Making Video Content During the Pandemic

By Jacquelyn Martinusen

As we navigate through this global pandemic, it is important to remember that content can still be made safely, even video content. While traditional video content isn’t safe to do during this time, video content can still be made from a safe distance or at home. Videos are an excellent way to get personal with your audience, and now is not the time to distance yourself from your audience. Virtual content is where everyone is getting their information from companies, and online video content can make your brand more noticeable and more engaged with your audience. 

Here are some tips to help you continue to make video content during this time. 

1. Adapt to the times 

Everyone understands how difficult this time is, and it is important to know that your audience knows that it is a challenge to make content. However, this is not the time to stop making amazing video content for your business, client or your personal use. Video content can be made easily even through social distancing restrictions. 

2. Use what you have 

For the most part, video content can be made, and made well, from your smartphone or tablet. Using those devices gives you a range of options to make videos. The cameras on most smartphones are equivalent to what some DSLR or larger cameras have (while it cannot replace an actual camera, it is an excellent swap in a pinch). I would recommend always shooting horizontally, however, vertical videos have gotten relatively popular lately with TikTok and music videos going in that direction. 

Shooting video content from home doesn’t mean you need to abandon your creative ideas. When it comes to extremely visual content, like a video made with a lot of special effects, big sets, etc., Hannah Welever, founder of the boutique production company Good Trouble Films said “either let the idea go or look for alternate routes to realize it.” It is important to pivot when necessary or figure out a way to do your idea. If there is a will, there is a way to make even the most outlandish ideas work while keeping safe during this pandemic. 

You must focus both on creative ideas and practicality. Video content can still be awesome and impactful, but also be made with things easily found around the house or a local store. Don’t rely on shipping products (as those restrictions can be harsh), or shooting on a location that is full of people, since that is not the safest place to be right now. 

3. Learn new things 

You must learn how to make video content during a pandemic work for you. Welever said “quarantine collaboration is definitely forcing some creative workarounds’” but the content is still being made and it is working out well. It can seem daunting filming and creating video content on your own. However, there are lots of free or easily accessible courses online to help you learn more about video making. I recommend checking a couple of them out, like using LinkedIn Learning or Hootsuite to broaden your video making portfolio. New skills can be learned at any time, and now more than ever it is important to learn how to continue making video content for your audience.