I am sure you guys have already guessed from our anniversary post, my husband and I are complete opposites BUT are completely in love. I love decorating the indoors, he loves the exploring the outdoors. But what we do have in common is our affinity to encourage each other's hobbies.
Between the two of us, we've managed to raise three kids, one of whom is going to Kindergarten this week! With Ansley going to school, I'm pretty sure we're going to need another computer in this house. It's bad enough already my husband and I fight for the home laptop: me for blogging and him for editing his video hunts. I can guarantee that in a few weeks, my school-ager will have homework that will probably require a computer.
To solve this dilemma, a trip to Walmart had us thinking about a new laptop for the husband and kids!
With the value of HP PC's, we knew that it would be a perfect fit for us - especially with the camo to match my husband's love of sportsmanship! Now that he is filming his deer hunts and learning MY craft of photography and videography, this HP Camo Special Edition Notebook had all the power he needed to edit video - without using MY laptop!
While he loves learning new things (like figuring out how to camouflage his duck blind) ...
... he's pretty impatient when it comes to sitting down and wasting time trying to figure out how learn good techniques of video editing! Today, I'm sharing the same tips that I gave him for making better home videos. Hint: It starts before loading the video onto the hard drive!
With amazing technological capabilities available today, there is no reason why home films can't be amazing. Whether you are preparing for your child's first day of school or an amazing footage of geese migrating north, here is my list of ways you can improve your home movies. I can't promise you'll become the next big movie director, but your funny home video shares on social media might just go viral.
Preparing to Make Home Videos Like A Professional
1. Get b-roll. What is b-roll? It is all in the details. It is secondary footage that you put into the main video to tell the story. For example, video of the school's front sign and the school bus. When you assemble your first day of school (or hunt) movie, you can mix this footage to add variety.
Another example of what you can add for the outdoor enthusiast's film is footage of this buck rub could be added to the video timeline with a voice over about the story of the land.
2. Check the background. While it is important to get the shot of your kiddo walking into school or the geese in flight, make sure that the area you are panning is free of clutter. That is, unless its impossible or tells the story of the moment, like in this photo of the geese flying in snow!
3. Lighting. Just like photography, use it for videography as well. Make sure that your subject is lit properly (unless you are doing a special effect, don't point your subject's back towards the sun).
4. Frame it and use rule of thirds. Make sure you compose the photo properly so that it captures the audience's attention. Look at this image. What do you notice first?
I will take a gander (pun intended) that it was the geese on the left. By aligning a subject with the guide lines and their intersection points like below (placing the horizon on the top or bottom line), you will allow your viewers to focus on what you truly want them to see. Your viewers' eyes will usually go naturally to one of the intersection points rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds allows you to create balance and interesting shots!
5. Do not stop recording while your subject is still in the viewfinder. If your subject is moving, follow them for as long as you are interested plus a little longer. If your child is walking into the school, make sure you keep shooting before and after the actual action of them walking in.
6. Put the footage on a hard drive that is on the same laptop or desktop. Transfer the footage to long-term storage (if needed) after the video is complete. Just trust me on this one. Our HP Camo Special Edition did an amazing job at editing all of the footage we had, especially when the video was stored on the hard drive!
7. Just edit already! Too many families leave their videos on a drive without editing them. It just doesn't do it justice if you don't put the storyline together. Whether you are just starting or an experienced pro, I know too often we put our own videos for later. Take the time to tell the story of what you captured. You'll thank me later.
I'm sharing with you a quick unboxing video of ourHP Camo Special Edition Notebook, which takes in consideration all the steps above. You'll notice the various segments of the video, where I have incorporated the tips above. It's just a segment of less than 10 clips into a quick movie. TEN! It's that easy guys to tell a story, just takes a little effort.
If you have a sportsman in your family, the HP Camo Special Edition Notebook is a great all around laptop with the power to edit your home movies. They are ALL NEW and can be found at your local Walmart store. It is incredibly affordable and is the perfect fit for families with varying needs - from homework to home movie making!
Here are a few highlights on the laptop itself:
The HP Camo Special Edition Notebook (15-bn070wm)
• Inspired by the great outdoors: With the official Realtree Xtra® camouflage pattern, this laptop was made with true outdoor enthusiasts in mind.
• Dependable performance: With the latest Intel® processor and plenty of storage, you can multitask and store more.
• Vibrant display: The crisp HD screen lets you enjoy your photos, videos, and web pages in detail.
You can find more back to school ideas here.
If you like your HP computer like my family does, be sure sure to visit Walmart to share your thoughts. Encourage other families to shop smart this back to school season with your online review!
