Creating Video for the Web – Examples, Strategies, and Pitfalls

by vergenewmedia on March 12, 2010 · View Comments

This is my livelihood

I come from a tradition where creating video requires expertise.  The web has changed that, both for traditional media and emerging, evolving media.  Now that we’re all brands and we are all the media, McLuhan’s “the medium is the message” rings true more than ever before.

In simpler times, when web video pioneers like Casey McKinnon, Zadi Diaz, Steve Garfield, Amanda Congdon, Justin Kownacki and Jay Dedman were trailblazing an upstart path to this new brand of storytelling.  Few knew just how disruptive these simple, honest, first person stories would be to the worlds of media and technology.  Years later we see an explosive growth in web video.  But as more an more videos are created for the web, how do you – as a media maker or a brand – make your video stand out.. in a good way?  There is enough crappy video out there already.  Before adding to the noise, take some time to learn how to do it right.  This blog post does NOT attempt to do that.  I can’t encapsulate everything that I’ve come to imprint on my brain as instinct into a single post.  I will provide some perspective,  some resources, and some examples of good and bad web video.

The State of Web Video Today

Recently released comScore data shows the continued growth in the  consumption of online videos.

..nearly 173 million U.S. Internet users watched online video during the month. U.S. Internet users watched 32.4 billion videos in January.. -comScore

The proliferation of inexpensive production tools, simple to use, free distribution platforms combined with Cisco’s recent announcement of their new routing system all point to  continued rise in web video.

Cisco’s CEO John Chambers said the CRS-3 Carrier Routing System is aimed at the huge growth in video on the Internet, a trend that has also caused slowdowns. – from a report by Kara Swisher, All Things Digital

Cisco, interestingly, is a company very big into videoblogging.

Good Video vs. Bad Video

Folks like Michael Rosenblum have long preached, much to the chagrin of the broadcast TV cameraman, that small high quality cameras and laptop based editing will usher in a new era of solo, video journalists.  The origin of this revolution is pre-web, but but smaller tools like the Flip camera and platforms like YouTube, have mainstreamed video as a communication tool.  And as much as it imperils my career, I have to admit there is some quality, engaging video work being done out there.  Still, some will embark on a video marketing or other storytelling project with no experience, or at best a “bootcamp” under their belts, and the results will be disastrous.

Quality – let’s talk about quality for a bit.  To me, quality, especially when using smaller, simpler tools, comes from the authenticity of the message.  Take a look at this very compelling video by Chris Brogan.  Chris walks us out of his building very early in the morning, clearly exhausted, talking about what it takes to be an “Overnight Success” (New York Times best-selling author and #1 on the AdAge Power150 blogs).  I know those early hours and short turnarounds so this video resonated with me.  Plus I just loved the cinematic quality of the long tracking shot.

To Chris, video is about making a personal connection.

But it really opened up a feeling that I’ve yet to tap since, which is that very personal interaction between lens and you.  I use video to make a personal connection so that people see me in 3 dimensions and not just read my blog. – Chris Brogan

Now take a look at this video produced by TurnHere for custom printing house Hello Lucky.  This video has a much higher level of production value or “polish” than Chris’ video, but still maintains authenticity as a fine example of marketing cum storytelling.

Tools

Both of these cameras are valid storytelling tools

I’m not going to get into makes and models, or some technical discussion about the merits of the Flip over the Kodak Zi8.  Anyone who truly understands the medium can tell compelling stories regardless of the tools used.  See that little Canon Powershot camera I’m holding in the picture?  Well it shoots video as well as stills.  I used it to shoot this video of A Day in the Life of the White House Press Corps.

Next Steps

Before you decide to embark on any kind of video project, ask yourself the following.

  • Can this information better be conveyed by text or audio?
  • Is this simple enough to do myself or should I consult with a professional?
  • Will the video I produce represent me or my brand well?
  • Does my video need to be live or recorded?

Underestimating the complexity of video – whether it’s the nuance of the grammar of film, challenging lighting and audio issues, or the respect for your audience’s time and attention – is a sure way leave a very bad first impression.  Please don’t add to the din of crappy video out there.

Resources and Further Reading

an exhaustive online video resource for business

Friend and fellow media maker Steve Garfield has been called the first videoblogger.  Over the years he’s been at the forefront of web video,  advising companies and encouraging everyday folk to apply best practices as they create content for the web.  He has amassed is experience into a very exhaustive survey of online video strategies calledGet Seen: Online Video Secrets to Building Your Business (The New Rules of Social Media)
It’s well worth checking out if your serious about creating and distributing web video.

B-roll.net – The Professional Camera Crews’ Forum (Check out the tips&tricks section)

Creative Cow – Support Community for Media Professionals

Video Branding Strategies

How to Make a Great Web Video

Important Note

The motivation for this entry here was a blog post by communications consultant Steve Lubetkin.  What set HIM off were some really poorly done videos from last years PRSA International Conference in San Diego.  The videos are gone now, but Steve describes the shortcomings very well in his post

Hope This Helps

I wanted to show some examples of how folks were doing web video right.  I think we all know that there is some really bad video out there.  What are your experiences with creating video for the web?  What makes a compelling video?  I allow links in my comments so feel free to show off your productions.

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Tagged as: Flip, Flip Camera, Kodak Zi8, video, video blog, video marketing, videoblogging

{ 181 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

2 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

3 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

4 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

5 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

6 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

7 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

8 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

9 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

10 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

11 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

12 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

13 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

14 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

15 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

16 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

17 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

18 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

19 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

20 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

21 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

22 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

23 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

24 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

25 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

26 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

27 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

28 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

29 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

30 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

31 Craig Daniel July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am

Thanks. You are definitely more pragmatic than most production pros I’ve met. On thing I should have noted above is that we’re not trying to solve every video a business needs to make, we’re just trying to solve the simpler formats like event promotion, product demos, customer testimonials, etc. Many of our customers bring in a pro when they do their homepage video.

Reply   More from author

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