The first attempts at shooting videos can quickly become frustrating. Coach Jörg Reimann, who now creates complete online courses with his own videos, remembers this well. In the article, he shares his best practices, so you as a video beginner can start with full energy.
Experience exchange with office coach Jörg Reimann
About the person: For over 15 years, Jörg Reimann has been showing as a coach and corporate trainer how to streamline processes in the office. His goal: to give employees in companies valuable time back. His method: Blended Learning – in-person and online courses as a perfect complement.
As a blink.it customer, Jörg Reimann participated a few months ago in the thematic webinar with success trainer Claudia Grajek. There, he shared his experiences regarding video creation with other trainers and coaches. We now summarize the most important tips for you here in the blog.
Tip No. 1: Practice, Practice, Practice
"For the first three minutes of video, it took me three days. I wanted to do the first video really well and worked on it nonstop – and then filmed it again on the third day." – Jörg Reimann
This first tip seems so obvious, and yet you should really take it to heart: Every beginning is hard. Everyone starts at zero. And even though it is very helpful to read a lot of theory on the subject, in the end you have to try it yourself.
Jörg Reimann remembers that in the beginning he spent about 50 hours just trying to understand the technology: How should I position myself? How should the lighting be? How loud should I speak? How does my editing software work? etc.
Tip No. 2: Editing instead of Perfectionism
"At first, I made the mistake of telling myself: Jörg, you have to record 7 minutes, and preferably without any stutters. And it always went wrong." – Jörg Reimann
As a trainer, you probably can speak better than edit. Therefore, the temptation to record an entire "take" in one go is great. Surely it must finally work flawlessly on the tenth try?! But seven minutes is extremely long; even experienced speakers usually don’t manage to do three minutes perfectly.
We pick up on Jörg Reimann's experience report and provide you with the following tips regarding "perfectionism":
Keep it short!
Seven minutes is much too long. A video in an online course should be a maximum of 3 minutes long – ideally only 2.
Accept that you don't have to be perfect
Small stutters can also make you appear friendly – as long as you take them with humor. In the end, your participants don’t want to see a machine, but learn from you as a person. More in the article "High Video Quality AND easy production – yes, it is possible!"
Our credo: Instead of expensive equipment, use your own smartphone and achieve 80% quality with 20% effort!
Tip No. 3: Maintain Humor and Relaxation
"In all my training, it is important to show: I have fun with it! That's why I also dare to be silly or make a joke. I wanted to bring that into my videos as well." – Jörg Reimann
Humor is worth its weight in gold: On one hand, it makes you appear human and likable as a trainer. On the other hand, participants learn much better when they have fun with the subject. That Jörg Reimann manages to convey fun with a dry topic like Outlook is certainly a special character strength. This does not suit everyone. Therefore, everyone must find a way to remain authentic.
That Jörg Reimann takes himself lightly is very well received by his course participants. At the end of his course, he offers a very special look "behind the scenes": Funny bloopers that occurred during video shoots have been edited into a three-minute "outtakes" video – and simply uploaded to the course.
Simply cool – taking yourself lightly and also remaining authentic in front of the camera. Copyright: Jörg Reimann.
Tip No. 4: Make a Plan
"I personally love working with OneNote and initially created a storyboard for my online course with it." – Jörg Reimann
When it comes to organization, preferences often vary widely. Some like to try things out on the fly, while others prefer to plan every step in advance. However, there are a few questions you should be able to answer before each video shoot:
What do you want to motivate your participants to do?
What should your video be about?
Who or what is shown in the video?
How do you motivate your participants?
Where do you want to shoot your video?
Success trainer Claudia Grajek also recommends the speaker clock: it is a method you can use to structure your speeches and video statements. Within a minute, you convince your counterpart by answering six questions.
Tip No. 5: Choose the Right Technology
One often tends to choose free programs. But my colleague Christa Beckers advised me back then: Better spend money on a professional program! So after a trial phase, I decided on Camtasia.
Jörg Reimann
The topic of technology often initially scares many trainers: After all, shooting your own videos not only requires good content ideas but also the right equipment. However, we can reassure you right away: Good videos can already be made with a normal smartphone, a good microphone, and a simple tripod.
As Jörg Reimann mentioned earlier, it is also worth investing a few more euros in the right editing software. We recommend Camtasia and Filmora. It is best to try both programs in the trial version and then decide which tool suits you best.
Extra tip for travelers: If you're on the go, you can also shoot high-quality videos with FilmoraGo. This smartphone version is even free.
Get support for your first video shoot!
Jörg Reimann also sought advice from a video-experienced trainer at the beginning – Christa Beckers. Now he shares his experiences with other colleagues. In addition to personal exchange, articles like this or further learning materials are helpful. We at blink.it have also gathered plenty of tips over the years regarding shooting videos with your own smartphone.
