Are you planning to film your next off-road adventure? With the growing popularity of off-road activities and video sharing platforms, it's important to capture good quality footage that will stand out from the rest. In this blog post, we'll share some tips and techniques to help you film better videos of your off-road adventures.
Pre-Production: Planning Your Filming and Your Ride Ahead of Time
Before you start filming, it's important to define the purpose of your video. Are you creating a vlog to document your trip? Or are you creating a promotional video for a brand or sponsor? This will help you determine the style and tone of your video. If you’re like most of us here at Mob Armor, we just want to capture the awesome moments of our weekend trips to share with friends, coworkers and social media followers. It’s still important to predetermine what you want the overall mood of the video to be – it will make actually filming your adventure that much easier.
Next, choose the right equipment for the job. A good action camera is essential for off-road adventures, as it's rugged and can capture high-quality footage in various conditions. Many cameras come with built in vibration reduction and automatic leveling, an absolute essential feature on uneven and rough terrain. Additionally, you may need to consider audio equipment and accessories such as tripods, gimbals, and mounts, depending on how you plan on filming your excursion.
Before you turn the keys, you should scout the location and plan your shots in advance. Whether it’s an established trail, or you’re on a brand new expedition, it’s important to identify the obstacles and terrain and determine the best angles and perspectives to capture the action. Consider safety concerns and take precautions to avoid accidents. As always, pack food, water, and supplies for the trip – if you’re focusing on filming, you may spend more time out there than anticipated.
Production: Hitting The Trails
When filming, pay attention to camera settings, framing, and composition. Many action cameras will have adjustable settings based on the environment you’re in – it's important to find guides online as to what will be best for the trip you’re taking. Adjust the resolution, frame rate, and shutter speed to suit your needs. If you’re using a stationary camera off of the vehicle, use the rule of thirds, leading lines, and foreground, middle ground, and background to create interesting and dynamic shots.
Camera movement is also important to create engaging footage. If you have a partner out with you who is willing to help with the filming, use panning and tilting for smooth and controlled shots, and tracking and following for fast-paced action. Some of the best angles you can also get are POV (point of view) shots with action cameras. Attach a camera to your helmet or chest, or use a mount like our Action Camera Mounts to attach to your vehicle somewhere. Some popular angles are on your dashboard facing the trail ahead or looking back at the driver, as well as the sides of the vehicle or the wheel wells. Ensure your cameras are capable of handling rough terrain, as well as water and debris impact. Many action cameras have optional hard cases for situations like this.
Something that is often overlooked with amateur filmmaking is audio – it can often make or break a quality video! Capturing good audio is equally important as good video quality. Use external microphones to capture natural sound, and avoid wind and other background noise.
Post-Production: Time for a Beer
Once you have your footage, it's time to organize and edit it. Trim clips, apply color grading and effects, and add music and sound effects to enhance the overall viewing experience. Everyone has their own preferred video editing software, whether it’s on your computer, phone or tablet – so we won’t go deep into editing tips. Make sure you’re sticking to your original pre-production plans, and that your video follows a relatable or intriguing storyline.
When exporting and sharing your video, choose the right file format and resolution. Depending on where you’re sharing it, you may need to export at different resolutions, or even rework the video clips to fit the desired aspect ratio. If you're sharing your video on places like YouTube, Instagram or TikTok, make sure it’s the optimal length and has the proper (and popular) tags to get shared far and wide!
If you're looking to capture unique angles on camera, Mob Armor Action Camera Mounts are a great choice. They're designed specifically for off-road adventures, and can be attached to various surfaces such as roll bars, handlebars, dashboards, vehicle exteriors, and more. They can be bought individually as the Claw Mount, magnetic Pivot Mount, and Direct Magnetic Mount, or you can buy all three in the Action Camera Bundle that comes with additional mounting hardware and a hard carrying case (with room for a GoPro, too!)
Like all Mob Armor phone and tablet mounts, the Action Camera Mounts are made of high-quality materials and are built to withstand tough conditions. They also come with the metal-solid three year warranty!
In conclusion, filming off-road adventures can be challenging but rewarding. By following these tips and techniques, you can capture high-quality footage that will stand out from the rest. And if you're looking to capture unique angles, consider using Mob Armor Action Camera Mounts for an extra edge. Happy filming!
