There are many incredible ways to shoot professional-looking videos these days. One may opt to pay up for a professional-grade video camera, or it is possible to simply use one's phone to create amazing videos these days. The technology that has been placed into smartphones is so advanced at this point that it competes with what people can get from a much more expensive camera.
One of the most popular types of video to shoot are slow-motion (slo-mo) videos. They capture life in a slightly different way compared to a full-speed video. They allow us all to see the world at a speed that we are not accustomed to, and this is very interesting to many people who are curious about how certain things look when they are slowed down.
What are slow-motion videos?
Slow-motion videos are videos that are slowed down to allow the viewer to grasp every action that occurred in finer detail. Commercial cameras available on the market today allow users to slow down videos by as much as 1/32nd of the true speed of the action captured on camera. In other words, an action that took one second to transpire in real life would take a full 32 seconds to unfold in the super slo-mo format. That is an incredibly long time to view actions that occurred over a very short period of time.
Popular uses of slow-motion video
There are many important uses for slow-motion videos including aiding law enforcement, enhancing security, and even just capturing the action at sporting events to review and determine precisely what happened out on the field. Thus, it is woven into the fabric of our lives even if we don't often think about it in these terms.
Many feature films use slow-motion video to show dramatic scenes on the screen in a manner that is even more dramatic for the audience. Action and war films are particularly known for doing this because fans of these films love the extra layer of drama that something like this provides to their experience of watching the movie. Obviously, movie producers use high-powered cameras in order to capture all of this type of action on screen, but it is something that everyday people can do with their personal cell phones as well.
Tips for creating slow-motion videos
There are plenty of slow-motion videos that hit the Internet every day, so what can you do to make your particular video special? You need to follow some important guidelines to make your video the smash-hit that you know it can be.
Play with the camera angle
A static shot that is filmed only from the expected angle is not something that will necessarily stand out or look very good. You want to try different camera angles and ideas until you are able to land on something that is interesting to look at and makes people want to watch more to see what will happen next. When you discover which camera angles work for you, use them often. At the same time, don't be afraid to mix things up if there is yet another angle that may provide you with some interesting footage as well.
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Always shoot in bright light
It is extremely challenging to try to pick up a good slow-motion shot in a room that is not properly lit. The camera has to shoot at a higher level of frames per minute due to the slow-motion nature of it all, and that means that you need to be sure that the lighting is sufficient to capture all that you need from it.
Give proper consideration to sound
We will discuss this more in a moment, but you should certainly give proper consideration to the level of sound in your slow-motion videos. There is nothing worse than watching a slow-motion video that has not taken the impact of sound into account properly.
Make sure that everyone in the shot understands that they are being filmed in slow-motion. The importance of this is that they need to know how they ought to behave while on camera. You don't want them to overact or do anything else that may take away from the shot.
Common mistakes to avoid with slow-motion videos
Everyone makes mistakes, but even some basic mistakes can ruin an entire shot when something is being filmed in slow-motion, and that is why it is best to address these common mistakes and what can be done about them right off the bat. When people know what kind of traps they may fall into before they get started, they can adapt more seamlessly to what needs to be done in the future.
Not adjusting shutter speed
Your shutter speed needs to be double your frame rate in order to create usable footage. If you forget to adjust the shutter speed at all, or if you adjust it to a setting that is too high or too low, then the footage that results is not going to be up to the standards that you require for your project. Thus, you always want to make sure you double and triple-check your shutter speed settings before you begin rolling again.
Shooting at too high of a frame rate
Modern cameras have the ability to shoot at a very high frame rate if their users desire, but the problem with this is that it doesn't always make sense to shoot at such a high rate in every situation. There are times when it is better to adjust the frame rate down somewhat in order to get a better slow-motion shot. Thus, overdoing the frame rate may lead to footage that is sub-optimal.
Adding too much slo-mo in the editing room
Much of the final product that is seen on screen is produced in the editing room after the scenes have been filmed. Editors are often eager to get to work and see what they can create based on the footage that is provided to them. The only problem with this is that some editors get a little too eager to add slo-mo into every scene and shot. It should be used more sparingly to keep some novelty to it. When slow-motion is overused, audiences tune it out and it loses the effect that it once had on them.
Popular uses of slow-motion video on Instagram
We couldn't talk about producing and editing videos without mentioning Instagram, right? This highly popular photo and video-sharing app is where many people go to share their latest creations with the world. There are even some people who have managed to make a career for themselves out of the photos and videos they share on Instagram.
Slow-motion videos appear on Instagram all the time, and they are met with many fans when they are done well. A few popular uses of slow-motion video on Instagram include:
- Action shots of humans (or pets!) running, jumping, or performing any athletic feat that is impressive to watch
- Tutorial videos that explain how to do something that people have questions about (such as beauty videos)
- Any dramatic footage that can be made more dramatic by slowing it down
Instagram is all about grabbing attention for one's content, and there are a lot of ways to make that happen. Slow-motion videos are an excellent example of this, but they should be used sparingly when possible in order to keep your audience interested in what you are sharing.
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How slowing down a video affects audio
One consideration that all filmmakers have to make when filming slow-motion videos is the fact that the audio from those videos will be altered when they shoot them. This is part of the reality of dealing with slow-motion videos. The audio that is contained within is going to be altered by the slower than normal frame rate.
Many viewers note that the audio sounds almost as if the people in the video are speaking from underwater. Thus, those filming these videos should make sure they account for this.
Many slow-motion videos go through a major overhaul in the audio department when they are being edited for final production. Often, editors will insert the audio that they need in the video in the post-production process. This may mean hunting for sound effects that make sense for the scene being shot. Additionally, some editors will overlay music into certain scenes in order to cover the audio distortions that might otherwise occur on a piece of slow-motion video.
Fortunately, there are many ways that slow-motion videos can be fixed up. Audio distortions are common and are a known factor when filming videos like this. Therefore, the editors and others who work on video production know to expect this. They also know about the tools of the trade that they need to use in order to make the videos sound better than they originally do when they are first handed to them.
What to look for when choosing a slow-motion video editor
Slow-motion videos are a very big deal both in the movie production world and also among everyday people who just want to post some of their best materials on Instagram. No matter what your particular goals are for the slow-motion videos you produce, you need to know where to turn to for a great slow-motion video editor.
Pinnacle Studios is your ideal choice for this work. They produce a video-editing software product that can help you create a masterpiece as far as slow-motion video is concerned. You won't believe your eyes when you see all that their software product can do. It is truly revolutionary in all of the best senses of the word.
From taking care of the audio issues that often arise in slow-motion videos to syncing them up in just the way you want them, the Pinnacle Studios software product is exactly what you need to get the job done.
This software is easy-to-use and intuitive. You get to have all of the control options that you need to make your video something special, but you don't have to become overwhelmed by having so many features that you are unable to keep up with it all. Pinnacle Studios has found a way to help you reach that happy medium that you want out of your editing software. You can rely on them to provide you with the resources that you need to produce outstanding videos.
Conclusion
Don't think for a moment that your project is too small to get help like this. It is just the opposite! Even if you are planning on posting your videos to Instagram, they can be improved immensely if you get some help from Pinnacle Studios to make it happen. After all, even a video destined for Instagram should be high-quality if you want people to watch it and enjoy it.