I like shooting video more than editing it. My problem is that there are far more gadgets for video production than my budget will allow. We do such a wide variety of projects, that I often find myself needing every tool at one point or another. So, one of my favorite things to do is to find ways to make professional-looking video for little or no money at all. My church doesn't have a budget for big productions (can you relate?), yet the expectation for better quality video is getting higher everyday. My quest is often one of looking around my garage to try and make something that will work like a pro rig. Rather than pretend to be professional, I thought I would share some of my video production secrets. You'll either be enlightened or disgusted, but here are my three favorites:

The StrollerCam

Dollies are a staple of the film industry. A dolly shot looks much better than a static or handheld shot and can be used to reveal stuff as the camera rolls along. If you include a dolly shot in your production, people are sure to notice that your video looks really professional, though they probably won't be able to tell you why. While you can buy some inexpensive dollies or even build your own, why not use something you already have for free?

When we were getting ready to shoot our commercial parody Reconcilosec, I knew I wanted a dolly to get all the shots. It just seemed natural that the product package would be revealed among the plates of cookies or that the opening shot would be more dramatic with a moving dolly shot focused on the actor. Around the same time, I was out on a walk with my kids and noticed that the bulky jogging stroller we have is pretty steady since it has large bicycle wheels. It wasn't long before I mounted a small tripod to the stroller and created my first StrollerCam. With that simple solution, Reconcilosec went from a really funny video to a really funny video with killer shots. (We also shot this communion video using the StrollerCam.)

I've found the bicycle wheels on the jogging stroller get great smooth motion over lots of surfaces, especially if the tires are slightly deflated. If you don't have a stroller, you can also use a wheelchair or a pushcart. It doesn't really matter what you use, as long as it will roll smoothly over your floor surface.

The BagCam

Jibs or Camera Cranes are also popular Hollywood tools for getting swooping shots that seem to fly. Again, you can buy an inexpensive jib or even build one, but in a pinch the BagCam will get you some cool shots for a fraction of the cost. Use at your own (and your camera's) risk.

It's easy. Take any old bag (a plastic grocery bag works well), put your camera in it and cut a hole for the lens. Now attach the handles of the bag to the end of a pole or stick. Very carefully (because you can easily damage your camera if you drop it), raise and lower the stick to achieve that crane effect. That's it!

The biggest downside is that your arms won't hold out very long no matter how strong you are. If you want to put a little more work into it, hinge the stick to a sawhorse or tripod so you don't have to hold all the weight yourself. Then add some dumbbell weights to the non-camera end for an even easier lift. A net actually works better than a plastic bag because you'll have easier access to the camera controls without the noise of rustling plastic. If you can find a good butterfly or fishing net, then you're basically done. Just cut a hole in the net. No matter what you do, you should use an external mic if you need audio. The plastic bag tends to be noisy, but it's a great promotion for retailers!

The BlanketBooth

Recording good audio can be a challenge without a studio because every room sounds a little different. Until recently, we were creating and editing our video in open office space with a dozen other people. Needless to say, we'd have to go find another room to record voice-overs. We often ended up recording in someone's car (which is actually a great place). Somewhere along the way, a friend gave me a tip that I have used over and over: drape a blanket over your voice talent and the mic for an instant vocal booth. The blanket acts like acoustic treatment by absorbing the sound. It also keeps out some unnecessary room noise. 

It's a little awkward to be crouching under a blanket while reading copy, but it works so great it's worth the embarrassment. A couple of tips: 1) Put your camera, computer, or other recording device outside of the blanket so you don't pick up the hum of the camera or a spinning hard drive; 2) Rig it in such a way that you have a lamp under the blanket with you so you can read the copy; 3) And finally, wear headphones so you can hear yourself and the noise around you. You might not think you're rustling the paper, but you are!

Of Course They're Just Hacks

The drawback to all these solutions is that they don't all have the features demanded by professional productions. For instance, you have very little camera control with the StrollerCam and BagCam, and the BlanketBooth is not even close to being sound proof. Let's face it: these are all hacks! But in the right environment, they are a great way to boost the production value of your video. And besides, no one will ever know!

I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know how these things worked for you or what other ideas you have. Tell us what hacks you've used to create that professional look.