In this blog, we will be discussing the differences between polished videos and off-the-cuff videos. We’ll look at how we define both styles of video, the pros and cons of each, and explain why you might choose one over the other.

What’s the Difference?

In this video, Ikey Ajavon, a marketing content strategist at SproutVideo, breaks down the distinctions between off-the-cuff videos and polished productions. Learn the benefits and drawbacks of each, as well as what’s required to make your own.

What is a Polished Video?

Most people are already familiar with polished videos. For many companies, this is the only type of video they produce. And for good reason – they have a very professional look and feel, and can be used in many different ways.

For instance, polished videos are perfect for advertising and marketing videos, demo and explainer videos, in-depth interviews, branded shows, and more. You can share such videos in advertising campaigns, on your website or blog, or post them to social media.

Pros and Cons of Polished Videos

There are plenty of benefits when it comes to polished videos. They are generally reusable, they can be shared almost anywhere, and they ensure you will get that professional look. Investing in your video production can also pay dividends in terms of viewer engagement and brand-building.

Of course, there are some drawbacks. These videos are usually very time-consuming, expensive, and require a lot of planning to produce. If you don’t have a reasonable budget or plenty of lead time, polished videos are likely out of the question.

How to Make Polished Videos

For this type of production, you’ll need a few key components to get the best results. First, you’ll need a script, actors, and probably a location for your shoot. Depending on the video, you’ll also need props, lights, and microphones. Next, you’ll want to ensure you have the right camera for the job.

We recommend using a DSLR or mirrorless camera at the very least. A camcorder or cinema rig will ensure even better quality if you have one. For more on picking the right camera for your project, check out our comparison of the real world features that matter for different cameras.

If you have an in-house marketing or video team, they might be able to produce this type of video. Otherwise, you’ll need to hire a video production company. The level of technical expertise involved usually requires the assistance of video professionals with hands-on experience.

For post-production, if you’re handling it in-house, we recommend using industry-standard tools such as Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Audition, and other applications to ensure the final product is top-notch. If you’re working with a production company, they should be using professional video editing software.

Why Make Polished Videos?

So, why would you go through all this “trouble” for a polished video? As mentioned earlier, this type of video will last for a long time and can be used for multiple situations. They also reflect well on the quality of your company or product.

In some regards, polished videos also feel like a safer option. They scripted and heavily produced. You’ll have plenty of chances to correct any issues before the video is shared.

In certain cases, your video needs to be polished to get the look you desire, such as with multi-camera interviews. When working with more than one camera, the footage really needs to match, or the result will feel disjointed and be very distracting for viewers.

Due to the complexities of operating multiple cameras at the same time, you can’t shortchange the production. In cases like this, it’s best to plan on a higher quality production from the get-go to ensure the final result turns out the way you want.

What is an Off-the-Cuff Video?

Off-the-cuff videos are essentially the opposite of polished videos. They generally require much less planning, far fewer resources, and are much faster to produce than polished videos.

Anyone can produce this type of video, and it’s everywhere online. While many brands are still wary of testing this format, it’s becoming more and more commonplace to see major companies producing and sharing off-the-cuff videos.

Examples of off-the-cuff videos include short interviews, timely updates, or social media-specific videos like Instagram stories. You mainly see this style of video on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Pros and Cons of Off-the-Cuff Videos

Off-the-cuff videos are quick to plan, simple to produce, inexpensive, and easy to share. They’re an important part of most companies’ marketing strategy since they feel authentic and help forge connections with viewers.

However, just like polished videos, off-the-cuff videos have their weaknesses. With limited control over production, and lower quality overall, off-the-cuff videos aren’t always appropriate for every type of video.

As a result, they have a shorter shelf-life. They aren’t as evergreen as polished videos, and are unlikely to have much value over the long run.

How to Make Off-the-Cuff Videos

Creating an off-the-cuff video is very straightforward. You won’t need actors or outside companies to produce it. Your marketing team (or anyone in your office who is willing to be on camera) should be able to handle the entire process.

The overall look you’re going for is much more casual than with a polished video. Natural light sources and everyday hair and makeup are perfectly appropriate for these types of shoots. Of course, it never hurts to wear a clean shirt.

