Videography services are the most important among the photography disciplines that have progressed by leaps and bounds along with the incredible advances in technology. Not only have photo and video cameras become more sophisticated yet easier to use, but recorded images are easily shared and / or published for an ever-growing and global audience.
There are always good reasons why clichés are true: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” There couldn’t be a more accurate description of what exactly good videography services offer. Humans are multisensory beings and often the visual or audio sense predominates. The video format addresses both, especially for those who cannot view.
Commercial uses include corporate business material, training and security procedures, live events, seminars and sales presentations, advertising on television, shopping malls and cinemas, weddings, music, and live webcasts.
This format is a very effective branding, corporate image, and marketing tool, and an excellent way to explain product features, benefits, and operation. Humans tend to absorb what they see consciously.
Video production
Many different roles and skills are involved in producing good quality content, and many of these may be specialized occupations in their own right.
- Camera / filming work, which is detailed artwork, including researching, focusing, generating, and maintaining interest in the subject, lighting, composition, and an eye for detail.
- Script: good writing skills and imagination to produce a cohesive script that enhances the film, its main theme, and interesting peripherals.
- Sound recording, because in general, sound recorders with a built-in camera cannot provide the required audio quality, thus requiring the use of separate equipment.
- Voice-over recordings produce much better sound standards and scripts.
- Editing the film to maximize visual and emotional impact, maintain viewers’ maximum interest, and image quality will produce the best product.
- If working on commission for a client, the videographer will also give the client an opportunity to participate before the final production.
- The package is likely to include graphic design and label production and finished product packaging.
- Customers may require duplication or multiple copies.
Travel and wildlife videography
Although the mere mention of travel and wildlife conjures up some of those magical images seen on television and in nature and travel magazines, these fields are specialized and require a lot of work, long hours, and a lot of patience and commitment. This is not to deny that being in the right place at the right time often produces astonishing results for professionals and amateurs alike.
Solid technical skill and team understanding are vital for both disciplines, particularly for wildlife photography, where largely unpredictable animal conditions and behaviors occur. An eye for detail, keen power of observation, and some artistic skill help the cameraman to capture interesting images.
Before you go on a journey to record wonderful and fascinating places or nature, you should do a lot of research. The goal is not just to capture images that are worth your while, but to make it as interesting and eye-catching as possible. This also involves having the outlines of a script, so that both images and images tell a story.
Good general knowledge helps in research and script compilation. Wanderlust is essential and experience in the travel and tourism industry would also be helpful, especially for the videographer to market their services and skills.
Particularly in tough economic times, there is a high demand for travel movie material as agents search for new and innovative tourism markets. According to one source, around 60% of travel decisions are made after the tourist has seen movies of the chosen destination. These images can cover places of geographic, historical, cultural, adventure, camping and ecological interest.
Successful wildlife documentaries require field crafts, investigation of animal behavior and habitat, and a lot of patience, as animals are skittish by nature and their habits are influenced by many external conditions, such as weather, perceived danger, the season and time of day. The cameraman must not be seen, smelled or heard.
Providing good quality videography services should not be viewed simply as a way to spend a vacation in remote and exotic locations at someone else’s expense. It takes a lot of work, long hours and time away from home, and finely honed skills, but the satisfaction of having produced a quality product of interest to many outweighs any negative factors.