Product videos are one of the most common types of shoot any commercial videographer will do. After all, showing off the product is key to any business’ success. They’re generally fairly simple, and with a little flair you can create something beautiful and professional in a relative tight time-frame – but only if you prepare properly. Here are three things every videographer should consider before shooting a product promo video.
Create a detailed shot-list
Knowing what you’re going to shoot before you shoot it means you can get in, set up, get your shots, and pack down, saving time for both yourself and the client. It also means you’re guaranteed to get all of the shots you need, and can allow yourself a little more creativity on the day because you’re not worried about missing out on a crucial shot.
Find the perfect location
So you’ve got the product, great! However, the product video isn’t going to shine unless you’ve properly considered your location. Sure, a studio with green screen might look fine for a bottled water promotional video, but why not film on-location by a natural spring? That showroom isn’t a bad background, but would a clean white chroma-keyed background look more swish for your client’s new range of gaming chairs? Plenty of locations will look ‘fine’, but if you want to elevate your product videos then be sure to really put some thought into where you’ll shoot them.
Know your final product
It’s essential that you know what your final product is going to look like before you film a single shot. It’s all good and well getting slow, adoring dollies for your product videos but if the client turns around and decides they want their product to appeal to an action-packed lifestyle with tons of quick zooms and fast 360 degree sweeps around the product, then you’ve just wasted your shoot. Knowing what the client wants from the final product is key to constructing a smart, deliberate shot-list that’ll produce usable footage for the final edit.
Conclusion? Product videos need prep!
I think you can see a running theme here: preparation, preparation, preparation! Not only will coming prepared mean the day itself goes smoother for you, but you’ll also look more professional to the client and ultimately produce a far superior product.
If you’re looking for a product video, Raccoon on the Run can help. From pre-production to the final edit, whether you just need a camera and lights or a full green screen set up, gimbal, or something else – we’ve got you! Get in touch for a free consultation.
