So you’ve decided that your brand needs video. You have the idea, you’ve got the budget approved, and you’ve found the right production company. Now your only issue is that your office is… kinda dated. Maybe the building is a bit old, the paint needs touching up, or it just doesn’t fit the clean and modern look you want to portray in your commercial. You could film your interviews and testimonials in a rental space that does fit the look, but that adds more to your budget. So what do you do? You get creative! … or, I should say, the video team you’ve hired gets creative! By properly using some basic techniques, creatively using the space to our benefit, and adding a few twists of our own, we can help you make your less-than-ideal office look great on camera!
THE BASICS
Choose the right tools!
By selecting the proper lenses, we can ensure we have framing that is appropriate for our setting, as well as being able to heavily blur the background of the image. This will not only help separate the subject from the background, but it will also help to hide the not-so-great parts of our setting.
Dress the Set! Find an angle and background that works, and then make it pop with some decor. It’s very common for us to dress a set with props from around the office like laptops, fake plants, or wall art . If you’re filming in a conference room that has a TV, use that screen to display a company logo or contextual imagery!
LIGHTING
Lighting is often overlooked, but massively important when crafting an appealing image for the camera. It can be used to highlight features on the speaker, create a visual tone, and separate the subject from the background. We often turn off all of the overhead lights in the rooms we are filming in so that we can have full control over the look and feel of the lighting.
Lighting the subject! We will almost always go with a 2-point lighting setup. This includes a key light, or the main light source illuminating our subject, and a backlight to help add depth and create separation from the background. In some cases it might make sense to do a 3-point lighting setup, including a fill light that further illuminates the subject’s shadowed areas. Sometimes we will use a bounce, or a piece of white material used to reflect light, to fill in the shadowed side of the subject.
Lighting the Background! Using light to heighten a background can be very fun, and result in a beautiful image. It can help guide the viewer’s eye, create more depth in the image, or just be more visually pleasing!
- Streak of Light: A common and easy go-to is casting a simple streak of light across a wall. This is achieved simply by cutting the light with barn doors and angling the streak for a nice pop of style.
- Textured/Patterned Light: A great way to add a little zing to your set is by casting some nice patterned shadows. This can not only help cover a blank wall, but can also help sell a specific look, such as being near a window with morning sunlight.
- Colored Light: Adding some colored lighting can be a fun way to spice up the image! Maybe you want to bring in brand colors, or you’re simply trying to distract from a boring beige wall, a little pop of color can take your video to the next level.
There is no reason you should let your lackluster office decor stop you from creating great video content for your business.
With a little knowledge and creativity, we can make the image look great no matter where we are shooting. If you’re ready to take that first step into video, reach out for a free, no-pressure meeting!
