can add dimension to your set. For example, by adding a houseplant on a stool, and placing the stool behind a chair so it’s not visible to the camera, your set has already taken on a new sense of depth.
Objects also keep your set more interesting. You can use pictures you have hanging around the house, and place them on the wall you are filming (keep in mind that framed pictures will have potential to glare if the glass is lit poorly). Other objects, like couch pillows and curtains can add to the overall look of your set.
Other items you may consider using are paintings, statues and decorative bowls or vases. If you are unsure of what to use, look at a set from a television talk show or commercial that you would like to mimic. Then start placing similar items you have on hand in the same pattern you see them on the screen.
In some cases pets, such as a dog or cat lying in the chair next to you can serve as a fun prop. Just keep in mind that although pets can add a lot to a set, they are also harder to handle. If you want to be done quickly, I don’t suggest using live animals in a shot. They rarely make for a fast shoot.
Placement of Objects
There are two big factors that need to be considered when you place the objects that you have selected for your set. They are:
1. Keeping objects close:
The first thing that will help the overall look of your set is keeping objects close together. When you place something, like a picture, or two chairs together, you will want to put them much closer together than you intuitively think.
For example, if you are putting two chairs in a scene for an interview between two people, turn the two corners of the chairs towards each other. Then push the two chairs together until the corners are almost touching.
This may seem like a severe invasion of personal space, but doing this is essential to make your set feel natural on screen. Or if you have a table, it should almost touch the chairs. The plants around the chairs should be close as well. The camera sees differently than the human eye does, and if the objects in the shot are not extremely close together in real life, your shot will look spread out on camera, and less appealing to the eye.
2. Beware of “Growing” Objects:
When you are putting an object behind an actor, make sure that the object is placed slightly to the side of the sight of the camera. For instance, if an actor will have a chair that is placed in front of a tall plant, pull the plant towards the corner of the chair.
The reason for this is because if you place an object directly behind an actor, the plant will look like it is “growing” out of the top of the actor’s head. By moving the plant slightly to the side, it will eliminate this direct line of sight for the camera, and yield a better shot.
Green Screens
Another option, especially if you don’t have anything that looks like the backdrop you want, is to film in front of a green screen. This simply means that instead of building a complex background for your characters, you film them in front of a green wall, that you can key out later on during post production.
Green screens do not have to be made of complex material or bought from a film store. You can make your own green screen for less than twenty dollars. (The screen I use for Russell’s products consists of a green bolt of fabric from a local craft store and some industrial strength duct tape).
Simply go to a local fabric or craft store and select a bolt of green fabric (the best colors are slightly darker than lime green, or a bright leaf green). You can also get a blue screen, but be careful, blue tends to key other colors out too, so if you go with this option, make sure the person you are filming doesn’t wear blue jeans or have blue eyes. I prefer green because it doesn’t take out skin tones as easily, so use your own discretion.
The biggest tip to remember when using a green screen is that it must be stretched tight (no wrinkles) and should be evenly lit. This is vital for a good key process. The screen has to be a solid flat color, with no variants of light, so make sure it’s not shadowed anywhere. Shadows cause different shades of green, and make post production harder later on.
After you film with the green screen, you can select a photograph to replace the background. Artwork, illustrations or solid color blocks can be used as well to create your desired look. I often go to iStock to buy royalty free photos that I then insert behind the video that I filmed with the green. These photos are usually less than $10. You can go to the website at www.iStockPhoto.com.
Keep in mind that you may need to manipulate these photos to make the subject look like they fit in the environment. For example, you may need to tweak hues, adjust the brightness and contrast, or resize the background image to blend the two videos together.
Take your time and try to make them look as natural as possible. For example, if you have a close up shot, you’ll want to zoom in on your background image too. If the lighting you used with your actors was blue, you’ll want to make the sure the backdrop reflects the same type of blue coloring.
Natural Lighting
One final suggestion, windows in the background are not usually the best choice for an amateur filmmaker. The reason for this is because if you have a window in the shot, but no professional lighting equipment to balance it out, your actors will often look too dark. The window will provide backlight, but you don’t have the lights to even it out.
I suggest using window light to illuminate your subjects, so put the actors facing the window, and the camera between them. That way, you will have more light on your actors.
Another way to use windows for lighting, especially when you don’t have a professional lighting kit is to create reflector boards out of bright white posterboard. You can bounce light from the windows to your subject from many angles, giving you more flexibility and even lighting than using a window alone.
Simly place the posterboards at an angle so that it can be struck by the sunlight coming throught the window. Then adjust it so that the light bounces back onto your set. Aim the light from the reflector board back onto shadows in your set to make them vanish. This is especially useful for evening out the light on your subject’s face.
Standing Out
These are just a few suggestions, and there are many more solutions to making at home sets. There are no real rules when it comes to film because there are always people who manage to bend them and still produce amazing videos.
You should have a good understanding of the basic guidelines before you get too crazy though. Then you will be better equipped to make judgements on lighting and positioning of a set.
So, the next time you feel like you can’t afford to use videos in your marketing I hope you reconsider the vast benefits you can gain from it- without making any huge initial investment.
Not only is it a huge attention-getter but it is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition in your niche.
I am going to give you some tips for creating a seemingly professional set, without the financial stress! These tips will help you tap into the incredible marketing tool that video can be even if you do not have high-end cameras, set lighting or a stage.
