Shoot Like a Pro with xHamster
Just because you’re shooting at home doesn’t mean you can’t create high-quality content!
To celebrate the launch of the xHamster Content Creators Program, we brought together some of the most talented directors in the business to give us their best tips!
The hour-long webinar was a collaboration with FSC, the advocacy group for the adult industry. The panel included award-winning director Fivestar (Kink.com and FilthyFemdom), Siouxsie Q (PegHim.com) and xHamster Content Creator Mark Stones (Jolla PR and SoyMarkStones).
Watch the full session — where you can also learn about the xHamster Content Creator Program — below. Then, check out some quick tips for improving your content!
No Budget Tips
Just starting out? Have no money to invest? Here are a few ways to make your content look more professional.
•
Work with natural light when possible. It’s free and kind to pretty much every skin tone.
•
Learn basic lighting. Keep the brightest lights, like sunny windows, behind the camera — the light should be on your subject, not in your lens!
•
Your video is only as good as your audio. Our ears get fatigued more quickly than our eyes. Minimize background noise (including music, which can make it difficult to edit) and make sure that nothing is brushing up against the mic (like your finger, if you’re filming with a phone).
•
If you have a Mac or iPhone, get the iMovie app that comes free for basic editing.
•
Do your research! There are some great online video tutorials on lighting, shooting and editing. Some below, recommended by our panelists:
- Skillshare — Online courses for creatives, many available with a free trial.
- Armando Ferreira — Filmmaking Tutorials and Product Reviews
Low Budget Tips
Got your first check from xHamster or another premium? Here’s a few places to invest it.
•
Even if you’re shooting on phone, get a tripod and a cheap mic!
•
Buy a basic lighting set up. A simple ring light and a stand or a light panel can give any room studio-like lighting.
•
Get a boom mic and a stand. Not only will it give you a rich, round sound, it will minimize background noise (like loud neighbors and fire engines) and echoey apartments. An H1N Zoom mic can be paired with a boom or used separately.
•
The Filmic Pro Mobile video app for smartphones is the independent content creator’s secret. For less than $15, you get cinematographer-level control over the videos you shoot.
•
Adobe Premiere Pro is the most commonly used digital editing program, and is available for about $20 a month.
Advanced Tips
Once you’ve mastered the basics, let your needs dictate what you invest in next.
•
For most independent content creators, a good smartphone camera, like a recent iPhone, is all you need for filming. But if you venture into longer or more nuanced production, a Mirrorless or DSLR camera — our panelists love the Sony A6400 could be a smart investment.
•
Your lighting set-up is the most important part of your shoot. Invest in lighting that not only make you look your best, but create shadows and depth.
•
If you’re shooting longer features and/or doing more involved editing — especially in 4K — look to a more powerful computer.
•
At this point, education will take you further than any single piece of equipment. Whether books, online courses, or experimentation, knowledge is power. Maybe you should think of incorporating and becoming a studio? You’d no longer qualify for xHamster Content Creator Program — but by that point, you wouldn’t need to!
To celebrate the launch of the xHamster Content Creators Program, we brought together some of the most talented directors in the business to give us their best tips!
The hour-long webinar was a collaboration with FSC, the advocacy group for the adult industry. The panel included award-winning director Fivestar (Kink.com and FilthyFemdom), Siouxsie Q (PegHim.com) and xHamster Content Creator Mark Stones (Jolla PR and SoyMarkStones).
Watch the full session — where you can also learn about the xHamster Content Creator Program — below. Then, check out some quick tips for improving your content!
No Budget Tips
Just starting out? Have no money to invest? Here are a few ways to make your content look more professional.
•
Work with natural light when possible. It’s free and kind to pretty much every skin tone.
•
Learn basic lighting. Keep the brightest lights, like sunny windows, behind the camera — the light should be on your subject, not in your lens!
•
Your video is only as good as your audio. Our ears get fatigued more quickly than our eyes. Minimize background noise (including music, which can make it difficult to edit) and make sure that nothing is brushing up against the mic (like your finger, if you’re filming with a phone).
•
If you have a Mac or iPhone, get the iMovie app that comes free for basic editing.
•
Do your research! There are some great online video tutorials on lighting, shooting and editing. Some below, recommended by our panelists:
- Skillshare — Online courses for creatives, many available with a free trial.
- Armando Ferreira — Filmmaking Tutorials and Product Reviews
Low Budget Tips
Got your first check from xHamster or another premium? Here’s a few places to invest it.
•
Even if you’re shooting on phone, get a tripod and a cheap mic!
•
Buy a basic lighting set up. A simple ring light and a stand or a light panel can give any room studio-like lighting.
•
Get a boom mic and a stand. Not only will it give you a rich, round sound, it will minimize background noise (like loud neighbors and fire engines) and echoey apartments. An H1N Zoom mic can be paired with a boom or used separately.
•
The Filmic Pro Mobile video app for smartphones is the independent content creator’s secret. For less than $15, you get cinematographer-level control over the videos you shoot.
•
Adobe Premiere Pro is the most commonly used digital editing program, and is available for about $20 a month.
Advanced Tips
Once you’ve mastered the basics, let your needs dictate what you invest in next.
•
For most independent content creators, a good smartphone camera, like a recent iPhone, is all you need for filming. But if you venture into longer or more nuanced production, a Mirrorless or DSLR camera — our panelists love the Sony A6400 could be a smart investment.
•
Your lighting set-up is the most important part of your shoot. Invest in lighting that not only make you look your best, but create shadows and depth.
•
If you’re shooting longer features and/or doing more involved editing — especially in 4K — look to a more powerful computer.
•
At this point, education will take you further than any single piece of equipment. Whether books, online courses, or experimentation, knowledge is power. Maybe you should think of incorporating and becoming a studio? You’d no longer qualify for xHamster Content Creator Program — but by that point, you wouldn’t need to!
4 years ago