For recording off-the-cuff videos, any relatively new smartphone will be just fine. If you have a point-and-shoot, DSLR, or mirrorless camera, any of those options would work even better than a smartphone, and elevate the quality.

The last step is post-production. Depending on the video, you might not need to edit anything at all.

If you need light editing, there are lots of apps in the App Store or Google Play store that allow you to edit efficiently right on your phone. Apps like iMovie, InShot, Splice and more are an excellent place to start. If you would like to edit on a computer, we’d suggest using Adobe Rush, which is a scaled-down version of Premiere Pro with an accompanying mobile app.

Why Bother With Off-The-Cuff Video?

You might be thinking, why would I sacrifice the quality of a polished video for an off-the-cuff video? Well, these videos can foster a strong feeling of authenticity for the viewer specifically because they look and feel less produced than a polished video. They read as much more personal than a typical marketing video.

As a result, they are particularly well-suited for timely or live updates from an event or product launch, or for creating interesting behind-the-scenes content. Any time you need to quickly get the word out to your audience, an off-the-cuff video is likely the way to go.

They also allow for a much more casual approach to your content. They don’t have to be perfect or replicable – in fact, that’s the entire point.

It really is the more the merrier when it comes to off-the-cuff video. Since each individual video has a short shelf-life, producing them on a frequent basis is key to success with this style of video. That way, you can build an engaged audience over time.

Best of Both Worlds?

We think there is one type of video that works well in both categories: internal communications. For company updates that happen on a recurring basis, we’d suggest keeping it off-the-cuff, low-cost and quick. Examples include quarterly sales results or a welcome video from the CEO for new hires.

Basically, you want those videos to feel as personal and real as possible, and they inherently require a quick turnaround time. Those factors make off-the-cuff videos the right choice.

On the other hand, if your company is expanding rapidly and the training material won’t be changing in the near future, it might be worth the time and effort to produce a polished video to give new hires the best first impression. Similarly, a year-end company performance review might be worth spending more time and effort on.

When deciding which direction to take for your internal communications videos, consider the intended shelf-life of the video, the audience, and the time and resources available to you.

Whether you’re producing more polished content, sticking with off-the-cuff videos, or a combination of both, we’d love to hear how you’re implementing video to improve your business. Let us know in the comments below.

The post When is an Off-the-Cuff Video Okay? appeared first on SproutVideo.

Well, for one, you might not love the way those awesome fireworks look on your phone when filming with everything set to auto. Avoid disappointing results this Fourth with these 10 secrets to capturing stellar footage of fireworks displays using your phone.

1. Stake Out a Good Spot

The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, a clear view of the fireworks, which is critical for getting nice shots. Stake out a spot where you will be able to see not only the fireworks, but some interesting buildings, landmarks, or landscapes to help frame your shots beautifully. It’s not just about the fireworks, but also the light they create and how it bounces off of water, shiny skyscrapers, or clouds.

2. Come Prepared

Make sure you cover the basics. You will need your phone fully charged with plenty of room to store HD videos of the fireworks display. You’ll probably also want a way to stabilize your phone when shooting, whether that means a little tripod, a pair of sunglasses, or just a carefully chosen spot where you can safely prop it up somehow.

3. Use a Specialized App

There’s a good chance you’ll want to use a different app for shooting the video than the native camera app provided with your phone in order to get more finely tuned control over your settings for recording fireworks. Testing some out and installing them prior to the fireworks is a must if you don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute.

Here are some options that give you granular manual control over your phone’s camera to help get you started:

iPhone

• MoviePro
• Kinomatic Video Camera

Android

• Cinema FV-5
• Time Lapse Video Recorder

4. Avoid Overexposure

Filming on a phone in a low light setting when trying to capture sudden bursts of light and color is challenging to say the least. On auto, your phone will keep trying to adjust to the darkness in between fireworks, and the bright flashes of light periodically appearing in the sky, meaning the iris will be constantly changing. Most phones don’t react quickly enough to such drastic changes in lighting conditions to deliver a quality result.

Locking the exposure on your phone is the way to go. On iOS, aim the camera at the fireworks, or a similar bright source of light, against the dark sky, and tap and hold your finger on that area until the AE/AF lock symbol appears on the screen. This will prevent your phone from struggling to adapt to the changing lighting conditions during the display. You might want to try locking it a few times until you get the result you want.

