Become A Great Low Budget Real Estate Videographer By Forgetting About The Camera

The low budget real estate videographer smiles all of the way to the bank. They dont know more - they just know the right things to know.  For instance, they know that cost of the equipment isnt what makes a good video.   the low budget real estate videographer will just smile and nod approvingly when others speak of the hundreds if not thousands of dollars in equipment that they have spent on equipment. If the intent of the filming is not to have a business but to assist the REALTOR(r)'s business of selling properties, the low budget videographer knows that effective property videos can be produced with professional results using video equipment that has been begged, borrowed, or...ummm....purchased used on eBay.

The low budget real estate videographer knows that most of what makes a real estate video great has no cost other than a bit of time to learn and the will to apply what's been learned. The lessons below should fast track you up the learning curve. You own the desire part.  

Think of the low budget videographer as the guerilla warrior of video. A warrior that knows that to wage a successful low budget campaign it isnt the cost but the results and it isnt the brands, its the planning. 

The Process

The great low budget video producers know that there are really four only major factors that can take a production from effective to useless. They also know that have little to do with equipment and more to do with knowing how to control the factors involved in the production process

- Lighting: Light makes all major brand video cameras right. Almost all major brand video cameras will shoot decent to great video when there is lots of light. Little things like opening the windows and turning on all of the inside and outside lighting can make a big difference. The guerilla videographer also knows that a set of garage worklights make excellent fill lights when aimed at ceilings and walls.

- Camera Motion: The motion of the camera is 100% in the videographer's control.  The camera doesn't move by itself - you control both the motion and non-motion of the camera. The low budget videographer will master camera movement since camera motion has no cost and is an essential element in making a professional production. Its all in how you hold and turn the camera.  They know that even inexpensive tripods can be used to restrict motion to situation where movement is needed. The best part about property videos is that complex motion really isnt required - slow, deliberate motion is.  The guerrila also knows that it may be worth a minidv tape or two to practice moving the camera and then watching the results on a television...and then doing it again until the motion looks natural.

- Audio: Great audio wll always mask poor video.  However, the best camera in the world will not produce desired results if the audio is poor. Know where you can often buy excellent microphone equipment for pennies on the dollar?  Pawn shops. Many have excellent microphones on sale and it will just add to your guerilla videographer mystique. Just using a voiceover will also make the overall production easier tha trying to do a guided tour.  Hold off on the guided tour until you have a few productions under your belt.

- Transfer For Editing: The best guerilla video makes no difference if the quality of the transfer of video to the computer for editing isn't high quality. This is a make or break part of the the process and the "Garbage In - Garbage Out" rule certainly applies.  The extra small investment in a firewire equipped minidv camera can help to make this a non-issue.  You can also buy generic firewire cards for your computer in the $10-$20 range with a bit of patience. If you have a Mac or XP/Vista system, the editing software that you need should already be on your computer.

The Outcome

Dont worry about the brand or cost of the camera if your goal isnt to run your own property video company.  Use what you have or what you can afford.  Like anything, you'll need to practice to master your craft. The best Hollywood directors could make effective property videos that rival professionally produced ones using only a used minidv with firewire, an old scratched up tripod, and a decent microphone. The secret isnt in the equipment but in the 4 factors outlined above. 

The best equipment will only provide an advantage when those 4 basic factors have been mastered.

Tony

The author has developed a series of real estate video training seminars including a seminar for brkers and agents around "The Business Value of Real Estate Video" as well as a hands-on, practical "How To Produce A Great Real Estate Video Yourself" course.  The next series of seminars will be in conjunction with the REALTOR Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches (RAMB) begnning in February 2008. RAMB members get preferential pricing as well as having 100% of the fee applied to a paid Vidlisting membership. Non-RAMB members are welcome as well. If this type of training is of interest to you, please consider attending.

The training is also available for other real estate associations or groups if there is sufficient interest.

See Also:

A Few Tips And Techniques To Make Great Property Videos On The Cheap

How To Get Thousands Of Views And Generate Leads Using Your Own Real Estate Video

How-To: Mobile Video Podcasts On Windows