You’ve probably seen plenty of articles touting the marvels of online video. Video can be an extremely effective way to connect and share online. Just look at the success of Gary Vaynerchuk. He used his daily video show, WineLibraryTV to attract hundreds of thousands of fans and grow his wine business from $4 million to $50 million. It’s true! Just ask him. And there are many more like him.

Taking the plunge into online video is scary for a lot of people. Video has long been seen as a very complicated, expensive and mysterious process. That’s because back in the old days, before the Internet, before pocket video cameras, it was. If you wanted to create video, you had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment, have specialized skills that you probably learned in college, and have hours and hours of time to devote. It simply wasn’t accessible for the average person.

These days, most of us have at least one, if not more video cameras. We have web cams, flip cams, and cameras on our cell phones. Even our little point and shoot still cameras have video now. And the editing tools are plentiful too. Simple to use, free tools like iMovie (Mac) and Windows Movie Maker (PC) are standard equipment on your computer. So with all these tools available now, anyone can be a professional quality video maker, right? Well, not quite. Just have a look at YouTube and you’ll see that there’s still more bad video out there than good. Of course, the best way to make sure you have the best quality possible with your videos is to hire a pro (yes, shameless self promotion. : )

Unfortunately, for many small business owners on a budget, paying for a professional video company to produce simple web videos is not always an option. The good news is, there are some ways to experiment with DIY video in a low-cost, but effective way. But before you hit that record button, here are a few tips to give your videos a more professional edge. For the sake of brevity, let’s assume that the type of video you’re going to do is a “talking head” – so you, in front of the camera, talking or demonstrating something. In a later post, we can cover producing more complex videos with multiple shots if you like (let me know in the comments).

Turn on the Lights!

I can’t even count how many online videos are done by the glow of the computer screen. You know the type – grainy, underexposed shots of someone’s head, with the computer screen casting an alien-like blue light across their face. It just looks bad, and can definitely be a turn off to your viewers and prospects.

Video cameras are much less light-sensitive than our eyes. This means, in order to have a nice, clear image with good colour, cameras need plenty of light. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to go out and purchase Hollywood-style lighting for your office. But do turn on the lights. Try to avoid overhead lights though – they can cast weird, harsh, nose-enlargening shadows. Shooting your video in a room that has lots of natural light is best. Just make sure that you don’t shoot with your back to a window – unless you want to be a mysterious silhouette!

If you don’t have a lot of natural light available, then go to your local Swedish home decorating store and buy one of those $15 desk lamps. Place the lamp next to the camera, off to one side and point the bulb at your face (this works best if you’re within a few feet of the camera). Often that will be enough light to make a difference. If the background still looks too dark, get another lamp and put it behind you, and shine it across the wall./ Make sure you place it off to the side so it’s out of the shot and far enough away that it doesn’t create a bright spot in the camera frame.

Decent lighting is one of the most important things you can do to create good video. So turn on those lights and repeat after me – no more grainy video!

Turn up the Volume!

The other thing that makes a video seem unprofessional is bad audio. If the sound is too quiet, or so loud it’s distorted, or if there’s a bunch of background noise, it can be very distracting and take away from your message entirely. Invest in a decent quality microphone – there are plenty of USB mics out there that will plug right into your computer. The Snowball is a popular choice. If you’re shooting with a camera that has a mic input, get yourself a small bug, or lavalier mic that you can clip on your lapel. One other option is to use a digital audio recorder, like the spiffy Zoom H4n. It has an extremely sensitive microphone and can plug right into your computer or camera.

When you’re ready to record, make sure you try to reduce or eliminate as much background noise as possible. This means, turning off any loud fans (furnace fans, hard drive fans, etc.) and locking up the pets and the kids and the spouses for a few minutes. If you can, listen on headphones before you record. Microphones can pick up sounds our ears don’t always hear. So hear what your microphone hears, and then you’ll know that it sounds okay.

Practice makes Perfect

Presenting to the camera well is a lot harder than it looks. The pros make it look easy, but when suddenly you’re staring down the lens of this cold, inanimate camera, it can feel quite strange. It’s easy to freeze up, and seem sort of stiff and rehearsed. The only way to really overcome this is to practice. Everyone hates seeing themselves on camera and hearing their own voice for the first time. But stick with it, and you’ll get used to it (notice I didn’t say you’ll ever love it!).

