If you are a great lover of the cinema world and like to make your own video projects, you will surely have thought at least once about what your life could be like if you decided to work as a videomaker.
Thanks to the recent development of digital technology, it is an artistic and fascinating profession representing the pinnacle of versatility in the cinematographic field. So we decided to write this post to analyze all the fundamental steps you will have to take to become a good videomaker, thus transforming your passion into a real job.
Who is the videomaker?
The videomaker is an innovative and sought-after professional figure who is increasingly establishing himself on a national and international level. The etymology of this word allows us to understand what are the main tasks of this work. The term videomaker derives from the Anglo-Saxon language and literally means “creator of video clips.”
This word is also widely used in our language and identifies that professional figure who takes care of the entire production and creative process that hides behind a film.
What does a videomaker do?
The videomaker can be defined as an all-rounder in the video field since he personally takes care of all aspects of the created product. This figure, therefore, encompasses different tasks in the cinematographic field; whoever deals with video making is, in fact, at the same time:
- An author
- A producer
- A director
We can say that the videomaker is the person who takes care of the shooting, editing and all the work that hides behind the making of a good video.
The differences between videomaker and filmmaker
Although generally there is a tendency to combine these two professional figures, there are some peculiarities that differentiate them:
- The filmmaker generally creates long-running films, which are then entrusted to eventual producers for distribution.
- On the other hand, the videomaker produces any kind of movie and specializes in creating short clips. This figure can work on a commission basis or personally take care of the financing and distribution of the product.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that the amount of economic resources between these two professions is distinctly different.
Skills of a videomaker
Since the profession of the videomaker is very articulated, his skills must also include different fields of the cinema environment, especially if you prefer to work alone rather than in a team. Whatever the purpose is, one of a videomaker’s main tasks is to tell a story. In fact, it is no coincidence that this profession falls within the artistic niche of storytellers.
# 1 Technical skillsÂ
A videomaker should also have good technical skills that allow him to make the best use of the equipment necessary for recording.
The knowledge that is not limited to managing filming with the camera but includes using sound and lighting professionally. Any scene is, in fact, made up of three fundamental variables (lights, audio and video), which must always work in harmony to create a final quality product.
# 2 Marketing skills
Unless you choose to work as an employee for a company, a successful videomaker is also generally an excellent digital entrepreneur. This implies a series of additional skills that absolutely must not be neglected because they are a fundamental part of the workflow, such as:
- The creation of social profiles and your own website ;
- The management and customer research ;
- The promotion of one’s business through web marketing channels and advertising campaigns.
This is absolutely one of the most important steps to take if you want to turn this passion into a real job.
# 3 Post-production skills
An indispensable skill for a good videomaker is certainly to have good editing and post-production skills. Therefore, you should have full command of the main video editing software. And you should know how to adapt them to your needs.
Furthermore, it should not be overlooked that the post-production phase also includes all the operations concerning the audio part of the movie, such as:
- The choice of the soundtrack ;
- The synchronization of music and sound effects;
- The removal of background noise.
How to become a videomaker?
A fundamental point to become a videomaker is certainly to have a great passion for everything related to the cinema environment:
- Movie
- Documentaries
- TV series
- Short films
- Commercials
A good videomaker should be able to do a complete analysis of a movie, analyzing every aspect of it: from the narrative strategies to the lighting scheme used, from the shooting techniques to the type of editing.
But be careful. For example, it is not enough to know that Tarantino often uses bottom-up shots in his films as a technique of emphasis, just as it is not enough to buy a camera to consider himself a photographer.
To be credible in your profession, you will have to follow an adequate training program. Or you can try one of the many online training courses that are completely free.
Once you have acquired the basics, the theoretical part must be accompanied by a good dose of exercises to experiment with the concepts learned in the different situations in which you might find yourself.
Finally, to become a good videomaker, you should invest part of your economic resources in shooting equipment, for example, you will need:
- A video camera or reflex camera
- A good tripod
- Lighting equipment
- Reflective panels
- An external microphone
The best software and apps used by videomakers
There are many video editing software that, if properly used, allows you to achieve truly professional results, among the most famous we can mention:
- Adobe Premiere Pro CC: one of the best products from Adobe, entirely dedicated to video editing and available for purchase via a monthly or annual subscription.
- Final Cut Pro: a valid program intended only for Mac users.
- Da Vinci Resolves: a truly valid and entirely free software.
- Lightworks: which has a free trial and is generally used to manage feature films.
- IMovie or Windows Movie Maker.
- FlexClip video editor: a good choice for online editing, anytime and anywhere.
Conclusion
In today’s article, we told you what variables to consider if you decide to take up the profession of videomaker. We started from the basics by analyzing the etymological meaning of this term and deepened the skills that a videomaker needs. Now you have all the basics to deepen this topic and turn your passion into a job. Being a professional videomaker can be highly rewarding.