Jump to content

What makes the production quality of a video good ?

Faisal A

What makes the production quality of a video good ?  

19 members have voted

  1. 1. What makes the production quality of a video good ?

    • Catchy thumbnail
      0
    • Catchy title
      0
    • Good lighting
      19
    • Good music
      5
    • Voice over
      9


On 10/15/2019 at 10:09 AM, Thanatopsis said:


The only thing to avoid is your front camera mic as your primary audio source whenever possible try to use an external mic, even $20USD mic tend to be better than the built in mics and no you do not need a 20-20k hz mic. 

 

This really depends on what you're recording. The built in microphone of a CAMCORDER (not a DSLR or iphone) is keyed to the zoom lens, so there's usually three to 5 microphones on the body of the camera, where maximum telephoto uses the front microphone(s) and wide uses the microphones on the body of the camera. The result is typically picking up every noise in the room. Yet if you use a camcorder without a tripod, it will be just as bad as using a cameraphone or gopro without one.

 

You can tell when someone is using the built in microphones and not using a tripod because you can hear the person's hands on the camcorder.

 

A camcorder will typically have analog inputs for at least one microphone. However you still want a microphone with the widest frequency response otherwise everything sounds like it's on the telephone or under water (less than 12khz) where as instruments only have a set frequency range. Human voices, particularly women, will want the highest frequency range possible. It's not just about quality, it's about not making everyone like they've been smoking for 40 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Kisai said:

 

This really depends on what you're recording. The built in microphone of a CAMCORDER (not a DSLR or iphone) is keyed to the zoom lens, so there's usually three to 5 microphones on the body of the camera, where maximum telephoto uses the front microphone(s) and wide uses the microphones on the body of the camera. The result is typically picking up every noise in the room. Yet if you use a camcorder without a tripod, it will be just as bad as using a cameraphone or gopro without one.

 

You can tell when someone is using the built in microphones and not using a tripod because you can hear the person's hands on the camcorder.

 

A camcorder will typically have analog inputs for at least one microphone. However you still want a microphone with the widest frequency response otherwise everything sounds like it's on the telephone or under water (less than 12khz) where as instruments only have a set frequency range. Human voices, particularly women, will want the highest frequency range possible. It's not just about quality, it's about not making everyone like they've been smoking for 40 years.

I have honestly never found a video camera including Production ENG cameras that i would call the built in or included mic as good,  on ENG cameras it may count as acceptable but at the end of the day getting a decent external mic is almost always going to improve your sound quality,  as I said originally it does need to be the right mic for the job.  a mic with low 14k and above reproduction is great for kick and snare drums but i wouldn't want to put it on wood winds or string instruments and a mic with bad sub 150-200hz reproduction is still a good fit for dialog heavy situations.  while yes a mic that does 20-20khz means it can cover everything they are generally not the best at anything and the frequency response range hides more important factors in mic selection anyways,  How Responsive/sensitive a mic is, what the Noise rejection soundslike and is it a function of mass or baffle design all have as much a factor in to the audio quality of the mic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

The free things you can do to improve production value:

  • White Balance - Turn off the auto white balance, set it (look up how to for your specific camera), and leave it locked in for the duration of your shot.
  • Lighting - Learn the 3-Point lighting system and apply it. The lights don't have to be studio lights, LED lights, directional, spot, flood, fill, or any special sort of lighting. You can make due with lamps you have around the house, providing you white balance.
  • Speech - Make sure you are enunciating your words, open your mouth when you speak, and don't use "filler" words (um, uh, err, hmm, etc.) and be mindful of your sentence structure. Starting all your sentences with 'So,' or 'Okay,' or 'Now,' or 'And then,' makes for dull listening. Also, be sure to modulate your voice through multiple ranges. It keeps the conversation lively and "active".
  • Be mindful of your tics - If you tend to gulp/clear your throat, lick your lips excessively, or rub your hands together, or any sort of fidgety thing, that can come off as low/no production value.
  •  Script - As mentioned previously, having a script (or outline, if you can wing it) will help tremendously. Practice it. Go over it a dozen times so you know what to say, and don't find yourself at a loss for words.
  • Re-shoots - Unless its on-site footage of something, you can re-shoot nearly anything. Don't be afraid to shoot your intro 20 times so you can get the best take. On the flip side, don't be afraid to take the best part from multiple takes and cut them into the 'final' piece. Outtakes/bloopers are free credit-roll footage.
  • Learn the tools - Whether its the camera, the microphone, the editing software, or the lighting setups, learning how to use the tool effectively will make all the difference in the world. Having the best tool in the world doesn't mean anything if you don't understand how or why its used the way it is.
  • Camera Set-up - Understanding the effect of where the camera is relative to you is key. If the camera is too high, or too low, it creates an imbalanced feeling between yourself and the viewer.