Try not to read off a screen, it will be really obvious that you’re reading. Instead, think of it like giving a presentation. Make notes and think about what you’re going to say ahead of time. Then practice it, as many times as you need to in order for it to feel comfortable. I can’t stress enough, you will feel REALLY weird at first. Your inner voice will tell you that you sound and look ridiculous. But keep trying, and that inner voice will eventually quiet. Play your video back and see how you can improve it. Maybe you say “um” too much (a common problem). Maybe you’re babbling, or not being clear enough. Keep trying.

Talking to a camera takes practice, but persevere. You’ll get there!

Video can be a fun, interesting and inexpensive way to connect and share with your audience. Why not give it a try, and post a link to your video in the comments?

[photo by louisvolant]

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It’s funny, you know…there was a time that I can remember (because I’m sort of old), when one didn’t have to ever worry about appearing in front of a video camera if they didn’t want to. It was easy to be camera shy, because not that many people had cameras to stick in your face.

Nowadays, video cameras are everywhere. I’m looking around me right now and I count six, just in my office alone (ok, I know, I’m a TV producer, but even if I wasn’t I’d probably have at least 3!) No matter where you go, you can pretty much see someone shooting video in some fashion or another. And now, more than ever, people want to point that camera at you. You may even be thinking about trying to point the camera at yourself. Video is part of our culture now, and it’s one of the most effective ways to capture stories.

The problem is, if you’re camera shy, the entire thought of going in front of a camera is enough to make you cringe (and possibly run screaming from the room).

So what’s a camera shy future Internet maven to do? Well, after 20 years or so in the video business, I can tell you I’ve pretty well seen it all when it comes to getting nervous in front of the camera. And I can also tell you that there most definitely IS a cure for camera shyness. It does take some effort, but if you want to overcome, following these tips, as a start, can help.

Look the Part
Oh, I’m probably going to get an earful for this one. But honestly, if you want to feel more confident about how you look in front of the camera, you have to pay some attention to how you look…in front of the camera. Now, I’m not saying you need to bust out the Just for Men, or start wearing crimson lipstick when cosmetics aren’t your thing. But being comfortable in front of the camera means you need to be comfortable with how you look. So, comb your hair (or mess it up, if that’s what you do). Wear clothes that fit you well and that you’re comfortable wearing. Make sure the colours look good on you, and avoid anything with loud patterns or fine stripes, as these can be distracting. Don’t go overboard on jewellery – simple is best (in other words, leave the bling in your jewellery box). And most importantly, sit up straight, and smile.

How to Talk to a Camera
Don’t let anyone fool you – it’s really hard to stare down the lens of the camera and just “act natural” on the first go. The first few times you do it, you’ll likely feel like a complete goof. After all, you’re talking to an inanimate object.

The best way to get used to talking directly into a camera is to look right through that little black circle of lens, and imagine that on the other side of it is one of the nicest, friendliest people you know. Get a clear picture of that person in your head. Now just imagine you are talking ONLY to that person. Forget who else might see this video, or who may be listening in live. Just focus on talking to that one person.

If you practice with this, you’ll soon find that every time you have to talk into the camera, you’ll feel like you’re just chatting with your best friend, and your audience will feel your warmth and energy. It may not happen immediately, but just imagine that friendly face, and it will get easier.

How to Be Interviewed
Of course, even if you don’t ever get to the point where you’re talking into the camera, there’s always a chance someone will want to interview you. This can be just as nerve-wracking as staring down the lens. Fear of stumbling or not knowing how to answer a question are the biggest reasons people become a jumble of nerves when being interviewed. There are a couple of ways to become more confident in an interview.

Preparation is key. Try to find out in advance what the subject of the interview will be (even if you just have a few words with the interviewer off camera a couple of minutes beforehand). Don’t ask what the specific questions will be, but ask the interviewer what kinds of things they’d like you to talk about. Then take a few minutes to collect your thoughts, or find any details you may need. Then, when the interview starts, just treat it like a conversation.

Also, when you’re asked a question, try not to say just “yes”, or “no”. Elaborate as much as possible. Make eye contact with the interviewer. If they’re good, they will give you subtle cues, like a head nod or a blink, to let you know you’re on the right track. Don’t ramble on too long. If you feel like you’re babbling, wrap it up and let the interviewer move to the next question.

