Video Backdrop Ideas

Video Backdrop Ideas – 15 Fun, Easy Backdrops

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Video backdrop lighting setup

Looking for some amazing video backdrop ideas for your next video? You are in the right place! In our modern world, videos are used frequently to convey meaning and mediate our thoughts, actions, or even promote our personal products or brand. YouTube is one of the many platforms used to upload and share videos. Professionals also use tools like Skype or more recently, Zoom, to create video calls and conferences.

Some people like having their closets or furniture in the background, but that does not work in most use cases if you want a professional setting.

This is where video backdrops come in handy, both in professional use cases, as well as for YouTube hobbyists. There are various ways of using a video backdrop and it is not always easy to decide which ones to use. This article provides both tips on how to use video backdrops as well as some video backdrop ideas.

Why Use a Video Backdrop in Your Next Video?

Video backdrops can be used for multiple reasons, like hiding a messy room or a boring background. Even if the room is not messy, lighting can be an issue, as reflective surfaces or natural light can make it difficult to see the video.

Lights hanging from the ceiling

Other use cases have a more positive note, having more to do with improving the quality of a video or video call.

Making Videos and Calls More Interesting

Nothing beats changing things up every once in a while. Making your content more interesting is one of the best ways to improve the quality of your videos. An engaging video is a better video, especially if it grows into being consistent with upcoming video content. 

Changing your background in a video call can also make it more interesting, in both casual and professional environments.

Rooms May not Have the Best Background

As mentioned above, a messy closet or a bunch of stuff on a couch, table or bookcase is not really the best background for a professional video. Even in a casual setting, especially when doing podcasts, a backdrop could make things much easier.

Avoiding distractions is important in our modern, dopamine-infused world, where the casual viewer is likely to be distracted by a long introduction, let alone tons of things typically found in a bedroom.

Consistency Can Improve Branding

Being consistent is great for many activities like workouts, learning, and sleep – turns out consistency is great for video content as well. A backdrop could help to make one aspect of a video consistent. The rest is up to the creator, but it is worth noting that consistency does help with branding. 

A connection between a backdrop and a creator can be made with two videos, not to mention ten or more. Consistency, especially the good kind, can do wonders in most parts of business and life, including having video backdrops in videos and video calls.

Making a Good Background Better

Having a good background is a bonus, but what if you could make it even better? An entire set can be very expensive to make and maintain. A backdrop could improve an already good background and make it better. Virtual backgrounds can do this without the hassle of having to set up anything physical.

Professionalism – It Matters

People like to see a good set, or a good backdrop, not a messy or casual room – unless you are doing a casual videocast. Making things look more professional is a step towards attracting new viewers.

This is even more important in video calls, where even a plain backdrop can turn an otherwise casual video call into a professional one.

Backdrops can have an impact, but generalizations do not solve issues, video backdrop ideas do.

15 Fun and Easy Backdrop Ideas for YouTube and Zoom

Backdrops are a great option when used properly. Following are 15 great video backdrop ideas which you can implement on your own.

Bookcases – They Are Simple and Work

Nothing screams professionalism like a simple bookcase. Bookcase backdrops are actually very popular and help to create that lovely feeling of being in a library where you can smell the paper – this immediately sets a relaxing tone.

Chroma Keying – Green Screen

Green screen set up with light

Chroma keying is a technique of interweaving another background to an already existing object in the foreground, often by removing the color of the background. This is also known as green screening. The screen can be green or blue. This enables you with the ability to add almost anything to the background in post-production. Check out my article on green screen ideas here.

Holiday Lights

Almost everyone loves holiday lights. You can actually use your own lights to make things a bit more interesting, provided that your background is already simple enough on its own. Alternatively, you could use a light backdrop.

A Brick Wall

Brick walls are very popular as backdrops. They are simple and look very classy. Today, brick wall backdrops are very popular for both videos and Zoom calls. Check out this example here.

Cityscape – Nothing Beats a Large City

Cities are very popular as backdrops, especially in professional scenarios. A room overlooking a city skyline is something you will find in plenty of Zoom calls. Popular cities are a good choice, like Paris, Berlin or Los Angeles.

