How to Create Videos at Home: Essentials
ngl (not gonna lie), I was looking forward to 4th May. Now that Circuit Breaker (CB) has been extended to 1st June, we’re going to be stuck at home for another month, I hope! and with no bubble tea too. :(
And since you’re already at home, why not pick up a new skill and start creating videos just for fun. At least, by the end of this CB, you would have picked up basic video recording and editing skills. Who knows, you might be the next big thing on YouTube or TikTok. Everyone has to start somewhere.
To start you off on that journey, I am going to list down all the tools you need.
Camera:
They say that the best camera is the one you have with you. So naturally, you could start by using your smartphone camera to record the videos. Just make sure that it is recording on 1080p resolution or if you have the higher-end phones, you could record in 4K.
Let’s say you’ve recorded for a while and you feel like you need an upgrade. Then I’d recommend you check out the Panasonic GH5, that’s slightly more compact than your usual DSLR, and it shoots 4K too.
Tripod & Mount:
So you’ve got the camera, now who is going to hold the camera for you? That is where a tripod & mount comes in.
If you are using a Smartphone setup, I would recommend you get a mount that can rotate the phone to Landscape and Portrait mode like so. This is so you can record horizontal videos for YouTube and vertical videos for TikTok or Instagram.
Now that you have a Mount to hold the phone, you then need a Tripod to hold that Mount. For this, you have a few options. You could get something flexible like the Joby Gorillapod or just a Tripod that can sit on flat surfaces.
Microphone:
You could get by using the mic that’s already on your smartphone but let’s say you’re trying to shoot a video of yourself doing Yoga and you’re going to be at least 1 meter away from your phone. Your audience is going to have to pump up their volumes just to hear what you’re saying. That’s when an external mic comes in. In fact, I’d say that Audio is just as important as the visuals in a video. So having your audio spot on, would be ideal for your video.
For microphones, we have a few options too. The first one I’m going to recommend is Zoom H1n. This small mic can be fixed to a mini tripod which you can place nearer to you as you are recording a video so the audio would be clear and close to the source, which in this case, your mouth.
For mics that can be attached to the smartphones, you could consider getting the RODE VideoMic Me which fits your phone via the lightning port. Android users, however, would have to go with the first option I mentioned earlier.
Another option would be the RODE Wireless GO, which is perfect for doing vlogs and interviews because the mic can be clipped to your pocket or clothes when you are recording. This option though would only work if you are using the DSLR setup.
Lighting:
The best lighting for me would be natural light, coming from your window. I’d recommend that you shoot your videos during the day and close to your window. I’d also suggest that you install either a thin curtain or blinds on your window so the light from outside wouldn't be too harsh. Soft lighting is what you’re trying to achieve here so that you’ll look good on camera and not like you’d have to wear shades indoors. That works too, at least for Casey Neistat.
So let’s say you’re living in a cave and your room is super dark, hardly any daylight comes through. You would then need a different light source to light yourself up. Here are some options you could consider.
This portable LED would be able to fit on top of your DSLR hot shoe or on a Smartphone Mount like so.
This mini LED would probably just be enough to light up your face but if you want to light up the whole room then you could probably get those Lighting Kits from Shopee or Lazada for less than $50.
There you have it, all the essentials you need to start recording video at home. Now all that's left to do is to press Record.
I’ll dive into the filming and editing videos in my next article so look out for that. Until then, stay safe and take care!
