Creating visually attractive and effective video content requires many key elements. One of the biggest things you can do to make a video look professional is having the correct lighting. The importance of lighting in film is something that should never be overlooked. It can make the difference between high-quality or amateur-looking content.

Firstly, the correct lighting for your film can set the mood for your content. This allows viewers to understand how they should be feeling emotionally whilst watching.

It’s important to remember that a video camera doesn’t capture lights in the same way our eyes do. It can seem like a good idea to rely on natural light if visibility that day is good, but this can prove a bad idea. Natural light, especially here in the UK, is very inconsistent. On top of that, even the best video cameras can’t actually process as much detail as a human. Therefore, it is wise to consider using artificial light in order to cater to the camera and also create consistency.

If you’re planning on filming for several hours, your natural light will change as the sun moves. Artificial lighting gives you complete control over the source of light as you can control when and where it moves.

I get it: Planning and filming your videos and can be stressful. Whether they be a video testimonial, explainer video or, well, any type of video content really, it can be stressful. That’s why I offer videography services that takes the importance of lighting in film into account: To help alleviate that stress! The thing is, proper planning and execution is a worthwhile investment. If you could do your video twice to see the difference between good and bad film lighting, I guarantee you’d agree with me. But, obviously, that’d take you a long time just to prove a point, so I’ve included a video below to show the difference.

Having a good source of light when filming actually cuts down on the time you’ll be spending in the editing stage. Even then, you’re actually quite limited in what you can do to salvage a poorly lit video. When working with artificial light, give it lots of consideration as making changes during filming is much easier than afterwards. Trust me on this!

We’ve mentioned that artificial lighting can create consistency and give you control, but it’s not as simple as just whacking everything on and lighting up the room like a Christmas tree. No, you must also think about your environment:

• Are you indoors or outdoors?
• Is it a small or big room?
• Are you filming a close-up shot?
• Will the person on the camera be moving?
• How many people will there be on camera?

By having answers to these questions, you can properly plan. You can think about the lighting that will be required for your situation. This is the foundation for creating the ideal lighting for your film and video content.

If you’re indoors, you will need to ensure there are no dark spots in the corners if the person or people on camera are going to be walking around. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen business videos where the subject moves and the lighting suddenly changes from perfect to too dark – Clearly, they didn’t think about having the appropriate film lighting in all areas of the room! If you’re outdoors, try using reflectors to utilise the natural light.

There is a lot of equipment out there that is affordable and user-friendly. As said before on our blog about the best microphone for YouTube, making your own professional-looking videos has never been easier. All you need is a good understanding on how to use that equipment and to acknowledge the importance of lighting in film.

With this, you will be on the way to creating video content that looks as professional as the image your company wants to portray. That sure is something you can be proud of.