Why Your DIY Home Video Studio is Holding Your Business Back

You witnessed how everyone transitioned to the video world almost immediately, as lockdowns were placed to secure everyone’s safety. You see people putting videos out there and the first thing that comes to mind is the fear of missing out. Why can’t you do it too?  After all, it seems like a great way to market your business. 

And you’re right. Demand Metric found that video is still the top performer for driving conversions in 2020, and about 94% of study participants agree. But Australian businesses are yet to grab this opportunity of being more video-centric in how they operate their businesses. Why is that? Isn’t producing video pretty easy? What could go wrong?

Well, a lot actually. Technical issues of creating video might sound manageable, but it actually takes time and money and pulls you away from what you should be doing. 

So how much of producing videos yourself do you do effectively? In our experience, not much I’m afraid.

Here are 3 reasons your DIY home video studio is holding your business back.

1. You opted to invest in video equipment you don’t know how to use.

So you went ahead and bought your video equipment - camera, lights, microphone - that somebody online said will be useful for your venture.

They soon arrive in boxes and you open them as though it’s Christmas. The novelty soon wears off as you try to put them together for hours, like a jigsaw puzzle. In what seems like forever, you turn the camera on and press record… and it’s not recording. 

You try your best to troubleshoot, checking online for easy fixes. Maybe after two to three hours, you eventually work it out. But when you do start recording, the quality is not that great. And you’re not sure if it’s the equipment, or if it’s because you have a technical handicap.

One thing is clear: you have spent time and money trying to build, use, and fine tune the video equipment, with no idea how to operate it. And it’s already taken you away from your job. 

So what do you do? It’s one of two things, really. 

One, you give up and sell it. Or two, you pack it away, put it in the garage where it’s forgotten. If you manage to get back to it, you enter into a cycle of setting up, switching it on, troubleshooting, and shelving it again. 

And you are no closer to making a video. 

2. You don’t know the importance of writing a script for your video so you end up recording for longer than you should. 

So you are one of the best public speakers in your class, people laugh at your jokes during parties, and you excel in presenting live presentations. This should be a piece of cake. 

You pen a one-page script talking about your business product and, while feeling a bit unsure about it, you decide you’ll just wing it when you start filming.

The red light switches on, and you say your piece to the camera. It sounded great on the first go. But when you watch it, you feel like the words could be better. You start to rewrite on the spot. Go for another take, which ended up sounding mechanical. So you loosen up, improvise and go totally off-script. You go back to the recording, watch how you went, and realise there’s a better word you can use instead of a long sentence, a quote you’d like to mention, or even a joke you like to start with. 

You do it all over and start stumbling on your words as it becomes apparent that things have become redundant, lost in context, or hard to enunciate because you have written tongue twisters. 

When you’ve finally exhausted yourself until you can no longer speak, you throw the towel and think you can just fix it in editing. “There’s gotta be good stuff that’s been recorded already,” you say in defeat.

Congratulations, you have just wasted a day, when you could have finalised the script for about two to three hours the day before, and just record for less than half an hour the next day. Oh right, the customer who ordered your product yesterday? You missed her query this morning and she just cancelled. Too bad.

3. The video you visualised is beyond your editing skills. 

So you have made it. You have completed your recording and you think editing your video looks doable. It just needs a magic touch. 

You open the editing software you just bought and think, you can absolutely DIY this just like you did with setting up the video equipment. The software opens to the most complicated design you have ever seen. The monitor reflects the fading enthusiasm in your eyes, as you take in all the control screens you have to learn, and you realise a part of you inside has just shut down. 

You can buy a course and learn how to edit your videos and pay a hefty sum for it, but you know it’s not just your money you’re spending, it’s also your time.

And now your business has taken a backseat. Your newly-learned technical skills are far from being profitable, and your video is still a dream.

So how can your DIY home video studio help you get back to what you do?

Simple. Leave your technical problems to professionals.

Let a professional Video Director choose your video equipment and set it up for you.

A professional Video Director will understand how to set up your lights, position your camera, test your microphone and perhaps even soundproof the room. You can leave any troubleshooting to them. They will also ask you to move some furniture to make room for the setup so you don’t fall into the setup-shelving cycle, which is a waste of time.

Here's what's left for you to do: learn how to switch on the equipment, how to start and stop recording, how to check your videos, and how to switch it off. Once you get this in your routine, it becomes easy. You’ll eventually be able to film multiple videos in one session. 

Record a personalised email? No sweat.

Let script writers or producers take a look at your scripts.  

If you’re looking to create a 1-minute video about your business product, it’s best to plan everything -- from the message you will relay, to the footage or graphics you will use so that your video is worth watching for the entire minute. 

With a working script, you will understand that videos and scripts complement each other: The videos show and the words leave impact. This will keep you from going astray during filming and keep in check any good idea that may pop up.

All you have to do is approve the final scripts, practice saying them until you’re confident enough to present them, and let the camera roll. 

That’s about 15 minutes of recording at best and now, you have time to answer your customer queries, who appreciate your prompt reply, and have paid for it. 

Get video editors to do their magic.

No amount of online learning in a short amount of time will be on par with professionals who have been video editing for years. They are faster, have both an eye and ear for colors, music, and pacing, and a heart to give your video a life of its own. You won’t even worry about exporting either. All you need to do is to receive it and share it, knowing all of your best bits are included. 

By now, you would be all too familiar with the problem of setting up your own DIY home video studio and relying on your resourcefulness to power it through. The only thing is, it will take your focus, time and money away from your job. 

Australians all want to have a crack at creating videos by ourselves. It’s in our nature to try things out, fail, and learn from them, and possibly do better next time. But there is a better alternative, one that doesn’t shift your focus, time and money from your business, and still be involved in creating your video. 

So let the experts handle the technology, you help streamline the video content, and go back to your business. Then, wait while the finishing touches are made to your video and distributed to your audience. 

Enjoy the best of both worlds.

Find out how we can help with professional video production services or even better - learn how to do it all yourself with video coaching & training and our DIY video program.

Here are more DIY Video articles you may find helpful:

DIY Video Success: Insider Tips and Strategies with Brendan Southall

DIY vs. DFY: The Battle for Creative Control and Convenience

You Don't Need To Be a Video Pro to Make Professional DIY Videos

Professional Video Studio for Young Leaders with Chris Gardiner

Professionally Assisted Do-It-Yourself Videos with Christine Blosdale

A Sexier Way to Produce Your Own Videos with Den Lennie

Written by Christine C. Camarillo

Ready to create your own videos without the hassle? Check out ridgefilms.com.au/diy and learn how to professionally produce your own Do It Yourself videos.

 

 

 Chris Schwager

Chris Schwager is an Inbound Video Marketing Specialist with 20+ year history as a Video Director, Script Writer and Presenter as well as a regular Podcast Host and video coach. He's on a mission to change how Corporate Organisations, Government & Small Businesses use DIY and professional videos to improve communication, leads and sales.