Better mic, camera, lights, etc. is all uphill after getting the basics down.

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i7 6850K

GPU: nVidia GTX 1080Ti (ZoTaC AMP! Extreme)

Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UltraGaming

RAM: 16GB (2x 8GB) 3000Mhz EVGA SuperSC DDR4

Case: RaidMax Delta I

PSU: ThermalTake DPS-G 750W 80+ Gold

Monitor: Samsung 32" UJ590 UHD

Keyboard: Corsair K70

Mouse: Corsair Scimitar

Audio: Logitech Z200 (desktop); Roland RH-300 (headphones)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Relatively many small jump cuts > filler words like um, err, uh and so on 

“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. 
It matters that you don't just give up.”

-Stephen Hawking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

@Zodiark1593 @Thanatopsis @Fasauceome @The1Dickens @KisaiI have uploaded this video. I have used a good microphone and a £500 canon eos 750 camera. To edit, i used adobe premiere and I used Photoshop for a new logo. Is there anything else that can be done to improve this video ? 

 

If you want me to see your reply, please tag me @Faisal A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Faisal A said:

@Zodiark1593 @Thanatopsis @Fasauceome @The1Dickens @KisaiI have uploaded this video. I have used a good microphone and a £500 canon eos 750 camera. To edit, i used adobe premiere and I used Photoshop for a new logo. Is there anything else that can be done to improve this video ? 

 

yes there is, there always is.  

 

first make sure your sound is the same all the way through your last part sounded different from the rest of the program. those shifts in volume and perceived closeness detract from the production.
 

Also you should tighten up your shots, the drop test clip had a loot of dead time before we see the thumbdrive come into frame.  This created enough time for me to start wondering what was going on.

Also think about scripting out your video and rehearse it a few time to get comfortable and also use that as a time to check the flow of the presentation,  you may find that you instead want to move around things or rephrase things so that you sound more natural and conversational.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Faisal A said:

I have uploaded this video. I have used a good microphone and a £500 canon eos 750 camera. To edit, i used adobe premiere and I used Photoshop for a new logo. Is there anything else that can be done to improve this video ? 

 

At about the 41-second mark, the voice track gets real quite suddenly, and its hard to hear what you are saying.

Image stabilization, either digitally or with a tripod, would be a good idea.

Video sharpness is great.

The slow motion drop is a nice touch (though there is about 3 seconds before the drop that can be cut out), but normal speed is probably good enough, due to how slow-motion works.

Except for the sudden drop in volume, you were clear, spoke well, enunciated perfectly, and it sounded professional.

 

Overall, I'd say this is a great review and I'd be inclined to buy the product.

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i7 6850K

GPU: nVidia GTX 1080Ti (ZoTaC AMP! Extreme)

Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UltraGaming

RAM: 16GB (2x 8GB) 3000Mhz EVGA SuperSC DDR4

Case: RaidMax Delta I

PSU: ThermalTake DPS-G 750W 80+ Gold

Monitor: Samsung 32" UJ590 UHD

Keyboard: Corsair K70

Mouse: Corsair Scimitar

Audio: Logitech Z200 (desktop); Roland RH-300 (headphones)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×