Action! Filming RV Videos for Online Ads

You don’t have to be an expert filmmaker to create an effective video tour for your online RV sales ad, but a little preparation and practice (see our Oct. 5 post) will make your video more effective. Once you’ve set the stage and done your prep work, it’s time to film.

Choose a sunny day for filming. Park your RV in bright sun away from shadow-throwing trees and buildings. Pay attention to the background. You don’t want the camera to catch a messy garage, toy-strewn yard or grafitti-covered building in the background. Find an attractive place to film such as your driveway, an empty office complex, a church parking lot or a local park. Open slideouts and awnings. Turn on all interior lights. Have an assistant standing by to open doors, cupboards and drawers. Bring a handheld spotlight your assistant can aim to illuminate closets and provide extra light for filming.

Action! Using a measured gait, walk slowly around your RV, zooming in on important exterior features like awnings, hookups, A/C units, bike racks, generators, hitch, etc. You’ll want to show your RV streamlined for road travel as well as parked with slideouts, awnings, etc. fully extended. Be sure to step back so viewers get a good look at the entire RV from multiple angles. It’s OK to start and stop film while you walk to a new filming position or between close ups of major features. You just don’t want the film to appear chopped up.

Next time: Capturing the interior of your RV