Learn to create engaging, professional-looking video content on your smartphone

Gone are the days when making a video would entail expensive and bulky equipment. We’re part of a generation lucky enough to have a high definition video camera and editing suite in our pockets.

Anyone who owns a smartphone has the means to shoot, edit and distribute video content online, but not necessarily the skills. That’s where Brightest Bulb come in.

Over the course of our CPD accredited two-day Foundation Course, we teach the basics of camera work and some simple editing techniques, providing the course attendees with the skills to produce some impressive and engaging content on their smartphone.

We do this using our iDEC® (individual, director, editor, camera-person) approach to training.

This is a mixture of teaching and practical sessions; course attendees learn the 6 basic skills and techniques used in video creation.

o GV’s (General Views)
o Interviews and piece to camera
o Montage creation
o Voice over
o Captioning
o Editing to music

Creating content that will engage takes more than technical skills. Attendees also learn about the soft skills; how to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end, how to get the best from interviewees, how to plan ahead to ensure everything runs smoothly. The skills they learn can be applied to creating content for a wide range of areas:-

• Interviews
• Key meetings recap
• Success stories
• Community outreach
• News
• Social media video snippets
• Recruiting
• Events
• Updates and reviews
• Press releases
• Product launches
• Induction
• Training
• Case studies
• Company policy videos
• People profiles
• End of Year recaps

As well as delivering 'open' courses, we also run our courses onsite. The minimum number of delegates for onsite courses is 6.

The co-owners of Brightest Bulb who have had over 30 years’ experience in the media sector, directing and producing film and video, quickly recognised the massive potential of the smartphone; that being anyone who owned a smartphone would have the means to shoot, edit and distribute video content online. However, despite having all this wonderful technology at their fingertips, most people would not have the knowledge or skills needed to successfully create engaging and well produced video.

Development of the iDEC® training method
After researching the market, we recognised that our key target audience was the business community; businesses who were looking for a way to create affordable, regular and engaging 'snackable' video content to share with their employees and their clients.

As the majority of our target audience would have little or no prior experience in video creation, we knew that our training approach would have to be straightforward and easy to learn.

The iDEC® training method
Our training is delivered via our trademarked iDEC® (Individual, Director, Editor, Cameraperson) skills method. Detailed below is a breakdown of the areas we address on our courses; these skills are at the heart of all professional video production.

iDEC® Individual

• Understanding the role of the producer
• Planning and implementing basic productions
• Creating a story arc – beginning, middle and end
• Creating a structure for production
• Understanding Pre-production/Production/Post production
• Researching and developing interview questions

iDEC® Director

• Understanding the role of the Director
• Directing Interviews
• Directing yourself presenting to camera
• Generating general views and establishing shots
• Understanding cutaways and noddys for interview
• Creating montages and sequences

iDEC® Editor

• Understanding editing software
• Transferring data
• Editing techniques
• Adding cutaways
• Audio mixing

iDEC® Cameraperson

• Camera orientation
• Film grammar (rules of filming and when to break them)
• Basic audio (using external microphones, using audio meters)
• Introduction to lighting
• Camera movement (panning, tilting, camera settings)
• Introduction to camera support (tripods, gimbles and sliders)

We have delivered our iDEC® 2-day Foundation Course to businesses of all sizes and across a wide number of sectors. We have trained companies onsite and individuals on our 'open' courses. Feedback has been consistently excellent.

We have trained people who have little or no technical knowledge, who have arrived on the course feeling very apprehensive, but have completed the course feeling confident in their new abilities to go on and create their own video content.

Our iDEC® Foundation Course is a mixture of teaching and practical sessions. The skills people learn on our courses enable them to plan, film and edit compelling content, all created on their smartphones, that will keep their communications fresh and regularly updated whether delivered via social media, website or events. Another big bonus is the cost-saving resulting from bringing these skills ‘in-house’.

Post course, delegates are given access to the password protected area of our website where they will find recap videos as well as useful ongoing hints and tips. If required, we also offer help and support with the planning and integration of video into the business.

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This course is for any business or individual who wants to empower members of their team or themselves to create regular, authentic and engaging video content and who is looking for fantastic on-going ROI. These skills apply to all sectors as our course attendees have shown; automotive, financial, government, manufacturing, property development, the third sector, insurance and legal. Delegates have come from all disciplines; marketing, sales, HR, learning and development, training, IT and outreach.

No technical or creative skills are required, we have trained people who have little or no technical knowledge, who have arrived on the course feeling very apprehensive, but have completed the course full of enthusiasm and confidence in their new abilities to go on and create their own video content.

Equipment-wise, you'll need to bring your own smartphone. We teach video creation on both iOS and android platforms, but will need to know ahead of the course what device you'll be using. We supply all the accessories that you'll need over the course of the two days.

As video consumption continues to grow, the need for 'iDECs', (individual, director, editor, camera-persons) who have the ability to create regular, professional looking and engaging video content at a fraction of the cost of commissioning an external production company will be seen as a invaluable skill.

Our course is also CPD accredited.