Welcome to the Course
Who are you and why did we create this course for you?
We created this course for video beginners. This means you are someone who has never made
a video before, or someone who has already started making videos but is looking for more help.
Maybe you’re a YouTuber, a vlogger, a blogger. Maybe you own a business or work at a
company and need to make your own videos. Maybe you have a camera, and just want to use
it. Or maybe you’re an aspiring filmmaker.
We are video professionals with work seen everywhere from the big screen to viral hits on
YouTube. We’ve come together to teach you the essentials of making a great video.
What can you expect?
You’ll learn how to make great videos no matter what your budget. Here are the key topics that
you’ll learn in this course.
1. Choose what type of video to make and understand what makes an amazing video.
2. Learn about our recommended equipment. This course tries to be ‘equipment agnostic.’
We believe you can make great videos with any kind of camera, audio, or lighting gear.
But throughout the course, we’ll mention equipment that we use and recommend.
3. Learn how to shoot with any camera. Understand the basics of composition, setting
exposure, and choosing a background. Also learn our best tips for specific camera types
like DSLR cameras, smartphones, and webcams.
4. Record better audio and understand how to use different microphones.
5. Light your videos, and see why lighting is so important. Learn down-and-dirty cheap
lighting techniques that won’t break the bank.
6. Edit your videos. We’ll teach you how to make your videos more engaging… no matter
what video editor you use.
7. Someone needs to see your video, right? Learn where and how to grow your audience
with distribution.
Who are your teachers?
Phil Ebiner is a professional editor and motion graphics artist. He’s shot and edited thousands of
videos that have appeared everywhere from YouTube to the big screen. Will Carnahan is a
professional cinematographer, photographer, and director, working on anything from YouTube
series to low budget indie features. Sam Shimizu-Jones is a professional cinematographer and
lead videographer for the band Major Lazer. Sam has traveled the world making documentaries,
music videos, and corporate videos.
What Makes a Great Video?
Here are the key elements to making a great video:
Camera
You need anything to capture video. We’ve used everything from smartphones to $50k+
cameras. Of course some cameras have more capabilities than others (resolutions/slow
motion/etc), but for everyone starting out a smartphone or cheap DSLR is fine. It’s all about
knowing what your camera is capable and how to make it look its best.
Subject
A great video needs a subject. You need something or someone captivating with a story. Even if
you’re making commercial projects, the more interesting your story (or how you present it) is,
the better response your video will have. A story that has heart, that someone can relate too will
be better than one without.
Light
You need light to expose your video, ‘to make it bright enough’. Light comes both naturally and
artificially. Natural light comes from the sun, while artificial light is man-made. Not only is light
essential to expose your video, but it also helps tell your story by creating a mood.
Audio
Audio is another essential piece of video. While a video doesn’t need audio to technically make
it a video, audio can make or break your video. Knowing how to record great audio in any
environment is essential. Luckily, there are different microphones that help you in different
situations.
Edit
Some say that editing is where the story is build. You use editing to not only put together the
best camera takes, but also to create emotion, add comedy, and increase engagement with
things like music, graphics, and color grading.
Distribution
Great videos should be seen, and we live in an amazing world where we can freely share our
videos around the world to anyone with a computer. You need to know how to make it easy for
people to find your videos, and expand your reach with tools like social media.
Create the Right Type of Video
Much of what makes a video successful happens before the production. These next three tips
will help you come up with the right video for your purpose.
What’s your end goal?
To create the right video, you need to know what your end goal is. Are you trying to entertain
with a music video or comedy sketch? Are you trying to teach with a tutorial or educational
documentary? Are you trying to sell with a commercial or promotional video? What's the best
way to visually show this genre of video? You can achieve your goal with any type of video, but
generally there is one type that will accomplish your goal best.
Who is your target audience?
While it would be great if every person in the world was interested in watching your video, that’s
probably not the case. You need to find out who your target audience is. These are people
searching for stories like yours who are more likely to like and share your video and help it
reach even more people. Before making your next video, really think about who you want to
reach with it. Keep them in mind as you write a script, come up with shots, and design a style
through editing.
Where do you want to share?
Different platforms call for different types of videos. Youtube is great for creators putting out
consistent work looking for an audience already searching for video content. Vimeo is for higher
quality creative video makers aspiring to be paid for their video work, not just use video as a tool
for their business. Twitter and Instagram are great for shorter videos. Facebook is another place
you can upload directly to. It’s also a place you can share links to your videos from YouTube or
Vimeo.
We recommend YouTube as the ultimate place to grow a video brand and audience. But if
you’re a business that already has an audience on multiple platforms, it’s a good idea to make
specific content for each platform. At the same time, it’s easier to grow if you focus on one
platform.
