5 Winter Holiday Video Tips
February 13, 2018

5 Winter Holiday Video Tips

Hi everyone! My name’s Charlie Wood and I’m currently the videographer and photographer here at MnK Niseko. You may have seen some of my work on our Facebook or Instagram accounts, or perhaps some videos I’ve shared on our YouTube channel. I’ve always been passionate about creating visual content, so it was only natural that I went on to study multimedia at University. Following this, I set off to travel through France, Australia, Fiji and now Japan. Through all of this, my camera was never too far from reach, and even as you're reading this, it sits right beside me. The thing is though, you don’t need a degree in multimedia or videography to create an epic holiday edit. Check out my top 5 tips below on how you can create an epic winter holiday edit yourself!

5. Take your camera with you everywhere

First and foremost, I recommend taking your camera with you everywhere. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to carry a big or fancy camera with you all the time, but having something capable of shooting video with you on hand at all times is a must. Whether it be your GoPro or mobile phone, make it a habit to carry it with you so that you can get it rolling any time the moment strikes.

4. Expect the unexpected, and be prepared

Another essential tip, and one of the most important, is to always have your camera or device fully charged before heading out on adventure. Pack spare batteries and memory cards if you have them, as you never know what might happen. You never want to miss out on recording a special moment because your storage space is full, or worse yet, have your camera die on you because the battery has gone flat.

3. Notice the little things

Videos are all about telling a story, and a story is all about the little moments. Looking back on a past holiday, it’s always the little things that bring back the strongest memories. Be there to catch your friends or family members laughing, falling over in the snow, or out at dinner. Something to keep in mind though is to always make time to be present in the moment yourself, as the last thing you want to do is spend your entire vacation behind the camera.

2. Play around with different angles and clip lengths

An interesting video edit is usually comprised of different camera angles. It’s always a lot of fun to experiment with shots close up, from far back, up above or down below. See what works and what doesn’t. Then at the end of the day, use the most interesting aspects to create an exciting visual story. Editing is also made a lot easier when you have shorter clips. Think of your video as a highlight reel and try to be selective – you don’t need to keep the camera rolling for hours at a time.

1. Have fun!

Last of all, and definitely the most important of all my tips, is to remember to have fun. Soak up the atmosphere, live in the moment, and enjoy the experience. At the end of the day, if you’re not having a good time making your holiday edit then it's likely that your finished product won't be very fun to watch.

Final thoughts

When it comes to editing your footage to create the final product, any editing software will do. I personally use Adobe Premiere Pro, however free video editing software such as Apple iMovie or this list of free software will do just as good of a job. Keep your video edit short and sharp. Anything more than 2 or 3 minutes will probably be too long to keep your viewer entertained (even if it's just your friends and family). Music is also another important consideration and can change the feel of a video drastically. See a list of royalty free music library resources

Be sure to share with us your final holiday edits on Facebook or Instagram, or simply use the hashtag #mnkniseko

See my very own Japan holiday edit below for inspiration.

 

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