Online cooking videos have become extremely popular off late. It is the easiest way for your followers to learn how to make a certain recipe. But – how to make cooking videos at home for YouTube and social media? Well, we are going to explain everything you need to know in this article.
You can make videos about so many things in your home but why would anyone be interested in your living room or personal life. Cooking is the only viable option left for making viral videos from home. Everyone eats and loves food. Therefore, you can even acquire a huge fan following if you can make a lot of unique and mouthwatering recipes.
How to Shoot Cooking Video at Home?
The following are quick tips and instructions to record exciting, helpful, and quality cooking videos. These instructions are simple to follow and enable you to create videos that perform exceptionally well online.
Planning and Scripting Cooking Videos
The first and the most crucial step in making creative cooking videos is planning and scripting. Planning is the essential part of every project and cooking videos are no exception. Similarly, it is not limited to collecting and lining up all the ingredients of the recipe. You also need to create a shortlist regarding how you are going to present all that information.
Many hosts prefer the organic and free-flowing method of explanation. They do have the script but they keep on improvising as the video proceeds. However, it is difficult to stay on track if you employ this technique and that is why it is the domain of experienced video makers only. Beginners should strictly follow the script they have written for their cooking videos.
Another great method to make your video or recipe searchable is to use captions. They are necessary if you want your videos to show up when people search about your recipes.
Also, include some kind of hook in the script. Think about the main highlight that can make people come back to your videos. Are you teaching famous or unique recipes? Are you working with a popular cookbook? Do you make everything vegan or gluten-free?
Equipment
You can make videos using a smartphone but for the best results, you need a proper camera. A budget DSLR can do the job just fine for you in the beginning. When it comes to video quality, ensure the camera has at least 1080P resolution. It will better showcase your recipe once it is finished.
Some cameras have built-in microphones but you can use an external microphone to further enhance the audio quality.
Most beginners cannot afford a DSLR. However, you need not worry because you can also create excellent cooking videos using smartphones.
Apart from a good camera, you should not forget lighting if you seriously want to shoot amazing cooking videos. Once again some cameras have built-in flashes but even if your camera has one, you should go for a Speedlight or a flash.
Tips for Shooting Cooking Videos
You must have observed in most cooking shows that most of the dishes are already finished before they go live. The host doesn’t seem to do any cooking at all. You should employ this technique as well when you start recording your own cooking videos at home.
Most of the cooking videos have two distinct parts. In the first, you exclusively shoot the chef or person teaching the recipes or looking at the camera. You should use solid three-point lighting and record the chef as wide as possible. The good lighting and the right camera angle will make the chef look his or her best.
In the second part, you should show the close-ups of the ingredients and the recipe being prepared. The best method to accomplish this task is to use the popular ‘top-down’ technique. It is also the technique you have to master if you want to learn how to make cooking videos like Tasty and other popular food channels because they widely use it. It involves standing on a high surface such as a table or a chair to get a better view of the stove or the countertop. You should also try to record the whole video from start to end using this method.
Editing and Subtitles
The real magic happens in the post-processing or video editor. It enables you to join the two parts or separate shoots. You must use good editing software for editing to further refine your videos such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Pinnacle Studios, and Final Cut Pro, etc.
Beginners should edit the entire speech of the host, explaining different steps, from start to end. You can start the audio of your full video from here, making it easier for you to add captions or foreign subtitles as well.
Keep in mind that people watch 85% of online videos without sound. Therefore, closed captions are necessary for better accessibility of your videos. Foreign subtitles help people from other countries and languages understand your video as well.
Using tools to transcribe the full video also facilitates and expedites the process of video editing. Once you are ready to add the transcription and captions, you can begin extracting close-ups of the food being prepared.
The two shots will look like one in real-time if your editing is good enough. As a result, the video will be fun, clear, and easy to follow. More importantly, it will deliver the results you are wanting on YouTube and social media.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you would be able to create cooking videos that do well online and bring you a lot of subscribers after reading our guide to how to make cooking videos.