<h2>If you're new to shooting video, creating video backgrounds is a great place to start.</h2>
<p>The idea of shooting video just to use a background might seem a bit unexpected. But video backgrounds are similar to shooting b-roll video—background footage is simply, well, simple footage that you can use just about anywhere.</p>
<p>On Pexels, people are always searching for high quality video backgrounds to use for a wide range of projects. Video backgrounds can add some fun to a Zoom call, and they're invaluable to YouTubers and other video creators wanting to add a different setting to their shoot through a green screen. Video backgrounds can add texture to website landing pages, app design, and social media ads.</p>
<p>There are almost endless places where video creators are in need of simple—yet interesting!—background footage to spice up a video project. As a videographer yourself, you may find you're in need of background footage to superimpose behind text for a title or credit screen for your video.</p>
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  Video by <a href="/@darlene-alderson">Darlene Alderson</a>
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<p>Shooting and editing backgrounds is also an awesome option for beginner videographers wanting to try out some easy yet useful projects.</p>
<p>Creating background footage offers a fun challenge in terms of seeking out compelling textures and colors, but it's still a little easier to approach putting background videos together than it is to edit together footage with multiple cuts, or to capture complex motion.</p>
<p>Perfecting your background footage will help you learn video skills you can bring to shooting more difficult subjects like people, sports, street scenes, and whatever else grabs your attention.</p>
<p>So, how do you get started? Our resident video expert <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@rickyrecap">Ricky Esquivel</a> shares some key tips for creating awesome video backgrounds below. He's also created a detailed video expanding on these pointers—check it out at our <a href="https://youtu.be/orB1EaX9_qg">YouTube channel</a>.</p>
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  <a href="/video/a-scenic-view-of-the-sunrise-from-the-shore-4063585/" alt="" data-photo-modal="4063585" class="pexels-image">
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  Video by <a href="/@souvenirpixels">James Wheeler</a>
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  <a href="/video/a-scenic-view-of-the-sunrise-from-the-shore-4063585/" data-photo-modal="4063585"> View Video </a>
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<h2>Video Background Tip #1: Shoot videos that are as smooth as possible</h2>
<p>This tip is number one because it's the most important: a tripod is absolutely key for creating stable, smooth background footage.</p>
<p>Ricky says you can also place your camera on a flat surface if you don't have a tripod, but tripods can be pretty cheap and are definitely a good investment for any video creator.</p>
<p>Time lapses are classic choices for video backgrounds, and of course a tripod is essential for a great time lapse. Shooting a scene from above with a drone can also be a good way to achieve a smooth video.</p>
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  <a href="/video/drops-of-water-dripping-on-a-glass-surface-2644023/" alt="" data-photo-modal="2644023" class="pexels-image">
  <mux-player class="player" src="https://videos.pexels.com/video-files/2644023/2644023-uhd_2732_1440_25fps.mp4" data-aspect-ratio="1.8972332015810276" accent-color="#05A081" autoplay="" muted="" stream-type="on-demand"></mux-player>

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  Video by <a href="/@treedeo">TREEDEO.ST</a>
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<h2>Video Background Tip #2: Keep your video super simple</h2>
<p>Ideally, video backgrounds shoudn't have a clear subject. This might sound confusing—shouldn't every video have a subject?</p>
<p>Of course, if you're creating background footage, the subject will be something else that gets added in later! (Like someone's lovely face on a video chat, for example.) So you want to avoid too much distraction in your video background.</p>
<p>"Videos backgrounds are usually simpler videos that let the viewer relax their vision, instead of having to focus on something," Ricky notes. Keep this in mind when you choose what to shoot.</p>
<p>Great options to start with include interesting walls (bricks, stucco, graffiti) and natural textures (leaves, grass, raindrops). You can also try capturing simple outdoor scenes where you don't focus too much on any one part of the shot. Think cars driving by on a busy street, or the lights of a city seen from above.</p>

<h2>Video Background Tip #3: Make sure your camera is leveled both horizontally and vertically</h2>
<p>This ensures your video will be as versatile as possible. Avoid a super high/low angle to your shot, or an uneven horizon.</p>
<p>"A leveled clip can make it easier to be used as a 'believable' background to your video chat, for example," Ricky shares.</p>

<h2>Video Background Tip #4: Get creative with focus</h2>
<p>Video backgrounds are one area of video where you can get away with an unfocused shot. "It can be useful to record videos that are out of focus if their purpose is to be used as background videos," says Ricky. "Switch to manual focus and defocus your video. Get bokeh!"</p>
<p>Ricky also stresses that an unfocused background creates effectives separation—think of portraits with a shallow depth of field.</p>
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  <a href="/video/drone-footage-of-mountain-and-hills-natural-landscape-4231734/" alt="" data-photo-modal="4231734" class="pexels-image">
  <mux-player class="player" src="https://videos.pexels.com/video-files/4231734/4231734-uhd_2560_1440_24fps.mp4" data-aspect-ratio="1.7777777777777777" accent-color="#05A081" autoplay="" muted="" stream-type="on-demand"></mux-player>

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  Video by <a href="/@ryokomi">Michele Esposito</a>
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<h2>Video Background Tip #5: Dial in the right shutter speed</h2>
<p>Finally, be sure to expose your video properly, and dial in the correct shutter speed for the effect you want.</p>
<p>"For video, remember that smooth motion is achieved when you set your shutter speed to double your frame rate," Ricky says. "For example: 24 fps ≈ 1/50 S.S and 60 fps ≈ 1/120 S.S."</p>
<p><em>Cover photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-focus-photo-of-video-recording-3062556/">Lê Minh</a>.</em></p>


Background video is one of the most in-demand types of video content on Pexels. Here's how to create your own background videos. 

