7 Shots You Need to Capture for Your Event Videos
This is a guest post by Rachel Grate, content strategist and editor at Eventbrite.
A great event marketing video is like any other visual narrative — to tell the right story, you’ll need to capture the right images.
But don’t worry if you’re working with a small budget; you don’t need fancy equipment to capture good shots. In fact, your iPhone is enough to get started with.
What can help, though, is an outline of the kinds of moments you’re looking to capture, known as a shot list. A shot list provides direction and purpose to your footage, so you’ll be sure you have everything you need when you get to the editing stage.
Whether you’re working with a professional or recording footage yourself, a shot list can help you save time and create a compelling video that attracts attendees. Here are seven ideas for shots to capture for your event videography.
#1: Close-up shots that capture emotion
Events are emotional experiences — and whatever emotional experience your event promises is a big draw for potential fans, whether they’re swaying to their favorite music or enthralled in a really great educational talk. This type of shot captures attendees’ faces expressing that emotion, which is invaluable proof that your event delivers on what it says it will.
#2: Shots spanning a crowd or showing your venue/environment
Like #1, you’re looking for images that capture the feeling of your event, while also creating a fear of missing out. A shot that shows the scale of your event, including the venue and environment, is enticing and helps people imagine what it’d be like to attend. Here are some more event video tips to capture the atmosphere of your event.
#3: Shots of performers, speakers, and presenters on stage
Of course, people also want to know what kinds of things they’ll learn or experience at your event, which is why it’s important to capture speakers or performers on stage. Moments with strong quotes and applause or laughter from the audience will make the most impact on viewers.
#4: Short video clips and soundbites from attendees
92% of consumers trust peer recommendations over advertising, which is one of the reasons why testimonials are so powerful. People are usually more than happy to say a few words about why they love something, so make sure to interview attendees about your event. Here are some tips to help you get great sound bites for your video.
#5: Shots from the stage
Along the same lines as #4, getting footage filmed from the stage looking out into the audience shows how many people are at your event and enjoying themselves. Whether it’s your B2B conference speaker’s presentation or your multi-stage music festival, this is a shot worth taking.
#6: Aerial shots using drones
Drones have made it super easy to get footage from unusual vantage points and perspectives of events. Doing so reinforces the scale of your conference or festival, and emphasizes the points of interest about your location (like a big city, or over-seas destination).
If you don’t have access to a drone, not to worry. You can search for stock footage in the city where you’re holding your event. This example comes from the collection of Getty Images photos and video clips available in Animoto.
#7: Artsy still lifes of vendor products, swag bags, and more
The last shot any good list should include? Stills of vendor products, swag bags, and other decor to set the scene. People love free stuff and vendors can be just as big of a draw as your performers or speakers. Show attendees what you’ll be offering them with this artistic shot.
How to turn a shot list into a great video
Ready to dive in and get started on your video? Discover how to take your shot list and turn it into an amazing production that sells tickets in The 2019 Guide to Video Marketing for Events.