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Raise Your Video Game ... With Your Phone

Raise Your Video Game ... With Your Phone

Focus on these three big categories.

One of the biggest hurdles for many financial advisors getting into video content is the technology itself. People often ask us, “What kind of camera do I need to get? Do I need to hire a professional?” For many of you, the best place to start is with your phone. We know ... YouTube is riddled with poor examples of cellphone footage, but there are also some absolutely stunning examples as well. 

How do some people nail it while others go so wrong? Sometimes it’s their technique; other times it’s simply the quality of the accessories they use. From our vantage point, we often focus on three big categories. The first is …

Lighting

If you’re doing video content, the lighting is essential. In this video, we’ll show you three separate setups: studio-quality lighting, inexpensive lighting and no lighting at all. Your choice here really depends on your budget. The most basic of LED light panels will run you in the neighborhood of $60. If you can swing it, look for a higher-quality LED with a softbox to diffuse it. Lighting (not camera, believe it or not) will make the biggest difference in your final output, so it’s a smart place to invest. 

 

Audio

While your phone can take great videos, it’s not built for great audio. The phone’s microphone is simply not sufficient. Think about upgrading to a lavalier mic or a condenser mic that plugs directly into your phone. The quality difference is noticeable.

 

Movement

While it’s great to have a standard go-to shot in your office, it’s also nice to take some moving shots from time to time. Whether it’s walking through your office building or strolling through the park, a little variety goes a long way. If you’re going to do this, however, consider investing in a gimbal to help take the shakiness out of your shots.

We want to see more and more advisors creating video content. Demand for video content is growing by leaps and bounds, but there are relatively few advisors getting in on the action.  Whether you’re creating content to educate or promote—hopefully both—let your phone be your starting point. And please let us know if we can help!

 

 

Stephen Boswell and Kevin Nichols are partners with The Oechsli Institute, a firm that specializes in research and training for the financial services industry. @StephenBoswell @KevinANichols www.oechsli.com

TAGS: Technology
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