Betlehemina Tangaliyalli Kannada Christmas Song

Shai Linne - Atonement Q+A (lyrics)

Make Your Testimony Videos Better

Many churches are starting to do some of their own video production, and often those videos take the form of testimonies or interviews.

Here's a couple quick tips for making those productions look even better:

1.  Place the camera at eye level or slightly lower.  Doing so will give you a better looking shot than if the camera is place up high.

2.  Frame your shot so that your subject is over to one side, not centered.  This 1) allows you to make better use of your background space and 2) makes for a more interesting looking shot.

3.  Try to separate your subject from the background.  Video tends to flatten your image, and you need to counter that, by:

• seating your subject at least 10ft in front of your background;
• lighting your subject and your background separately (possibly using colors or textures in your background lighting);
• back lighting your subject; and 
• positioning your camera so that your background is slightly out of focus.

4.  Do not allow your subject to look directly at the camera - they should be looking slightly to one side.  For your audience, this creates the feeling that they are listening in on a conversation between two people.

5.  One side of the subject's face (the side closest to the camera) should be better lit than the other.  The side that is not as well lit should be clearly visible but have subtle shadowing.

6.  Avoid too much empty space in the background.  Use bookcases, plants, or other objects to add interest and avoid the "prison wall" look.

Experiment with these techniques and see if they increase the quality of your videos.  And feel free to email us with your questions - we're always glad to help!