Tag Archives: video production company

Color Correction Guide

With a surfeit of video editing programs to choose from with their own built-in color correction engines, it can be easy to get lost in the buttons, dials, and meters. However, a huge and often overlooked part of color correction is its purpose. Here are a few different ways your Boston video production company can use color to spice up an average video.

Thematic Purposes

In the film, “Only God Forgives,” vibrant colors are used for thematic connotations

Colors resonate with specific emotions, and this has been used across various kinds of art to deliver potent themes. One of the most famous examples is green envy from Shakespeare’s “Othello.” Giving a character a certain eye color or shade can go a long way in developing their dramatic purpose.

Tonal Purposes

Just like audio, color can be used to make the audience feel a certain way. A harsh red or violent tint can evoke an unsettling feeling, while a soft blue tint can contribute to a somber tone. However, like audio, there is a risk when using color for this purpose, which is that the audience is often aware that the color or audio is trying to make them feel a certain way. Don’t use this method too much, or else a viewer will watch your video (and look at your video production company) with a skeptical eye.

Continuity Purposes

Yes, a ton of color correction was done for this music video.

When video production occurs in the transitioning periods of dawn or dusk, a few problems often occur with continuity. From one angle, the scene still has some sunlight, while another angle was clearly shot once the sun fully disappeared. These instances are particularly challenging, but if you notice it, your audience will likely notice the difference as well.

Aesthetic Purposes

Although not a deal breaker in most cases, the aesthetic value of color can go a long way in making your video production quality stand out from the rest. Using vivid colors or using dull colors can be very effective when used in appropriate videos. This point also applies to your actors, because they usually want to be in lighting and color palettes where they look best. This requires factoring in skin tones, light reflection, etc.

A Quick Program Overview

Finally, here are a few editing programs to consider if you would like to hone color correction skills. Avid and Premiere Pro are two great video editing programs that come with their own in-house color correction applications. Premiere Pro is especially easy to dive into, because the color editing window is intuitively labeled for you. As for the more experience editors, DaVinci Resolve comes with a vast array of advanced features, such as custom color wheels and top-notch grading engines.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Protecting Equipment from The Environment

Before starting your next Boston video production shoot, there are several potential obstacles to keep in mind that are all related to the environment. Be it water, wind, or heat, Skillman Video Group has a few tips for protecting your equipment from environmental hazards.

Wind

You have to be ready for wind any time you record audio outside of a controlled environment.

Professional Video Production Corporation

A controlled environment.

This point isn’t really about potential damage to equipment but more so about the quality of your video production projects. An audience can generally tune out white noise, but all the nuances in wind patterns can be easily noticeable and often times distracting when it takes over an audio recording. As much as possible, do your best to minimize the gain levels of a recording device, especially in a windy area. For these scenarios, it is best to attach a wind sock, fuzzy, etc., to filter out the wind.

Rain/Mist

Rain is always a hazard when carrying electronic equipment, but mist is definitely more applicable when a video production company is working at a harbor or in a beach area. The danger of mist is that the water comes horizontally, so it is much harder to prevent mist water from getting into equipment compartments than rainwater. Also note that the caution against water also applies to lights. When it comes to professional-grade lights on a set (tungsten, LED, etc.), water collecting on a bulb can cause it to fizzle out, pop, and possibly spark a fire. In many cases, it will be necessary to find a pocket of cover under a building or an outside tent area if it is completely impossible to avoid the water.

Snow/Ice

For Boston especially, think about snow in the winter and how ice can be dangerous to both the equipment and crew members. During winter, be sure that all crew members are properly equipped with gloves and winter boots with good traction. The last thing you want is a camera operator to slip and tumble with an expensive camera in tow. Keep in mind that snow will melt the second it touches your equipment, so it may be ill-advised to film something during a snow flurry or blizzard.

Heat

When possible, always store video production equipment in covered areas with plenty of shade. If an electronic device is left out in the sun for too long, it may malfunction when you need it most due to overheating. There are increasingly more options available for insulated equipment bags, satchels, etc. If you are doing live event videography and are unable to take breaks in the shade, you can carry around an umbrella or similar cover to block direct sunlight.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production services. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Lighting Pro-Tips

Lighting can be the deciding factor as to whether or not your actors feel dissatisfied with their facial shadows or if a theme resonates with the audience. Although subtle, when lighting is used effectively, it can make all the difference. Here are 5 aspects of lighting that any Boston video marketing or video production company should keep in mind:

1. Quality

The quality of a light refers to its emitting nature. Is it a harsh light, causing hard shadows (ex: floodlight), or is it soft, giving a nice aura to your subject (ex: china ball)? The quality of a light can be indicative of mood. Think about how a harsh flashlight is used when someone tells a scary story.

China Ball/ Paper Lantern2. Color-

2. Color

There is a technical and an artistic aspect to the color of a light. In the technical sense, color temperature is essential to properly white balancing a camera. However, as an artistic choice, color completely alters a video’s style and feeling.

3. Brightness

Brightness is most easily controlled with a china ball configuration, because the bulb usually comes attached with a dimmer mechanism that changes the levels. Choose the right level of brightness for your scene to give a warm or icy mood.

4. Position

Position is more so applicable on sets that involve multiple lighting sources. When this is the case, consider that the standard Boston video production set has a fill light, a backlight, and a key light, all of which serve different purposes. Furthermore, the position of a light can make all the difference in maintaining the illusion of reality. For example, if a fake window seems to be changing positions each cut because someone keeps moving the artificial light source, the audience will be disconnected from the reality of the video.

5. Distance

Distance falls into a similar vein as position and brightness. Always try to think of the distance that would make the most since for a given source of light and for the mood you want to convey.

Skillman Video Group lighting for Cable TV Pioneers Banquet

We here at SVG use these lighting tips for both inside and outside video marketing or video production shoots, and we will continue to do so to remain a top tier Boston video production company.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production services. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.