Essential Tips for Making Stunning Travel Video
Filming videos is one of the most popular trends of our time and it looks like everyone now has started their travel blog. How do the long hours of footage convert into an amazing story? If you want to have amazing videos, get an audience that will be waiting for the release of your new travel vlogs, and advise their friends to subscribe to your interesting channel, then you should learn how to edit the shots well.
Table of contents
#1 Plan Everything
Before you go on a trip, think of the main idea of your video and prepare a plan. If you do good research on the location you are going to, then when you arrive at that place, you will have an outline in your head about what you can do and show there.
No matter where you are traveling to, either to a favorite tourist destination or to one of the least visited countries in the world, you need to have knowledge about the area and what you can show there. This will be handy for you to see where the focus of your video will be and what mood it will convey.
What are those details you need to think about in advance?
- What story are you going to tell to your audience?
- Enlist the places you want to show?
- Consider the angles you will shoot from including panoramas and close-ups?
- Look at your footage while filming – if you see that you don’t like something, you will have a chance to improve it.
#2 Select a Camera
It may surprise you, but compact cameras initially created for simple operation can be a wonderful tool for shooting videos. The same can be said about smartphones, as iPhone and Samsung film first-rate quality HD footage that will be good to present such a tour. Pay attention to a frame rate that should be about 30fps because the quality of effects will be higher when the frame rate is also high.
#3 Avoid Accidental Camera Moves
People may not realize that they sometimes unintentionally shake the camera when recording the video. The reality is that a minor swing or bump can make people who are watching your blog in front of the screen start feeling nauseous. For that reason, don’t take videos while walking and instead, take still shots and use slow zooming to make your subject clearer. There is nothing more irritating than zooming and panning too much. Work out a strategy for filming and consider it when creating footage.
#4 Choose the Best Video Editing Software
The essential part of any good travel video is using proper video editing software. If you have serious intentions to make high-quality material for your YouTube channel or any other blog, you can download this video editor for free. It is a perfect solution that will save you time and money, as well as provide you with an excellent video you could show to your viewers.
Another video editing software option that can pleasantly impress you with the quality of outcoming videos is FXhome, which is as simple in usage and provides as exceptional results as LWKS and Shotcut.
#5 Stop Being Camera Shy
Being shy in front of a camera is totally the last thing that will help you create a cool travel video. If you feel uncomfortable and awkward in front of the camera, most probably it is the reaction of your psyche to doing something new and unusual. In such a situation, remember that you are the master of your life but not your emotions. Take control over your feelings, and this way not only will you have a great tour video but also will attain a valuable trait for yourself.
#6 Trim the Fat
The starting point of your editing process is to go through all your footage and consider what you are going to show in your video. Don’t hesitate to “trim the fat,” which literally means to delete everything unwanted from your device or camera. As you get rid of unnecessary files, it will be easier for you to put up everything preferred in one video with the help of video software.
#7 Tell Your Story
Now you are ready to transform the footage that you have filmed into a real story. Your travel video should include transitions between different settings, the scenes showing picturesque views, and making people want to go see those places with their own eyes right away! You can show the pictures and connect them through some effect. A voice-over in which you tell the story is also an amazing solution! Be creative and remember that it is your masterpiece, and you can do whatever your soul desires.
#8 Find the Music
Before starting out on your trip, prepare a playlist at home which you will be listening to during your trip. This usually helps to set the mood for your adventure and, consequently, your future travel video. After coming back from the trip, you may have various ideas about what music to select to express the emotion you would like.
In any travel video, music is a massive driving force assuring that the feeling of excitement stays with the viewer through the whole video. Such a choice is not a coincidence. According to research, the attention span for people in our digitalized society is 8 seconds, so it is immensely important to be able to get the viewer’s attention and carry it through the whole video, and music can be handy for you in it.
You can search for some copyright-free music on the Internet and lay down some upbeat or energetic music. It is preferable not to use the songs with lyrics because this will distract your viewer from the plot.
#9 Make a Catchy Introduction
As you remember, people have short attention spans, so your task is to make a catchy intro to hook the viewers and encourage them to watch your video till the end! This trick is basically showing in 5 seconds what your video is going to be about and makes the viewers excited to find out everything in detail.
Conclusion on How to Edit Travel Videos
So, editing a travel video may not be the easiest task. Anyway, if you use the right video editing tools and our hints, your travel blog will be impossible to beat for anyone else! Do good footage, pick video software, add some music, contribute to this work some of your time and creativity, and you will love the result at the end!
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