Video production may seem like a no-brainer, especially considering that YouTube videos get approximately 4 billion views every single day. You might be wondering what the secret is, or why 13-year-old kids are having wild success on the Internet, but truthfully most of  these people have access to quality video production equipment and a set of skills that allow them to create the content that they do. So how can you create a successful video for your cause? Here are a few rules to live by.

Don’t Go Cheap

Video production isn’t cheap, and although some of the necessary equipment is becoming more affordable, you need to be prepared to make an investment. You may not need to spend the amount of cash that a Hollywood film maker does, but skimping on equipment is only going to hurt you in the long run. There’s a fine line between a video looking good and looking bad, and a large percentage of that weight lies in lighting, camera and sound equipment.

Don’t do anything without a script

Although a few pauses mid-sentence are natural, no amount of media training will prepare you to work completely without a script. Not only does a script give you a detailed plot of the video, it eliminates those long, awkward pauses and transitions between topics when you or staff perform on-camera.  Additionally, whoever is editing the video needs a script to follow or the finished product may look nothing like what you envisioned.

Use effective body language

There’s nothing more uncomfortable than someone speaking and standing completely still, or just fidgeting, or using awkward body language they thought would look great on-camera.  Although humans perceive the majority of their surroundings through their eyes, the other senses matter just as much. Not only does what you say matter, but how you say it matters too, and some times, even more so.  That includes body language! If you look rigid and uncomfortable, your viewers are going to feel that way, too. Practice will help, as will professional media training.

Get to the point, already!

Your viewers aren’t settling in to watch all three of the Lord of the Rings movies. In reality, you have about 10 seconds to hook people before you start losing them. Moral of the story? Don’t take too long to get to the meat of your message! Make a compelling case, and do it quickly!

Whether you’re planning a corporate video or web video or commercial video, implementing these four steps will immediately make your video production better.