- Identify job opportunities. There’s a lot of opportunities for video work. You can find traditional jobs or keep an eye out for freelance opportunities. Sometimes, you can start smaller than that.
Maybe a family friend wants a video of their kid’s a ballerina recital. Offer to record it. Maybe there’s a live event in your area that’s never been recorded. Reach out to the organizer and see if someone is interested.
Maybe there’s a new business or social group you’re involved in, offer to make a video to promote them for a reasonable price. As you put yourself out there, others will begin to recognize your abilities and associate you with your skills. This will lead to better opportunities as you grow. If you’re going to school for video production, ask your professor if they know of any job leads. That’s actually how I started side business once I graduated. A former professor reached out because someone contacted him for a job and he passed it on to me. In fact, that job was for an annual event that I recorded for 6 years. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities – they’re out there.
- Use what you’ve got. You don’t have to have the latest and greatest gear. Quality is important, but these days you can use a cell phone or an inexpensive camera and some $10 work lights to create something that looks good. Remember, the message and story are the most important. Don’t get wrapped up with what skills or equipment you don’t have. Instead, maximize what you do have and use at as an opportunity to get better.
When I was 19, I started working for a live sound company and I was learning how to make bands sound good on stage. There was a sound guy named Barry that told me this… “In any job – big or small, just remember one thing. It’s not your gear, it’s your ear.”
That phrase is a reminder that the ultimate factor is your skills and use of resources, not the equipment.
- Don’t forget the fundamentals. Don’t ever make excuses for poor production. At a minimum, tour shots should always be properly exposed, in focus, and well-framed.
Over the years, I’ve met people that make excuses to not practice the fundamentals, or some are just unaware, but it always costs them more time or a compromised result.
For example, some beginners underestimate the importance of lighting and proper exposure. Instead of taking some time to set up a light or position their shot to take advantage of natural sunlight, they’ll shoot something underexposed and spend hours trying to correct it in their video editing software.
And trust me, the end-result never looks great. Colors are dull and flat, there can be unflattering shadows, skin tones, and the list goes on. So, don’t forget that it’s the camera’s job to capture light. In the simplest terms, that’s all any camera does. So if your camera needs light, give it light. Make your subject look good.
- You’ll get better with time and experience. Get out there and shoot! Shoot indoors, shoot outdoors, shoot interviews, shoot b-roll. Anything you can do will be a learning experience. Don’t be afraid to fail, just try your best!
There’s countless videos out there that talk about doing “this special trick” to make better videos or buying “this gear.” What they’re not telling you is that you really become better with experience. Equipment comes and goes. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and I’ve probably used about thirty different professional cameras. Special tricks come and go. What’s trendy today is old news tomorrow. Experience is what sticks with you from beginning to end and it’s what separates the pros from the beginners. If you stick with it long enough and try your best, that experience will be the most valuable tool you have. And you only get it when you do it.
- Work with others to develop your skills. And when you get the chance, try to work with someone who is more experienced than you. Ask them how they would handle a shoot. Show them your work and ask them to provide you with feedback. A couple of months before I graduated college, I called up the best video ad agency in town and asked to speak to their senior video producer and he took my call. I told him I was looking for feedback on my work, and he spent the time reviewing my portfolio and gave me honest feedback. To this day, I remember things he told me to try and they’ve made me a much better producer. Truly successful people want to see others succeed, especially when it comes to the next generation. So, it never hurts to ask for guidance.
That’s my free advice. Let me know what questions you have in the comments!