On Android, the right way to lock exposure depends on the specific phone you have, but for most models, you can lock exposure (and focus) by pressing and holding the shutter button until it beeps, or otherwise indicates that it’s been set. You might even have additional options for finely tuning the exposure setting depending on your specific device.

5. Don’t Zoom

Zooming in on the fireworks will create lots of visual noise in your frame since the zoom is digital, not optical. Try to get to the event early instead so you can get a better vantage point and avoid zooming entirely.

6. Test in Advance

Ideally, bring sparklers on the 4th of July to allow you to test your video settings before the big fireworks show kicks off. You should really have sparklers anyway, because they’re awesome, but for making sure you’re ready to film fireworks, they can serve a really practical purpose too. Once the sun goes down, sparklers create similar lighting conditions as fireworks, allowing you to make sure your exposure settings are optimized before the big show.

7. Timelapse or Slow Motion

Consider creating a timelapse video or filming in slow motion to add variety to your video and help it stand out from the thousands of other fireworks clips that are bound to emerge after the Fourth.

8. Pretty Panning

If you want to pan across the display, hold your phone as steadily as possible, and move it by turning your upper body slowly from the waist. The result will be much more smooth than just using your hands, since turning from the waist helps stabilize the panning shot.

9. It’s Not Just Fireworks

Consider mixing in clips of spectators, flags waving in the breeze, the band playing at the pavilion, people playing with sparklers, and other related happenings that capture the spirit of the Fourth. Try to get all of those shots before the fireworks begin so you can properly adjust the settings on your phone before the show begins, and aren’t trying to switch settings back and forth.

10. Sound Solutions

If you have a fancy rig for your phone with an external microphone, you might have better luck than most capturing the exciting snaps, crackles and pops of fireworks exploding in the sky. The built-in microphone is unlikely to be up to the challenge in this instance, so consider editing out the sound entirely, and replacing it with patriotic or upbeat music.

If you really want the sounds of fireworks going off, but can’t capture it clearly with your setup, try using sound effects instead. You can find real recordings of fireworks for free here and here. Then the only challenge is to time them realistically to the display.

Do you have any other tips for filming fireworks? Please share in the comments below.

The post Ten Tips to Film Fireworks on a Phone appeared first on SproutVideo.

I am shooting films with vibrant picture quality and crisp sound design, and I am doing it with an iPhone 6s. Using a camera rig I invented, and utilizing Adobe Premiere for my entire post-production process, I have turned my small Manhattan studio apartment into a production studio capable of making powerful content. I set it all up for less than $2,000 and I handle all aspects of production myself. Here’s how you can do it, too.

I founded my production company, Barbaric Media, partly as a thought experiment in response to the new-normal media paradigm that has emerged around the current generation of Instagrammers and Snapchatters. This generation takes the concept of individual oversharing to new extremes, with many of them becoming their own brand. In that context, I wanted to see what I could accomplish as a one man army running my own video production studio.

With just one person in charge of branding, marketing, design, operations, and all aspects of video production, you can only do so much, so I alchemized my limitations into opportunities. When I needed a logo, I drew it myself. When I didn’t have $10,000 to splurge on the camera and lenses I wanted, I invented a rig for my iPhone 6s to utilize its 4K video capability. Here are the details on my rig, and how I shoot, followed by my post-production workflow.

My Smartphone Rig

In my experience, the iPhone 6s really can produce professional 4K video, with the help of some accessories. In addition to my iPhone, I use a Rode shotgun mic, a Tascam audio recorder, an 8” extension bar from TetherTools, the Zeadio camera video grip, a tripod adaptor clamp for the iPhone from MeFoto, and a pair of bolts with a nut and a metal washer for each to hold everything together. I also keep a portable charger in my pocket to make sure my iPhone doesn’t die on long shoots – mine’s from TechLink. To see how it all comes together, check out this video:

If you do build a rig, beware – there are a lot of so-called ‘shotgun’ mics on the market that are deceptively built in the shape of a shotgun mic, but they actually record sound in a less-effective cardioid pattern, which is not directional and basically gathers your sound in a bloated bubble around the mic. Invest in a Rode shotgun mic like the one I use in my rig, and you will not have to worry about this issue.