Practice Makes Perfect
Like anything, being comfortable in front of the camera takes practice. If you want to overcome the nerves, then you just have to get in front of the camera as much as possible. The best thing you can do is practice recording yourself. Record a bit of you talking on any topic you want, and then play it back and critique yourself. The first time you see yourself on camera you will definitely cringe. Your voice will sound funny and you’ll notice that cowlick in your hair for the first time. But the more you see yourself, the more used to it you’ll get, and the better you’ll get at presenting yourself. Practice doing interviews with a friend or colleague. Interview each other then play it back and give each other feedback. It’s the simplest and best way to get your story down and get comfortable with having that kind of conversation.

If you’re in any way involved in new media, chances are you’ll eventually be put in front of a camera. By taking a few simple steps and of course, practicing, you’ll feel more comfortable as time goes on. Who knows, you might even start to enjoy it!

[photo credit: cake_face on Flickr]

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First things first. For those of you who weren’t old enough to watch prime time TV dramas in the 80s, go read up on “Who Shot J.R.”, then come back.

For the rest of us, November 21st was the 30th anniversary of the airing of that now famous episode of Dallas. At that time, it was the highest rated series finale of all time, with an estimated 83,000,000 viewers. In other words, “everyone” watched it. The suspense was incredible, the speculation fierce. People bought T-Shirts by the thousands that said “Who Shot J.R?” and “I Shot J.R.”. People placed bets on who pulled the trigger. It was the water cooler conversation of the summer.

It was the 1980′s equivalent of viral.

The Who Shot J.R. record was smashed in 1983, by the season finale of M*A*S*H, which got an estimated 105.3 million viewers. That episode still remains the most watched TV episode of all time. Advertisers paid $450,000 for a 30 second television commercial during the M*A*S*H broadcast (close to $1 million in today’s prices.) (Source: Advertising Age).

My husband and I were discussing the phenomena of huge TV ratings last night, and he brought up an excellent point. Mainstream TV will be hard pressed to ever achieve these numbers again. M*A*S*H may very well keep that record. Online media has diluted the viewership, and time-shifting, PVRs and digital downloads of TV shows have all made it more difficult to measure actual viewership.

Let’s face it – by YouTube standards, M*A*S*H’s numbers are pretty low. Justin Bieber’s video “Baby”, at the time of this posting has 391,277,874 views. 105 million seems like chump change compared to that. I could get into a whole thing about advertising rates on YouTube in comparison to mainstream TV, but I will leave that to the marketing experts.

Rather, I want to talk about the content and the viewers and what these kinds of trends mean to you as a content creator.

There’s a point when it’s about the eyeballs.
I’ve never watched the Justin Bieber video. In fact, I’ve never heard a Justin Bieber song, and I intend to keep it that way as long as possible. But, that hasn’t stopped 345 million other people from watching it. In this case, it’s not even about the content. I’m sure lots of non-Bieber fans have watched the video, just to see what all the fuss is about.

Videos do not always go viral because of their content. Sure, Double Rainbow was kind of funny, and odd, but at a certain point, people just watched because they were curious. They heard about it from a friend who heard about it from a friend and so on. They almost HAD to watch it, just to make sure they were in the loop around the water cooler on Monday.

Does this mean you should post fluff content in an effort to win over more eyeballs? Of course not. Substance always wins. Why? Because Justin Bieber and Double Rainbow Guy are flash in the pan. In 5 years, The Biebs’ voice will have changed and no one will care. Double Rainbow Guy, well, he’s already pretty much a has-been. You, on the other hand, if you’re still cranking out good stuff in 5 years? You’ll still be here, and probably doing better than ever.

Viewers are a fickle bunch.
I know, because I am one. One day, I’ll think Iron Chef is the best show on TV. Then I will proceed to not watch it for 6 months, because something else has grabbed my interest, and I only have so much time in my week to consume TV.

Blog posts can be like that. Sometimes, I’ll slave away, carefully crafting a piece that I think is fantastic….and hardly anyone will read it, or comment. Other days, I’ll whiz something off in 10 minutes, post it, and be overwhelmed by the response. Am I accusing my readers of being fickle? Perhaps, but that’s okay – we are all pulled in 1000 different directions nowadays by content and information. Fickleness is about the only way one can really navigate out here. I’m not taking it personally, and neither should you.

