If you’re recording your own video for an a cappella project, we know you want to sound great and look good while doing it. Keeping these tips in mind will help you record the best visuals possible and take your project to the next level.
Don’t lip sync while you record.
We’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth repeating: don’t lip sync! You’ll look so much more natural and in the moment if you’re actually singing along to your part as you record your video. The audio you record can be edited out in the final stages and replaced with your pre-recorded audio, so don’t worry about sounding perfect! Just let loose and sing along for best results.
Be mindful of what you’re wearing.
It’s best to stick with solid colors or large print patterns when recording a video, so try to stay away from busy print to avoid distraction. Small prints can actually interfere with the way the light travels in your footage and distort the images, which is nearly impossible to fix in the editing stages. Decide with your group if you want to coordinate your wardrobes, whether that means dressing within the same color scheme or wearing some matching pieces.
Plant your feet and leave some headspace.
This is good for singing technique as well as capturing video. It’s easier to crop the frame if necessary when the subject is planted in one place and not constantly changing positions.
Leaving headspace also helps ensure that nothing will get cropped out of the final product. As a general rule, the top of the frame should leave a forehead sized space above your head, and the bottom of the frame should go down to your mid-chest. Try to leave enough space on either side of your head that you could do jazz hands next to your face and still see everything!
Leave a little wiggle room in all of your recordings.
To make editing easier, include at least five seconds of dead space at the beginning and end of each clip you record. This will give the editor some extra time and space to work with if necessary.
Sing to the camera and have your music memorized.
This video is a performance just like any other, so treat the camera with the same enthusiasm as you would a real live audience. Your viewers will have the best experience if you’re singing directly to them through the camera lens, not if you’re looking above, below or to the side of the camera.
If you have your music memorized, chances are that your performance will flow more naturally. Looking behind the camera at sheet music as you record will reduce the amount of usable footage you have in the end, so memorization is a must!
Remember that you’re still a team, so perform like it!
Even if you’re recording alone, visualizing the final product showcasing your whole group can help enhance your performance. Remember the big picture and perform as if your whole group is right there beside you, cheering you on! Try to think about what you can do while recording to make it look and feel like you’re part of a team, even if they’re not physically there with you.
Editing can improve your visuals, but don’t rely on it too heavily.
Our editors at the Studio can work wonders with the footage you record, but we always want to give you the most natural, clean-cut product we can. For the the best, most organic results, try following as many of these tips as possible during your recording process. Contact the Cut Off video production team to learn more about the services we offer on box video projects.
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