Gadget

How Is Professional Videography Surviving the Deluge of Smartphones and Video Editing Apps?

iPhone Camera

It is safe to say that this year is going to be the year of video. In short, it is everywhere. As a result, finding good quality video feed had become more challenging than it was ten years ago when smartphones with cameras were not as popular. With the rapid rise of GoPro, Android, Apple, drone tech and YouTube, the video culture has changed everywhere. Whether you are browsing the web for niche films or you are watching a nature-adventure show on television, you will find multiple instances of non-conventional videography. Several programs on the TV rely on the use of body cams and GoPros for filming the incidents from the wearer’s point-of-view.

Can smartphones and smart editing software replace professional videography?

The rise of smartphone technology and the use of GoPros everywhere have to lead to doubts about the prevalence of professional video equipment in the modern times. Professional video cameras are not as popular as they used to be since the number of experimental films shot on handy cams and iPhones is surfacing across the world. Several of these professionally shot films have won national and international awards. That is more than enough to plant the seed of doubt about the importance of professional equipment in the videography industry.

Why do videography veterans recommend professional technology and equipment?

Professional video editors find it difficult to watch the films without dissecting the subtler elements. That includes the color, white balance, audio and several other components that non-video people do not seem to notice. Amateur video productions may have the correct ideas and intentions, but they lack the right equipment that can make the product seem professional. That is why most home-based films on Vimeo and YouTube seem “off”. We prefer watching professionally shot and edited films on the same topics and similar channels.

Why should you invest in professional equipment?

While the debate over professional vs. amateur equipment continues, we will take the time to highlight the importance of a few components of an expert system that helps in the improvement of video quality.

  1. The presence of an external audio recording system or a microphone can eliminate noise in the ambience of the recording.
  2. The use of professional lighting, light engineers and reflectors can help in highlighting the focal point of the video. It can assist in the overall improvement of the video quality.
  3. Using a tripod increases the stability of the video. Unless you have an iron grip, it does not make sense to shoot a shaky and grainy film that you can label “avant-garde”.
  4. Using professional video recording equipment will also help you in gaining multiple diverse camera shots. The lack of various angles is a telltale sign of an amateur behind the camera.

More than equipment, a good film requires a talented director and editor. The only time a person can shoot on a handy cam or a digicam and make it work is when he or she has enough training and experience to know what he or she is exactly doing.

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Paul Tomaszewski is a science & tech writer as well as a programmer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of CosmoBC. He has a degree in computer science from John Abbott College, a bachelor's degree in technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and completed some business and economics classes at Concordia University in Montreal. While in college he was the vice-president of the Astronomy Club. In his spare time he is an amateur astronomer and enjoys reading or watching science-fiction. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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