Boost Your Visibility: DIY Lifestyle Reels That help build connection with your audience

have you watched those captivating lifestyle videos and thought, "I wish I could make something like that"? Well, guess what? You totally can! I'm here to show you how to turn your everyday moments into awesome video reels. No fancy equipment needed – just you, your phone, and a dash of creativity.

Video creation is more about planning than just capturing moments. While you can certainly capture magical video clips with good light and composition, if you want to tell a compelling story, you need to invest some time in planning. This saves your precious time and ensures a more satisfying end result.

There’s no doubt that creating video content is time-consuming, so the type of reel I’m suggesting you make in this tutorial is something that could also live on your website, not just your social media feed. Videos that take time have to have another place to live outside of social media. Let’s get started…

1. Plan Your Content

• Define Your Focus: Before you start shooting, clearly understand what you want to showcase in your video reel. This could be a general lifestyle theme, a day in your life, a behind-the-scenes look at your business, or a tutorial related to your niche.

• Brainstorm Ideas: Create a list of 5-10 ideas so you have options to choose from. Start with the easiest one to gain confidence in filming yourself.

• Choose a Lifestyle Theme: For this session, we'll focus on a lifestyle video. Including one in your list is crucial because it helps build a personal connection with your audience.

• Craft Your Story: Think about what aspects of your personal life align with the interests of your customers. For example, if your audience is interested in gardening, eco-living, and family life, create content that resonates with these themes.

• Plan Your Shots: Write down a list of actions needed to complete the task or story in your video. Use this as your shot list, noting the type of shot for each action (close-up, wide, medium, etc.).

• Keep It Simple: A little planning helps create a compelling story. For example, "I picked these flowers from my garden, brought them into the kitchen, arranged them in a vase, and used them to decorate my workspace."

Example of video Reel below

Example Story for a Lifestyle Video:

• Me picking some cosmos flowers in golden light

• Close-ups of the flowers

• Putting the flowers into a nice basket

• Bringing the flowers into my studio and arranging them in a vase

• The goal is to showcase our beautiful garden and how it ties into my work life.

Identify Props Needed:

• Dress, boots, basket, scissors, vase. This helps in planning your shot list.

Shot List Basics:

• Wide Shots: Establish the setting and provide context.

• Medium Shots: Focus on the subject while showing some background.

• Close-ups: Highlight details, such as product features or facial expressions.

Example Shot List for a Flower Lifestyle Video:

Garden:

• Wide shot of the flower scene with me walking into it

• Medium shot of me cutting flowers

• Close-up of flowers being cut

• Close-up of flowers being added to the basket

• Close-up of just the flowers

• Close-up selfie-style shot of me and the flowers

• Wide shot of me walking with the basket of flowers

• Close-up shot of flowers in the basket

Studio:

• Wide shot of me walking into the studio with the basket of flowers

• Tight shot of the basket being put down

• Medium shot of me arranging flowers in a vase

• Medium shot of the final studio scene, showcasing the flowers and photo wall

Remember to take a few still photos for your reel thumbnail.

2. How to Shoot - Location + Light + Sound

Location:

• Choose locations that reflect the lifestyle you want to portray. This could be your home, office, or outdoor spaces that resonate with your audience and brand.

• Focus on excluding any mess around the main action.

Light:

• Natural light is best, as it’s free and flattering.

• For outdoor shots, aim for early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and dreamy.

• For indoor shots, shoot during the day when there’s plenty of natural light. Avoid shooting after sunset.

• Good lighting can make your videos look more professional and appealing.

Shooting Techniques:

• Change angles and perspectives with your camera.

• Use a variety of wide shots, medium shots, and close-ups to add depth and interest to your video.

• Engaging videos often change frames frequently, so think about how you can capture each action from different angles.

Sound:

• Be mindful of background noise. Capturing ambient sounds like birds chirping or the sound of a mug being placed down can enhance your video.

• If there’s too much noise, consider adding a voice-over later to explain what’s happening.

3. What gear to use for your video

1. Tripod:

   • Use a tripod to capture yourself in the frame. The human element is important.

   • If you don’t have a tripod, prop your phone against something stable, though it may be more challenging.

   • Tripod - this one has thousands of great reviews + it can also do flatlays  (shoot from overhead).

2. Phone Attachment for Tripod:

   • Two options: magnetic (more expensive but easier to use) or clamp style (cheaper but less convenient).

   • Phone mount - Cheap clamp style mount or more expensive (much easier to use) magnetic mount - but you also need a magnetic phone cover for (this is my fav bomb proof cover).

3. Camera Remote (optional):

   • A Bluetooth remote can help you start and stop recording remotely.

4. Earphones or Microphone (optional):

   • Useful for recording voice-overs.

4. edit you video

Editing brings your video reel to life.

Basic Editing Actions:

• Cut out unnecessary footage.

• Add text overlays or graphics to highlight key points.

• Adjust lighting, color, and brightness.

• Add music or voice-overs.

A note - I find video editing on my phone a bit more challenging than I do photo editing and this is because there is a lot more going on with-in the app - if you find the same issue, it may be worth editing your phone footage on a computer. Note - editing needs it’s own tutorial to explain the details.

Editing Tools:

• Use mobile-friendly apps like VLLO, Instagram’s editing app, iMovie, Adobe Premiere Rush, or InShot.

• What video editing apps can be used on desktops (for the people who can't stand the small phone screen or need more technical editing options)

  I use Adobe products on my desktop, but there are other options, but I'm only on what I've read, I haven't personally used them:

  • Premiere Elements - beginner version of adobe stuff - paid only

  • DaVinci Resolve - free + paid version

  • CyberLink - paid only

Conclusion

As we wrap up this guide to creating lifestyle video reels, remember that the most powerful stories are often the most authentic ones. Your unique perspective, daily rituals, and the little moments that make up your life are all worth sharing. Don't be afraid to experiment, to try new angles, or to showcase different aspects of your world. With each video you create, you'll be honing your skills and building a deeper connection with your audience.

Summary:

1. Write a list of video ideas and let it inspire you before you start filming.

2. Research some of your favourite videos. Note the number of shots and why you like them. Use this as inspiration for your ideas.

3. Write a rough story, props list, and shot list for your video.

4. Consider location and time of day for the best lighting.

5. Shoot plenty of footage from different angles.

6. Edit, share, and tag me so I can share your work! 

I'd be so grateful for any feedback you have on the class. What else would you like to know about video?

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Honey, check out more info about me in my bio.

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