It goes without saying that making high-quality videos requires high-quality equipment and production. Let’s not get it twisted, “high quality” doesn’t have to mean expensive. Of course, you could break the bank and invest in Hollywood-level videos, but that’s unnecessary if you’re just looking to create professional videos for your website, YouTube, TikTok or anywhere else on the internet.
If you’re not swimming in dough, don’t worry. You might have to get a little crafty, but you can build your own video production studio on a shoe-string budget. Trust us. Just follow the general outline below and you’ll be up and running in no time.
- DETERMINE TYPES OF VIDEOS
The first thing you want to figure out is what kind of videos you plan to produce in your studio. You might be thinking “all types of videos,” but that’s not specific enough to help you build a budget studio. We need to drill it down so you can determine how much space you need, what kind of lighting you’ll need to purchase and set up, etc.
For example, if you’re planning on just making TikTok videos featuring you trying on different outfits, then that might require a ring light, a tripod, etc. Maybe you want to create videos that use special effects which might require a green screen, a three-point lighting system, etc.
There are a million examples, but it’s important to identify what you want to make so that you can purchase what you need and only what you need.
- LOCATE A SPACE
Now it’s time to identify a space that you can convert into a video production studio. This might be a room in your home or it might be an empty space you’re renting. Whatever it is, earmark it for video production.
Identifying the space will allow you to start planning what will go where. It will also help you rule out elements that may not fit because of lack of square footage. Conversely, you might find you have space to include things you never thought of before.
- PURCHASE AND SET UP EQUIPMENT
You can now start listing out the equipment you’ll need. You’re probably working with an exact budget. What you can afford will determine what goes on this list. If your budget is around $200, then you’ll probably want to just use your smartphone or tablet as your camera instead of purchasing one.
When you’re looking to spend very little or even no money, you start to realize what equipment is actually important. The three things you need to make a quality video is a good camera, good audio and good lighting. And even those might be optional depending on what type of video you want to produce.
For camera, seriously consider just using your smartphone. Most phone cameras these days are incredibly powerful and will do the job just right. Start by performing some video tests and see if the quality works for your purposes.
For audio, if you’re just recording in a small room and you’re going to be near your camera/phone, the onboard microphone should suffice. If you do need to invest in a separate microphone, consider a lavalier mic that just clips onto your shirt or other garment. You can pick one up for under $20 on Amazon. Of course, the more you spend, the higher quality the mic.
If you have a lot of hard surfaces and the room is big, you’re going to want to create a better acoustic environment. You can use the old pillow and blanket method to lay on and against any surface where audio will bounce. If that doesn’t work, you’re going to want to staple buffers to your walls. The cheap option is old egg cartons, but if you have money in your budget you can buy acoustic foam panels.
For lighting, you can hopefully get away with nothing more than the lights built into your room and the natural light through windows. Research the best way to video with natural light to make sure it doesn’t wash anything out.
If you need additional lighting, invest in a ring light. They come in different sizes that should fit any of your needs. Prices range from $20 to hundreds of dollars depending on what you can afford. And if you have the money and need something better than a ring light, you can purchase a three-point light set-up which is standard for professional video production.
SUMMARY
That should do it. You’re now ready to start creating awesome videos. Building a video production studio on a budget is more possible now than ever in history.
To learn more or work with a professional video production company, contact NWT Media Group (www.nwtmediagroup.com/contact).
Want to learn more about how NWT can help? Contact us below!