How I Shoot Video on my Phone

I shoot all my footage with the aforementioned camera rig, making sure that the 4K option is selected on my iPhone 6s. One of my favorite parts about this setup is that the weight of the Tascam, balanced with the weight of the iPhone and its clamp, makes for very smooth handheld cinematography. For lighting, I take advantage of natural light sources as much as possible, though I occasionally use the Genaray LED-7100T light, which is priced around $300 and highly versatile.

For each take, after the iPhone and the audio recorder are speeding, I read aloud the file number on the Tascam, so that the iPhone mic records that spoken number. Then I snap my fingers once in front of the frame (an ersatz clapboard) – this will enable me to sync my sound later on. It’s all jerrybuilt, and it all works famously. (There are slate apps, which blink and beep, but the finger snap works fine and is much more convenient than juggling a second iPhone.)

Post-Production Workflow

When I’ve got my footage in the can, I import it into Premiere (after backing it all up on my G-Drive with Thunderbolt – good for editing in 4K). When you import into Premiere, make sure the media that your import is directed to is all saved in the very same folder, in the very same place, on the very same external hard drive, and not on your computer itself. Not only will this help you avoid disconnected media issues when you open and close your project, but you’ll also avoid fragmenting your computer.

Now, we can start editing. For each new sequence I create, I change the sequence setting from 1920×1080 to 1280×720 – this avoids a host of issues.

One hobgoblin I encountered was that the very first footage I captured with the iPhone recorded in .mov extensions. This ultimately decreased the image quality of that footage, as I had to convert those files into .m4v files through Quicktime in order to mesh them into the rest of the footage in my sequence. Miraculously, and without any conscious correction from me, the iPhone began recording in .m4v from my second shoot on – perhaps this spontaneous correction had something to do with the iPhone software getting a nudge after connecting with iPhoto during my first media dump, which I hadn’t done previous to my first shoot.

Next, without yet synching the Tascam’s .wav files, I edit my project using the less superior, inherent iPhone sound. We probably won’t use all of our shots, so it’s a thief of time to sync all of them up before we edit.

Color Correction

When editing is complete, I drag the Fast Color Corrector (FCC) filter onto each and every video clip in my picture-lock. I am not an expert when it comes to color correction, but this is a down-and-dirty trick to add a good deal of quality to your picture. After applying FCC to a clip, I select that clip, then select the Lumetri Scopes tab located right behind the sequence-viewing window, in the top right window. You’ll see a scarily scientific-looking graph: don’t be afraid.

Next, I select the Effects Control tab in the bin-viewing window, the window to the left-adjacent of our first window. If you scroll down, past the colorful wheel, you’ll see a spectrum bar labeled Input Levels, which corresponds to the Lumetri Scopes graph. I slide the left black tab to the right, just until the mass of static-like information begins to crush into the bottom zero line of the graph. Then I slide the right white tab to the left, just until the top of the waveform begins to crush into the top 100 line. Now your whites and blacks should be truer, and your colors should be more dynamic.

If you now flip back to view your sequence image in the top right window, and select the Show Split View box in the left-adjacent window, you can evaluate just how much your picture improved.

However, don’t forget to deselect that Show Split View box before you export your final video, or the demarcation line will also export (I made this mistake, and you can see it in the last shot of my “How To Make An iPhone Rig” video. Serendipitously for you, I am standing in front of a colorful wall, and you can see how the colors above the line pop more than the colors below the line).

Further, if you are going black-and-white with your film, the FCC can render your blacks inkier, your greys more silvery, and your whites more snowy.

Sync Your Sound

With my picture finalized, I now sync my sound. Although this process might seem tedious, I’ve received quite a few inquiries about how I achieved such sterling production sound. I firmly believe all the time invested in this phase is worth every second, just as the dollars invested in a good mic are worth every penny.

I jot down the file names of only the clips I’ve used in my final picture-lock (expand your sequence timeline if your clips are too short to reveal those file names). This list tells me which clips in my import bin I need to sync, and which ones I do not.

At this point, I create a new sequence titled Sound Sync, and I repeat the following process for each clip:

I go to the bin, locate the first clip on my list, and open it. Set the in-point precisely when you hear that fingersnap, using the decibel meter for accuracy – it should peak at the snap. Then I set the out-point just a few seconds after the in-point, and drag that picture to the Sound Sync sequence, sans sound.

