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Here we are in 2020 kicking off another year of “creating cool SH!T”. Within the last few years, the use of video for broadcast and the web has skyrocketed. It’s only supposed to increase within the coming years, but as time passes video technology only improves.
Ten years ago, the standard for video was standard definition, YouTube had a non-widescreen format and Facebook did not have the ability to play video. Now, YouTube and Facebook have the capabilities of playing over a 4K high-definition video file. It is more important than ever to invest in quality ideas and production when it comes to video. Below, I’ll take you through three very important things you should look for in a quality video that goes beyond industry standards.
High Speed Video
Often called slo-mo, “high speed” is the term used when shooting video at a higher frame rate than 60 or 30 frames per second. Your iPhone can shoot around 120 to 240 frames per second, but since the camera is so small, that makes the sensor small as well. This means that a lot less light is going into the sensor, causing the video to become grainy and dark.
In our studio, we use a camera with a large 4.6K sensor that has the capability of shooting 4K at 120 frames per second or 300 frames per second at 2K resolution. This is huge for production value. It is so important to have enough light and the right type of camera to achieve quality slow-motion video! Check out the video below we shot in our in-house studio at 300 frames per second.
High Resolution
You walk into Best Buy and see televisions with “4K UHD” advertised everywhere … of course it means the picture quality is going to be beautiful. But, a vast majority of what you watch is only broadcasted in at a 720 resolution. Basically, the cable that goes to your TV is broadcast at nearly five times less the resolution of what your TV is capable of. Crazy, right? But, in the next few years, there is a large push for television providers to broadcast beyond a 4K resolution.
This will change requirements for videos that will be played on television. Right now, we are seeing this with web-based video and streaming platforms. Most screens are around 4K or 4,000 pixels across. This means that video with a higher resolution than 4K will look no different on a high-def television.
Here is where 6K video is very important, imagine you have a beautiful wide shot of a cityscape. Plenty of buildings and details in the shot, if this was shot at a higher resolution than your end product you can digitally zoom into the video seamlessly. This eliminates the use for a large zoom lens and makes the video more universal to use. We have the ability in our studio to use a 6K resolution for our shoots, this allows us to make one camera into Swiss Army Knife for shoots.
Cinematic Look
Giving footage a look like it should be the next Christopher Nolan flick is a very important trend to be on the lookout for. Some people opt for an extreme cinema look, that could be washed-out tones or even the black tone is colored red. For us, we opt for the dynamic look (see below), keeping in mind the natural colors and tones that should be visible to begin with.
The footage below is a great example of showing the powers of color correction of raw flat-colored video. The reason the raw footage out of the camera looks so flat is because it preserves the highlights and shadows the best way possible.
A great example of this would be capturing video of an interview subject in front of a sunny window. With a few interior lights, you can prevent having blown-out highlights and muddy shadows with this technique.
2020 kicks off a huge year for us in the video department at ABC, as we have the capabilities and the tools required to get any job done. So, be on the lookout for some of our kickass video productions coming soon to a screen near you!
About The Author
Jordan has been capturing video since his teenage days when his family and friends were his main viewers. He expanded that audience considerably using his talents to tell stories on a popular local news station before joining the agency ranks.
Now he uses an impressive combination of technique and creativity to cast brands in an engaging light. His well-trained eye is also evident in the urban exploration and photography of abandoned spaces he tends to partake in on the weekends.
Jordan is well-trained as well with an undergraduate degree in mass communications that complements his experience.