What You Must Know about Online Course Video Production
When it comes to producing videos for an online course that you’re creating there are some incredibly important considerations that you must make. Online courses are increasingly common, and almost all of them are backed by professional quality video content in addition to the traditional lecture or reading of posts. If you’ve never produced an online course before, you might not know where to begin. Before you get started, here’s what you absolutely must know about online course video production.
While online course video production can be kind of overwhelming, there’s a huge risk in not investing in professional video production for your course. A course without video is likely to tank as consumers are looking for video content to engage with at all times. So, if you’re trying to produce a professional looking online course, you’re going to have to learn a thing or two about online course video production. Follow along.
Avoid Expensive Equipment – For Now!
The first tip we can provide about online course video production is to avoid expensive camera equipment and lighting, audio or similar items. At least for now. While it is important to have this equipment, particularly if you intend to produce more than one online course, it’s not necessarily important for you to own it! Unless you intend to learn video production, and you’re going to create your own online course videos in-house, you probably won’t need all this expensive equipment.
Instead, consider renting equipment to use in-house, or even better, consider hiring a professional film crew to assist you with the production phase of your online course! By hiring a professional for online course video production you can get the best of both worlds – great equipment, and great expertise operating the equipment! It’s a win win!
Make Sure to Film in a Quiet Place
If you’ve never filmed professional quality video before, you might not immediately realize how much noise there is around your home or office. In order to produce professional video for your online course, you need to film in a quiet place. Your office might seem quiet to you at first, but it’s probably not as “noise-free” as you think.
Chances are, your office or home are a lot louder than you think. There’s almost certainly noise from the air conditioning, outside sources, nearby offices or bedrooms, and other appliances. Even an airplane passing by overhead or a car passing down the road outside can ruin otherwise great audio when filming and yet, these are sounds we often overlook in our day-to-day.
If you find that there’s too much noise taking place in your home or office, consider studio rental. Renting a studio will have added costs, but the resulting outcome is high quality audio that you simply cannot achieve anywhere else! It’s certainly worth considering. If you can’t afford a studio, consider renting an AirBnB or an office space that is quieter than what you have. These are potentially lower cost solutions that can result in better audio for your video content.
Film in Front of a Green Screen
While you might think it makes sense to use the backdrop of your office or living room, there are a number of reasons for online course video production to take place in front of a green screen. For one, if you decide you want to produce more video content for your course later on, you might not have the same setup which can leave your course feeling disheveled. However, when you film in front of a green screen, you’re more likely to have a professional background no matter how many videos you produce. You can always have the same, professional background for your video content regardless of when they are created or where.
Don’t Read from a Script
Sure, you can write a script, but don’t read from it! Online course video production that involves reading a script can result in your course feeling overly rehearsed. You want your students to feel like they are sitting with you, in a classroom. You want them to feel like what you’re saying is conversational, as if you’re chatting together about the subject matter. When you read from a script, the entire thing feels rehearsed and overly structured. It’s not fun, nor is it welcoming, for your students.
Use Professionally Designed Graphics
Graphics come into play throughout your online course video production. They’ll be seen in the lower-thirds of your screen. They’ll be seen in between your course content. They’ll be seen during pop-up quiz moments or during breaks. You want them to be professionally designed so that they align with your course content, fit your branding, and appear professional to your students. While it won’t be a huge cost, it should be well worth the investment to have your graphics and slides professionally designed for your course.
Want more details about online course video production? Give Beverly Boy Productions a call to learn more about what it takes to produce professional online course videos that will stand out to your students and engage your target audience.