Talking about something can be quite educational for the audience listening, but visuals or videos can make the subject even more visceral and engaging. However, making something visually compelling isn’t just about adding flashy costumes, special effects, etc.
Follow the steps below if you’re looking for effective ways to make your videos more visually appealing.
Use a Reference Monitor
Instead of using the camera’s built-in monitor, opt for an external reference monitor. Although this creates a bulkier setup, the reference monitor gives you a closer look at the content you’re shooting in real-time. It’s a detailed tool that helps maintain continuity, but it has another benefit—exploring creative angles.
A high-quality reference monitor is perfect for exploring your shooting environment and making the right adjustments when needed. The best angles are often unique to that specific set, so you should always have the right tools for making a particular location work to your advantage.
Plus, a reference monitor doesn’t have to be overly bulky. Its lightweight design is among the reasons why reference display monitors are crucial for videographers.
Apply B-Roll With a Purpose
Editing is a powerful tool for storytellers across various niches, whether a food commercial or a feature film. B-roll is additional footage you can edit into your video to support what the audio is conveying.
For instance, if your videos involves talking about a specific video game, having footage of that gameplay over your dialogue can help your audience visualize your point. Footage of a product doing its job is also great for marketing to consumers in a vivid way.
Not only does this break up the visual monotony of watching videos of someone speak for an extended period, but it gives you a chance to showcase details the viewers may not otherwise see.
Do you want to show a specific boss battle from a video game?
Do you want to visually explain how the customer should use a product?
These are the types of questions you can explore when you add the right b-roll to any production.
Keep It Simple and Focused
Another effective way to make your videos more visually engaging is to avoid visual clutter and confusion. For instance, b-roll footage can be a wonderful production tool. But if the footage is too distracting or doesn’t connect with the audio well enough, you run the risk of confusing the viewer.
Likewise, editing together footage too quickly can create a disorienting effect. These are only two of the various problems you can run into, but finding a solution ultimately comes down to looking at your visuals and asking yourself if they need to be there and whether they feel natural.
By naturally weaving visual effects, b-roll, beautiful sets, eye-catching animations, and more visual tools into your video content, you can engage your audience in a powerful way.
