Take your Flip videos from passable to professional

Sure, everyone’s got a camcorder, but shaky, grainy corporate videos fail to impress

Yes, making videos with Flip camcorders is cheap and easy. Many would argue that they’ve become a key piece of corporate Web sites. So who cares if you create a grainy video if it gets your message across, right?

Guess again. It does matter that Flip videos look professional.

“Someone who is just starting out can definitely get a camera, they can shoot, and they can edit,” says Jeff Meyers, intranet manager at Nationwide Insurance. “There is a style, an art, a sense of how to put the elements together.”

Improving the quality of video extends beyond your camera. Be mindful of the video accessories you use, how often you use video, limitations of the Flip such as zoom and sound, and your staff’s expertise.

Here’s a look at Meyers’ four simple rules for creating professional-looking—not just passable—videos.  

1. Get the right equipment

Creating videos doesn’t require spending a lot of money, but investing in the right equipment will make your videos look more professional.

Meyers uses the Flip UltraHD. The HD picture is as good as it gets for $199.

Beyond the camera, there are a few accessories that will help improve the footage.

Meyers encourages each of his three videographers to use a tripod. Giving the camera a stable base to stand on decreases the odds of creating a shaky, home movie-style video.

Another purchase that improves quality is lighting. It’s a challenge, Myers says, to find the right light conditions, especially in an office setting. Even a small investment in lighting equipment, however, can make a big difference to your videos.

Flip Cams come with editing software, but Meyers chose to purchase Pinnacle Studio 14 because of its additional capabilities for improving picture and sound.

“Once the initial investment of cameras, a couple tripods, and editing software is made, we’re out there just doing it,” Meyers says. “It’s very low cost.”

Creating the videos in-house costs next to nothing for Meyers and his small editorial team. They shoot and edit all the videos for the intranet and produce up to six videos a week.

2. Don’t use video for everything

Nationwide’s most popular internal news videos are interviews with senior executives and when they cover an event such as a recent company trip to the Columbus Zoo. Nationwide began to post videos regularly on the intranet six months ago. Approximately 30,000 employees access the intranet and, on average, each video gets between 1,800 to 3,000 views.

Most videos accompany an article published on the intranet. Meyers’ objective is not to include a video with every story, but only when it advances the story. The length of the videos varies and ranges from 30 seconds to three minutes.

“We try to be mindful of the message first,” Meyers says. “What is the best way to convey the message? Everyone’s saying, video, video, video, but it’s not appropriate if it doesn’t enhance the message at all.”

Video is a valuable tool for reporting on situations that are better understood visually. For example, instead of describing an offsite event in writing, or simply taking pictures of it, reporters can capture sounds, colors, and the mood of attendees more viscerally by using video.

3. Know Flip’s limitations

Despite its many strengths, Flip Cams do have some limitations, Meyers says.

Although the picture is good, the zoom function of the camera is not. This problem can be solved by not using the zoom feature or, sometimes, by using a tripod.

“We tell people not to zoom, because usually if they’re zooming and they’re not using a tripod, the picture is shaky and they’re not bringing back good video,” Meyers says.

The person behind the camera should also be mindful of Flip’s other significant limitation—sound. To keep the sound as clear as possible, Meyers tells his reporters to get close to their subjects. This advice is not always well-received.

“With a Flip Cam you have to get pretty close to someone, but that may make the person uncomfortable or the interviewer uncomfortable,” Meyers says.

4. Consult a video expert

The inexperience of the person shooting the video can also be a limitation. Meyers has a background in making video, as does his most recent hire to the intranet news team whose prior experience includes working at a local television station. Though it’s not strictly necessary, someone with an eye for video usually can make more advanced videos sooner than a rookie.

Beginners don’t need help with editing or camera use, Meyers explains. “It’s a sense for setting up a good shot, like not shooting an interview into a bright window. Those elements are the ones we tend to deal with most.”

In an attempt to counteract beginners’ mistakes, Meyers offered a class to Nationwide’s corporate communications department and his editorial team. He covered topics such as how to use the camera, when to use video, how to set up a shot, and basic editing.

To set up a shot, he taught communicators to avoid backlighting a subject, find a good, not-too-busy background for interviews, make sure the subject’s face is lit properly, and to move close enough to their subjects to get good sound.

“Some people just have an eye for it,” Meyers says. “It’s like a photographer setting up a shot. But that’s not to say that you can’t develop that eye—because the cameras are so simple.”