Shooting Web video: How to put your readers at the scene. As anyone who’s ever watched a great documentary knows, stories told in video can be amazingly powerful.
And as anyone who has sat through home movies knows, they can be mind-numbingly boring as well. If you’re a freelance writer, a blogger or an independent journalist with a story to tell in video, there are steps you can take to make sure your story tilts more toward the powerful than the sleep-inducing. (See Sonya Doctorian’s video essays for RockyMountainNews.com.) The story First, it’s about content. Online Video Tips. Home Video Tips. The idea of shooting “home video” is certainly evolving – with video equipment getting cheaper, and new (free) video hosting networks coming out of the digital woodwork every day.
I shoot most, if not all, of my videos from home – although I wouldn’t consider them home videos (in the traditional sense of the word). The good news is that sites like YouTube are forcing people to keep their video recordings short – a lesson which should be learned by anybody armed with a camcorder. In other words: IF IT’S OVER TEN MINUTES LONG, IT’S TOO LONG. The second lesson learned for “home video” is keeping every one of them focused. In other words: HAVE A POINT BEFORE YOU POINT AND SHOOT. I Played a bit of Plasma Pong… Ponzi Helped Explain ‘API’… My Wife and I Gave Relationship Advice… She Really Wants to Switch to Mac… A Friend Almost Fell for a Digital Camera Scam… Tips for shooting better online video. Online video and movies can help tell stories in ways printed words can't.
Here is some advice to help. With the increasingly affordable equipment and editing tools available today, it’s possible to turn out professional-looking online video quicker than you’d expect. The viewing window for online video, even for most broadband connections, is pretty small, so you don’t necessarily need a top-of-the-line lens. Try this CNet video camera buying guide to help you price, research and select a camera within your budget. While you don’t need the best camera, you do need acceptable sound. Uni-directional (cardioid) pick-up pattern lo-impedence (ohm symbol) 600 ohms or lower frequency response range: 50-100 hertz to 10,000-15,000 hertz 1/8” mini-plug or a ¼” phone plug with a 1/8” adapter 10-20 foot cord (you might find it a pain to wrap up and store such a long cord, but it’s indispensable when you really need it; a detachable cable is OK) No battery required You will also want a .
Options include: