5 Tips for Creating Awesome Travel Videos

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Making a travel video is an effective way of sharing your vacation experiences with your friends and family. Many people are getting video footage while they are traveling but they are not sure about how they can make a great travel video. Producing video is a creative endeavor, and there are lots of approaches when you create a travel video. Some professional tips will help you in getting started.

1. Preparing your story

You need to first get an idea about what you will be shooting before arriving in your travel destination. If it is your first time, you need to consider doing some research first, so that you will be prepared. In preparing your story, you will need to look for locations off the beaten path, which can have features that are different from those that you can find in some of the well-known tourist attractions. Then, decide on what you would want to capture in your travel video such as people who are working, religious festivals or food.

2. Getting your shots

In getting your shot, you should use a tripod or you need to rest your hand on something so that you can hold your hand steady. Hold every shot for at least five seconds and do not move the camera. For the shots with action, hold the shot for a minimum of ten seconds. You should also get 2 to 3 wide establishing shots of the locations you will be shooting. Then, take lots of close ups to show details. If the one to be shot is cooking, you need to get a close up capture of their hands as well as the ingredients. If you are in a taxi, have a close up capture of the rear view mirror or the driver. Do not close up or zoom in while the camera is recording. Just try getting the camera as close as possible for your shot. When you are from a distance, zoom in and then focus before pushing the record button. One of the most important in creating a great travel video or any other video is to vary your angles. You should shoot off the side, from down low or up high. You should also consider talking to people. To interview the local people will help you in capturing the culture of your travel destination. Adding interviews to local people in your video will also help you in breaking up your narration, which will keep your audience interested.

3. Recording an on-camera introduction and out-take

Get in front of the camera and talk about what you are going to tackle in your travel video. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but this is going to make your video more interesting. You can tell your audience about what they will see, telling them how you feel about. Be yourself and talk as you are telling your journey to your best friend.

4. Narrating your travel video

Tell your travel story. For the first time makers of travel video, this is the off-camera easiest done after having been to your travel destination. You will be able to edit your sound bites on-camera later. Your narration will be like a map; it is the story that you will be telling. To have this down first will help you in deciding about which sound bites and sots you will need. If you would want to try doing this on-camera, you need to be prepared on every location to record the narration. You can write down notes regarding your travel and make a short script. Then, practice reading your script and timing it. Take just about two to three minutes. You will need some space in your video without the voice-over, so the narration needs to be shorter than the actual run time. Insert a blank video tape in your camera and record your script through the help of your camera microphone or other external microphone. Keep in mind that you need to pause between sentences so that you can edit your audio.

5. Editing your travel video

Get some simple software for video editing. There are many digital video cameras and computers, which come with video editing software. You can also buy a cheap software online. Add your narration into your timeline first. This will help you in deciding about what shots you will need to show your story. Add your best travel shots into the timeline. Listen to your narration, and show what you are telling. Add sound bites from the locals to give your travel video more flavor. Find music and then add it into your video, like local music or something that will capture the feel your travel destination. Edit your video again. Follow the ten seconds rule of the film production. Each ten seconds need to be an interesting moment. Take out anything shaky, boring and those that sounds bad. Try keeping your video under 5 minutes for distribution on the internet.

After all the necessary steps to make a great travel video, you can now share the travel video of your destination.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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