Tag Archives: Video

Simple tips for scripting great video products

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The information and related articles below are useful ideas on how to set up a script. Tell a story and plan properly to be efficient and save time.

A storyboard for an eight-minute animated cartoon.

A storyboard for an eight-minute animated cartoon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

Simple tips for scripting great video products

When you finish the research for your video product, it’s time to start the script. Don’t let the research drag on too long. Many people fall into the trap of thinking that they need to go on gathering information before they can begin to write a script. This is one of the deadliest forms of procrastination; we feel like we’re working all the time, but when the day is over we haven’t gotten anything done.

The only way to avoid this trap is by setting deadlines. Establish a clear time frame for your research. It’s always good to give yourself not quite enough time to get the job done-then start writing the script. During the scripting process, you will make new connections that show you how to enrich the script by adding to it or taking away from it. Invariably I find myself needing to do new research in the middle of a script as new ideas push their way to the surface.

The more I work at this, the less up-front time I spend researching a project-I know that the scripting process will trigger new insights that call for new research as discoveries are made, so how do I know what to research before I get it all down on paper? The bolder I become as a writer and project developer, the less time I spend on research before I write a first draft of my script.

People with little experience in business-and I’m talking about any business, not just video production-believe in the myth that good decisions are based on facts. All successful entrepreneurs and business people know that good decisions are based on opinions. Start with a hunch based on experience and intuition, then apply your skill and ability to develop that concept into a script. The best time to research your facts is after you’ve finished a first draft of your script.

Depending on the type of video you decide to create, you may want to write a storyboard along with your final script. A storyboard is a visual representation, drawing by drawing, of what the key scenes in your video will look like. A storyboard helps you see the whole video in your mind before you shoot it, and it is one of the best ways to trigger your creativity. Cartoons and animated films use very detailed storyboards, of course, and many directors of live action also use storyboards.

If you are planning to hire the services of a production company to create your video, make sure to work closely with them during the planning process. If you are creating a how-to or motivational video in your area of expertise, you are the best person to write the script. Concentrate on getting your ideas on paper and then work with the production company to arrive at a final script.

One last tip: Use humor whenever the script allows for it. Laughter is one of the best ways to connect to your audience and build a bond of trust.

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The unlimited potential of video products

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2015-02-05-151029header

 

Theunlimited potential of video products

Video publishing is one of the easiest ways to create a product for sale on the Internet, and it can be a very profitable business. Even though it’s easier to publish a book than ever before, it’s possible to create a video product in a fraction of the time required to create a book.

When you consider the amount of time it takes for a book by a new author to be accepted by a publisher, edited, manufactured, distributed, and marketed, several years can go by before authors see any revenue for all their hard work. Self-publishing is a good alternative for authors to consider, but the production and marketing costs can be very high. The creation of video products for sale on the Internet is a much easier way to generate a revenue stream.

The art of video publishing
If you’re already convinced that the creation of video products is a powerful Internet marketing tool to drive traffic and sales, here are some important questions to consider before you jump into the production process:

Are you a good communicator? Can you tell a story? Can you explain how to do something in simple terms? Do you have specialized knowledge that can be turned into a product that gives value to customers? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you have all the knowledge and experience you need to create a video product that can generate a nice revenue stream. It takes experienced authors from six months to a year to write a book, but even first-time video producers can plan, script, film, and edit a professional-quality video product in six weeks.

Who will shoot your video? If you have a webcam with a built-in microphone, you already have experience shooting home videos. If you don’t have a webcam, you can probably partner with someone who has a lot of experience.

Who will edit your video? Even a 15-minute video can take several hours to edit professionally. If you’ve been practicing with home videos, now is the time to show your skills on the Internet. If you’ve never edited before, you can find someone to look at your raw footage and teach you how to do some simple editing, which will improve the quality of the finished video product enormously. Video companies generally charge from $50 to $100 an hour, depending on the effects you want edited into your product.

The power of video products on the Worldwide Web
Video podcasting and vlogging are tools that offer unlimited potential for increasing traffic to your web site or blog and for creating revenue streams through the sale of video products. Individual video content producers can create revenues streams from successful videos that last for years. One video publisher I checked out has produced almost 30 videos that have given the producer a monthly income between $8,000 and $10,000 dollars for over four years. This video publisher reports that most of these videos are still selling-and not one has lost money.

Why rehearsing is important in video product creation

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English: A view of the Rome Campus theater fro...

