While it’s true that for a lot of social media content, the video capabilities on a smartphone will do the trick, there are several filming and production tools to help make the job easier, and in some cases, the video even better!

In this article, we will look at five pieces of equipment and explore what they are most useful for and the basics of what magic they can work. And if adding new equipment seems like it might be out of your budget right now, don’t fret - we’ve taken every budget into account when compiling this list.

‍Ring Light

Ring lights are external circular lights that use LED to help minimize shadows and help get the most flattering light shining on the subject. They can be used for either casting light while filming someone or taking a still photo. This makes them one of the most versatile tools and really give you bang for your investment. What is more, these tools are great for a wide array of content from beauty to food to filming tutorials.

Light Box

Yes, having a lightbox to use to stage and photograph items to use and piece together in a video is a great investment. A popular video technique doesn’t involve any live action and is instead a presentation of photos synced to music with some text overlay. A light box is small, portable mini studio that you place items in for a photoshoot. You can customize the colors and intensity of the light. These are great for photographing jewelry, food and beauty products.

Tripod

Sometimes you need more than two hands to stage and record a video and this is when a tripod comes in handy. Tripods are collapsible stands with three legs that hold up a camera to keep it still during filing. Plus, it allows you to star in the video too! There are many options to consider when adding a tripod to your video tools collection. You will want to pick the tripod that is best for the type of filming you want to do. If you are filming a cooking demo and want to have the camera stabilized on the counter, a smaller tripod with shorter legs will do the trick, like a tabletop tripod. However, if you have a fashion company and want to make videos showing off the latest outfits, you might need a tripod with longer extendable legs.

Portable Microphone

Using an external microphone can enhance the audio and make the video more enjoyable by providing crisp, clear sound even when your subject is a little bit away from the camera. You can either purchase a standalone microphone or even find a tripod/microphone combo. If you make interview-style videos for your brand, a wireless external microphone that connects directly to your smartphone is an economical approach to achieving professional sound quality.

When making videos for social media, whether you are creating an animated presentation of still photos or a live action video, you want to make sure it catches the eye. How do you do that? It starts with crisp, clear videos that have good lighting, sound and smooth transitions. By investing in even just one of these video enhancing tools, you are on your way!

Takeaways

Now that you have seen five ways to enhance your video filming and production, let’s take it back to a few basics for a rapid video filming tutorial. First, you must make sure you have good lighting! The pros recommend three-point lighting which is a video lighting technique that uses three light sources - a key light, back light and fill light. Read this article for more information on how to easily set it up for your next shoot.

Let’s face it, you rarely are going to get everything you need in one shot. This is where knowing how to work with video transitions comes in handy. Video transitions are used to piece together multiple video clips, making one seamless video. Check this out to learn how to do this before filing your next story. And for how to work with transitions specifically for your TikToks and Reels, you’ll want to read this amazing tutorial.

Related: 5 Easy Reels or TikTok Transitions for Beginners

Now it’s time to take these skills, grab a piece (or two) of new video equipment and press the record button.