Many churches today are experimenting with creating their own in-house video projects. Whether it’s a man-on-the-street documentary, an interview segment, or a taped drama, these churches are finding that video can be an effective communication tool in the worship service. Here are a few tips for making those in-house productions even better:

Always have a detailed plan. This means not only a script, but a detailed shot list, if possible. Try to have a clear idea of what you want the finished product to look like before you get started.

Cut it down. Longer is never better on Sunday mornings, and the mistake that most people new to video editing make is to make the final presentation too long. Just because you have a lot of footage does not mean you should use it. Try to shoot for a total length of less than 4 minutes when the video is meant to be used in a worship service.

When shooting outdoors, avoid the middle of the day. Direct sunlight tends to wash out colors on digital cameras. Try to shoot your outdoor video before 10:30 or after 3:00pm.

Try to create depth in your image. If you have someone speaking or being interviewed on camera, light the subject and the backdrop separately, and try to have at least 10ft between the subject and the backdrop.

Keep your camera position at eye level or below relative to the subject that is being taped.

If possible, use more than one camera, and shoot the subject from a variety of angles and distances.