Do you need a video production estimate? You need to allocate budget for a few videos but are struggling to get a straight answer.

Many clients ask us to ‘quickly’ give a ballpark figure for filming and editing a few videos… and that’s it!. We are not given any further details usually because the prospective client does not know which information we need in order to accurately prepare an estimate for video production.

We always say it is best to spend a bit of time thinking about the final product in order to get things right from the start.

There are many factors that can affect a video production estimate.

We need to consider equipment to be used on the day, yes, but also man-hours during post-production. … and who best to give a full brief than the client?

Some of these questions may or may not be relevant to your particular project and if there’s anything you are not sure of, we are happy to advise. Rule of thumb: the more information you can give us about your video project the quicker and more accurately we will be able to price it.

✓ Can you briefly describe the idea behind your video and do you know roughly how long you would like it to be?

✓ Do you already have a draft script or storyboard or concept we can use?

✓ Have you seen other videos you like and that are similar to what you would like to achieve?

✓ Do you have a rough idea of how many filming days you will require?

✓ What type of content are we filming? Maybe you’re looking to promote a product or raise funds for a new start up business, perhaps you just want to document an event or live stream

✓ Do you have a location in mind? Is it outdoors or indoors? We are able to help you source a location, whether that’s a controlled studio environment,

✓ Do you have a preferred date for filming? When do you need the video ready? Working to tight deadlines is not a problem but it is always best to have an idea of the overall video marketing strategy schedule.

✓ Sometimes a single camera is enough but we can provide as many as needed. We will gladly advise you on this and propose the best way forward depending on the type of video required.

“You will not find ‘Production value’ priced on any rates card”

✓ We can film and edit but also offer full post-production (voiceovers, colour grading, translations, captioning and subtitling), do you think you will need anything extra?

✓ How would you like your video delivered? Is the video going to be part of a larger social media marketing strategy? Maybe the video is for social media but a decision on vertical vs horizontal format must be made early on.

Check out the pricing section of our website for some guideline prices and a basic video production estimate and if you have any questions at all, please email us hello@thequickbrownfox.co.uk for a no obligations chat and video production estimate.

Having a good lighting setup will make your life easier during post-production. Check out this basic tutorial and get it right from the start.

Always remember that cameras love light and that’s a fact!

If you’re considering to start vlogging don’t be put off by thinking that you must use professional cameras and equipment to generate great quality video content.

The holy grail of social media success is an engaged audience. One of the ways to generate meaningful interactions and maintain engagement is to achieve that sought-after “self-shot” look and feel. Thumb-stopping content will ooze authenticity.

To start with, don’t feel bad if your video is not looking as sharp as the brands you follow on Instagram, you would never guess the level of production that goes into producing some of their content.

A couple of years ago, we filmed various very successful vloggers such as Dina Tokio using a Canon DSLR 7D. Today there are plenty of more options at affordable prices. Here’s a couple you could try [this is not an #ad so we are not getting paid for these mentions]: Panasonic Lumix GH5, Canon 5D [a classic!] or Sony A7s [particularly good if you think you’ll be filming in low light conditions].

Luckily, mobile phones cameras are getting better literally every day.

Not long ago we ran a few tests on the iPhone X and the quality is just astonishing. It shoots 4K 60fps and if your content is for social media only, then this is indeed an option. Please bear in mind that results won’t be as nice in low light though, so be mindful of lighting conditions.

Yes, you’re probably wondering about that one other brand: It’s very often that we get asked about the capabilities of a GoPro. We love those little cameras! However, with GoPro, it’s important to use top of the line kit because the resolution upgrades drastically with each new model. The most recent ones, also have image stabilization which is a huge advantage when filming on the go.

Whatever you are using, and before you rush to buy new kit, include lighting in your filming bag. You will see an instant boost in the quality. Get the lighting right first. You can thank us later 😉

Click here to check our blog about basic lighting tips and tricks. 

And remember, you are only going to improve if you keep filming every week.

One of the main reasons people keep using their mobiles to film and edit videos is because deliverables can be turned around very quickly.

We filmed this short clip on an iPad Air 2015 and edited it on the same device. The key, as with all event filming, was NOT to over film. Our advice is to capture what’s important and not to feel bad if you cannot get absolutely all the nice bits of the event. A video is meant to highlight the moment and you definitely don’t want to spend hours and hours editing a short social media clip.

