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Video Production – Understanding Formats and Sizes

video formats and sizes

Video production has been on the rise in the last decade, mainly due to the overwhelming need for video content across many social media platforms.  Today, there are many video formats and they all do vary in their codec quality, file size, and aspect ratios.  The best quality codec is not always the best format for all social media platforms.  In this article, I am going to look at different formats and sizes and how they are currently used in social media distribution. 

Understanding Video Aspect Ratios for Social Media

In the world of social media, video content is king, but using the right aspect ratio can make or break engagement. Aspect ratio refers to the proportional relationship between a video’s width and height. Different platforms favor specific ratios to optimize viewing experiences. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones and where to use them. 

1. 16:9 (Widescreen)

– Best for: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn  

-Use case:  Sta

2. 9:16 (Vertical)

– Best for: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Stories  

– Use case: Designed for mobile-first consumption, making it ideal for full-screen, immersive experiences. 

3. 1:1 (Square)

– Best for: Instagram Feed, Facebook Feed, LinkedIn  

– Use case: Great for balanced framing, drawing attention on mobile and desktop feeds.

4. 4:5 (Portrait)

– Best for: Instagram and Facebook Feed  

– Use case: Takes up more screen space than a square video, improving visibility and engagement.

5. 2:3 (Tall)

– Best for: Pinterest, Instagram  

– Use case: Works well for posts where vertical framing enhances the subject.

Most phones film in vertical 9×16 aspect ratio

Choosing the Right Aspect Ratio

When creating content, consider where your audience will be watching. Widescreen is best for in-depth videos, while vertical and square formats work well for quick, engaging mobile content. Using the correct aspect ratio ensures your video looks professional and performs well across platforms. 

Understanding Different Video Formats for Social Media Posts

In today’s digital age, video content is an essential tool for engaging audiences on social media. However, choosing the right video format is crucial to ensure compatibility, quality, and optimal performance on different platforms. Let’s explore the most common video formats and their ideal uses for social media posts.

1. MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14)

MP4 is the most widely used video format, offering high-quality compression and compatibility across almost all social media platforms. The compression standard that is most popular for internet posting is H.264, as it maintains a good balance between quality and file size, making it ideal for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Best for:

-General social media posts

-Advertisements

-Stories and reels

2. MOV (Apple QuickTime Movie)

MOV files are known for high quality and are commonly used for professional video editing.  This format preserves the color quality achieved during video editing and color grading.   Although they are supported by platforms like Facebook and Instagram, their larger file size can be a drawback for online use unless compressed properly.  Therefore, once uploaded to social media or Youtube, this higher quality format will be compressed internally to h.264 within the platform.  

Best for:

-High-resolution video for LIVE projectors (film festivals)

-Professional content for TV or streaming platforms

-Editing before converting to MP4 for sharing

3. AVI (Audio Video Interleave)

AVI files, developed by Microsoft, provide high-quality video with minimal compression. However, their large file sizes make them less ideal for social media uploads. Some platforms may require conversion before posting.

Best for:

-Archival or raw footage before compression

-High-quality storage and editing

4. WMV (Windows Media Video)

WMV files are optimized for Windows devices and offer good quality with smaller file sizes. However, they are not as universally supported on social media platforms compared to MP4.  This format is essentially being phased-out.

Best for:

-Windows-based video sharing

-Email-friendly video clips

5. FLV (Flash Video)

FLV was once a dominant format for online video streaming, but it has declined in use due to the rise of HTML5. Some platforms, like YouTube, previously supported FLV, but MP4 is now the preferred choice.  Some Older video content that was previously used for Flash players might still use the FLV format.

6. WebM (Web Media File)

WebM is designed for web-based applications and is used by platforms that support HTML5 video, such as YouTube. It provides high-quality video at smaller file sizes, making it great for fast loading.

Best for:

WebM is designed for web-based applications and is used by platforms that support HTML5 video, such as YouTube. It provides high-quality video at smaller file sizes, making it great for fast loading.

Best for:

-YouTube streaming

-HTML5-based video content

7. GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

GIFs are short, looping video clips often used for memes, reactions, and quick animations. While they lack audio, they are widely used across social media for engaging, fun content.

Best for:

-Short, looped clips

-Social media memes and reactions

Choosing the Right Format for Each Platform

Different social media platforms have specific requirements and recommendations for video formats:

Facebook & Instagram: MP4 (preferred), MOV (supported)

Twitter (X): MP4 (H.264 codec), MOV

TikTok: MP4 (preferred)

YouTube: MP4 (preferred), WebM, MOV, AVILinkedIn: MP4 (preferred), MOV

Conclusion

Selecting the right video format for social media is essential to ensure quality, compatibility, and optimal performance. MP4 remains the best all-around choice, but understanding other formats can help tailor content to specific needs. By choosing the right format, content creators can maximize engagement and reach a broader audience effectively.

