How to be Seen and Heard

Video production doesn’t need to be complicated to be good, especially in Beckinfield. Because your character is (among other things) a video blogger, your videos don’t need to be elaborate. From a production standpoint, your videos need only accomplish two things. You need to:

1. Be heard
2. Be seen

Which is more important? It may seem counter-intuitive, but audiences are much more likely to overlook poor picture quality than they are bad sound. Why? Lots of reasons. Poor lighting or distorted picture can be (incorrectly) perceived as a creative choice, while sound issues like low volumes or distorted voice are almost always perceived as a mistake. The audience may forgive struggling to see you in a dark, moody image, but they will not forgive struggling to hear what you are saying. They will likely just get frustrated and give up.

So, enough Video Psychology 101! Let’s focus on how to avoid these two problems.

Be Heard

First, make sure you are speaking loud enough, and are close enough to the camera/microphone, for your voice to come through clearly. Think about a singer who croons a first verse quietly into the mic and then pulls way back when it’s time to belt out that last verse. Being aware of the distance between yourself and your microphone is the easiest way to control your volume.

Then let your ears be your guide to making sure your character can be heard. Compare the volume of your uploaded videos to one of the current “Previously On Beckinfield” videos. Are the volumes roughly similar? You don’t want your audience reaching for the volume control every time your videos play.

Listening to your videos after they are uploaded to the site is absolutely the best way to make sure your audio is audible.

Be Seen

Just like with audio, proximity to the camera is key to being seen. In general, close-up shots tend to work much better than distant shots. Feel free to vary your shots from video to video, but keep in mind that the farther you are from the camera, the more difficult it is for the audience to see your eyes and read your expressions.

Modern cameras automatically adjust to all but the darkest lighting conditions, so unless your character is a spelunker, lighting is usually not an issue. However, a simple desk lamp carefully placed can make you and your videos really pop. It’s also fun to explore how lighting creates mood. If you’re into it, check out this article on simple lighting setups.

Again, the best way to check your videos is to watch them on the site. Your eyes won’t lie.

Extra Eyes

Getting a second pair of eyes on your video can be extremely helpful. Get feedback from friends or other actors in the Forums. It’s a great way to spot things you might have missed. And we’re happy to help as well! Drop us a line at support@beckinfield.com if you would like us to watch one of your videos and offer advice in these areas.

The good news is once you do a couple of videos and determine some good distances and lighting situations, you won’t have to think about these details again. Like riding a bike, they begin to come naturally to you as you make more videos.

For more information on basic video production, check out my articles on Cellphone Cinematography, Sound Advice, Video Length, and my favorite Save for Later feature.