Communication Tip: Low Cost Video for your Website

Therese Frare

More and more websites are using video now, due to fast connection speeds, lower cost production  for video, and more sophisticated web users who have come to expect video on the web.  So how can you add video to your organization’s website? 

 Pre-Production

• Ask yourself: What is the intent of the video? What is the idea you want to express? What strategic messages and phrases do you want to include? What locations, people, sound and tools do you need?
• Who is the audience?  What action do you want them to take?
• Plan your story to have a beginning, middle and end. (2-3 minutes is suggested.)
• Storyboarding: use post-it notes to make your shot list and rearrange the post-its as needed.  This will help you visualize which shots can be made in the same locations.
• Decide if you want to use video only, or combine video and still photography.  You can also use only stills and suggest movement by zooming in or panning across the image.

Shooting

• Use a lightweight tripod to avoid camera shake and uneven lines. Get tight shots, mid-shots and wide shots for visual variety.
• Cameras vary from low-cost, ultra-compact video cameras, to larger camcorders.  For the web, the lower cost cameras are fine, although they do have less creative controls.
• Use plain backgrounds for interviews and be aware of the background for all shots.
• Be mindful of the lighting.  Diffuse window lighting or photographic accessory lighting is good for interviews. For outdoor shooting, avoid hard shadows.
• Put camera at eye-level of person speaking.
• Use basic photographic skills for composition and cropping.

Sound

• Get good sound and use a lavalier (lapel) microphone when doing interviews. The Kodak Zi8 camera is an ultra-compact camera that accepts an external microphone.  This is a better solution to the Flip video camera, which does not accept an external mic.
• Microphones come in a wide variety of prices and capabilities.  For low to mid range production, try the Sony ECM-DS70P or the Audio Technica ATR series.
• For cue cards, if needed, use large poster boards with text.
• If you are interviewing ask open-ended (not yes or no) questions.

Music & Voice Over

• You can find voice over talent online at many sites, including Provoice USA.
• You can purchase music online at many sites, including Royalty Free Music and Pond 5. You can also use programs like Apple’s Garage Band to record your own music.
• Be aware that music, lyrics or recordings are copyrighted by their owner and it is an infringement of copyright law to use licensed material in your uploaded video.  YouTube uses technology to ID audio fingerprints and they may mute your audio, if your video uses any music or sound licensed to another person.

Editing/Post-Production

• Lay down your video and still photography shots in order based on your storyboard for a rough edit.
• Recommended editing programs include: Apple Final Cut Express, Adobe Premier or Sony Vegas.
• Fine tune your edit by using straight cuts or use dissolves to show the passage of time. These two types of edits are all you need.
• Insert graphics and titles.
• Review. Revise. Repeat.

Upload

• Upload the video to your website using YouTube, or work with your web provider in discussing other server options.
• Use social media (email, Facebook, Twitter) to tell your audience that you have posted a new video.

For more information on how to add video to your website, contact IlluminAge.