I know the number of the Tascam’s .wav file that clip should sync to, because I announced it for iPhone sound during the shoot, so I select that .wav file from the import bin, and again, set the in-point at the fingersnap, the out-point a few seconds after, drag that truncated .wav file down to my Sound Sync sequence, and snap its front-end flush with the film clip we dragged down a moment ago.

Now you’ve synced that sound, and with your new clip truncated to only a few seconds, it won’t take up too much space in your sequence, and you can expand and contract it within the sequence as you need it.

Do the next one, and the next one, and so on…

Finally, back in my picture-lock sequence, I place the timepoint line on the first frame of the clip I want to sync, and double-click that clip to display its initial frame. I return to my Sound Sync sequence, and scrub over that .wav-synced clip until I match the frame exactly. It’s a bit of a game: I might look for the line of a wall or a shadow in relation to the frame’s edge, of the placement of a subject’s fingers, or any other details that will help me match these two frames.

Now, with a replica image in both viewing windows, I cut out the sound I need from the .wav file, copy it, paste it under its corresponding image in my picture-lock sequence, and expand/contract the copied .wav’s backside until it is the exact length of its picture file. It’s makeshift, and it works brilliantly.

When I’ve synced all my sound, I put on some good headphones and set my computer’s volume to half, 8 out of 16 bars. That’s a great level at which to mix your sound. I usually throw a Vocal Enhancer filter on any clips where someone’s speaking. Then I go clip by clip through the audio and adjust the decibel level of each one, making sure that room tones aren’t too high and buzzy, while making sure vocal levels aren’t too low. Importantly, I make sure that my volume levels are consistent through my entire project.

When I’m done, I’ll spot-check my work by comparing the volume of some of the clips at the beginning with some at the end. If there’s a pop or click between the audio of two adjacent clips, I’ll smooth it out by slapping on a crossfade transition. Sometimes, I trim the time of that crossfade down to a fraction of a second if it reveals itself too much.

Export Settings

When I export my media, I select H.264 under Format (which, generally speaking, is the best for web video), and under Bitrate Encoding, I select ‘VBR, 2 pass’. I also select Use Maximum Render Quality and, in the video tab, I check the box Render at Maximum Depth. To boot, I also bump up the Target Bitrate and Maximum Bitrate levels by one, or by two if I’m feeling lucky.

And that’s about it. Of course, you can dig way deeper into color correction, into sound, into a lot of things I touched on here – as I said, this is a best-fit line of a post workflow. And, I’ve got plenty of ideas for ways to improve my current rig – for instance, there’s a 2:35:1 adapter from MoonDogLabs that I’d love to explore. But, what we’ve got here today, really, is a damn fine guerilla handbook for quickly and easily producing high-quality content – with a smartphone, no less!

The post How To Build an iPhone Camera Rig and Produce Damn Fine 4K Video appeared first on SproutVideo.

A Look At the Numbers

To say mobile video is growing is an understatement. New data from Ericsson mobile forecasts mobile video to grow 13x over the next 5 years, outpacing every other mobile activity.

Chart Credit: Ericsson Mobility Report

It will also represent more than 50% of all mobile data traffic by 2019, up from around 35-40% in 2013:

Chart Credit: Ericsson Mobility Report

User behavior is changing, and rapidly. As those charts from Ericsson clearly demonstrate, an increasing percent of viewers are choosing to watch on mobile devices rather than fixed screens. This is not great news for traditional broadcast TV and fixed TVs, but for app developers and the new original content producers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, it’s fantastic news.

Lines Are Blurring Between Devices

Partly in response to these shifts in behavior, the lines between smartphones, tablets, laptops and TVs are eroding. Smartphone screen size is increasing, as is the resolution, while optional keyboards for tablets, touchscreens for laptops, and smart TVs are increasingly commonplace. Operating systems are becoming “tabletized” and UX is shifting to either touchscreens or even gestures. The computing power of mobile devices is also increasing exponentially, making tasks like video editing and other memory-intensive tasks now easy and slick on most mobile devices.

These trends will fundamentally change how video appears on the web. HTML5 video is better suited to mobile playback, and as others have posited, the future of Flash is uncertain at best. The groundswell being interactive video and mobile advertising will only accelerate this trend.

