Did you record lots of video footage while you were on vacation? Do you plan on taking all that footage and turning it into an actual travel video?
That can be done easily enough – but if you want to make your travel video really stand out there are a few tips that you should try to use:
Only use the best footage
Good travel videos are built using good footage – so discard any parts that are too shaky or blurry. Travel video footage is often far from perfect, but you should try to find the best parts of the footage that you’ve recorded.
If you want you can try to edit and improve footage that you feel can be salvaged, but if it isn’t up to scratch you should trim out the parts that can’t be saved.
Focus on the story
When you structure your travel video, try to think about the story that you want to tell. The footage that you choose to use and the order that you structure it in should be designed to tell viewers the story of your vacation – or part of it.
Keep in mind that you don’t want your video to be too long, and sometimes narrowing the scope of your story can help. For example instead of a story of your entire trip to France, you could focus it on the day or two that you spent in Paris.
Pay close attention to the transitions between shots
The transitions between your shots are extremely important, and you should try to make them meaningful while ensuring that they aren’t jarring for viewers. It helps if there is movement in the shot right before it transitions, as that can draw the viewers’ attention and make the cut look smoother.
If you have discarded parts from the middle of your videos, you should also be wary of jump cuts that are normally very jarring. Inserting a cutaway between footage from the same clip can help to mask them.
Find a good background music track
Adding background music to your travel video can serve a dual purpose. It is a very effective way to set the mood of the video and control its pace, while at the same time will allow you to replace the existing audio – which probably leaves a lot to be desired.
Finding the right background music can be time-consuming, but you can browse through royalty-free music sites as a place to start. Sometimes using local music from the destination you were visiting can be a good touch.
Don’t forget about editing your travel video, and using cool effects to make it look bright and exciting — read more about how you can enhance your travel video.
The tips listed above should give you a good place to start creating your travel video when you get back from your vacation however. With their help you’ll be able to use the footage that you already have and knit it together into a compelling and interesting story of your travels.
