Make your Web Video

What makes an effective Web Video?

What makes an effective Web Video? An effective web video combines high quality material with clear, interesting/inspiring message.Bigger is not better—make it short and sweet!Branding: Let people know who is behind the video.

Before You Get Started

Production Cycle

Production Cycle

Build your Technical InfrastructureBefore you start a project, you should know:How your camera and editing software worksWhat format you are shooting in 16:9 or 4:3?HD or Standard Definition?How your camera connects to your computerWhich video host(s) you will be posting toHow you will be hosting/distributing your video

Plan your TimeVideo is a work in time.Shooting time: give yourself at least a half hour before and after. Capture time: if you are using miniDV, this will be the same as as shoot time—otherwise much shorter.Editing time: Rule of thumb=1 hour per minute of finished video. Heavily edited video will take longer, presentations can take much less.Encoding time: can take as long as the final video or longer.Upload time:1min-1 hour, depending on internet connection and file size.

Styles of Digital StorytellingPromotionalFocuses on your organizationTypically involves interviews: someone explaining the organization, it’s history and it’s goals. Footage/photos of the Organization in ActionTip: Unless reading a voiceover, avoid having person talking read off of a script. Interview the person instead so that they have a more natural delivery.

Promotional

Styles of Digital StorytellingPersonal Narrative:Focuses on one or more people in your organization, or who your organization helps.Tip--Empathy is shown to decrease radically when dealing with more than one person. By telling one person’s story you bring the emotional effect home on an individual level.

Personal Narrative

Shoot

TechnologyChoosing the right video equipment:USB/Hard-Drive CamerasStore video in digital formatCan be used until full, but then have to be uploadedQuickly uploads to your computerLike any hard drive, files can get corruptedSD Card-Based CameraLike Hard drive cameras, but have replaceable mediaWith some you have to stop taping to switch cardsMiniDV CamerasStore digital video on a tape—Typically 1 hour to 80 Min LongTakes the same amount of time to capture as it did to tapeStores your original footage reliablyConnects using FirewirePC’s & MacsDo you have a Firewire Card?Getting & Installing one. DVD Cameras—Don’t do it!

To HD or Not HDTop reasons to get an HD Camera:You plan on screening your film in festivals or on an HD TV.You really like the way HD looks.Everyone else is doing it.Top Reasons not to get an HD Camera:Cheaper.HD does not work very well in low light settings.Some editing programs cannot handle HD.

AccessoriesBatteriesMake sure they are fully charged and bring extra!TripodIt’s very difficult to hold a camera still. Use your tripod!Also consider a mini tripod, monopod, or other stabilization device.CaseAlways use protection. Make sure that your case holds all of your accessories and media. MediaBring more than you need!

Choosing your equipmentTechnology is constantly evolving. If you’re not sure what to get, google some reviews. Go into stores that sell the cameras that interest you, and play with them. You don’t have to buy.When you know what you want, search online for the best price. I recommend buying from a store with a good reputation and solid return policy. (Check with the BBB)Once you get your camera, use it! Learn the menu, study the manual, experiment!

Cinematography Basics: LightingMake sure there is lot’s of light!!The camera’s “eye” requires more light than a human eye. Sunlight is much brighter than inside light, so if you have both sources on your subject, try to make sure that the sunlight is in front of, rather than behind them.BacklightingProper Lighting

Cinematography Basics: SoundUnfortunately, the cheaper cameras give little options about adjusting or monitoring sound as it is being recorded.Rules of thumb:If possible, try to stay between 2 and 10 feet of your subject.Make sure that your subject is facing the camera, with nothing obstructing their face.Try to minimize background noises, echoes, your own noises.Experiment with different sound environments.

Cinematography Basics: Framing Frame your shot.HeadroomTip: if the top of the head comes up to the bottom of “REC” on your camera, you have appropriate headspaceTalk-space aka “nose-room” aka “looking room”A person’s gaze has weight. Try to leave extra room on the side they are looking.

Cinematography Basics: FramingIf your subject is stationary, you may want to go for a close-up.If they are moving, you may want to go with a wider shot.Rule of thumb: make sure that your video does not “cut off” body parts at the joints. Make sure that you stay on your shot for at least 10 seconds.

Cinematography Basics: MovementSet up your shot and stick to it.The human eye has a tendency to “rove” around a scene. People tend to duplicate this with their cameras, zooming in and out, moving them around, etc..Try to keep zooming to a minimum. If you can, zoom in before you start shooting, and stay at that focal length. Remember that the more zoomed in you are, the more motion will show.Try to anticipate your subjects motion. If they are moving, move the camera a little bit ahead of them.

Presentation

EncodingOpen your editing programYou can use Windows Movie Maker on a Mac, iMovie on a PC, or a free editing program. (See my site for a list) Make sure that the settings on your project match your camera (HD/NTSC, 16:9/4:3)Attach your cameraIf you have a miniDV camera, select “capture” use the built in controls to play and record.If you have a hard drive camera, copy your footage to your computer first, then import it into your project.