Also, the smarter phones get, the better mobile video will look. Video encoded for playback on mobile devices used to be encoded at a low resolution due to the speed of the networks and the processing capabilities of the phones. Today, you can get true HD playback on a phone or tablet, and ultra-HD is not too far away from becoming a reality for mobile viewers. This chart from Ericsson compares the bitrates necessary to stream different video resolutions using the H.264 codec and the H.265 codec:

Chart Credit: Ericsson Mobility Report

If you think video looks pretty good on your phone now, just wait a year or two. The pace will depend not just on device manufacturers, but also cellular and WiFi networks.

What This Means To You

The importance of having a mobile-optimized website and mobile-optimized video is more clear than ever before. Responsive design is the new standard, while interactive design is becoming more popular by the day. Acquiring the skills or the talent needed to implement these new trends will help your business benefit from these emerging trends, and stay abreast of the shift towards mobile video.

Do you watch video on your phone? Has the experience changed noticeably for you in recent years? How do you see this impacting your business? Let us know in the comments below or share with us on Twitter.

The post What You Need to Know About Mobile Video appeared first on SproutVideo.

That equipment is still justified in many situations. However, video editing apps and more powerful phones are making it easier and faster to produce fantastic video in the palm of your hand with a device you already own. Read on for the essentials you need to make professional-looking video with your phone.

Correct the Aspect Ratio

We all know to film video with your phone sideways, right? Vertical video is only appropriate for platforms that are optimized specifically for it, like Snapchat.

To produce HD video without letterboxing, you have to film with your phone held horizontally. This allows you to create HD videos appropriate for wide screens.

If you still occasionally catch yourself shooting mobile video vertically, an app called Horizon will correct that problem for you. It automatically reorients your video, and crops it into the proper aspect ratio as you film.

Another option is to fix this in the editing process. By creating a secondary video track, and enlarging your footage, you can create an appealing widescreen video from vertical footage.

No More Shakiness

For less than $30, you can get a small, portable tripod for your smartphone. It is well-worth the expense if you are looking to improve video you are taking with your phone.

These little wonders are compact and lightweight enough to find a permanent home in your purse, briefcase, or backpack.

Even better, certain brands have detachable mounts, meaning you can use your smartphone with any tripod legs. This handy feature is one to look for, since it greatly expands your options for avoiding shaky video when filming mobile video.

Another way to reduce shakiness is to get a monopod or similar hand-held device. These devices are simpler than tripods, but still help counteract the natural movements of your hands that can ruin an otherwise decent shot.

These range from simple devices with extendable poles to get shots from different angles and heights, to relatively expensive hand-held devices like the Steadicam Smoothee.

Steadicams hold your phone completely steady no matter if you are moving around or even going up and down stairs. If you are a real estate agent filming a walk-through of a property on a phone, for instance, this device is an absolute must. With a little practice it can even replace much bulkier full-size tripods in numerous situations.

Capture Better Audio

Although cameras have gotten exceptionally good on recent models of iPhones and Androids, microphone lag far behind.

The built-in microphone on your phone will capture a lot of background noise due to its pickup range. It’s also usually far from the subject being filmed. And, orienting both the camera and the microphone towards the subject isn’t possible due to their locations on the device.

Bulky or heavy microphones are not optimized for use with a phone, so a few manufacturers have started catering to this growing market. There are accessories on the market that can dramatically improve the audio being captured, even if the phone is far away.

To get the mic as close as possible to your subject, you can use a lavalier mic like this one from Rode. Affix it to your subject, then have them record the audio to their phone instead of the one used for filming. Then, get the file from them through AirDrop or email when you are ready to start editing.

As an alternative, using a separate recording device for the audio is the route you should take for the absolute best quality.

If you have to sync audio, start each take by clapping your hands. This will cause a spike in the audio levels that you can use to match your audio and video tracks.

Trim and Polish Video on the Go

To finalize your videos, you no longer have to wait until you’re back at a computer. There are a plethora of video editing apps out there, and several are really very powerful. Some of the most popular include Magisto, iMovie, VidTrim Pro, Splice, and SloPro (for slow motion videos).

These robust apps allow you to cut and trim clips, rearrange your shots, and add transitions, text, images, sound and visual effects, music, and voice-overs. The learning curve varies tremendously, and the right app for you will depend heavily on your video work-flow and your specific project.

