Video equipment is a necessity.
If you haven't heard, then you may have noticed... video content is king.
Whether you're on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn, you're going to see some form of video content.
Why is this?
Put simply, we live in a visual world.
This means that lawyers and law firms need to understand that the legal industry is an exception to this visual world.
From taking Philosophy and English courses in college to reading cases in law school to researching as a lawyer, I'm programmed to read.
But this isn't the case for 98% of the remaining population.
As a result, if you want to brand yourself on social media and to spread the word of your law firm, then you need to turn to making videos!
Scale your video equipment and gear.
I'm a virtual lawyer with a ton of nerdy tendencies.
When I started my law firm, my impulse was to go out and buy the fanciest and most expensive video gear out there.
Fortunately, logic prevailed.
When investing in video gear, you should treat this investment like any other aspect of your law firm. In doing so, always remember to scale based on your needs.
In my situation, I needed to make videos that simply got the word out about my decision to go solo. The hope was that as my law practice began to grow, then I could reevaluate my YouTube equipment to see if anything needed an upgrade.
By focusing on what I needed at that point in time, I was able to create a budget that wouldn't put me in a tough financial situation.
As a result, I purchased the gear and ended up making these videos:
Click the image to watch the video!
Click the image to watch the video!
As you can see, these videos look great (especially compared to shooting something with the camera on your phone).
The "secret" formula to having a professional "feel" for your videos is combining quality video, great lighting, and clear audio.
Lighting and audio are the most overlooked aspects and definitely not something you want to neglect. You can have 8k video footage that will do you zero good if your lighting is bad and the audio is annoying.
With this in mind, let's go through the YouTube gear that I used to make these videos!
Level 1 - Video Content and Gear
Entry-Level Camera
Canon SL3 + 50 mm lens
I used the Canon SL2, however, it's worth looking into the SL3 because it has 4K . It also has the flippy screen that allows you to see yourself as you're recording. The 50 mm lens is also a newer version of what I used as well. With the lens, you'll be able to get a blurry background that looks great and 50 mm doesn't distort the image like a wide-angle lens. Just keep in mind that this camera has a crop factor (meaning it is naturally zoomed in). Combining the crop factor with 50 mm means that you'll need to put the tripod about 10 or so feet away from you to get the top half of your body. Because of the price point and the fact that Canon cameras are extremely user friendly, this is a great starter combo!
Microphone
Rode VideoMicPro
There's not much to say about this one other than that it's been great! The best part is that it turns on and off with the camera so no need to worry about draining the rechargeable battery.
Mic Stand
Pyle Microphone Stand
This heavy-duty stand holds my microphone when I don't want the mic to be attached to the camera. I'm a tall guy so it's been great when I'm standing or sitting.
Audio Cable
Extension Cable
This heavy-duty stand holds my microphone when I don't want the mic to be attached to the camera. I'm a tall guy so it's been great when I'm standing or sitting.
Lighting
Fovitec Lights
These lights get the job done and are great if you're on a tight budget. But, the lights can't be dimmed so I would either move the lights further away or would put a white shirt over them to soften the light. Also, the soft boxes and bulbs are large so they take up a good amount of space. If you're in a small room, then moving around them can get annoying.
Lighting
Neewer Light Kit
A small battery-powered and dimmable light that lights up my backdrop in the above videos. I used a cheap tripod that I've had to hold the light while it shined on the backdrop to remove shadows. Just be mindful of charging the batteries in advance of shooting. I just wish it could plug in to the wall as well.
Lighting
Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable
Speaking of lights that plug in to a wall, here are some accent lights that can light up a wall or a dark spot without taking up too much space. The issue is that the tripods are pretty cheap so don't expect much from them.
Background
Savage Background Paper
I love this paper and I'm shocked with how well it has held up. If you want a simple background or that "green-screen effect," then definitely consider adding this to the equation.
The above combination of camera equipment, lighting, and audio gear led to me making some high quality video content, which definitely resulted in my legal marketing being upgraded as well.
As my virtual law firm began seeing success in its first year, I decided it was time to scale by upgrading some of my equipment.
I wanted to shoot 4k with a camera and lens combo that allowed for both wider angles and close ups.
With my Canon SL2, I also realized that I needed a camera that could plug in to the wall and continuously be powered without me having to worry about changing batteries and taking the camera off of the tripod.
While still using some of the previously-mentioned YouTube equipment, I made the upgrades that I needed so that my videos look like this:
Notice a difference?
Let's cover the upgrades that were made!
Level 2 - Video Content and Gear
Upgraded Camera
Fujifilm X-T3 + Fujinon XF 16-55 mm 2.8
I love this camera. It shoots in 4k, it receives software updates and improvements, it can be used as a webcam, and it takes stellar photos. The only downside is that it doesn't have a flippy screen (otherwise it would be 5 stars). That's not a deal breaker for me though since I bought this camera when the X-T4 came out (which has a flippy screen but is more expensive). The 16-55 mm 2.8 lens is on my camera 99% of the time. It's handles videos and photos extremely well. This camera and lens combo is hard to beat at its price.
Battery Grip
Fujifilm VG-XT3 Vertical Battery Grip
So here's the deal... I think this is a necessity. This battery grip rarely leaves my X-T3 because it truly allows for me to have a firm grip on the camera. And the best part? It comes with a charging cord that allows you to record without any batteries so long as the cord is plugged into an outlet. Here's the catch -- this came free with my X-T3 so you may want to see if the price makes sense for you. If it doesn't, then do some research on third-party alternatives.
Lighting
Dimmable RGB Lighting
These lights have everything. They change colors and temperature, dim, plug in to the wall, and are low profile. While they aren't cheap, you get three lights (with light stands) so you can round out your set up. In hindsight, I would have spent the extra money had these lights been available from the beginning.
Have any thoughts or questions about these products?
Let me know in the comment section down below!
Also, if you start making your own legal-marketing videos, then feel free to share! I'd LOVE to check them out!