Congratulations! You’ve taken the next steps to becoming a virtual real estate agent. While we are not showing any listings or going out to take photos, there are still many ways you can market your properties. If you feel your client is able and willing to take video of their home, here are some tips you can share to get the best possible quality.
Always shoot in landscape
Depending on your intentions and the platform you are using, make sure your phone is tilted properly for your viewers. For Facebook Live, keep your camera horizontal as it will appear in your followers’ newsfeed. If you plan to shoot video for YouTube, LinkedIn or Twitter it is best to also film horizontally. However, when filming for Instagram live, remember that it will appear the same as an Instagram story to your followers which means film vertically.
Be conscious of bouncing
Nothing is more frustrating than watching shaky footage. If you can keep a steady hand (especially during this crisis) then maybe this is your second career. But for those who can’t, which is most of us, look into investing in a gimbal. The DJI OSMO Mobile 3 is a huge game changer. The 3-axis gimbal is sleek and portable, reduces shaky footage and is smartphone compatible. If you’ve seen it at any BHS event, you know what we are talking about. If you don’t plan on moving much, a simple aluminum lightweight iPhone tripod stand will get the job done.
Use light
While we encourage staying indoors, the couple hours after sunrise and the couple hours before sunset are best times to shoot. If you are indoors, film in front of a window for natural light. If you don’t feel comfortable with either option, this 8" selfie ring light with tripod stand will give you the cinematic light you need.
Don’t zoom
Avoid the temptation to use your built-in camera zoom. Since the lens isn’t zooming optically, you’re just enlarging the picture digitally, which means you will quickly enter the world of unsightly pixelation.
Slow-motion and time-lapse
You can get some amazing shots with built-in slow-mo, but make sure the choice to slow down the action is motivated. This can be great for listing videos but most likely won't have the same effect when you are speaking.
Other tips to keep in mind:
Hold at arms length
Turn on airplane mode before hitting record