Timelapse Tips and Tricks

May 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In our recent Media for Hire episode, you saw the amazing (well, pretty cool at least) transformation of our office. While we are pretty quick here at 12 Stars Media, it did take us a bit longer than 2 minutes to completely re-arrange the office, hang artwork, and build a cabinet (even with the instructions).

Timelapse photography is a way to show something in a short time, that would normally take hours, days, weeks, even years to view at its normal pace.

Believe it or not, you don’t really need any special equipment to do a basic timelapse. To get started, simply place a camcorder (flip camera, iPhone, or any other video capture device) on a tripod and hit record. Once the event is over, just speed the footage up in post production and voila!

And that is how a basic timelapse is done. You can also use a still-photo camera to capture super high resolution images to do a “pan and scan” where you digitally move around the frame to highlight different things. The only extra piece of equipment you’d need is an intervalometer - some cameras even have this feature built in to their settings.

Timelapses are just like everthing else in photography and videography – eveyone has their own solutions and work-arounds – just find what works best for you.

If you enjoy watching timelapse and want to learn more about it, check out Tom Lowe over at TimeScapes.org, he recently released a feature length film featuring his astro-timelapse photography.

Also, for a nifty behind the scenes, check out how it took the BBC two years to complete a 60 second timelapse for the TV series “Life.”

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How To Make A Whiteboard Video

February 13, 2012 By 9 Comments

Last week we highlighted a few examples of companies employing a “non-sales” video marketing strategy – videos that seek to entertain or inform, but not necessarily push a specific product or service that the company has to offer.

One of the examples we showed was a whiteboard video from SEOMoz, an SEO SaaS firm:

Whiteboard videos are an informal and strangely captivating way of explaining concepts or systems. Simply put, a whiteboard video consists of nothing more than a person standing in front of a whiteboard and sketching a visualization of what he or she is trying to explain, without the help of expensive animation or CGI. You’ve probably seen several variations online or on TV:


We’ve had several readers ask how to achieve the look of a whiteboard video on camera, so in this post we’re going to cover the technical aspects of creating your own whiteboard video.

Lighting

Lighting is easily the most difficult aspect of a good whiteboard video. There are several challenges that you will have to overcome. If you light too much from the front, your speaker will cast a shadow on the board. You also run the risk of throwing a glare onto the whiteboard, since whiteboards typically have a glossy coat. Since a whiteboard is already white, less is more. Starting with a darkened room:

  1. Light the speaker first. Use a large, front-facing light with a soft box or diffuser on it.
  2. Light the board next. With just the speaker lit from the front, he or she is probably casting a shadow on the board. To remove this and illuminate the board, place a light on the top-left and top-right corners of the board, right up against the wall. Have them point down towards the board, illuminating the space between the speaker and the board. This should eliminate any shadows.

If you’re limited on lighting solutions, be sure to use a well lit room. Avoid any open windows as sunlight can cast a glare on the board or alter the color temperature of the shot. If you have any floor lamps (especially with adjustable arms), arrange them in the corners of the room between your speaker and the whiteboard. Vellum paper over the fixture makes a great diffuser in a pinch.

Framing

There are two stylistic elements that you’ll see in almost every whiteboard video on the internet. The first is a locked-down camera. You can see in the above examples that the camera is mounted on a tripod and never moves. The second element is the framing of the whiteboard relative to the speaker. It’s important that the boarders or edges of the whiteboard are not visible. This gives the visual illusion that the speaker is infront of a seemingly endless whiteboard. You can also see in the above examples that the speaker is generally seen from the waist up, and has a lot of horizontal space to move around. Be sure that you have a large enough whiteboard, and enough space between your mounted camera and the whiteboard to achieve optimal framing. A GorillaPod placed on a tabletop a few feet away from your whiteboard should do the trick, in lieu of a tripod.

Audio

Since the on-camera speaker is going to be switching back and forth between looking at the camera and the board, getting consistent audio off a microphone that is attached to the camera will be difficult. To avoid any muddle audio, make sure your speaker only speaks when facing the camera, and doesn’t speak when facing to the side or towards the board. For optimal audio, have your speaker wear a microphone on their lapel, like a wireless lavalier mic. If your camera doesn’t have a microphone input, you could use a second audio recording device and match the recording with the video later in editing.

Producing a whiteboard video can require some pro equipment to get the best possible quality. 12 Stars Media’s full-service video production can deliver, but if you follow some of the tips outline above you should come out with a pretty good video. What examples of whiteboard videos have you seen?

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The Best Way to Play Video in a Presentation

November 6, 2011 By 17 Comments

Video is a great way to spice up a boring, stale slideshow presentation. Business development professionals can add credibility to a pitch by playing a customer testimonial, and fundraisers can show the real impact of a donation when making an appeal to a potential donor.

