5 tools to create video with a small budget
Red Window video producer shares favorite tools to create videos with little to no budget
We often hear from folks that they want to create quality videos but they don’t have the budget to hire a full production team. There are many great resources out there that we recommend for producing professional-level videos with a small budget or even on your own.
PRODUCING VIDEO CONTENT WITH A SMALL BUDGET
As discussed in Part 1, video production can be very pricey! Maybe you are a small-sized bank and you just need a series of 4 to 5, 30-second explainer videos on the new tools you offer. Maybe you are a non-profit and you need a two-minute hype video to play at the start of your gala fundraising event.
For smaller projects like these, it might be good to start by getting quotes from a trusted freelance video professional. And by trusted - refer to part 1 of this blog series - do your homework and check out their previous work. Ask for examples of video projects that closely match what you are trying to achieve. Beyond that, the old adage, “It never hurts to ask.” holds true. Even if your budget is small, the video production company should be willing to talk to you about what they might be able to offer based on the budget you have. Even if the company can’t do your project for the amount of money you have available, they can talk you through other options or refer you to people who can help you accomplish your video goal.
Another way to save money is to supplement the video with footage you have captured from a phone or still photographs. There are many clever ways an editor can incorporate phone footage and photos into a polished finished video. Hire a videographer for the most important pieces of your project and then use whatever visual material you can capture yourself for moments that are important but maybe don’t require a higher level of cinematography. Or compile and shoot footage yourself and simply hire a video editor. Video editors can be very creative when it comes to taking source material and making something incredible from it - even if the source material isn’t professionally produced.
So what about when you just don’t have any budget to hire someone to help you make a video? You can still produce something wonderful with just your phone! The phone as a video production tool has come a long way. Image quality and stabilization with phone video has reached a point where it has been used for professional level commercial and film work. If you choose to use a phone and shoot the video yourself, there are a few things that will make your phone video productions a little bit better than the rest.
If the video camera function on your phone has stabilization don’t hesitate to run around with phone in hand to capture what you need. Nine times out of ten you should be fine. But that method doesn’t work when you are shooting interviews or people talking. People are certainly used to seeing shaky video - even though most wouldn’t prefer it - but if you want to raise the level of your production for capturing interviews, invest in a phone tripod and a microphone.
You can find inexpensive tripods online for around $25 and a wireless microphone for phones for only $14. Having good audio for video can not be stressed enough. You will notice a giant difference in the quality of your video just by using a microphone. If you want to take it up one more level, you can find a small light for making phone videos online for just $20.
Phone holder tripod sold on Amazon
Wireless microphone sold on Amazon
Clip on phone light sold on Amazon
If you can’t get a tripod, a really great cinematographer once told me, “The world is your tripod.” Any point of stabilizing contact you can make with your body while holding the phone camera will help. For example, leaning your elbows on a table while holding the phone will produce a noticeably better result than just holding the phone in your hands.
Always try to make use of good light. It is best to have your subjects lit from the front and not the back! If you are in a room only lit by windows, try to have your subjects facing the window and your camera facing away from the window. The sun, the window or whatever the light source is, should be behind the camera.
There are also several great low-cost tools for getting better video on your phone on the front end.
DOLBY ON: Video and audio capturing app that uses several filters to automatically adjust and optimize your audio
FILMICPRO: If you have some experience with cinematography try the inexpensive app, FilmicPro, that offers a very high level of video functionality, some of which matches or rivals a professional video camera.
For editing, there are a host of low cost and free apps for your phone or desktop. If you are using an Apple phone or computer, iMovie comes pre-loaded and is a great and simple way to learn and use video editing software. There are many other options, some of the most popular being CapCut and Canva. Sometimes people find there is a steep learning curve for editing, but once you learn the basic language, it is really fun! Editing is where you get to be your most truly creative self.
Hopefully some of this information was useful in helping you think through having a video created or what you might need to make your own. There are a lot of options out there, but having a very clear vision for your project on the front end and getting the right help will go a long way to making your video idea become a reality.
