Many people talk about remote video, but what are they referring to, exactly? Is it the Zoom meetings or live streaming events we all got used to in these pandemic years? Is it WhatsApp or Skype? That is what we will clarify in today’s Video Lion.
Let’s start with a simple definition: Remote Video production is the creation of professional, high-quality video totally remotely, without the need for a video crew or a studio.
You may ask: recording an interview on zoom or skype is remote video production? My answer to that would be no, and the reason is the quality of the video and audio that you can obtain using these platforms. The person on the other side may have a great camera and microphone and even good lighting, but you are recording them over the Internet, and the quality of the recording will totally depend on the quality and speed of the connection on both sides. Another reason for lower quality is the fact that most of these platforms will, in one way or another, compress the video image to make it flow faster online, and that also reduces quality.
When we say Remote Video Production, we are talking about content that looks and sounds almost as good as if it was shot on location. It is a professional service, with the advantage of being much more affordable that “traditional” video production. This is great news for small and medium businesses that refrain from creating professional video content due to the high costs.
When looking for a remote video production company, you should make sure that they are using an online platform that allows them to record the subject LOCALLY, not over the internet. In my company, for example, we record remotely using people’s smartphones. As you know, most smartphones have excellent high-resolution cameras. You just need to use them correctly.
To solve the “over the internet” problem, we use a professional platform that allows us to record locally IN THE PERSON’S PHONE, so the quality is as good as if they were recording themselves. We send the people we are recording a small kit including a tripod and a lapel microphone for their smartphone, to make sure video is steady and audio is clean – the cameras may be great, but our phone’s microphones are built in a way that captures a lot of background noise. The person on the other side downloads a free app that looks like a video chat app, and they log into their recording session. We record them in the highest quality their phone permits, sometimes 4K or better, upload the original footage to the cloud and from there the video is professionally edited the same way footage shot on location would. The results are great – at least that’s what I hear from my clients.
Other companies use other platforms and other methods, such as sending a professional camera and lights to the subject’s home or office. There are several options out there, and the resulting quality will depend both on the technology used as well as the professional capabilities and talent of the people behind it. Whatever remote video provider you choose, remember this simple rule: the video needs to be recorded LOCALLY, not over the internet.
Next time we will talk about the different ways in which you can use Remote Video for your business.
Please email me at info@leibproductions.com with questions, comments and suggestions for topics you would like us to write about. See you at the next Video Lion!