Hot Tips for Better Instagram Travel Video Success
Do you want to showcase your travel video to the whole wide world? Well, Instagram has a whole array of great opportunities for you and here are some hot tips on how to make the most of it.
Step 1: Remember Limitations Engender Creativity.
Many people look at their 15 second window and think, “how will I ever get anything done in this short amount of time? What is the Point?”
Then after the initial phase has passed, look at that 15 second window as an opportunity to showcase creativity and innovation. This is when the magic can begin to happen.
Think, “how can I tell a story in 15 seconds?”
How can you convey to my audience the essential message of a particular moment in this short time frame?
In the travel video posted here, you see I couldn’t sleep on one of those overnight train rides through Europe. This is where I captured that trippy-blurry zone that is easily entered when on a train and drifting in and out of sleep.
Viewing your film making, especially for travel videos in this light can give you a benchmark from which you can launch your creativity in all directions. This gives you an easier plan to follow from the original ideas, to the shooting to the final edited versions.
So let’s take a look at the shots!
Step 2: Try using contrasting visuals in your travel videos
I have found contrasting visuals to be very effective, many different types of shots can sell a scene and viewers find this especially engaging. This in itself gives the creative artist with a lens a great many options to experiment with. Think about what each shot is trying to capture and communicate. Close up shots excite the touch and wide open angles give the impression of immensity.
Check out the video I took of my visit to Barcelona the last summer for example of how this concept can be put into action practically. You will see how I use these contrasting images to and a wide selection of shots to engage the viewer visually.
Did you catch them all, this clip included:
- Close Ups
- Wides Shots
- Low Shots
- High Shots
- Action Shots — with a Gopro}
See how the great variety of shots make these videos sizzle?
Enough about shots then, let’s move on to editing.
Step 3: Editing your Instagram travel videos
Depending on how you view your work, this is either the most fun or the longest and most tedious part of production. Remember we only have 15 seconds.
Use a discerning eye to cut all the shots that don’t really add any flavor or “sizzle “ to the final product. Only keep what you know will make those 15 seconds worth it. If you are more advanced at editing, you can include some other effects that achieve that pop effect. This includes:
- Slow Mo
- Time Lapse
- Jump Cuts
- Stabilization
It is important to note that my personal process involves making a rough cut of my video and then skipping into the music before providing the buff and polish that perfects my desired effect. Taking the longer route will help you with your Instagram follower attempts and get the attention you need.
Step 4: Choosing the best Music for Instagram Travel Videos
You can choose any type of music you want. So go with whatever you feel will work best for the production you are creating. One piece of advice I offer is to choose music that follows the “step” of the footage you are compiling. In other words choose a track that matches the adventure you are displaying.
Don’t pretend your trip was something it was not, romantic instrumentals can be out of place with extreme vacations just as an energetic upbeat tone can make soft river boats and moonlit Parisian streets seem like something they are not.