Just because you post things that nobody notices, doesn’t mean you should stop doing it. Plenty of TV shows and movies have been made that have flopped. In fact, more TV shows and movies DON’T succeed than do. It’s okay to have a floppy post. I have lots of flops that I am still terribly proud of.

Don’t let others’ distracted ways hold you back from continuing to express yourself. Just keep doing it.

Like “Who Shot J.R”, maybe you’ll end up on a T-Shirt someday, and maybe millions of people will know who you are. Or maybe you will only make your Dad, your Aunt Alice, your husband or your kids proud. Either way, keep loving the work that you do, and keep doing it to the best of your ability.

You may not have all the eyeballs in the world seeing your stuff – but then again, is that really the most important thing?

[Source for all TV rating numbers is Wikipedia]

[Photo credit: stewf on Flickr]

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I’m reading Daniel H. Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future”. In it, Pink presents some really compelling reasons why we are moving out of the Information Age of the last half of the 20th century and into the Conceptual Age, where success is going to be less based on “book smarts” or left-brained thinking and more based on high concept, high touch right-brained skills like design and creative writing.

This excellent book ties in nicely to some recent observations I’ve made.

We have three co-op students working with us right now, they attend Algonquin College’s Interactive Multimedia Developer program. In addition, we have a video editor/shooter freelancing with us, he is a recent grad of the Television Broadcasting Program at Loyalist College. Coincidentally, I am a graduate of both programs. I graduated in 1990 from the TV Broadcasting Program and 1997 from the Multimedia Program. Aside from tremendously dating myself with that claim, the comparison between where I was at upon graduation from these courses and where these guys are at is quite remarkable.

The work that these recent grads are able to produce is impressive, to say the least. They design, shoot and edit like people who have been in the business for years, and their work ethic is terrific. They take initiative and are excellent problem solvers. I would have no issue with leaving them in a room full of clients to represent us.

I’ve been wondering what is so different about these guys. Why did I seem so unprepared when I graduated from college? And the other day it dawned on me. These young guys were born in the late 1980s. When computers and the internet started to get popular in 1996-98, these kids were only about 10 years old. That means that they have been using computers and the Internet for a large portion of their lives. They are of the generation that learned about web site design in high school. And, they have probably always had access to some sort of video recording equipment, be it their parents’ Handycam or a camera at their high school.

By comparison, my first computer course was offered when I was in 10th grade, and it was pretty useless (BASIC programming and WordPerfect version 1.2). Personal video cameras in those days cost about $2000 and weren’t really marketed to the average consumer. Serious hobbyists like my Dad were the only ones that bought them, which was fortunate for me as a budding TV producer at the ripe old age of 15. My brother first showed me the Internet in 1996, when I was 26 years old and had already had 1 career under my belt.

My point is, young people today are FAR more experienced with technology by the time they hit college because they have been dealing with it their whole lives. These days, college really only serves to streamline their knowledge, give them some practice and issue them a piece of paper – still good things to have, but definitely a different spin than when I was in college.

What does this mean as an employer? When I graduated from TV school there was NO WAY I would have gotten any more than a gofer job at a network TV station. Nowadays, students are graduating from college and jumping right in to decent entry level jobs at good agencies doing real design, development and production work. Why? Because the average college graduate, at 22 years of age, probably already has 10 or 12 years of experience working with computers, designing their own web sites and making their own videos. As time goes on, this trend will become even more obvious. Why? because I expect my 7 year old nephew to start making his own web site any day – and he’s already a better cameraperson than me.

It’s not just the Conceptual Age, people…it’s the Conceptual Generation.

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This is a great article from mediacollege.com containing tips and techniques on how to interview people well. A good resource for anyone doing interviews for podcasts, documentaries or other media projects.

If there’s anything I’ve learned after 18 years of producing media in various forms, it’s that a good interview can make or break a piece. I’ve worked with some super-talented on-air people over the years and I learned almost everything I know about interviewing from them. Why? Because they were able to quickly establish a rapport with their subjects and draw out precisely the information that was needed for the piece.

These techniques are not difficult to learn, but they are crucial to the success of your projects.

Anyone have a great interviewing tip they want to share? Please comment!

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