English: A view of the Rome Campus theater from the audience looking onto the stage, with student actors rehearsing, Spring 2002 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This article shows what is important when you are setting up even the samllest of videos and presentations. Without rehearing properly the results will seem vague and unprofessional.

Even if you’re only planning to create a 30-second video clip to post on YouTube, never underestimate the power of rehearsal. Rehearsing gets the actors relaxed enough to be themselves, or to take on the specific personalities called for in the script. If you plan to be the host or demonstrator of your own motivational or do-it-yourself video, rehearsing will let you become comfortable in front of the camera. If you have decided to create a how-to video, the hardest task is learning how to be yourself in front of a camera. Rehearsing is the best way to get over your nervousness and connect to your audience effectively.

Rehearse in different ways to find out which style of delivery works best for your project. Talk as you move and stand on the set, sit and talk, talk as you show how to do something, and talk in a voice over as your actors demonstrate how something is done. And remember: Whatever type of video product you decide to create, it’s important to make sure you have good lighting and plenty of space. Rehearse in different types of lighting to see what works best, and move around the set to make sure you have enough space.

When hosts stand or move on the set as they talk to an audience, they can transmit great energy and power to viewers. A host will sit and talk to create a laid-back atmosphere that encourages the audience to relax and feel at home. Just think about the most popular programs on television. What is the difference between a great host and an average host?

All great hosts stand as they deliver an opening monologue to an audience. They know how to use their hands, and they know how to keep their bodies poised to communicate exactly what they want their audience to remember. The best way to create great-selling video products is to study popular hosts and powerful speakers. Learn from them, imitate their techniques, and practice in front of a camera.

Ask your friends to give you their honest feedback. Were you convincing in the video? Did you connect to your audience? Did they stay focused on what you were saying? The most important question to ask your “focus group” of friends and family members is: What message did they get from your video? What do they think you’re trying to say? What are viewers motivated to do after seeing your video? Answers to these questions are the best measure of the effectiveness of your video product.

Most of us are in for a shock the first time we carry out this experiment. We think we have covered a topic completely, only to find that our audience cannot say with certainty what that topic is. Leave your pride out of it and you’ll be on your way to learning how to create great video products. Listen to your customers and potential customers. Listen to their feedback. Ask for suggestions about how to be a more effective host or speaker. Practice, practice, and keep on practicing.

Related articles and some alternative views

Enhanced by ZemantaThe advice here is far from new and has beeen repeated many times. Nevertheless it is still evergreen and valid advice.

 

 

What to weigh up when choosing a production company for your video product

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English: Analytical balance type EG from produ...

English: Analytical balance type EG from production company Kern Česky: Analytické předvážky, EG firmy Kern (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to choose a production company for your video product

The tools for creating a video product are so inexpensive today that anyone can be a producer and broadcaster. If you’re serious about producing videos to generate additional revenue streams for your Internet business, or if you’re planning to launch an Internet site dedicated to the sale of video products, you need to learn how to do as much of the work as you can. Video production can be very rewarding and enjoyable work. On the other hand, if you have decided to outsource the development and production of your video product, there are many production companies online and in your area with talented and experienced personnel.

I have successfully completed several video products with production companies. Working with industry professionals has been a wonderful learning experience for me, and I have found that people who work on your projects are happy to teach you what they know. To quote a price for your video product, the production company will need to know the following:

* What is the target audience?
* Do you need to use on-camera actors or will you record voice overs?
* Will you write your own script, or will you outsource it to the production company?
* How many locations will you have?
* What is the length of the video?
* Do you need animations or graphics added to your video product?

The production company will provide the crew for your video. The crew for a simple video will include a producer, camera operator, and a sound technician. For small projects the producer will double as director, and for the simplest projects a one-man company can take care of all the aspects of creating and producing your video product. If you plan to create a more sophisticated video with on-camera talent, you will need a production assistant, lighting directors, make-up artists, and possibly other technicians.

Make sure that the production company can complete the entire production project; your video will cost more if you hire one company to produce it and another company to edit it. As with any outsourced project, you will want to get quotes from several different companies. It’s important to do the planning before you talk to the production company-they can’t give you a quote without a clear idea of the scope of the project.

Here are the questions you should ask production companies:

* What type of productions do you specialize in?
* Do you have experience in the type of product I’m planning to create?
* What will I need to contribute to the project?

The production company may need to schedule and coordinate different phases of the project with you or someone else from your company. Share your vision with the production company when you talk to them the first time. Good producers are experts in the technical aspects of production, but great producers are also passionate about the projects they work on. When you find a production company that can get excited about the vision for your video project, you need look no further.

