Event Content Guide: Avoid these common mistakes and level up your video content
I'm going to help your event content look more social media ready and less like your mum’s holiday camera roll. This time, we’re talking all things video 📽️
Lots of video tips are the same as those mentioned in the previous photo content guide - framing, shooting from face height, playing with depth of field and being subtle to capture emotion - so check that one out first if you haven’t already. But here are some additional tips that apply to video:
Stay Still When Filming - This may be controversial, as some people love mad transitions in videos and walkthroughs of events followed on foot by the camera operator. But if you’re shooting with a phone, grabbing a quick snappy reel to highlight your experience at an event, standing still and shooting straight is going to serve you much more than waving your phone around. Not only will it make your footage more steady – and more usable – we’re again thinking about how the viewer will feel watching your video. You want them to be engaged, not nauseated because it looks like you were doing backflips while filming. Stand still, shoot straight, and avoid panning or zooming where possible as, in my opinion, it creates unnecessary movement. A video is already a moving image… you don’t also need to be moving. Just chiiill 😮💨
Keep it Snappy - No pun intended… With video it’s best to keep clips and edits short and sweet! Not only does it pack a punch if you can say what you want in a shorter time, but we live in an age of short form content. Thanks to platforms like TikTok, people just don’t engage with longer form content (unless they’re melting into the sofa in front of Netflix in the evening). This forces you to be more selective when capturing footage, really go for the gold and avoid giving yourself reems of videos to sift through post-event.
Music or Voiceover? - This one is less of a tip and more a consideration - do you use music, or a voiceover? Music can be extremely engaging and emotive, you can almost prompt the viewer to feel the way you’d like them to with a carefully chosen song. This is also good for the algorithm – using trending audio is likely to get your video in front of more people. Voiceover can also be great for this reason; it can be super engaging to hear a voice, and it allows you to give the lowdown on the event without clogging up the caption area. I generally like to use a mix of the two depending on what is available to me at the time, but this will be a case-by-case decision.
Bonus: Add captions when using a voiceover to ensure accessibility and keep the video engaging for sound-off scrollers.
Get in front of the camera - This is not applicable to me as a photographer/videographer, as my job is to remain fairly anonymous while capturing an event. However, if you’re taking content for you or your brand, it is going out to people who follow you because they like you! It can be great to try and include yourself in the video - whether that’s asking someone else to grab a quick clip of you, taking a little selfie moment with friends, or recording your journey to/from the event. Your face appearing on screen makes the whole experience more personal – again, people buy people!
Quickfire Tips for Capturing an Event:
Experiment with different angles, styles and editing options
Have fun - but proper fun. You'll capture far more interesting content that way.
Move around, chat to people, really get amongst it!
Be respectful. Don't spoil it for those around you.
Have fun, get creative, engage with your fellow event attendees and just post your creations! That would be my final bonus tip - don’t overthink it! Social media moves fast… I hate to break it to you, but whatever you post will be lost in the ether soon enough. Just get it out there and move onto the next thing.
If you need any support with event content – or fancy bringing in a pro 😏 – get in touch with the Electric Cat team. We love this stuff!! https://www.electriccat.co/contact
Peace out ✌️