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A Videographer and Music Video

I am a professional videographer.  As a videographer, I have produced a wide variety of videos such as corporate videos, event videos, wedding videos, but my favorite have always been music videos.  These videos are often the most demanding types of videos for a videographer, but it is through music videos that I have crafted my cinematic skills. In fact, when I am asked by those who want to become a videographer I often tell them to grab any camera, find a musician, and film their video.

Music Video Is Where I started as a Videographer

My career began with a music video.  At the time I had a band and we were in need of our first music video to promote the music we had just recorded.  I found few graduates from a film school who were eager to help us out.  Fortunately for me, some of them did not fulfill their commitments fully, especially in the video post production, and so much of the work fell upon my responsibility.  Being forced to finish the video, I spent several months learning the editing software, and in the end I edited my first video.  I fell in love with the process and a few months later I purchased my first DSLR with HD video recording capabilities.

My very first music video. Our main actress did not show up on first day so I stepped in the leading role.

Music Video Blossoms Creativity 

Although creativity is essential for any video, from event video to corporate video, music video forces a videographer to push his/her creativity.  A videographer can get away with anything as long as the final video is appealing.  Unlike a narrative film, the story line in a music video does not always have to make sense, follow strict rules of continuity, or resolve itself.   In the 90s it was very common to have several unrelated story lines cut back and forth, and occasionally cutting to performing musicians.  The only rule you do have to follow as a videographer making a music video is that every shot must be visually engaging.  A good example of this is Closer by Nine Inch Nails.  In a recent music video I have produced, I went with a crazy idea that could only be allowed in this creative format.  We decided we would have the singer fly through an upside down world.  This required some technical green screen shots and creative solutions to make the shot work.  I have spent several days figuring out how to composite my green screen shots and upside drones shots.  Initially it was a struggle but I finally found smoke overlays that looked like clouds and that glued the composite output into cohesive visual.

Composite shot of Ania flying on green screen and upside-down drone shot. I Ya-To-Yah – Vast Spaces.

Any Formats will Do

Litery, you can film a music video using any camera, lens, and recording format.  I have seen a videographer choosing to film using an old VHS video camera to achieve that retro look.  No videographer has such freedom in the corporate space.  Corporate videos tend to be the same because there is a standard of what is expected.  Wedding videos are even more demanding of a certain standard expected by the married couples.  The freedom of filming format makes a music video good practice for a starting videographer who does not have much invested in expensive video gear.  A young videographer could use his phone to film a video and learn how to edit on free software that comes with most apple computers.

All Musicians Want Videos

It is not difficult to find opportunities to film a music video if you are a skilled videographer.  Likely, music videos for unsigned musicians are not going to pay the bills for most videographers.  However, there is much to be gained by offering one’s services for “pizza and beer” money.  First, as I have mentioned, it gives a videographer an opportunity to try something creative and perhaps challenging.  I have mentioned my green screen and upside down drone shot composite.  On the other hand, when I work as a videographer for corporate jobs I tend to make more conservative choices.  Secondly, a well crafted creative music video stands out in a videographer’s portfolio.  I have at least 10 videos that I think are perfect corporate videos with perfect lighting, sound and son on.  Yet, in all honesty, these corporate videos do not stand out very much from another’s videographer perfect corporate video.  On the other hand a music video with a singer flying in upside down world is risky but at the same time unique. 

Videographers Marcin and I working on set of Vast Space by I-Ya-To-Yah
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Video Production- Preparing for a Video Campaign and What to Expect

Video production

A video is still one of the best marketing tools available, and in current times where more content is becoming virtual, video is becoming even more important than ever.  I have been working now for about 6 years as a videographer, mainly in the Chicago area.  Over this time, I have learned how to get the best value out of video production for promotion of various businesses, services, and brands.

Know the Platform for Your Video Production

First thing to consider when planing a video production is what platforms you want to promote, where your audience is, and how to effectively engage them.  Video renders will vary, depending on the platform.  The ideal duration for a video on a main website page is about 2.5 – 3.0 minutes.  This video should succinctly explain your product or service.  It is very likely that the viewers will watch the video before reading any other material on the website, so the video has to be thorough.  It is also assumed that someone on a website is actively researching your type of product or service.  