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How to get started in the business of video product creation

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How to get started in the business of video product creation

Television is moving online. In the last year Internet TV has grabbed the attention of the biggest media corporations in the world. Disney has entered into a partnership with Brightcove and the BBC has partnered with YouTube. And this is just the beginning-what you see today is the tip of an iceberg that will keep on growing for years to come.

Anyone can be famous, as the promo for Cisco’s “Human Network” campaign says. Anyone can be a producer today, and that’s only half of it-anyone can be a broadcaster of video content on the Worldwide Web. Video sharing sites like YouTube have created a sort of producing frenzy in the video world, and to be honest about it, there is an enormous amount of junk online. But don’t let that turn you against the medium. New technologies and new business models make it surprisingly easy for companies and individuals to market and deliver video products on the Internet today.

Even if you have experience with video product creation in traditional formats like video cassettes, CDs, and DVDs, you may not be fully aware of how new tools available on the Internet can take your business to the next level. Here are some tips on how to get started:

* Don’t quit your day job-you don’t have to in order to test products on a web site. Some of the fastest growing sites on the Internet today were launched by people who had full-time jobs. They entered the market gradually by testing sales of new products and services on the Internet. When they were convinced that a niche market was there to sustain them, they plunged into the Internet business full time. Your numbers will tell you when to quit your day job.

* One of the best ways to build a niche market is by selling video products on the Internet. Look at the types of videos that other people are selling. Which ones would you want to buy? Which ones add something of value to your life? Look around. When you find something you like, go ahead and buy it. If you have never purchased a video download on the Internet, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is. This is important preparation for you as a future marketer of online video products.

* The video you just purchased may be the best investment you ever make. Watch it from the point of view of a customer. Did you get your money’s worth? Would you buy another video product from the same site? If you aren’t completely satisfied, can you get a refund? Then watch the video from the point of view of a creator of video products. Why does this video work? How does it connect to my experience? And if the video falls flat on its face, why doesn’t it work? Why doesn’t it connect to me as a viewer?

As you provide answers to these questions, you will start to discover concepts that can be developed into your own video products for sale on the Internet. When you’re ready, all you need is a webcam, a computer, and a connection to the Internet.

How to get started as an online video publisher

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This is an article I found on how to make a start in video maketing. Aimed at the people who want to make videos and get them published.

If you haven’t heard about the revolution going on in the world of Internet video publishing, you’ve probably been living in a cave for the past year. Video sharing is the hottest thing on the Worldwide Web today. Brightcove.com is making a strong bid to build the platform for the next generation of video sites, and it’s a great place to get started as a publisher of online video products. Brightcove has great tools for driving traffic to your video channel and boosting sales:

Create revenue streams on Brightcove from video downloads: You can sell and rent video downloads on the Brightcove.com and directly on your web site. Brightcove takes care of payment processing and live customer support. You control the terms of use and the price of each download product, of course, and keep 70% of the revenue generated from your sales. A tracking tool lets you monitor how your channel is performing on the Internet. You can measure your viewers and video streams on your affiliate sites as well as on your own web site. This tool also tracks your earnings from sales and rentals.

Be a live broadcaster of video products: Your channel appears automatically on Brightcove.com, making it easy for customers to find and buy your video downloads. As a broadcaster of video products, you can use Brightcove to build a community of users around your niche market. You can encourage your viewers to share your videos by enabling email links ands setting up subscriptions to video feeds. At all stages of the process you control how viewers share your videos-or if they can share them at all. This allows you to market content virally if you choose.

Video syndication to other web sites: Brightcove lets you create and manage your relationships with affiliates who want to syndicate your video products. You retain full control over programming and branding. Brightcove has entered into a partnership with AOL Video that creates an additional option for content distribution-as a Brightcove user, you can distribute paid downloads of your video products through AOL Video. The AOL platform lets you sell your video downloads directly to the huge audience at AOL.com.

Advertisers want to underwrite Internet video content: Online video publishers are generating significant revenue streams. Popular vlogs make money by selling subscriptions to users, by offering paid download content, and by attracting sponsors who want to enter into partnerships with creators of popular video products. Brightcove gives even free users the opportunity to earn advertising revenue from their video content. Newly launched channels are reviewed for inclusion in the Brightcove Ad Network. If your channel is included, you receive half of all the advertising revenue. Even if no ads run on your content, you still get free Brightcove service.

