Like any resourceful young journalist I know what it’s like trying to capture a story with limited resources. Thankfully we live in a time where getting the recourses at a decent price isn’t too hard to do, as long as you know where to look. Amazon has slowly become one of my best friends purely because it’s helped me find equipment I need to do freelance jobs and projects. In this post I’ll be running through some recommended essentials I think you’d need to have in order to produce a decent piece of video. I’ll also be giving a few tips on saving money on buying potentially expensive equipment.
Camera – High quality doesn’t have to mean high price
When it comes to gathering footage some people think having a very expensive camera is essential. I can safely say in my opinion you DO NOT need a top of the range £1000 – £2000 HD camera. There are cheaper alternatives including filming on your smartphone. I capture videos on both my iPhone 6 and Nikon DSLR and the quality is certainly good enough for an online video package or report. So long story short, investing in a decent smartphone like an iPhone 6/6 plus or a Samsung Galaxy S5.
Sound – Clarity is key
Make sure you can hear your interviewees on your recordings because what they say matters. A good piece of equipment I have and would advice any budding video journalists to get is the iRig Pre. The gadget allows you to connect a microphone with an XLR connection to a smartphone making the way you record audio more appropriately from the phone. It also means you can be further away from your interviewees when doing a video interview (see below).
Lighting – Keep it natural where possible
Where possible try to keep filming during the day and outdoors because the sunshine can prove to be your best source of light. Lighting is key to making video look good. Nobody wants to see a dimly lit interviewees whose face you can barely make out. I’d also advise avoiding spot lighting from above because this creates shadows own people’s faces making them look tired and moody most of the time. If you’ve got a bit of budget to work with then investing in a set of 3 red-head lights is advisable because it will help with having indoor interviews. You can find some on Amazon and eBay for a relatively good price.
Tripod – Even for those with a steady hand
Finding a good quality tripod at a low price is probably one of the easiest things to acquire but, don’t be fooled into buying the cheapest one possible. I bought one for under £10 once and although it didn’t break the legs weren’t as steady as I would have liked. Going for something under £50 is always acceptable to start things off but the more you pay the more durable of a tripod you’ll get. Getting one with a spirit meter and at least two tier hight is best because you’ll never know what surface or height you’ll be filming at.
Editing – Give a little and get a lot back
I recommend investing money in some decent editing software because it will definitely pay off in the long run. The two programs I prefer to use are Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro. If you cannot afford the software right away both can be tried for 30 days which means you can have 60 days of free editing if you use one after the other. After this I am afraid you’ll have to buy one of them but they are well worth the investment. Visit the Adobe or Apple website to find out how you can buy them.
Hopefully these bits of advice can help any fellow young journalists out there who are willing to take a shot at video journalism. If anyone else has any helpful tips and tricks about video journalism on a budget then please do comment below.
JordyJourno 