New to Video? Here's How to Shoot Video Backgrounds 

<h2>So, you want to get into motion graphics but don’t know where to start.</h2>
<p>You’ve Googled round and there’s so much out there that it seems overwhelming, and you feel like maybe you’re better off re-watching the entire series of Friends again.</p>
<p>But have no fear—motion graphics is a lot easier than you might think, and a lot more fun.</p>
<h2>What is motion graphics?</h2>
<p>It’s as easy as it sounds, it’s graphics with motion! Okay, that might sound condescending, but it really is as simple as that.</p>
<p>But then what makes motion graphics <a href="https://en.99designs.de/blog/video-animation/motion-graphics-vs-animation/">different from animation</a>?</p>
<p>Motion graphics is a small section of the all-encompassing animation genre, and by far a much simpler introduction to animation as a whole.</p>
<p>One of the most common exposures to motion graphics today would be the intro videos we see on our favourite YouTube channels or Netflix series.</p>
<p>In fact, the Netflix "N"at the start of its introduction is motion graphics in its simplest form.</p>
<p>Whereas traditional forms of animation often tend to tell a story (even if it doesn’t seem like it!) with a start, middle, and end, motion graphics is designed to draw in attention and give the viewer something to remember. Nearly all forms of TV and digital advertising contain motion graphics.</p>
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  <figcaption class="image-caption">
    <p>A super simple example of motion graphics.</p>

    
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<h2>The best software for motion graphics</h2>
<p>Ready to start making some motion graphics yourself?</p>
<p>Great! But where do you start? There’s a lot of different software out there. Some of them are free, some on the more expensive side. It’s important to have a look around and find the program that works best for you and your budget.</p>
<p>By far the most popular software in the motion graphics industry is <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html">Adobe After Effects</a>. This 2D software is simple to use and <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/tutorials.html">easy to learn</a>, allowing for motion graphics styles from basic to incredibly advanced.</p>
<p>It uses images you’ve made yourself in software such as Photoshop, or drawn by hand and scanned in, and allows you to manipulate their size, position and rotation, as well as add pre-set effects within After Effects.</p>
<p>Now, I’ll admit, when you first open any kind of software for the first time it can be very intimidating. Lots of different windows, menus, options. It can all be a bit much. Luckily, with After Effects being such a favorite in the industry, there are hundreds of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBrRXoTJAkZC84FE49_N1vXutAId3pn51">easy-to-understand tutorials</a> on YouTube and Vimeo, ranging from a basic introduction to expert level designs.</p>
<p>Another commonly used software which can also be utilized within After Effects is <a href="https://www.maxon.net/">Maxon Cinema 4D</a>, a 3D animation software that has several motion graphics-focused tools.</p>
<p>Although diving into the realm of 3D can definitely be daunting for first-timers, there are, again, lots of free Maxon Cinema tutorials available aimed at all levels of experience. Adding a 3D element really does help to make your graphic come alive.</p>
<h2>The creative process behind motion graphics</h2>
<p>With all the technical stuff out of the way, where do you begin with motion graphics? You’ve got the software, you’ve watched the videos, but where do you start making something for yourself? And what do you make?</p>
<p>I always find it is best to start with an idea.</p>
<p>What do you want to make? Something I enjoy is making silly title sequences, or parodies of other channels or shows I’ve seen. So, we’ll start with one of those to help get you on your way.</p>
<p>What’s your video going to be about? I chose to make a parody video of a cocktail-making channel on YouTube, so I brainstormed some names for shows. You can use inspiration from things around you if that helps.</p>
<p>For reasons I won’t go into, I own a fox hand puppet. So, I went with the name "Cocktails and Foxtails." Once you’ve got a name you can start experimenting with logos. Raiding Google for inspiration and things relevant to your topic is a good place to start. I focused on different types of bar signs and cocktail glasses.</p>
<figure class="image">
  <div class="pexels-image"><img src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/4555135/pexels-photo-4555135.jpeg?h=750&amp;w=700&amp;dpr=1&amp;auto=compress" srcset="https://images.pexels.com/photos/4555135/pexels-photo-4555135.jpeg?h=750&amp;w=700&amp;dpr=1&amp;auto=compress 1x, https://images.pexels.com/photos/4555135/pexels-photo-4555135.jpeg?h=750&amp;w=700&amp;dpr=2&amp;auto=compress 2x"></div>
  <figcaption class="image-caption">
    <p>Storyboarding can help visualize your final creation.</p>

    
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<p>The benefit of doing this professionally is that someone else has spent a lot of time doing all of this for you, your job is to just make it dance round and look impressive.</p>
<p>Now you’ve got your name, several pages of logos and drawings, and you’re sort of happy with one of them but not quite sure (or is that just me?), so let’s get it moving...on paper!</p>
<p>You can drop things straight into your software of choice and start playing around, or if that seems like too much, my preferred method is to storyboard. Very similar to any other form of animation, storyboarding is incredibly useful for working out where your image, logo, text, etc. are starting, finishing, and how it gets there using simple lines and annotations.</p>
<p>Once you’ve got all of this in hand you can start making it happen in your software, and with your storyboard hopefully this will make the animating less intimidating.</p>
<p>And there you go! You’ve gone and done a motion graphic. It really is as simple or as complex as you want it to be.</p>
<p><em>Cover photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/semi-opened-laptop-computer-turned-on-on-table-2047905/">Junior Teixeira</a>.</em></p>


What exactly are motion graphics? How is it different from regular animation? Here's everything you need to know to try it out yourself. 

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