In the years that I’ve worked in video and marketing, I’ve completely lost count of how many times someone has asked me “Can you show me how to embed this video in a PowerPoint?” My answer, since discovering Prezi, has been “No.”

What is Prezi?

Prezi is a cloud-based presentation tool that differs from PowerPoint (and Keynote) in a few ways. With Prezi, you aren’t bound to individual “slides.” Instead, you are free to create groupings of information on a virtual 2.5D canvas that you can traverse linearly and non-linearly. The result is a more visually engaging experience for the viewer.

Where Prezi really shines is how it integrates video.

The Problem With PowerPoint

Because PowerPoint does not exist on the cloud – meaning that the presentation files (and the media it references) exist on your local machine. This shortfall, coupled with the clunky interface required to embed a video in a presentation, can spell disaster for a non-technical person making the biggest presentation of their life.

PowerPoint allows you to display a video in one of two ways: import and embed.

With import, you insert the video file in the same way you might insert a still image or a logo. The problem here is that HD video files are huge. Since PowerPoint does not exist on the cloud, the file size of the presentation itself will vastly increase due to the import of the video file. You’ve probably seen a 500mb PowerPoint file. You also have to constantly worry about the file format of your video. Will it take an .mov? An .mpeg? .flv? What a nightmare!

Embedding solves this problem, but it’s complicated. PowerPoint lets you paste in embed code from YouTube, in the same manner that you would embed the code on your blog. Again, a non-technical person may not be up to the multiple steps and pitfalls this presents. This also requires you to have an internet connection during the presentation, since PowerPoint references whatever website you are embedding the video from.

So how is Prezi different?

In a word: usability.

With Prezi, you have the same two options as PowerPoint: import or embed. Both can be done with two or three mouse-clicks:

Since Prezi exists on the cloud, your “imported” video gets uploaded to the cloud as well – no more worrying about the file size of your presentation (as long as you plan on displaying via the cloud as well!) Prezi also allows you to download the presentation file for off-line display. It compresses it into an executable Flash file, so the file size is minimal, even with an HD video embedded.

Notice how both actions are labeled with their own button? Embedding from YouTube is a breeze – just copy and paste the video url:

Pretty slick, huh?

Now, even though this workflow is simple, Prezi does come with a bit of a learning curve. However, the time invested pays dividends, beyond just video integration.

Watch how Rocky Walls utilizes Prezi (with video!) in this presentation at a recent Indy Social Media Breakfast:

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IDS Shares Tips About Preparing Your Fulfillment Center for the Holiday Rush

September 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Each week we select one video as a Candi Nominee out of all videos produced by our Candidio Producers. This week’s video is by IDS (Integrated Distribution Services). In the video, Mike DeFabis and his team share tips about preparing your fulfillment center for holiday order rush.

We asked IDS a few questions about producing this video. Here’s what they had to say.

Q) What was the purpose of this video?

A) After viewing this video we wanted our audience to take away tips that they could use in their fulfillment operations during this holiday season because we like to position ourselves as experts on fulfillment services not just sales people.


Q) What was your favorite part about producing this video?

A) The best part about producing this video was being able to go up in a “man-up” to take the high shots of the warehouse. Marketing people generally don’t get to play around with the fun equipment in the warehouse!


Q) What did you learn from producing this video that could help other Candidio Producers?

A) After producing this video we learned that it is always good to be prepared. We had to do 2 takes on a couple of the shots because we were not prepared with the points we wanted to get across. We strive to make our videos as genuine as possible, but that does not mean you should not at least know your key points.

Check back next week for another Candi Nominee!

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Three Questions You Must Ask In a Web Video Interview

September 5, 2011 By 1 Comment

We have previously talked about how you can get the most out of your video interview - simple ways in which to prepare and conduct an interview on video. Hopefully by the time you sit down with your interviewee, you’ve prepared an outline or specific questions you want to ask based on the goal of the video. Regardless of the production, there are three questions that you should always include that will help you get started, get good content, and finish strong.

  • “So, what’s your background?”

Whenever I am producing a video, I know that I almost never use footage or content from the first few questions. The reason is that the interviewee is just getting warmed up. They’re getting used to being on camera, getting used to you (who they are probably meeting for the first time). Interviewees can be nervous and closed off. Asking them one or two softball questions that have little to do with the actual purpose of the video will loosen them up and get them comfortable with you. Keep this in mind as you put together the order of your questions. To get started, try: “So, how did you get started in this industry?” or “How do you usually start your day here at (company x)?” If you can feel your interviewee getting more comfortable as you go along, don’t be afraid to re-ask a question from earlier in the interview.

  • “What did you mean by that?”

A key to achieving a great video interview is to put yourself in the shoes of someone who is learning about this subject for the very first time. It’s more than likely that you, the interviewer, will be, so listen for industry terms or concepts that the interviewee may mention in passing without fully explaining. Don’t be afraid to ask “What is that?” or “Can you explain that thing you mentioned earlier?” It will help change the interview into a conversation, because content will flow organically as opposed to just going down a list of questions and taking whatever responses you get.

