Video Taping Training Programs

Articles Video Taping Training PicVideo Taping Training Programs (Videotaping On Location)

From time to time we have been contracted to video tape training programs (Springfield, Lebanon & Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri) and to provide the company that hired us with DVDs to be distributed to new employees and maintenance personnel.  Videotaping training programs require a different mindset on the part of the videographer and in some cases require different types of equipment.

Equipment Requirements
As always, we use professional quality cameras.   However, not all video cameras are ideally suited for video taping location shots, and many training videos are shot on location.  Low light capabilities are almost a necessity when doing this type of video production.  You never know what type of environment in which you will be asked to shoot and oftentimes there is neither time nor space to set  up lighting equipment.  Not to mention there may not be electrical outlets for plugging in your lights and other equipment.  Sometimes you will be asked to video tape inside a classroom and then immediately move outdoors.  Your camera must be easily adaptable to both environments and able to be moved quickly.

When shooting on-location videos for construction firms, we make sure that we have three times more battery power than we expect to need.  Quite often there will be training personnel who have flown in from other states, OSHA may be there, architects and various other department heads.  All of these people have been coordinated to be in one location at one specific time.  The last thing you want to happen is for the whole training session to be cancelled because the videographer was not prepared.  This can be extremely costly to the company that hired you and you or your company may be held liable for such costs.

We always carry an extra camera with us just in case something goes wrong with our primary camera.  We also always have extra microphones with extra batteries, plenty of tapes and anything else we might possibly need.

Speaking of microphones, never rely solely on your camera microphone.  When filming on location, it is guaranteed that there will be external noises that you will have to deal with.  This may be jets flying overhead, trucks passing nearby, boiler room heaters, etc.  The best solution is a wired lapel omnidirectional microphone.  Why wired?  Because, again, there are times when videotaping on location that radio use can be prohibited for safety reasons.  Also, wired lapel microphones use less battery power and are less prone to interference.

It takes a different perspective to video tape on the spot training videos when done in this manner, and it is usually done with only one camera and camera operator.  The videographer has to picture the final product in his or her mind throughout the whole process.  Where as in a two camera shot, one camera can be focused on the speaker and one on the object that the speaker is referring to, in this situation the one camera must do the work of two.  So the videographer has to know when to pan from the speaker to the object and when to pan back.  For example, in the case of a room sized HVAC unit, the videographer may have to move around the unit or film inside while the speaker is going over the fine points of adjustment and maintenance.  This does take some cooperation between the videographer and the presenter.  The videographer has to act as both videographer and editor.  He or she may have to go back after the presentation to get B-roll to be placed in the video during a voice over.

Again, this kind of work can be both exciting as well as nerve racking.  Almost everything has to be done on the fly and preparation is the key.

Note:  Castlewood Studios Can Provide All of Your Video Taping Needs!
(Proudly providing construction videotaping services to Ft. Leonard Wood and St. Robert, Missouri areas.)

 

Also see these related articles to help you create better video for websites:

The Effectiveness of Advertising with Internet Video Commercial

Embedding a Video for Website Marketing part 1 of 2 (using YouTube)

 

Remember, Castlewood Studios is the #1 name in Missouri Videography and Video Production.

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