Brightcove’s customers already include Newsweek, Sony, Discovery Network, and the Tribeca Film Festival. Brightcove is one of the most exciting developments on the Worldwide Web today. You can stay informed of the latest developments in Internet TV by visiting their blog at http://blog.brightcove.com.

 

Hope you enjoyed it and can get some “takeaways”.

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How to create great video products

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How to create great video products

In the last year we have seen an explosion in the online video market. Try these tips if you want to create great video products for sale on the Internet:

You’ll be more successful if you show how to solve a problem. Forget about trying to impress people. Forget about trying to look good. Be natural, be yourself, and show people how you solved a problem in your own life. Then give your viewers tips for applying these lessons and strategies to their lives.

Focus on action. Always think about action-about what you want your audience to do. Then build your video around that action. As the Roman statesman Cato said, “Find the message first and the words will follow.”
Failure is the result of a lack of focus. To be effective-for people to remember your message-focus on a single power point and present it as truthfully and as entertainingly as you can, rather than presenting a series of topics in a single video product.

The power of structure

Keep this basic structure in mind as you create your video product:

* Start with a powerful, attention-grabbing lead. Clearly state your theme in the first minute.
* Use smooth transitions to link one segment to another.
* Use action verbs. Change verbs in passive voice to active verbs. Keep adjectives and adverbs to a minimum.
* Give viewers a few suggestions to help them apply what they’ve learned to their lives.
* Be yourself. Use short words and sentences. If you’re stuck and you don’t know what to say next, explain it the way you would to your best friend or spouse.
* Connect with your audience. Wrap everything in human terms-make it something your next-door neighbor can relate to.
* Finish with a satisfying conclusion that reemphasizes your theme.

When you have an idea for your video, you’ll know it’s the right one if you can answer “yes” to each of the following questions:

* Does this need to be done? Am I the right person to do it? Can I see the world from the point of view of my audience? Can I think their thoughts?
* Can the market I’m targeting understand my video? Can I express the idea better in half the time? Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “Perfection is attained, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
* Does the idea hold together from start to finish? Does it move smoothly? Does the video make sense as a whole rather than just as the sum of its parts?
* Am I willing to say what I think is true, no matter what?

Now you’re ready to create a great video product. As you develop your video, keep this checklist handy at all times. It will let you know what elements in your video product need more work, and it will let you know when your video is ready to be distributed and sold on the Internet.

How to create great inspirational video products

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How to create great inspirational video products

The revolution in Internet video has been triggered by video sharing sites like YouTube, where amateur content producers have the same power to broadcast their products as major media corporations. Individual content producers and Internet marketers are connected to potential customers as never before. “Welcome to a network where anyone can be famous,” says the voice over in the Cisco promotional campaign. “Welcome to the Human Network.”

All right, so now you’re convinced that you need to create video products for sale on the Internet, but you don’t have any ideas. Where do you get ideas for concepts that can be turned into video products that customers will want to pay money for?

The best ideas come from your own experience. If you know how to do something that can add value to someone’s life, you have a concept for a video product that can generate a revenue stream on the Internet for many years. If you have ever solved a problem that vexes other people, you have the material for an inspirational or motivational video that can generate revenue over and over again through your web site.

If you are confronted with a problem today, you have an opportunity to create a video product that can earn revenue on the Internet for years. Think about a problem you had with a product or service. Can it be improved? Can you think of a way to help people do something better, faster, or cheaper? Any of these questions can be the starting point for developing a concept for a successful how-to video.

To see what I’m talking about, check out Sanders Says (www.sanderssays.typepad.com). Tim Sanders is a marketing and product development expert who hosts this advice blog that concentrates on business and relationship management. Tim has developed video projects for clients at Yahoo (and at broadcast.com, before it was acquired by Yahoo).

Visit Tim’s site and listen as he tells the story of Paul Galvin. Paul was a hard-working man from a small town who wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. In fact, Paul learned early in life that wisdom is born from mistakes-his first three business efforts ended in failure. You have never heard of the first three businesses that Paul Galvin founded, but everyone has heard of the fourth one: Paul called his new venture “Motorola.” The rest is history; the company founded by the man who refused to give up gave birth to everything from wireless phones to one of the earliest computer chips.

Tim Sanders is a wonderful storyteller, and he uses this story to illustrate how great leaders inspired others. (You can also find this video on YouTube: just type “Paul Galvin story” in the search window on the YouTube home page.)

As the story of Paul Galvin illustrates, all great leaders inspire. Think of stories you can tell to inspire people. Use these concepts to create video products and start to reach a bigger customer base for your Internet business today.