We filmed using the native iPad camera and edited the footage using a (since discontinued) app called CLIPS [apparently it was bought off by Google a couple of years ago and whilst the version we used for this no longer exists, there is now a native iOS app also called Clips with video filming & editing capabilities]. There are loads other options out there. One of the easiest to use is probably VidClips. Give it a try, it has themes, FXs and you can add text on top of your videos.

After filming a bit at each stall, I started editing straight away whilst on the way back to the office. The journey back was a 1-hour long tube ride and by the time I arrived at my destination, the movie was already uploading to Facebook. Nice and easy. The fresher the content the better the results and the more videos you can produce to boost your social channels.

We deliver workshops to teach you how to improve your filming skills so you too can become a social media videographer. Click here to find out more.

In the meantime, keep practising. Asking questions from day one is vital to discovering your strengths and working on any weaknesses.

https://www.facebook.com/quickbrownfoxuk/videos/1240485715976842/

1- WIPE that lens:

This may sound silly but loads of times blurry iPhone videos happen because of a dirty lens. Make it a habit to clean your camera lens with a standard glass cleaning cloth and you’ll see the difference.

2- Keep it STEADY:

Make sure you hold your phone steadily and with both hands. If this is not practical maybe try resting it on a surface or consider buying a small tripod or stabiliser. The Manfrotto mini tripod is not expensive at all at £30 (including the must-have clamp to fix our phone).  We’ve been using ours for over 3 years and it’s never let us down. It’s not bulky, it takes 1 second to mount your phone on it and having a big name brand behind it makes it super reliable.

3- Consider the LIGHTING set up:

Most places have warm lighting which tends to have a yellow tint to it. You want to film under ‘daylight’ light which has a more blue-ish tint and on film looks closer to natural light. You can achieve a natural light look artificially by swapping the bulb in your desk lamp or you can get an LED panel that can be adjusted to lots of different scenarios.

4- Film in 4K:

Most users don’t know this mega tip, but it is possible to FILM 4K quality iPhone videos. Indeed if you have an iPhone 6 or newer your device is capable of filming videos in 4K.  It’s not quite as simple as just opening up your camera and pressing record. You will need to tweak some settings, but don’t worry, it’s not too complicated. Just go to Settings > Camera, tap either Record Video or Record Slow-mo, and select your preferred resolution from the listed options. Choose from various options from HD to 4K and even change the frames per second to give you the smoothest video with the highest number of pixels.

5- Invest in a few APPS:

Your iPhone videos can be hugely improved by using third-party apps. There are a few good free ones but consider investing in paid for apps as well for better results. We use and recommend iMovie for editing on the go, Hype Type to add animated texts to your videos and Stop Motion Studio for well… doing those clever stop-motion clips where inanimate objects seem to have a life of their own.

6 – SOUND:

This is a biggie. Spot on sound is crucial, so unless you’re planning to overlay a music track or voiceover on top of your video, try your best to keep environment noise to the minimum. In reality, the phone’s built-in mic is not great, so maybe consider investing in an external recording device or a directional microphone. If you’re shooting iPhone videos, we use and recommend the Rode SmartLav. Just search online for it, it shouldn’t break the bank at roughly £50.

7 – Consider VERTICAL:

Up until a year ago horizontal filming was a must since output channels had either a square or 16:9 ratio. Filming a video whilst holding your phone in a vertical position always meant ending up with those awful black square to either side of the video when watching on a bigger screen or after uploading to youtube. Nowadays with Instagram and FB stories huge relevance, we’d say it will ultimately depend on where the video is going to be published: If you’re filming for YouTube or Facebook, stick to holding your phone horizontally, if you’re creating an Instagram story, play around with vertical videos. Maybe you’re wanting to make a square video. In this case, you may want to shoot horizontally but leave some room on either side to allow for the cropping that will ensue.

8 – Bonus TIP:

Check out our friends over at Avocado Social where they share their 3 top tips for creating attention grabbing social media video.

As you can see we’ve gone back to the beginning: Planning is key! Before pressing that record button, think exactly what you want to get out of your video and where and how and then go from there. If you’re stuck, give us a ring, we’re always happy to help.

Have fun making videos!