The Video Interview

  • “Is there anything else you would like to say that we didn’t talk about?”
It is possible that your subject will end with a heartfelt response – something they were itching to say but didn’t get a chance to. It’s more likely, however, that they will fill in a gap or touch on something that you missed as an interviewer. Unless you are an expert on the subject matter, you’re going to miss something. It’s also possible that the interviewee has realized he misspoke, mischaracterized, or underexplained a concept, and it’s nagging at them. Asking them if there is anything else will let them dictate whether the interview is over, which can change how they feel about the production as it moves towards completion.
Framing your interview around these key questions can make a world of difference in not only the content of the video but also the attitude in which its conveyed.
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Advanced YouTube Tips – Custom Embedding

April 11, 2011 By 8 Comments

In the last of our series of advanced YouTube tips, we’re going to outline how to customize your embed code to beautify your player, add or remove functionality, and optimize overall viewer experience.

After your favorite video company has edited your video, it’s time to put it on your website or blog. When you hit the “Embed” button right below your video on YouTube, you’re given a few default options:

HTTPS is the secure counterpart to HTTP. This is typically used to provide enhanced privacy and security for services like web browsing, e-mail and instant messaging. You can check it if you want, but it may prohibit some users from seeing the video.

Enabling privacy-enhanced mode will prevent YouTube from placing a cookie on the viewers’ browser history.

If you check “Play in HD” your viewer’s load time may increase slightly.

By default, “use old embed code” will be checked. The following custom codes will only work with the old embed code. Check out this blog from Michael for more info about the new embed code.

Custom Embedding

A typical embed code will look like this:

<object width=”640″ height=”390″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rbUUBT0Gveo?fs=1&”></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rbUUBT0Gveo?fs=1&”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”640″ height=”390″></embed></object>

This code gives the following result:

 

There are a number of additional codes that you can put at the end of the youtube.com/ url within the embed code (look for the “&”):

Turn off Title & Ratings - &showinfo=0

Turn on Related Videos - &rel=1

Turn on AutoPlay - &autoplay=1 (don’t unless you have a silent video that appears above the fold)

Loop Playback - &loop=1

Remove Full Screen Option - &fs=0

You can also change the dimensions manually by simply inputting whatever values you would like. Keep in mind you will have to do it twice, as the dimensions appear twice in the embed code. The videos in this post display at 640×390. No matter what values you input, YouTube will always maintain your aspect ratio – you will have black bars at the tops or sides if you do not input a scalable dimension that matches either 4:3 or 16:9. Note: if you’re shooting with a Flip, your native footage will always be 16:9.

Let’s put these codes into action. My favorite, in particular, is to turn off the Title and Ratings, since it covers up some of the video content. Let’s add that line of code to the default embed code from above:

<object width=”640″ height=”390″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rbUUBT0Gveo?fs=&showinfo=0“></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rbUUBT0Gveo?fs=&showinfo=0“application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”640″ height=”390″></embed></object>

Compare this to the original embedded video – notice how the titles at the top are gone?

Keep in mind you will have to add the code twice, because each embed code contains an instance of the url twice.

Experiment with these codes to get a player that best suits your needs!

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How to Shoot BRoll – 4 Tips to Capturing the Shot

March 21, 2011 By 5 Comments

In our last post we talked about best practices for shooting an interview on video. Now that you have your interview (which you should always do first) it’s time to collect your BRoll.

So what is BRoll? Well, BRoll is anything that isn’t your interview (ARoll). For all you You Do Video folks, if you’re shooting video around your store or office, showing off your products or quality of service, you’re capturing BRoll.

Why should you shoot your interview first? Well, you’ll need to capture the appropriate BRoll that matches what your interviewee talked about!

The quality of your BRoll is as important as the quality of your interview. Your BRoll will bring your organization to life in ways that only video can. Here are a few tips that will ensure you capture dynamic and engaging BRoll, that both looks good and is fun to edit (which the 12 Stars Production Team will appreciate).

Get Close

One of the biggest mistakes you can make while shooting BRoll is timidness. The easiest thing in the world is to hang back and shoot everything from afar (what’s called a wide or medium shot). GET IN THERE! Get close. Get in people’s faces. Put your camera right up close to your subject. Show people an angle that they might not ever see in real life.

Get High and Low

If you can, find a way to get a bird’s eye view of whatever you’re shooting.

After you do that, plop down on the ground and point the camera upward.

Get Moving

If you don’t move the camera, you might as well just take still photographs, because it won’t be interesting. If you’re in a coffee shop, follow the waitress as she moves from the cappuccino machine to the eager patron at their table. If you’re in a factory, follow the product as it moves down the conveyer belt. If you’re feeling especially brave, set the camera down on something that moves and let it go!

