How to Master Video Production Techniques

It's never a "quick" edit. Let's break down my process for creating a 2-minute video as an amateur: 1. Planning This involves meeting with everyone involved in the project (stakeholders, product teams, designers, etc.) to flush out the goals and purpose of the content. 2. Concepting Ideating and researching ways to bring the video to life. Depending on the platform, there are various nuances to consider beyond just the format. Sometimes, I spend hours just scrolling through different channels for inspiration. 3. Scripting This one is pretty straightforward but needs to be emphasized. Writing a script helps flush out the message so you're hitting all the points. Start with freewriting before making edits. Let the words fall out. 4. Storyboarding Before recording, I like to visualize the video's flow and structure. I've found that when I storyboard, especially when working with others, it's a lot easier to see if it makes sense for the overall project. You can do this using tools like Miro or even just a piece of paper to map out when things happen. 5. Recording Setting up the camera, lighting, and mics is just the beginning. Multiple takes are definitely required to capture the best footage. 6. Editing This is the most time consuming part. It involves more than just cutting and trimming footage. You need to spend time selecting the best takes, adding transitions, applying color correction (especially since iPhone cameras can be ugly af), and integrating audio (music, voiceovers, etc.). Every frame is carefully scrutinized to make sure the video flows smoothly, fits within 'safe zones,' and aligns with the overall goal and messaging. Then there are captions and graphics to consider. 7. Review This is the second most time consuming part because the more people involved in the approval stage, the tougher it becomes. Subjectivity plays a big role here—what one person likes might not align with someone else's preferences. This feedback loop can be tricky because there can be several rounds of feedback and adjustments, requiring you to jump back and forth between steps 6 and 7. 8. Export Finally, after all is approved, you need to go back and format and do a quality check, making sure everything fits correctly. Post-production tasks include exporting SRT files, creating thumbnails, and determining where the content will live after it's finalized. 📌 Just because a piece of content is lofi doesn't mean it's low effort. My tip for keeping the process smooth—and something I learned a little too late in the game—is that having a really clear brief at the beginning is the single most important aspect of any video project.

I started documenting my life on YouTube 5 years ago. The results so far: 2,260,618 impressions, +7,436 subscribers, 8 new team members, and +4 bookings/month. Here’s exactly how I make each video: – 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 I would NOT invest in a fancy setup or 10-step production workflow. I stick to simple hardware: 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮: DJI Osmo Pocket 3. It’s compact, portable, records in 4k, and has a built-in wireless mic for clear audio. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 (if I want even higher-quality audio): Osmo Mini Mic. 𝗦𝗗 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱: SanDisk Extreme microSDXC 256GB for reliable, high-speed recording. 𝗦𝗦𝗗: SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD for durability. Samsung T7 1TB SSD for fast, sleek storage. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 A vlog should be raw and authentic, not highly polished. That honesty is what builds trust and relatability. My approach: • Imagine I’m speaking to a younger version of myself or a trusted peer • Share my real thoughts, challenges, and insights • Focus on progress, not perfection 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 Each vlog covers 1-7 days. For each day, I break the recording into 3 parts: 𝟭. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻: introduce the day, set the stage Here I’m telling my audience what my goals are for today. This is our first check-in, I haven’t done them yet. 𝟮. 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: reflect on the day’s progress so far This might actually be several small clips I record at different moments - preparing for/wrapping up meetings, brainstorming, even just walking into the office. 𝟯. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗽-𝗨𝗽: recap the day Here I’m talking about what went well, what challenges I faced, and what I’m focusing on tomorrow. On top of this, I base each day of the week around a certain theme: • Day 1: Personal Introduction • Day 2: Planning & Routines • Day 3: Industry Insights • Day 4-6: Real-Time Updates • Day 7: Weekly Wrap-Up    𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 The goal is polished, not perfect. I follow this workflow: 𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Use CapCut, iMovie, or Adobe Premiere Pro. 𝟮. 𝗖𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: Remove pauses or repetitive points. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Use B-roll (shots of your workspace, team, or environment) to smoothen transitions. 𝟰. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀: Add captions for accessibility and clarity. BONUS: I have a full-time editor helping me. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 This is how I multiply the impact of each vlog. I put full-length (20min+) videos on YouTube with custom thumbnails and casual titles. I repurpose short clips for LinkedIn & Instagram posts, focusing on professional insights. And I make 30-60 second highlights with engaging captions for Insta/TikTok. Give it a go and let me know how it works out :)

The one thing video gurus won't tell you about creating video content... Even with AI, most creators can't explain what makes a shot look 'professional' Everyone's talking about how easy video is now: "Just use AI to create content!" "Anyone can be a creator!" "Video production is simple in 2024!" But here's the reality... 𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑎 '𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒' 𝑘𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑒. 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑘: - First, killed all overhead lights (they were ruining the shot) - Brought a pro light outside to fake natural sunlight - Added second light bounced off ceiling - Used white cloth as diffuser for perfect soft lighting - Placed branches outside for natural shadow patterns - Added haze for that cinematic feel That's 6 technical decisions for ONE "simple" shot. Oh and there's the color grading aspect and exposure in camera. And here's what no one's talking about: You need this knowledge to even describe what you want. AI can't tell you which lights to use where. It can't explain why your shot looks "off". It won't teach you how to create mood. The truth about video in 2025: Quality still requires expertise Every shot needs multiple technical decisions There's no shortcut to understanding light AI is a tool, not a replacement for skill __________________________________________________________ Follow me for more behind-the-scenes insights into professional video production. How do you feel about AI tools for video creation? Let me know in the comments 👇