11 tips for creating better online video
This post is by SmartBrief contributing editor Kaukab Jhumra Smith.
Videos that are going to be viewed primarily online or on mobile screens must be created differently than those watched on TV, says Mary Coffman, a broadcast journalism professor at Northwestern University’s Medill News Service.
Coffman, who also leads video-training sessions at the National Press Club, offers the following tips:
- Pick the right story. Make sure your story features a persuasive central character and vivid visuals.
- Get the best sound possible. “One of the most important aspects of the video story is the audio,” Coffman says. “People will put up with lousy video on the Web, but they will not put up with lousy audio.” Avoid scratchy, static-filled or muffled sound by using a camera with a good built-in microphone. Get as close to the sound as possible and use an external mike if you must stay farther away.
- Use a tripod. “You don’t want your shots to be shaky,” Coffman says. “Having a tripod makes all the difference.” She recommends an inexpensive tabletop tripod in addition to a traditionally sized one.
- Channel the moment. Capture details — such as a person’s jiggling foot or the natural sounds around you — to let online viewers experience what you saw and heard when you were there.
- Shoot sequences. A sequence shows the way things happen, Coffman explains. Shooting a combination of tight close-ups, medium shots (from the head to the waist) and wide shots will help your editing later. “When you’re editing, you don’t want to go from a tight shot to a tight shot of the same person or scene,” Coffman says. “You want to have a wide shot and then go tighter on the scene.”
- Avoid extremely wide shots. “Keep in mind the size of monitors people use to watch your video,” Coffman says. Extremely wide shots may look fine on big TV screens, but they pack in too much information for little screens.
- Don’t pan or zoom. “Too much movement online tends to make your video jerky and jittery,” Coffman advises. “Panning or zooming works better on TV than on a little computer screen or a mobile screen.” Instead of zooming in, move with your body -– as long as you can hold the camera steady –- or let the action happen within your frame.
- Hold each shot for 10 seconds. You may not use all 10 seconds, but having that footage will help you find five clean seconds of good footage when you’re editing. “Newbies don’t hold their shots long enough,” Coffman says. “Get the shot and count to 10, and then get another shot.”
- Don’t rush through editing. “Look at what you’ve got,” Coffman says. “Don’t just pick the first shots; look for the best.” The shots you pick will dictate how you write your script.
- Match your sound to your video. “Write to your video,” Coffman said. “If you’re writing narration, pictures are going to trump your words each time.”
- Keep it short. Your videos should be less than two minutes long. If you must have a longer piece, Coffman recommends breaking it into two-minute chapters. That way, interested viewers can simply click on the next chapter to keep going.
What are some things you’ve learned the hard way when making videos for the Web? Tell us what’s worked for you and what you still struggle with.
Image credit: cybrain via iStockphoto
Posted by SmartBlog On Social Media » 11 tips for creating better online video | Video Converter on July 26th, 2010 at 10:48 am
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Posted by Marta Daniels on July 26th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Thanks for the great tips! Some of them are a bit impractical for amateurs with a zero budget like myself, as in tripods. But I can really utilize some of this. Thanks! God bless!
Posted by Espressomedic on July 26th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Marta – If you have a flip camera or such you can get a tripod from Amazon for about $25. Great suggestions!
Posted by Espressomedic on July 26th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Try Amazon – IF you want an inexpensive Tripod you can find a decent one for $25 – we did…
Posted by Strategic Online Networking » How to Tuesday! 7/27/2010 on July 26th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
[...] How to create better online video [...]
Posted by Mary Coffman on July 27th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Thanks for sharing my top video tips. There's another video storytelling workshop at the National Press Club this Friday and Saturday.
Video Storytelling Workshop
July 30, 2010 8:30 AM
Library
Location: Bloomberg Center for Electronic Journalism
A two-part series for reporters or Web producers will focus on adding a video component to stories. The classes are July 30 and 31. Costs vary and must be paid in advance. Cameras will be provided; see details below.
The sessions will offer practical tips for producing video, whether you're using a Flip camera, an iPhone or more sophisticated video equipment.
The primary instructor is media trainer/coach Mary Coffman, associate professor of broadcast and video storytelling at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She will evaluate different kinds of video storytelling, including ways to tell stories without narration and teach the skills needed to master each technique.
The sessions can be taken as series or as individual classes and will be held in the Bloomberg Center for Electronic Journalism on the 13th floor.
Friday, July 30, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
$60 for NPC members or $100 for this session plus July 31. Non-member rate is $120 per class, $200 for both.
This session will offer hands-on tips for shooting video with various equipment. Topics include framing and composition; tips on shooting video in different circumstances; tips for getting good audio; and shooting exercises. Coffman will critique participants' video.
Saturday, July 31, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
$60 for NPC members or $100 for this session plus July 30. Non-member rate is $120 per class, $200 for both.
