When you are selling a property, creating a real estate video is key! Today, more and more sales professionals are relying on a solid, quality video to highlight unique features of a property in order to sell it. A real estate video can be ‘homemade’ or produced by hiring a freelance videographer professional. Either way, the following 9 tips for shooting real estate video will to help you improve your video’s quality and effectiveness when using video marketing to sell property.
9 Professional Tips for Shooting Real Estate Video
1. Prep the Property
Whether you hired a professional or decide to tackle shooting real estate video yourself, you must be sure the property is ready!
The property needs to be clean, inside and out. Trim the yard and the bushes; maybe add a few colorful flowers. Be sure it is properly furnished and clutter-free. Adding a few extra decorations here and there will create a more ‘homey’ feel and help prospective buyers to see the potential a property has. Lastly, make sure there are no residents around; we are featuring a piece of property, not the neighbors.
2. Make a List of Shots
It is easy to lose track of all of the features you want to include, especially if it’s a large property. So make sure you make a list of all the shots you want and the rooms to include. This will generate a list of ideas for your shoot and possibly even a storyboard.
3. Prep your Equipment
Make sure all your equipment is properly cleaned and ready for long shoot. Ensure you have enough storage and batteries on hand so you don’t run out mid-shoot. You might also benefit from some artificial lighting, a fluid panning tripod, or maybe even a wide-angle lens.
4. Prepare for a Long Day
Never create your real estate video in haste. Take your time, take multiple shots of one area, and be prepared for the possibility of spending an entire day there. Rushing through a shoot almost never produces professional results.
5. Ensure the Rooms are Well Lit
As a rule of thumb, it is best to use natural sunlight to shoot most rooms, so draw the blinds/curtains and let the sun in. Good lighting is one trick that can make even the most amateur video production appear more professional. If you see too many shadows in certain areas, use artificial lighting to get rid of them. Be sure to direct your light either at the ceiling or at the wall. This will create a more natural and ambient effect without harsh shadows or artificial light patterns.
6. Shoot During Mid-day
As you will be using a lot of natural light, plan the bulk of your shots during the middle of the day. By shooting between late morning and late afternoon, the light will not change too dramatically and you get a lot of sunlight. While outside, it is a good idea to shoot when the sun is directly facing the building, so this will vary from site to site.
7. Check Camera Placement
Be sure to place the camera in the corner and not parallel to the wall, as this helps you get in more details and add interest. Also make sure the camera is parallel to the ground so things don’t appear weird and distorted. Consider adding aerial video footage captured with a drone for the ultimate in top-down visual perspective!
Many of the tips for photographing architecture I shared in a previous post apply to shooting real estate video, too. The principles are really the same.
8. Pan and Zoom
With real estate it is important to keep the camera moving since there is no actual activity in the frame. So, instead of moving the tripod here to there, pan the camera slowly to get in all the information, and zoom in to areas to add interest and make it appear as though you are walking into a room.
I’m really excited about VR video and 360 degree photography and am starting to incorporate it into my own virtual Cozumel videos.
9. Choose a Style
For professional videographers, it is important to establish your own unique style and set yourself apart from the competition. Sadly, it is fairly easy to make a boring real estate video. So, while shooting real estate video, go ahead and mix things up a bit! To grab attention, add a unique creative element while still maintaining the basics of professional real estate photography and getting all of the essential information in.
The main objective is to create a video that features the property in its most flattering light and convince people to buy it. However, the video should also inform potential buyers about all of the details. By following the tips above, you are sure to create unique, informative and interesting videos that will be used as a powerful sales tool.