The ability to add more than one audio track, which many of these apps allow, is especially handy. The microphone on your phone may not capture all the sounds you want to feature in your video. For instance, adding a music track can immediately make a video seem more professional.

Have you produced a great video on the go? We would love to see it! Tell us about your experience in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter!

The post Quickly and Easily Make Great Video on the Go appeared first on SproutVideo.

Self-Training

Self-training videos, otherwise known as video how to’s, are great educational resources to help keep customer support tickets at a minimum. A lot of customers might encounter the same issue, so making responses to common questions available to everyone is generally helpful to new users. Companies have historically approached this by creating help sections or forums, but those are text-based and usually not very fun to peruse.

Cloud communications platform Twilio allows software developers to programmatically make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and perform other communication functions using its web service APIs. That seems pretty straight-forward but of course there will be some differences in implementing it depending on which language the coder (customer) is using. Anticipating this, Twilio created a useful playlist to help customers get started without needing to reach out for assistance, no matter what they’re using.

Once your videos are created, don’t forget to prominently display them on your website and to promote them on your social channels and in customer e-blasts to ensure people see them. Or, better yet, you can take…

A Social Approach

Social media is now a full-fledged customer service channel, requiring monitoring 24/7 for those with particularly active communities. It is not all about putting fires out, however. The British high street bank NatWest has taken their promotion of self-training videos a step further by using Vine to share short, fun videos in direct response to customer service questions posed on Twitter:

It is amazing what you can fit in 6 seconds, and Vine is particularly well-suited for illustrating quick changes to settings on a dashboard, or locating a specific feature. Get creative and have some fun!

What if Your Company’s Product IS Customer Support?

It is no secret that Zendesk is a favorite of ours, and not just because we like their platform. They also have a hilarious approach to video marketing. Customer service has had a bad rap for too long, and it is refreshing to see agents presented in a light-hearted and endearing manner:

Although this video is entertaining in its own right, it has been viewed over 111,000 times, giving Zendesk great brand exposure and helping them be top of mind when these viewers find themselves looking for a customer support platform.

Online hosted video has been changing customer support rapidly for the better. It does not even have to be as fancy as some of these examples. A simple screen capture or product explainer video can solve common issues for a lot of people.

Have you leveraged online video in your customer service efforts? We would love to hear about it in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

The post Online Video is Revolutionizing Customer Support appeared first on SproutVideo.

So, what can you do to get ahead of this trend?

Design for Cross Platform Experiences

If your website only looks great on a laptop or desktop, you are probably doing it wrong. A mobile-optimized website can scale to any screen size on any device, and retains its ease of navigation and visually appealing layout. Importantly, your videos should do the same. ABI Research estimates that mobile video viewing hours will nearly double over the next five years: a dramatic increase from 12.7 hours per user per month in 2013 to more than 21 hours in 2019. This trend cannot be ignored by anyone developing a website featuring video, or marketing with video. Click here for our guide to making your videos responsive.

Not Just Your Website, Your Content Too

We recently went into a lot of depth regarding the impact of the time of day on your video marketing, but you can actually tumble that data and look at it not just from the time of day perspective, but also from a device preference perspective. A Yahoo! Advertising’s online video study shows, video content is discovered and consumed differently depending on the device being used at the time. Interestingly, while smartphone users display a strong predilection to consume short form and user generated content, tablet viewers behave more like people viewing on a laptop:

Looking at your own website’s traffic, do you get a lot of tablet or mobile visitors? Has the proportion changed over time? This is an important metric to track to understand how best to reach your audience.

Based on the type of content you are publishing, you can leverage video marketing to target users when you know a lot of them will be on a specific type of device. For instance, video and email marketing are a match made in heaven, with one caveat – the majority of people (65%) are now opening their emails on their phones. If you have a short form video that plays back smoothly on mobile devices, that video is a great candidate for an email campaign sent in the afternoon when people are seeking distractions.

What do you think? Is mobile video the next big thing, or is mobile optimization more of a pain than it is worth for the time being? Let us know in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter!

The post Are Your Online Videos Mobile-Ready? appeared first on SproutVideo.

What you probably always have, however, is your iPhone. Sure, it can do in a pinch for a quick video. However, the basic camera is pretty limited. That’s where these apps come in!