If you’re the type who doesn’t have a steady hand, consider investing in a monopod. These are very affordable (typically around $30) and can make a huge difference in the quality of your shot.

Steven loves his monopod!

Get Sound

Don’t forget that when you’re capturing video, you’re not only capturing sight but also sound. Good sound can really bring your production to life, especially if you’re shooting in an environment that has a lot of rich, natural sound – like a coffee shop, restaurant, repair shop or assembly line. No one likes a silent picture slideshow, so make it a point to record the organic sound happening around you. Don’t be afraid to ask an employee or patron to make some noise! They will be more than happy to oblige.

When capturing your BRoll, make a checklist in your mind: Do I have a wide shot? Do I have a close up? Did I move the camera on this object? If yes, move on to your next shot. This will ensure that you capture a varied library of footage. Remember, it’s better to overshoot than to not have enough to edit with!

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How to Shoot a Video Interview – 4 Tips to Compose the Shot

March 12, 2011 By 19 Comments

An interview is the cornerstone of any good video production. Not only can the quality of the story make or break the video, but so can the visual presentation.

Here are 4 basic guidelines for preparing the composition of an interview:

  • Avoid shooting into a window

      • When positioning your interviewee, you should never put them in front of a window if you can avoid it. Even on overcast days, the amount of light coming in through the window will over the light inside the room. This causes an effect called “backlighting,” where the background will appear bright, but the front – specifically the face – of the interviewee will be very dark: 

      Poor Leah – we can’t see her at all!

    Avoid shooting right up against a wall

      Often what makes an interview visually striking is what is happening around and behind the subject. Besides running the risk of casting shadows, placing your interviewee directly up against a wall effectively prohibits you from taking advantage of what is called “selective focus.” 

      You have probably seen photographs or scenes on TV and in film where a person is on screen and the background behind them appears blurry or out of focus. Selective focus makes your subject really pop on screen and draws the attention of the viewer.

      When a subject is shot right up against a wall or background, the entire plane of sight appears in-focus, making it difficult for the viewer to focus on one thing.

      A good rule of thumb is to get your camera as close as you can to the subject, and the background as far behind your subject as possible. When looking at the room you’re shooting in, mentally divide it in half and make sure you, your camera and your subject are all on one side of the room:

      Notice how there is plenty of space behind the subject.

      Compare that to:

      Or:

      If you’re shooting indoors, position yourself as far towards the back of the room with your interviewee right in front of you. This will ensure that a lot space will exist between the back of your subject and the wall behind them. Obviously it’s best to find a deep and narrow space if possible. Try to compose interesting visuals behind the subject, such as an arrangement of flowers or objects that signify the message or values being conveyed in the story. Anything is more aesthetically pleasing than a plain, white wall!

      In this example, Rocky and Zach do a really good job of picking a visually pleasing background that lends itself to the production. They were also careful to leave plenty of space between the rear wall and the back of the interviewee.

      Once you master this technique, your videos will really stand out from the rest.

    Make sure the room is well lit

      If you’re a video newbie or a “You Do Video” client, you probably don’t have access to professional lighting equipment. Typically newer HD cameras, and especially Flip cameras, operate very well in natural light. If you’re interviewing inside, turn on the fixtures and/or lamps in the room. Fluorescent lights tend to give off a cooler, blue/pink toned light, while incandescent bulbs tend to have a warmer, yellow/orange tone. Sunlight, believe it or not, actually gives off a blue-toned light.
      Don’t be afraid to experiment with multiple light sources.
      Keep in mind that using overhead lighting exclusively can give your interviewee what’s called a “raccoon” effect, where dark circles appear around the eyes. If it is daytime, feel free to open the curtains or blinds – just make sure that the window (or any other light source) isn’t behind your interviewee!

    Use the “Rule of 3rds”

      When positioning, or “framing” your interviewee, try to position them either left or right of center. 

      Ideally, the left or right vertical on this diagram should split the face of your subject right down the center.

      Among other things, this allows your background to stand out. Sometimes the setting of your interview can help tell the story, so don’t limit yourself. Placing your subject directly in the center can give the appearance of a police mugshot, especially if they are speaking directly into the camera.

      Notice the use of the rule of 3rds in this 12 Stars Media production. Chantelle, the interviewee, is positioned to the right of center, and is speaking to the interviewer who is seated opposite her. Notice also that the background behind her is slightly out of focus.

      Also, if you do a good job achieving selective focus, the space behind and around your subject won’t be overpowering and will instead frame the interviewee.

    Certainly there will be times when violating one or more of these guidelines will be unavoidable, due to space constraints, mobility issue or plain old bad luck.  However, with a little practice and careful planning, even a newbie can achieve a professional look in every video.

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