At first glance, this post may not seem like it has much to do with performance marketing, but look a little bit deeper. With the barrier to entry getting lower each day, online video is being used everywhere to promote companies, products and services. When used correctly, it can be a very powerful engagement tool. The problem is most people don’t get the fundamentals of how to shoot their content properly.

If You Want to be Taken Seriously, Shoot Like a Pro

We’ve been doing Relevantly Speaking now for almost a year and a half. If you’ve followed it from the beginning, you’ve surely noticed some technical improvements and some major shifts in the approach we take to the show. However, one thing has stayed the same – we follow the basic principles of proper shooting technique. People constantly stop us at shoots and ask us about the gear we use. Yes, gear helps make your final product better, but all the best equipment in the world can’t make an incorrectly shot video better.

The biggest mistake I see in other video is people looking into the camera while being interviewed. Usually it’s because the person running the camera is also conducting the interview so they end up having the interviewee talk directly to the camera. Here is an example of what I mean. THIS IS WRONG! When you are interviewing someone, they are talking to you, not the audience, so they need to be looking at you. Watch a clip of Bhaskar Roy from Qik. Do you see how Bhaskar is engaged with the interviewer and not staring into the abyss of the camera? 

There are times when you should look directly at the camera. As a host, you’ll sometimes be talking directly to your audience to set the tone for an interview or a clip. In that instance, it is important for you to be addressing the camera and your audience, like Christopher Smith does in this clip.

So, one last time: If you’re interviewing someone, the interviewee always looks camera-left or camera-right, but not directly at the camera. If you’re hosting a show and talking directly to the audience, then you look directly at the camera. Make sense?

Now, I know what you’re going to say “But Scott, what if I’m by myself holding a camera and doing the interview. Where should the interviewee look and how can I pull this off?” 

Good question. Glad you asked. Here is a great example of how CT Moore does it in an interview with Jonathan Trieber. He setup a tripod and did the interview in front of the camera. Another option, instead of getting in front of the camera you could simply stand next to your camera and interview your subject that way. Like this interview with Ryan Sommers.

At the end of the day, we’re all trying to make our video productions as good as they can be. Yes, things like good sound and proper lighting are important – but sometimes you can’t control that. You can control how you choose to shoot your interviews. Even if you have a Flip Mino HD camera, get yourself a cheap tripod and take a few extra seconds to do it right. If we want new media to be taken seriously by the mainstream, then we have to act (and shoot) like professionals.

I’d love to hear your comments.