Why you need to focus on video product creation

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This is something I came across that explains the attitude you need to have when creating videos.
This image was selected as a picture of the we...

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Why you need to focus on video product creation

It’s easier than ever to create a video product for sale on the Internet. All right, I know you can’t compete with the big media corporations if your dream is to produce the next Lord of the Rings Trilogy. (In that case, your goal should be to get a job at a production studio and work your way up.)

But creation and distribution of online video products has become so easy-and so economical-that anyone with an Internet connection can become a broadcaster of video content for the Worldwide Web. (The faster your server connection, the better-a broadband connection is ideal for uploading video content to the Internet.)

As an Internet marketer, you need to be aware of what you can achieve by creating video products for sale on the Internet:
* The sale of video products lets you launch an online business with a minimum cash investment.
* If a video product is unsuccessful, it’s easy to pull it off the market without running up losses-you don’t have to invest in inventory to launch an Internet video business.

Find a vision for your video product. The keys to creating a successful video product are the same as the keys to success in any business venture: establish priorities and stay focused on your goal. Your vision must be to create a video product that adds something of value to your customers’ lives. Inspirational videos and how-to videos accomplish this goal-one of these areas is a good place to start. Keep these simple tips in mind as you start to develop a video product for sale on the Internet:

Focus on your strengths. Find one thing that you do well and build your video around it. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to fix your weaknesses-we all have them. Successful people spend most of their time doing what they do best-they concentrate on their strengths.

Stay in touch with your customers. Businesses fail when they stop listening to what their customers are saying. Always approach your video business as a system that needs to be constantly improved to maintain your advantage over the competition. Stay focused on your customers. Concentrate on creating a video product that adds something of value to their lives.

Test the market. You don’t have to quit your day job to start creating video products to sell on the Internet. Most people think that great companies are established by entrepreneurs who risked everything to test a business idea. The truth is that many successful Internet entrepreneurs launch and test their business systems without quitting their jobs. You can create a video product without leaving your job, test the market on your web site or blog, and tweak the business system until the profits tell you when to plunge into the new business full time. Your chances of success can be greatly increased by making a gradual entry into an Internet video business.

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How the Worldwide Web empowers producers of video content

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English: Mark Schulze, Videographer and Direct...

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This is an artice I have found that  shows how the Worldwide Web empowers producers of video content. You may like this.

The cost of creating video products has come down enormously in the last few years. Internet technologies like video podcasting let you sell downloadable content without the need to produce your own cassettes, CDs, or DVDs, and without the need to maintain an expensive inventory. The Internet has made it possible for anyone with a computer, a few simple tools, and a broadband connection to be a creator and broadcaster of video products.

The best thing about the creation of video products in today’s market is that you don’t need a huge capital investment to get started. You can produce high-quality video products with a consumer-level camcorder. And if the only recording device you own is your new Bluetooth video phone, you can get started with that.

There’s a growing online market for video products
There will always be a healthy online market for instructional and inspirational video products. It’s a mistake to think that individuals cannot compete with big media corporations in the areas of production, distribution, and marketing of video products-the audience for Internet video is growing so fast that there simply isn’t enough material online to satisfy the tremendous demand. The explosion of video sharing sites like YouTube is evidence of how fast the market is growing. In fact, amateur producers of video content already share space on YouTube with professional content from media giants like CBS and BBC.

Many of these large corporations hesitate to put their expensive resources to work on small projects that require highly specialized knowledge. That’s where you come in-if you can identify an area where you are the right person to provide informational content to a niche market, you will find customers for your video product on the Internet.

Add something of value to your customers’ lives
What you need to understand is this: Your profit depends on producing valuable information-not on the overall viewing experience, as is the case with feature-length films and commercial television productions. Your customers won’t care about your packaging if you deliver high-quality content. In fact, delivering video content on the Internet even lets you do away with the packaging completely. This allows you to focus all your energy on creating and marketing the best product possible. Your customers will appreciate the added value in your video products that your increased focus brings.

If your goal is to produce the best video ever made on the subject of cabinet-making or gardening, for instance, you can compete with any studio in the world. People will do almost anything to find meaning and rise above the limits of their ordinary lives. Connect with your viewers on a human level, give them insights for getting more out of a career or a hobby, and they will come back to your Internet site often.

If you choose your topic well and approach it with passion and focus, you can achieve a level of sales that lets you turn video production into the core of your Internet marketing efforts.

I think the idea of focus and a clear passion for what you do will always energize a person and help them succeed.

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