An example of brand video that is well suited for a home page

On the other hand, instagram limit is currently 1 minute.  However, the ideal video for an Instagram feed should be 45 seconds or less.  Therefore, if you plan a video to promote your product or service you have to think of shorter cuts for Instagram.  In addition, Instagram stories, Facebook stories, and IGTV are designed for a vertical video crop, given that the audience will be viewing the content on the phone.  Another reason for keeping the videos for Instagram 45 seconds or shorter is that the content on that platform is viewed very briefly.  Instagram viewers are not researching content like they would if they were browsing  the net on a computer.  They are looking for little snippets of entertainment.  Therefore, when designing a video for instagram, avoid trying to explain your product or service in detail.  That information should be left for your website.  One good example of a successful Instagram video campaign I produced was for a dental practice in Chicago.  14 dentists were asked a series of questions like the color of their toothbrush or how cool they thought they were.  We cut these into a series of 20 second videos.  The content of the video had nothing to do with their practice as dentists but it showed their personality as they answered these goofy questions.

https://www.facebook.com/CameoDentalSpecialists/videos/222829796130896

a link to a Facebook 20 second video that was also use in Instagram video campaign

Know your Audience for your Video Production Campaign

Given the multitude of social media platforms that today can host videos, it is often unclear where one’s audience is at.  I have been told by business owners before that their particular clientele finds them at a specific platform or that their clientel does not frequent social media platforms.  I would warn against such limited foresight.  For instance, one of my clients has a medical practice in south Florida focusing on muscle-skeletal injuries.  His patient demographic tends to be mainly 50 years or older.  However, as we have talked I learned that he was treating a gym owner who became a big fan of his procedures and began referring patients to the clinic.  I suggested to him he should reach out to more fitness professionals, like personal trainers, who deal with older clients prone to injuries.  Of course, every trainer is currently marketing their services on Instagram.  Therefore, the smart course of video marketing would be reaching fitness folks who would then refer their older clients (who by the way might not even know what Instagram is) to the medical clinic. 

Think Big, Think Video Campaign

Lastly, as a videographer, I now suggest to plan not just for one or two videos but instead a video campaign with renders for various social media platforms.  In the past it was perhaps enough to create one video, upload it to Youtube and embed it on your homepage.  However, chances are that your competitors are doing far more.  A well planned video production day can cover enough material where many versions of a video can be cut.  In case of the medical clinic previously described, we planned a 1 hour interview with the main doctor, during which we talked about him personally, the philosophy of his practice, his procedures, and asked for a few short health tips.  The personal and practice philosophy material was mainly used for two brand videos.  The procedure content served as a 1 minute video for each procedure landing page. Health tips were used as a series of 7-8 30 second free health tips video used for Instagram and Facebook intermittently throughout the year.  Few of the procedure videos were also cut to shorter version targeting conditions personal trainers see and placed on Instagram.  We also cut a few fun personal facts that didn’t make the main video cut, and once again used them as short 30 second videos for more instagram content and IGTV.  In the end we cut about 20 videos from one 1-hour interview.  

For sample of our work go to here

         

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Highlight Video – How to Promote your Conference

As a videographer I learned that Conferences are one of the most effective venues for networking.  Conferences can be very large with hundreds/thousands of participants or they can be small but intimate.  Regardless of their size, industry colleagues drop their guard and are often are open to engage and network, and those of use running a business can always use more networking.

Highlight Video will be your Key Promotional Tool

Given the importance of a business conference, what is the most effective method of promoting a conference?  I am going to be biased here, but I truly believe it is through a video. Yes, posting pictures on social media can get some engagement, however most people will not look past 4-5 pictures, unless they are looking for something or someone specific.  A well produced video is far more effective.

One key element of a conference highlight video are sound bites.  Sound bites are different than a full video interview. As a videographer, when I film an interview I will spend 30 minutes staging my shot, setting up the lighting, and testing perfect sound conditions for the subject.  When I film interviews, I often film them with multiple cameras. When you film sound bites at a conference you simply do not have such luxury. At a conference you are looking for a volume of responses, so you grab someone and ask them 1-2 questions using a single camera.  The advantage, however, is that you will likely capture the excitement of the moment. If the speaker is excited to be at the conference, it will be captured on the video. Additionally, in short interviews subjects rarely get nervous, whereas a full interview with multiple cameras and lights often intimidate folks.

Me filming a video at a Chicago Conference

Capture the Energy with a Video

A well filmed video will also capture the energy of the conference.  After filming a number of conference videos I have learned that it is crucial to show that people are interacting.  Therefore, I look for scenes when people are talking, laughing, exchanging business cards, shaking hands, pointing to charts/posters, and exchanging documents.  Although many conferences span over many hours, a skilled videographer will capture these moments and edit the highlight video in such a way to show how much interaction goes on among conference participants, sponsors and at times even the speakers.  

Show off Your Location

Last but not least, if a conference takes place at an attractive location, few shots should be dedicated to showing this off.  For example, if a conference is located in New York, few shots outside the conference will be helpful. If the conference is near a beach this is a good time to bring that drone and maybe fly over the beach.  You can read more about when to use drones in my previous article by clicking here.

Above is my favorite conference highlight video I did a few years ago. This particular video took some planning and we had two speakers with prepared speeches.  Notice, to keep the momentum going we decided to film a walking interview. This helps the video move and tells a visual story of what the conference is like.

For more of our work click here