EditingPreview MonitorStaging GroundTask BarTimeline

Materials UsedA RollStructured ContentSomeone talking/dialoguePerformanceB RollUnstructured contentFootage of people in actionEx: kids playing—people partyingStill ImagesVoice-OverTitlesMusic

Online ResourcesOnline ResourcesStock videoImagesMusicTip: Use music from local bands Go to my website for a list of online resources.

Copyright: What to useAbout Copyright infringement:Copyright infringement occurs when a person distributes, copies or incorporates (into their work) part or all of a copyrighted work (song, video, text, etc), without permission from the rights holder. (http://makeinternettv.org/license/copyright.php)Public DomainMaterial that has passed out of Copyright.Fair Use: CommentaryFair use is an important set of exceptions to copyright law. They make it legal for people like you to use parts, or sometimes all, of a copyrighted work for the purposes of: criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. (http://makeinternettv.org/license/copyright.php)Fair Use: IncidentalVideo makers often record copyrighted sounds and images when they are recording sequences in everyday settings. For instance, they may be filming a wedding dance where copyrighted music is playing, capturing the sight of a child learning to walk with a favorite tune playing in the background, or recording their own thoughts in a bedroom with copyrighted posters on the walls. Such copyrighted material is an audio-visual found object. In order to eliminate this incidentally or accidentally captured material, makers would have to avoid, alter, or falsify reality. (http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/resources/publications/fair_use_in_online_video/)

Copyright: What to useOriginal materialCreative CommonsA CC license helps you express safely and legally how you want your work to be used. Creative Commons offers six licenses ranging from very permissive…to more restrictive. (http://makeinternettv.org/license/cc.php) Using Other Peoples' Creative Commons WorksIf someone else has marked their music, art, or video as Creative Commons, you can use it without even asking them. Just make sure you follow the conditions of the license deed (the link to the license itself) and give them credit. This is why CC is so cool! (http://makeinternettv.org/license/cc.php)Crediting your sourcesAlways credit your sources. List the people who helped in your production. When in doubt, thank everybody!

Editing TipsFile Management:Keep all of your files together. Unless you are using imovie, your project file is actually a reference file. By storing all material in the same folder, you avoid loosing them.Save Early, Save often!Don’t use shots that last less than 4 secondsUse the rhythm of music to dictate the pace of your shotsUse simple, not cheesy transitionsShow don’t tell

EncodingThis is called different things, depending on your software. Ex.“Finish Movie” “Export”You want your video to come down to under 1 GB or 1000 MBIf using Windows MM, Use Quicktime Pro or a Free program to tweak

Where To Post Your VideoYouTube YouTube is by far the most popular of video sharing sites. The quality is not the best.You are limited to ten minutes of video.You give up some of your rights by posting (youtube reserves the right to use your video for any purpose—but probably won’t).Blip.tvGreat quality video, Multiple file typesCustomisable player, Your choice of copyright optionsOpt-in (or out) advertisingBuilt in cross publishing featuresA host of other features. Highly recommendedVimeoHigh definition option—looks really great.A great player.You give up some of your rights by posting (Vimeo reserves the right to use your video for any purpose—but probably won’t)HowcastFor Posting How-to videos

Cross PublishingOne way of making sure your video gets plenty of exposure online is to cross publish it to several sharing portals at once.There are a number of services that make this relatively easy, and allow you to post a single video to multiple sites without visiting them all each time. Initially you will need to set up accounts with the services you choose to publish with, but once this is done, you need never return.Two services that will help you to get your videos quickly posted across ten plus websites are:TubeMogul - which not only posts your video to a number of sites, but also lets you track its popularity and views from a single console. Hey!Spread, from the same people that bring you the excellent video conversion service Hey!Watch is another great way to get your videos quickly cross-posted. It has the added benefit of being able to convert and add a watermark to your videos in for the bargain. (Robin Good: http://www.masternewmedia.org/video_internet_television/internet-video-publishing-making/beginners-guide-to-web-video-20071226.htm)

Promoting Your Video Tagging When you upload your video, make sure you don't ignore the tag section of the upload form. Effectively tagging your video will really help people running a search to find your content. Think of tags as helpful pointers that help people to identify the contents of your work…The more descriptive tags you use, the better.Keyframe or thumbnail imageIf your video has a great "thumbnail" image - the frame of the video that appears in search results before the video is played - you'll have a much greater chance of getting it watched on YouTube and other services.Effective titling If your thumbnail and tags are well thought through, don't blow it by writing a useless title. Just as with blogging, your best shot at getting your video clicked on is to either tease your potential viewer or give them an accurate description of the contents of your video.(http://www.masternewmedia.org/video_internet_television/internet-video-publishing-making/beginners-guide-to-web-video-20071226.htm)

Now Go Make a Web Video!Or come back for my follow-up Workshops!