Not only is product videography a great hobby, but it can be a fulfilling profession, too.
But learning how to shoot product videos might not come as easy to some as it does to others.
Maybe technology overwhelms you.
Maybe you lack some creativity.
Maybe you are a slow learner.
Product videography does not have to be a scary hobby to begin.
This guide goes into detail about filming product videos and everything you need to know to produce professional and quality results.
Table of Contents
What Are Product Videos Used For?
Product videography can be an impactful way to advertise and sell different products.
Sometimes a product shoot video can be used for software or digital products, but oftentimes, product videography is used to advertise a physical product.
When shooting a video for a physical product, you are attempting to explain and demonstrate how a product works and its benefits with narratives and metaphors, leaving the viewer with an experience rather than a straightforward explanation of the product.
For example:
If you are shooting an advertisement for Adidas and all of their sports-related products and gear, you can choose to do so in a way that shows the consumer a story of a successful athlete, like the one shown here:
This product video shows Morgan Brian, the youngest member of the USA’s 2015 Women’s World Cup team at 22 years old, practicing her soccer skills in Adidas gear while using Adidas sports equipment.
The video leaves the viewer with a story and an experience, urging them to look into Adidas products and hopefully make a purchase.
Why Are Product Videos Important for Your Brand?
Investing the time and money into shooting a product video for your brand can be the difference between a viewer moving forward with viewing or purchasing a product and them exiting from the information and moving on with their day.
Because good product videos leave the viewer with an experience to play back in their minds, they probably think through it more often than if they were to read a simple description of the same product.
By viewing a video, they have something they can easily visualize that is associated with your product and brand stuck in their minds.
- Increase sales on products
- Resonate better with consumers
- Beat out blog posts as the top content type used by marketers
How To Shoot Product Videos: 7 Tips to Successful Product Videography
Shooting product videography is not as simple as pulling out your iPhone, taking video, doing a quick edit, and throwing it up on a website.
In fact, much more goes into creating quality and compelling product videos.
If you’re curious how to film a product video, these tips and tricks can help set you up for success:
- Plan, plan, plan
- Stay consistent
- Maintain professionalism
- Utilize static zoom-in
- Practice
- Stay organized
- Use a good editing software
If learning how to shoot a product video by yourself is not your thing, Houston Video can create one for you. Take advantage of our free consultation.
#1: Advance Planning
Taking the time to plan out your product video shoot in advance can save you a lot of headaches during the process of shooting the video.
To plan in advance, you can do things like:
- Create a storyboard outlining what you want the video to show from start to finish.
- Find the perfect location for your shoot.
- Prepare a script.
- Prep the people in your video as best as you can.
- Check that all of your technology is working as it should.
#2: Keep the “Look” Consistent
By keeping the visual look of your video consistent, it will appear more professional.
To keep a consistent look throughout the video, consider:
- Not changing the lighting.
- Keeping the backdrop consistent (either the same backdrop or in line with the brand).
- Ensuring products are placed correctly throughout the entire video.
#3: Use Professional Equipment
Avoid using your smartphone.
Invest in some quality equipment to ensure your video is as clean, clear, and professional as possible.
If you can’t afford a bunch of new equipment, choose a location with ideal lighting and at the very least, work with a good camera and a tripod to keep the picture clear and steady.
#4: Use “Static Zoom-In” for Product Details
Instead of constantly using the zoom function to move in and out of the picture throughout your video, keep your shots static.
You can cut in and out to different angles and zooms during the editing process to create the best footage.
#5: Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting with your equipment, sceneries, lighting, and products until you find what works best for your product marketing campaign.
#6: Stay Organized
By keeping your projects organized, the entire process will run more smoothly and you will appear more professional to your client.
You can help stay organized by creating various folders for:
- Footage
- Audio
- Background music
- Contracts and paperwork
- Client and brand information
#7: Use the Right Video Editing Software
Editing is important when it comes to making a video appear clean and professional.
Choosing the right software to cut videos and add copy and audio will go a long way in producing a quality product video.
What Equipment Do I Need for Product Videography?
Investing in some basic equipment can help take your product video to the next level.
Although smartphones are advanced, things like…
- A quality camera
- A tripod for stability
- Backdrops
- Light reflectors
- Lighting
- Digital audio recorders
- Different lenses
- Extra batteries and hard drives
… can elevate your video content and make your product videography more professional.
If investing in all of that equipment and learning how to operate it all sounds stressful, Houston Video, an award-winning Houston video production company, can help produce quality, affordable, and effective product videography for your marketing purposes.
How Much Does it Cost to Shoot a Product Video?
There is not one solid answer to the final cost of shooting and producing and product video.
Like with many other things, different factors will affect the final cost of shooting a product video, including:
- The type of video needed
- The length of the video
- The location
- The crew
- The necessary equipment
- The labor of pre-production, editing, sound, post-production
Houston Video provides a video production cost calculator that you can utilize to better understand the cost of your specific video before reaching out for your free consultation.
How Do You Shoot a Product Video at Home?
If you’re new to the hobby of product videography, you might be wondering, “How do you take a product video?”.
Is it possible to do it at home?
With the right equipment, like mentioned above, shooting a product video at home is possible.
However, if you’re inexperienced or lacking quality equipment, your shortcomings and mistakes can be easily identified when compared to a competitor’s product video.
Taking the time to research and hire a professional product videographer can be worthwhile, especially when it comes to marketing a specific product.
Houston Video is not only experienced but creates creative videos for both corporate and business marketing campaigns.
Houston Video: Product Videography That Produces Real Results
Are you looking to create an experience for your viewers?
Do you want them to feel like they’ve been placed in the scene of your video?
Are you unsure about everything related to product video marketing campaigns?
Houston Video can help.
By producing creative and effective product video campaigns for both business and corporate clients, Houston Video has proven to be successful. Our affordable product videography is worth the investment if you want your campaign to produce results.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
