When I say think inside the box I’m not talking some metaphorical business buzzword mumbo jumbo.
I’m talking about the actual physical box, the one that surrounds your image – otherwise known as the frame
.
”Well intentioned business gurus would have you thinking outside the box. But when it comes to video, maybe you should be thinking inside the box.
Daryl MoorhouseMD, Tinpot Productions
When I say think inside the box I’m not talking some metaphorical business buzzword mumbo jumbo.
I’m talking about the actual physical box, the one that surrounds your image – otherwise known as the frame
.
The frame is the godfather of the visual world and it should be treated with due reverence. Your customers don’t know what happens behind the camera, they don’t see what’s happening away from the lens. They only see what your camera shows them.
Unlike our eyes, the camera lens is restricted to a pre-selected 4-sided view of a scene. In real life, the frame is a tiny proportion of what we all see on a momentary basis.
A mis-directed eyeline or a curiously positioned composition will confuse the viewers eye and undermine the credibility of your picture.
Once it’s in the frame, that small lapel spatter of shoulder dandruff (which looks tiny in the context of a wide open room) will mexican wave it’s snowy presence every single time you play your video back.
We can all be a little inattentive to the importance of the frame and end up with pictures which are less than perfect.
The good news is that those mistakes can often be fixed.
At a price, is the bad news.
That hefty price is the person hours required to rectify the problem. Starting from a compromised position, you can mask, manipulate or otherwise try and restore your video, minus said mistake.
In almost every case, it’s far easier not to make the mistake in the first place.
If you want to get better video results it might save you time, effort and money if you can crop out the rest of the world and think about the importance of that 4 sided slice of space.
If you want your customers to enjoy your video content, then make sure you’re presenting it in the best way. When it comes to engaging pictures, the frame is the name of the game.