Going places is fun, especially if you are well-equipped. Keeping a recording will serve as a good memory aid, but the main reason you want to make a video is so you can show it to share your experiences and viewpoints with the rest of the world.
It is a very noble cause. However, if that truly is your goal, then you will need to make sure the video is entertaining and informative while also well-shot, cut, and edited. In short, you need to work on the raw footage to make it worth viewing. And if you want to get it out there as soon as possible, you need to edit it on the go while you're traveling.
There was a point in time where that would be considered impossible, but with today's tools like iMovie on Windows and Imerge Pro, it is rather easy to do. In this article, we will tell you how you can make your own award-worthy travel video while on the road. Let's get started!
1. Couple Your Shots With Good Sound Effects
The Earth has music for those who listen. These words by William Shakespeare will ring true in the hearts of any explorer who has enjoyed some time out in the lap of nature. You might have to, but conveying that to your viewers might be difficult for a simple reason: they were not there. To give them a full audiovisual experience, add some sound to the visual.
Be it stock sound effects, audio captured from your camera itself, or tunes you yourself have made, a well-placed track will increase the viewers’ immersion and enjoyment manifold. You will be best served by capturing some audio on-site from a dedicated sound recorder, though.
Here is an example of how you can use sounds. Suppose you're high up in the mountains and some mean-looking clouds gather. On a shot of the clouds, add the sound of pitter-pattering rain and then cut to a downpour. Classic foreshadowing. Get creative with your use of sound and timing and find a style that suits you best.
2. Don't Overcomplicate
Going with the previous example of the mountains again, suppose your whole video, or a sizable chunk of it, revolves around climbing a single mountain. Your goal as a filmmaker is always to have the subject on the frame in the same general area so that the viewers don't have to search the screen for it. This principle applies even when you're editing.
If you have a clear idea of how you want to compose your shots for the film, you will have shot accordingly. If not, select the shots that are consistent with the idea you have. If you want to keep the mountain on the right side of the frame, make sure it stays there from frame to frame. If it isn't evident to your viewers what they should be looking at, they'll lose interest very quickly. Don't worry, though. This is easy enough to achieve with video editing software like Lightworks.
3. Make Pancakes With Your Edits
Do you like pancakes? Good. We do, too. Pancake editing is a quick and easy way to save you time on your edits while making your workflow much smoother. Overall, it is very effective and can be done with any video software of your choice, like Shortcut. But what is it, exactly?
All you do is stack a few timelines on top of each other. This allows you to achieve two things in one go:
You will be able to sift through your footage easily and see what kinds of clips you have.
You will also be able to drag and drop bits of one timeline into another without much added hassle.
Pancake editing is used for A-roll and B-roll, as well as to differentiate between selects and rough cuts. See how far you can take it.
4. Use Movement To Its Fullest Potential
Movement is what differentiates a video from a still picture. While a shot without motion can definitely be evocative and powerful, it does not really stand up to a shot with motion in it. Think about it. Would you rather look at a shot of a mountain where nothing happens or one where there's a snowstorm brewing? The choice is clear, isn't it?
So, lean into it. In shots that don't have any movement - camera or otherwise - try spicing it up by adding something to it. Try experimenting with motion blur, handheld shakiness effects, or adding position keyframes as long as there is some information on the screen that the audience can tune into.
5. Pacing is Key
Proper pacing is what makes a film work. You don't just hit the audience with the main event, no. You work up to it. Work for the crowd. Let them ease into their seats, then ramp it up, so they lose their minds, then take it down again to give them some room to breathe and take in what they're seeing, then take it up and down in waves before you decide to go all in and take it home.
That's the winning formula, and you need to understand what your audience wants before deciding on your script. What is the emotion you want to evoke? What do the shots you have say about that? Pacing is what keeps the audience's attention, and you need to find your way to do it.
Conclusion
A travel film is an art, and there are no right or wrong ways to approach it. However, with these tips, you will find your balance - a way to tie everything together and make it an unforgettable experience for your audience. That is what you should aim for every time you put a film together.