Videos that don’t need editing? Sounds like a dream, right! I know the thought of editing video can be enough to put some people off pressing record at all. Learning the software, ordering clips, and tweaking your edit – it can chew through time you probably haven’t got.
So I want to walk you through my favourite minimal edit social media videos that you can shoot with your mobile (or any video camera.) These are mini films you can record and publish almost instantly. You’ve still got to do some planning, grab a bit of kit, and employ a creative eye, but the editing bit shouldn’t be an issue.
Plus, these are great options if you’re just starting out on your video journey. Are you ready?!
#1 TIMELAPSE
Who doesn’t love a timelapse?! I love how low maintenance these are – you can set it up and walk away. But it’s the content that’s crucial. Think about what you could show: a day in the life of your workspace, the making of a product, a view from your shop window. The key is to record a scene that has lots of action and detail.
SHOOT: Use a tripod or mount your phone on something steady. Your mobile should have a time-lapse function within the camera app, so flick to that. Wide scenes work well for timelapses, so find a nice frame that will capture lots of activity and press record.
EDIT: Timelapses are a series of still images stitched together to play like a video. The app does it all, so there’s no editing! You can download a third party app if you want more control. I like LapseIt because you can choose how often you want it to take a shot (every second, every minute, every 5 mins, etc) adjust the image settings, and set the finished timelapse length.
#2 TALKING TO CAMERA
This takes some prep and rehearsal time, but if you can nail it in one take, you’re golden! The trick to accomplishing this is to write a script beforehand and learn your lines, or have bullet points to keep yourself on track. Unfocused rambling is a video turn off (and takes longer) so aim for short and punchy.
SHOOT: Set yourself up with your phone on a tripod in front of a window for some beautiful natural light. Tape a note with your bullet points on just under the screen if you need help remembering what you want to say and record as many versions as you need to get a clean take.
EDIT: Once you’re happy you’ve got a mistake-free a take, open up the video clip on your phone and hit the edit button. Now, use the sliders to gently top and tail the clip. This just means making sure you’ve cut out the start when you were clearing your throat, and chopped off that last bit where you’re turning off the camera. Now you should have a neat video clip.
#3 GO LIVE
Sounds scary doesn’t it, but afterwards you’ve got an instant video. If you’re doing a live on Instagram Stories or Facebook make sure to record it on another device so you can upload it to multiple platforms later. Remember you can share your screen or switch your camera view around during the live to give your viewers a different look.
SHOOT: Mount your phone on a tripod so you can talk hands free, and have another device (like an iPad) that you can use to screen record the live. Facebook records lives within the programme but you can’t export them, and that live on Instagram will disappear from your Stories after 24hrs.
EDIT: Once your live is over, stop the recording on your other device. Open up the video of your live and top and tail it so you’ve got a neat start and finish.
#4 SLOW MOTION
A cool slow mo can totally stop the scroll. I bet you’ve found yourself drooling over videos that almost seem to pause time. You might think slow mo videos are only for extreme sports like heli-skiing or free-diving, but I challenge you to find some everyday things to apply the brakes to. Even pouring a cup of tea or knitting can be mesmerising when it is shot at 120fps (frames per second).
SHOOT: Your mobile should have slow mo built in, but check what frame rate it’s on (you’ll be able to see this in your settings). Normal speed is around 24 – 30fps (frames per second), so slow mo can be 60, 120, or even 240 fps depending on your mobile. The higher the number the slower it makes the footage.
EDIT: A tidy top and tail is all that’s needed here too. Voila, another video to share on multiple platforms!
