There are many aspects that go into video creation for stationary vloggers—content planning, camera settings, lights, monitors, sound, and editing. But there is one element that is often overlooked; the backdrop.
Video backdrops aid the overall style and production value of a vlog, and there are various ways to get the aesthetic you want. This article is going to explore some backdrop methods that you can try for your next video.
Why the Backdrop Method Matters
Your viewers mainly watch your vlogs for what you have to say, however, the visual components of the video are important too—this refers to the props and the backdrop.
Backdrops dictate the style of your video, which will influence your brand as well as the amount of traffic it attracts to your channel. You should consider the backdrop to be an essential part of your vlogging room setup, just like the rest of the equipment.
If you have an idea for the design or the style that you want in the background, but don't know how to execute it, you're in the right place. We're going to discuss some backdrop methods, and since different methods allow for different types of aesthetics, you can determine which one is the best to showcase yours.
1. Printed Paper Screens
The great thing about paper screens: they're cheap, and you can print just about anything on them. There's a massive variety of solid colors, ombre colors, patterns, and pictures that you can purchase. Some companies even let you design your own print, so you can truly customize the style.
Paper screens are typically fixed onto background support stands, and while they won't break the bank, you don't need to purchase one. Paper is a lightweight material, so you can easily tape it onto a wall instead.
2. Curtains
Yes, that's right, you can use your curtains as a backdrop. First of all, the curtain must be visually appealing—it should have a color or a pattern that matches your aesthetic. And make sure it's clean!
You can keep the curtain on its railing and set up your equipment to face it. But you can also hang it from a background support stand or fix it to a wall with high-strength double-sided tape. Once it's up, ensure that the folds are spread evenly.
Because curtains aren't two-dimensional, it's going to produce shadows. This is a great textural addition to the style, but it can easily become messy to work with. The best solution: LED studio lights. With the right angle, it will soften the shadows and balance out the texture.
3. Decoration Props
This can easily turn into one of the most expensive setups, so you need to be smart about it. There's no need to go out and splurge on expensive things for the room—use what you have, borrow from a friend, or go thrift shopping. Frames, flowers pots, lamps, and clocks are great pieces to get started with.
It's going to take a lot of creative thinking to set up decorations that either don't match your style or aren't high quality, but it's totally doable. Have a look through social media for DIY creative project ideas. You'll most likely need spray paint and a glue gun.
You can do this backdrop method in front of a plain wall, but it also works well when combined with the paper sheet or curtain method. And, unless the pieces are tall, you might need a table behind you to place them on.
4. Green Screen
Anything is possible with a green screen—that's the whole point of using it. You're going to need two things for this: a green screen and a program that features green screen editing.
You can purchase a paper green screen for next to nothing and set it up in a jiffy. And learning how to edit a green screen is quite easy, we recommend computer software such as After Effects or a mobile editing app like Video Star.
Since this is a digital project, there are a lot more options for backdrop ideas. You can download a design (be sure to credit the creator if you do this), create your own backdrop design, or even edit a video loop of a moving pattern.
5. Twinkle Lights
Having lights in front of the camera lens might seem like it could mess up the exposure, but companies produce backdrop lights that are specifically designed to be captured on photos and videos. Ever been to a wedding venue? There are usually twinkle lights (or fairy lights) somewhere, and they translate beautifully on camera.
Similar to decorations, twinkle lights are more of a prop and will work well against a plain wall, paper sheet, or curtain. They can be draped over a background support stand or fixed onto a vertical surface with temporary adhesive.
Be sure to follow all the precautions that might come with the package since electric lights can be a potential fire hazard.
6. Marker Board or Chalk Board
If you were still in school before computers were the standard, you might remember those black and green chalkboards, or the white marker boards that teachers used to write and draw on. Well, they can serve an aesthetic purpose, too.
They're not as cheap as paper screens, but still affordable, and you can get very creative with them. Not only can you draw pictures and patterns to complete the style of the video, but you can actually write out the points of your content instead of editing it in with text—very quirky.
Keep in mind that you will either need to drill holes to fix it onto a wall, or get a powerful adhesive that might be difficult to remove once you take it down.
Find the Perfect Backdrop Method for Your Vlogs
There's an endless array of styles you can choose for a backdrop, but the method in which you display the design can make a huge difference in the production value of the video.
Paper screens are cheap so you can allocate the money you'll save to other equipment instead. But, perhaps the genre of your content calls for pricier props, or maybe you feel like a digital backdrop allows you to create more detail.