Gardens Video Backdrops

A room overlooking a garden is one of the most interesting ways of making a video feel homey. Given that most of the rooms featured in backdrops look posh, they also have a professional feel about them.

Classic, Traditional Living Room Backdrop Ideas

Jane Austen would have written about these types of living rooms. They immediately invoke a feeling of familiarity, even though you might not know why, at first. It is a great way of establishing a connection with your audience.

Ocean View With Relaxing Blues

Oceans are a nice sight for most people. A shoreline view from a room is a great way to add a relaxing note to a video.

Curtains or Curtain Backdrops

Curtains are pretty cheap and can look beautiful. Adding actual curtains might be a hassle, compared to simply having a curtain backdrop in the scene.

Artwork Backdrop Idea

Art has always been a large part of humanity, including music, movies, books, sculptures, architecture. There are so many types of art to choose from. An artistic backdrop is an easy way to incorporate art into your backdrop. Take note that art has subjective meaning and not every backdrop will be suited for every person viewing the video.

Office Professional Video Backdrop Idea

Offices are a great theme for backdrops, but mostly for professional use cases. A casual video or channels dedicated to entertainment might not benefit from this theme. Office backdrops are one of the easiest ways to make a background look clean and professional

Space Backdrop Idea

Nothing beats an outer space backdrop. Since going to outer space to make videos on a regular basis would be expensive, one of the best video backdrop ideas is to use a space backdrop.

Plain Colors – Not Completely Generic

Plain colors can also be great as backdrops. They can also double as backdrops for photography, essentially doubling your investment. You can even use different shades of a single color to make things more interesting.

Wooden Planks – Simple, Yet Effective

Planks have a similar effect as a brick wall backdrop. Actual planks are expensive and difficult to set up so a backdrop is a great option.

Virtual Backdrops – An Easy Solution

Unlike real backdrops which do have to be set up, virtual backdrops can be added to a green screen or used as a feature in Zoom. Green screens are a way to add a virtual backdrop to videos outside of Zoom.

Tips for Improving Your Video Backdrop Setup

Video backdrop ideas work great when you know what backdrop to purchase, but you also need to know how to set up the backdrop. It is important to get to know the process to make things easier once it is time to set up the actual video backdrop.

Clean Your Room if It Is the Backdrop

If you are using your room as a backdrop, make sure it is clean. You could definitely use your room as a backdrop, but it is a good idea to ensure that it is clean, tidy, and somewhat organized. A more professional look requires thorough cleaning and the organization of objects and furniture in the room.

Backlighting Issues – Avoid Them

If you have a significant amount of light coming from your background (facing your back) this will overexpose the background, resulting in a backlit scene. This, in turn, will likely result in making you look like a silhouette. Concentrating your light source in front of you, not behind you, will fix this issue.

Matching Your Backdrop and Brand

Among the many video backdrop ideas, one of the best ones is to view your backdrop as an extension of your brand. You can use it to your advantage, making your brand stronger and having it embedded in the minds of the viewers. Consider adding your logo or business name somewhere in your backdrop.

Clothes Should Not Match the Backdrop

If the colors of your clothes match the backdrop, you might become, while not invisible, camouflaged. This could make it difficult for the viewer to see you on camera.

Use a Whiteboard to Your Advantage

Whiteboards can be a way to remind viewers to subscribe to your channel. You could also use a whiteboard to remind your audience of the video topic for that day.

Be Mindful of the Backdrop in General

Lighting, clothes, and branding all matter, but so does the actual video backdrop. A good brand can be created with tidiness and attention to detail in your backdrop, which includes implementing some of these video backdrop ideas.

Conclusion – Video Backdrop Ideas

Backdrops are ideal for any YouTube channel, as well as other applications like Zoom calls, both professional and casual. 

Backdrops can take a good video and make it better, a great video amazing and an otherwise unimpressive video call something to remember. Remember that a backdrop is as good as its setup and consistent usage to produce high-quality content.

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Morgan

Morgan is a recognized video marketing expert and content creator. She also runs a video production company and has a passion for teaching all things video.