It may look like those beautiful sets in the background of infomercials, tv shows, and commercials have to be expensive to look that good. However, these tricks to turning a simple room in your house into an expensive looking set come with everything you see in the movies but the price tag. With a few well placed props, and the right lighting, you can look like you spent thousands.
Using Household Objects
Depending on the look you are going for, there are several household objects that can add dimension to your set. For example, by adding a houseplant on a stool, and placing the stool behind a chair so it’s not visible to the camera, your set has already taken on a new sense of depth.
Objects also keep your set more interesting. You can use pictures you have hanging around the house, and place them on the wall you are filming (keep in mind that framed pictures will have potential to glare if the glass is lit poorly). Other objects, like couch pillows and curtains can add to the overall look of your set.
Other items you may consider using are paintings, statues and decorative bowls or vases. If you are unsure of what to use, look at a set from a television talk show or commercial that you would like to mimic. Then start placing similar items you have on hand in the same pattern you see them on the screen.
In some cases pets, such as a dog or cat lying in the chair next to you can serve as a fun prop. Just keep in mind that although pets can add a lot to a set, they are also harder to handle. If you want to be done quickly, I don’t suggest using live animals in a shot. They rarely make for a fast shoot.
Placement of Objects
There are two big factors that need to be considered when you place the objects that you have selected for your set. They are:
1. Keeping objects close:
The first thing that will help the overall look of your set is keeping objects close together. When you place something, like a picture, or two chairs together, you will want to put them much closer together than you intuitively think.
For example, if you are putting two chairs in a scene for an interview between two people, turn the two corners of the chairs towards each other. Then push the two chairs together until the corners are almost touching.
This may seem like a severe invasion of personal space, but doing this is essential to make your set feel natural on screen. Or if you have a table, it should almost touch the chairs. The plants around the chairs should be close as well. The camera sees differently than the human eye does, and if the objects in the shot are not extremely close together in real life, your shot will look spread out on camera, and less appealing to the eye.
2. Beware of “Growing” Objects:
When you are putting an object behind an actor, make sure that the object is placed slightly to the side of the sight of the camera. For instance, if an actor will have a chair that is placed in front of a tall plant, pull the plant towards the corner of the chair.
The reason for this is because if you place an object directly behind an actor, the plant will look like it is “growing” out of the top of the actor’s head. By moving the plant slightly to the side, it will eliminate this direct line of sight for the camera, and yield a better shot.
Green Screens
Another option, especially if you don’t have anything that looks like the backdrop you want, is to film in front of a green screen. This simply means that instead of building a complex background for your characters, you film them in front of a green wall, that you can key out later on during post production.
Green screens do not have to be made of complex material or bought from a film store. You can make your own green screen for less than twenty dollars. (The screen I use for Russell’s products consists of a green bolt of fabric from a local craft store and some industrial strength duct tape).
Simply go to a local fabric or craft store and select a bolt of green fabric (the best colors are slightly darker than lime green, or a bright leaf green). You can also get a blue screen, but be careful, blue tends to key other colors out too, so if you go with this option, make sure the person you are filming doesn’t wear blue jeans or have blue eyes. I prefer green because it doesn’t take out skin tones as easily, so use your own discretion.
The biggest tip to remember when using a green screen is that it must be stretched tight (no wrinkles) and should be evenly lit. This is vital for a good key process. The screen has to be a solid flat color, with no variants of light, so make sure it’s not shadowed anywhere. Shadows cause different shades of green, and make post production harder later on.
After you film with the green screen, you can select a photograph to replace the background. Artwork, illustrations or solid color blocks can be used as well to create your desired look. I often go to iStock to buy royalty free photos that I then insert behind the video that I filmed with the green. These photos are usually less than $10. You can go to the website at www.iStockPhoto.com.
Keep in mind that you may need to manipulate these photos to make the subject look like they fit in the environment. For example, you may need to tweak hues, adjust the brightness and contrast, or resize the background image to blend the two videos together.
Take your time and try to make them look as natural as possible. For example, if you have a close up shot, you’ll want to zoom in on your background image too. If the lighting you used with your actors was blue, you’ll want to make the sure the backdrop reflects the same type of blue coloring.
Natural Lighting
One final suggestion, windows in the background are not usually the best choice for an amateur filmmaker. The reason for this is because if you have a window in the shot, but no professional lighting equipment to balance it out, your actors will often look too dark. The window will provide backlight, but you don’t have the lights to even it out.
I suggest using window light to illuminate your subjects, so put the actors facing the window, and the camera between them. That way, you will have more light on your actors.
Another way to use windows for lighting, especially when you don’t have a professional lighting kit is to create reflector boards out of bright white posterboard. You can bounce light from the windows to your subject from many angles, giving you more flexibility and even lighting than using a window alone.
Simly place the posterboards at an angle so that it can be struck by the sunlight coming throught the window. Then adjust it so that the light bounces back onto your set. Aim the light from the reflector board back onto shadows in your set to make them vanish. This is especially useful for evening out the light on your subject’s face.
Standing Out
These are just a few suggestions, and there are many more solutions to making at home sets. There are no real rules when it comes to film because there are always people who manage to bend them and still produce amazing videos.
You should have a good understanding of the basic guidelines before you get too crazy though. Then you will be better equipped to make judgements on lighting and positioning of a set.
So, the next time you feel like you can’t afford to use videos in your marketing I hope you reconsider the vast benefits you can gain from it- without making any huge initial investment.
Not only is it a huge attention-getter but it is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition in your niche.