This session will offer hands-on training for editing video on Adobe Premier. Topics include tips for editing video; sequencing shots; and using appropriate transitions. Coffman will critique participants' edited video.
The editing will take place on the laptops provided by the Eric Friedheim National Journalism Library. Bring video that you shot.
To register, please contact Nicole Nottingham at nnottingham@press.org or 202- 662-7523.
Contact
Nicole Nottingham
202-662-7523
nnottingham@press.org
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Posted by Mary Coffman on July 27th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Forgot to put a link to my website http://coffmanmediatraining.com
Check it out.
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Posted by McKenna Ewen on July 27th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Nice list. Not sure I agree with number six. I think wide shots have very important (yes, even on the web). Transitioning between close ups and medium shots can only get you so far. Oftentimes wide shots can tell you much more about the scene and are necessary for shot variety. I think it would be a mistake to ignore wide shots because of the web's "little boxes," especially since video quality will continue to improve.
Posted by Chris Anderson on July 27th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Think about video distribution too! You can create a nice video, but you want people to watch the video as well.
Be time relevant (live stream) and easy to find (VSEO)! For more tips, go to http://www.yayastream.com
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Posted by Zen Cart Experts on July 27th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Video is such a great medium for the web. If you have an eCommerce site, then use video to showoff your products. It works a treat and customers love it!
Posted by Kim Manney on July 28th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I agree. wide shots help set the stage and give context to the video. I variety of both shots that are well placed and carefully sequenced lend credibility to your message.
Posted by Kim Manney on July 28th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Don't forget to place your message online where your target audience is most likely to visit. Teens are a no-brainer-Face Book and You Tube! Look for Directories in your market. For seniors, connect your site and video to as many directories as possible. Looking for business professionals, connect to Linked-In.
Also, pay a little bit for paid positioning of your message." If you spend money to make the message, invest in distributing it!"
Posted by Shoot better online video : Kaukab Jhumra Smith on July 29th, 2010 at 10:55 am
[...] out more tips on online video-making from broadcast journalism instructor Mary Coffman in my latest post for the SmartBlog for Social [...]
Posted by Heather Rast on August 5th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
I've been shooting support videos for my employer for a few months now. I started with a standard Flip cam but moved up to a Cannon (both are Hi-Def) because it offers more control over white balance. If a speaker is standing in front of a large screen showing a PowerPoint, for instance, it can be a challenge to get both to look good (the screen acts as a light source and can "blow out"). Another caution is to really experiment with background or intro/fade-out music. A track that sounds totally different when played in context to your video (think of the brand it represents) than it does when browsing a site of mp3's.
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Posted by Notes / Overview « Media for Web on August 25th, 2010 at 7:11 am
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Posted by Kenneth Forrest on September 2nd, 2010 at 8:49 am
Thanks for the great information that led to the better understanding on how to create online videos. I like the way you elaborate things. I clearly understand what you are talking about. Nice one!
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Posted by Neil on September 16th, 2010 at 2:56 am
@Heather Rast
There are a couple of solutions to filming a presentation. One is to use two cameras on the shoot, one on the speaker the other on the slides. If it's a very long presentation i.e. more than one tape long, then you need to stagger the start of the tapes so that you can change the tape in one camera while filming with the other. Then use compositing in your edit app – it needs two video tracks.
Another option if you are stuck with one camera is to film the speaker only, ignore the slides. Get a copy of the slides and export as a .mov video. I'm sure powerpoint can do this, Keynote from Apple certainly can. Import both into your multi-video track editing package and use compositing techniques between the two.
I am not sure about the two minute rule. Video duration has increased as broadband speeds have increased and full length TV shows are now perfectly acceptable as a length on the web – iTunes and BBC's iPlayer and many other places refer.
But what you can't do is have a single fixed camera head and shoulder shot for more than a few seconds.
@Annette – welcome to the world of editing ; )
Posted by Chris Fowler on September 23rd, 2010 at 6:06 am
Great post on how to create a supporting video, a very welcome addition to any presentation skills training event
Posted by Viral Notebook » Lights. Camera. Action! Creating video to enhance instruction on March 18th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
[...] you have a plan and know the details, the next thing to consider is the video process. There are a lot of details that go into the process such as using a tripod, avoiding wide [...]
Posted by Mark on July 13th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
As a high school journalism teacher, I've found the most difficult thing to get students to do is to plan what they're going to do before going out to shoot. Planning can include looking at a program of events to jotting down a rough outline to follow. Shooting from the hip makes for more difficult editing into a coherent program. (A second thing is to bring along decent lighting, but that's a different story.)
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Posted by nbrach on August 31st, 2011 at 9:58 am
Thank you for this additional information.
Power Point slides can be saved as any image file, and I have imported them into MovieMaker many times. These are the only current options for our students at the present time. Many 2.0 applications are blocked, and we are a PC school. Sigh.