Each app that made our list makes your on-the-fly video production life a little easier. They allow you to be creative when the time calls for it, and to quickly share an important moment in an impactful way.

If you’re an Android user, we didn’t forget about you! Check out our Android Edition of 6 under 5.

1. 8mm

What People Are Saying: “Forget the iPhone camera app. This is the way to go. Think of Hipstamatic for video.” — Sarkmachine

Price: $1.99

Why It’s Cool: This inexpensive and extremely easy-to-use app produces a unique, professional look to your videos. In fact, Swedish Director Malik Bendjelloul relied on 8mm when he ran out of money to finish shooting and processing his film, “Searching for Sugarman” which in and of itself is pretty impressive. Did we mention this film also won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature?

Compatible With: iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 8.0 or later

Languages: English, Chinese, Japanese

2. iMovie (for Your iPhone or iPad)

What People Are Saying: “I love this app. It’s easy to edit my videos.” — Woxallex

Price: $4.99

Why It’s Cool: Convenience and organization are the name of the game here. Much like the desktop version of the app, the mobile version of iMovie lets you edit your videos and add music and transitions to your videos. Doing this on the fly is key for those of you who regularly film your videos remotely. For those of you who usually film in the same location, consider mixing up your online video offerings (your audience will appreciate it) and know you’re in good hands with this app. It is worth noting that many reviewers, like the one we quoted above, have asked for more editing abilities. Still, we say this app makes a videographers’ life easier so it’s worth the price tag.

Compatible With: iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 9.3 or later

Languages: English, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

3. Directr

What People Are Saying: “Directr is so easy and lots of fun. Can become addictive. You find yourself wanting to make new shorts every day.” — AnjaliSingh

Price: Free

Why It’s Cool: We think even the most expert video maker can appreciate an app that makes their job easier. Touted as the video app for anyone, it takes the headache of editing out of the equation. It’s especially useful for new videographers. Not to be left out, expert filmmakers will find this app especially handy when time is especially short. Tack on the fact that it’s free and, well, it’s hard to argue that it shouldn’t be in your video on-the-go arsenal.

Compatible With: Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Languages: English, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish

4. FiLMicPro

What People Are Saying: “For the price and what it does, there is absolutely no reason not to give it less than 5 stars. Amazing applications … People can’t believe the footage I get with an iOS device.” — Leonabi76

Price: $4.99

Why It’s Cool: This app, with its nice, clean user interface and straightforward manual controls, does an excellent job of keeping the professional video maker in mind. It gives the shooter much more manual control than many of the apps out there by allowing you to choose the optimal settings for your video. You can also choose from four different resolutions and corresponding bitrates. It even offers features such as a customizable slate and color bars, helping you maintain professional quality at every step of the process.

Compatible With: Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Languages: English

5. LumaFusion

What People Are Saying: “This is light-years ahead of anything else you can find on the app store. Multiple tracks for layering effects & titles, unlimited title layers and insert/overwrite professional style editing are some of my favorite features but I was most surprised to find that editing, titling and effects are easier, quicker and more fun than on my Final Cut Pro desktop editor. And it’s a fraction of what FCP cost.”

Price: $19.99

Why It’s Cool: LumaFusion is at the bleeding edge of what’s possible on a phone in terms of video editing. Offering multi-track editing, this app is billed as the closest you can get to a desktop video editing experience while on a mobile device. For some, it even might replace much more expensive desktop editing programs.

Compatible With: Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish

6. Splice App

What People Are Saying: “This is honestly the best mobile video editor out there, BETTER than iMovie. It’s extremely easy to use and it has a variety of cool song selections. I never write reviews but honestly I was so happy.”

Price: Free

Why It’s Cool: The Splice app is specifically designed to work with GoPro cameras. The emphasis is on quick and simple ways to produce great-looking videos. That means a lot of the process is automated. For instance, your video clips will automatically sync to the beat of a music track, and the app has powerful built-in sharing tools. As an editor, it’s no slouch. You can speed up or slow down your footage, add effects, transitions, record voiceovers, and more.

Compatible With: Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Languages: English

We know there are plenty more inexpensive apps for videographers out there – which is your favorite? Share with us in the comments below.

The post 6 Under 5: Inexpensive Apps For Videographers (iOS Edition) appeared first on SproutVideo.