Filming and making videos can be very time consuming if you don’t have the right processes in place. It can feel drawn out, repetitive and stressful. Or at least, it definitely felt that way when we started filming YouTube videos!
That is, until we figured out how to make videos faster! We learnt to plan and structure our content in a way that makes it SO much more streamlined to create.
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Now we have an exact process that we follow to a tee for every single video. This has saved a ton of time and now we can create FOUR videos in the time it took to create ONE!
So if you want to learn how to make videos faster using our video creation process, make sure you take notes.
In this guide, we’ll cover the exact process that allowed us to 4x our video creation. These filming tips will help you make better videos, faster.
Let’s dive in.
#1 Research
Start by researching the topic of the video. This will tell you if there’s demand for your content BEFORE you create it. Find out what people are typing into YouTube or Google that’s related to your content.
This will also help you lock down the topic. You’ll know exactly what the video should be about, who you are speaking to, and what level of experience they’re at. Try to get into the head of the viewer. Ask yourself these questions:
- What will the viewer expect?
- What do they need to know?
- What do they want you to cover in the video?
- Are you teaching them something or entertaining them?
#2 Have a Plan
Based on that research, you can pull together a full plan or even a video script depending on the type of video you’re creating.
If you’re struggling to draw the line at how much content to cover in a video, that’s a good indication that your topic might be too broad. So try getting more niche on your video topic.
Having done that initial research and planning, all you need to do is get in front of the camera and start filming. You’ve got all the information you need. You don’t have to worry about forgetting any vital pieces.
Not only will this speed up your filming but it will help you create a more effective video as well.
#3 Block Out Time
This one might sound obvious… But it’s something we used to be guilty of and we hear from people who do the same thing!
It’s SO common for things to come up when you’re filming. Maybe the neighbor has started mowing their lawn or there’s construction across the road. If you only block out the exact amount of time you’d ideally need, there’s going to be a lot of frustration every time something goes wrong.
You’re adding a lot of extra pressure on yourself creating the video. That frustrated state of mind is one of the worst head spaces you could be in when you’re creating content!
So give yourself some extra time when you’re planning to film. What’s the worst that’ll happen? You’ll end up with some free time if all goes to plan – not a bad place to be in!
#4 Remove Distractions & Be Prepared
The next thing you need to do is remove all distractions and anything else that will prevent you from shooting a video.
This could be as simple as making sure your camera gear is set up and ready to go for when you need to film. This way you can just walk into the room and press record.
Even if you just leave your camera tripod set to the right height or add markers on the ground where your equipment needs to go. Little things that will save you from reinventing the wheel every time you go to film.
Some other things you can do to minimize distractions and be prepared include:
- Make sure your batteries are all charged (or plug your device into wall power so you don’t need to worry about batteries)
- Take note of your microphone levels and other settings you usually have so if they get reset you know exactly what to put them back to
- Turn all your devices on flight mode so you don’t get interrupted while filming
All of these minor changes can help you film much more effectively. When you film more effectively, there are less mistakes. When there are less mistakes, you can also edit much faster! It’s an all-round win.
#5 Practise Run
Reading through the script or bullet points for your video before filming will help you identify any stumbling blocks you might encounter.
It means you’ve got a really solid idea of what you’re going to say once the camera is rolling. If there are any points you’ve missed or wording you need to get right, you can address that first.
You don’t want to film just for the sake of filming. A bit of upfront practise means you’re only capturing stuff that you know you’re going to use in the video.
Once again, having less footage to edit makes the editing process a lot faster.
#6 Shoot With Editing In Mind
When you’re filming, only move onto the next section, chunk, sentence or bullet point once you’re happy with the last take.
Make sure the last take for that specific section is the best one and the one you want to be included in the finished video. This can slow the filming down a little bit but it speeds up the editing dramatically!
Why do we do this? It means our editors don’t have to edit from start to finish. Instead they work backwards through the edit. That way they’re hitting all the best takes first.
This also helps to avoid accidentally removing critical pieces of video, especially if you’re not doing the editing yourself.
So by implementing these SIX simple steps, we’re able to make FOUR times as many videos.
When we started out on YouTube, it was taking a whole week to come up with an idea, shoot and edit the video. Then we’d be back on that content hamster wheel again the next week.
It wasn’t until we started implementing these things that we freed up a lot of time and were able to start batching and bulk creating content.
By putting these things in place, our video creation process is much easier and faster but also much more fun! Now we’re at a point where we create eight videos in a two week period.
So there you have it – our complete guide on speeding up your content creation. Now you know how to make videos faster and more efficiently!
If you want to learn more about editing your videos faster, check out our free PDF guide The Primal Video Method. It runs through the ultimate video-editing process to save time and eliminate rework.
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Recommended Gear & Resources
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