the quick and dirty: making a video
DESCRIPTION
Video technology is a cost-effective way to promote your work and engage your current (and potential) audience through channels that are widely accessed and have a broad reach. Arts organizations can effectively harness this technology to improve their visibility, attract new audiences, and find exciting ways to tell their story. This presentation will help you identify ways in which a video might best be used by your organization and discuss the tools you will need to physically produce and promote your video.TRANSCRIPT
MAKING A VIDEOA quick and dirty guide for non-profit arts organizations
Anybody can make a video.
What you want to know:
Using Video
Making a Video
Sharing your Video
Everyone says it’s so easy…
Things you must know first
Why
•Why are you making a video?
•What do you hope to achieve?
Who
•Who do you want to watch your video?
What
•What will the video look like?
•What is the video’s content?
Where
•Where will you distribute this video?
WHY do organizations make videos?
Sell tickets
Build a Brand:
Personalizes the institution
Artistic/Archival
Functions
Development
Case study: Misnomer Dance
www.youtube.com/user/misnomerdance
Consider the way to keep the Connection going after the performance
WHY do organizations make videos?
•Entice audience members to come to a show•Build buzz around a specific production•Measured by # of tix sold Sell tickets
Philadelphia Museum of Art
www.youtube.com/user/PhilaArtMuseum
WHY do organizations make videos?
•Showcase a performer or
artist•Behind-the-
scenes insights•“Blooper” reel•Retrospective•Measured by click-thrus or
pageviews
Build a Brand:
Personalizes the
institution
Misnomer’s Brand Building
Brooklyn Art Museumwww.youtube.com/user/BrooklynMuseum
WHY do organizations make videos?
•Grant proposals•Demonstrate need/reach out to donors•Harder to measure effectiveness
Development
WHY do organizations make videos?
•Present the concept for a
production•Record
performance or performance
excerpts
Artistic/ArchivalFunction
Misnomer’s “Land Flat”
Who is the audience for your video?
These answers may not be the same. And the answers may determine your distribution channels—or vice versa.
Why should they
watch your
video?
Why do you
WANT them to watch your
video?
What will the video look like?
Will this video be shiny and professional looking, or do you want it to be a more personal, “gritty” style?
Is this solely for online usage, or will you be distributing it elsewhere?
How does your video capture the personality of your organization?
Who? Where? Who? Where?
Prioritize based on budget: if you can’t afford much, you will need to seek out the cheaper distribution channels. If money is less of an object, you can figure out who you want to talk to first, and then choose the best method to do so.
Style determines equipment
One-off Personal
Gritty Handheld
Performance specific Viral
Episodic Professional
Polished Narrated
Institutional
Commercialized
Hig
h-G
loss
• You’ll need more expertise, with higher-quality and likely more involved equipment (think lights, mics, in addition to high-end camera/s), a stronger storyboard, more time to edit, and possibly professionals.
Roug
h a
nd
R
ug
ged• You won’t need
as much expertise, but you may need to train your staff and have a couple of individuals dedicated to the project.
Get Inspired!
Check out other organizations’ video content that may be available on their sites, on YouTube, vimeo, elsewhere, and see what messaging you get and what engages you.
New York City Opera Previewsyoutube.com/newyorkcityopera
www.youtube.com/user/Joycetheater
www.youtube.com/user/CedarLakeDance
Talk to your unions!
It is NOT better to ask for forgiveness than permission in this case.
Know your rights!
Know who owns the rights to the work
Know your unions’ rules on using video footage
Be prepared to advocate your project to your managing director, artists and union leaders
Total up how much you will need to pay to use the footage before you shoot!
Don’t put the cart before the horse
Conception Storyboard Filming Editing Distribution
Equipment
Consider your needs Consider your artform Consider your budget Consider the learning curve and
operational requirements Consider the number of people you
want to be involved
Professional Grade Hardware High-Definition video camera Mic input External lighting Operation You are unlikely to get the top-of-the-
line equipment from your local big box electronics store.
$2000-$6000: some will do streaming! Example: Canon XL H1A ($5999)
Mid-Range Equipment
Can find options at local retailers. Run-of-the-mill HD (or non-HD)
camera can run between $300 - $1000.
Great for non-performance footage, like interviews, artist panels, behind-the-scenes, etc.
Example: Panasonic HDC-TM700 ($999)
Low End Flip Cams ($150) Cell phone video recording Point-and-shoot video option Laptop with cams for a “fireside
chat”
Additional Equipment Considerations
Lighting Audio (external or
internal microphone) Can you separate
audio from video? Batteries/cord Tripod
What we used
Lamps A tripod ($20) Sony Handycam ($300) iMovie ’09 (free with Corwin’s laptop
[or $79])
Production budget: $0, using pre-existing materialsPrep time: 4 hoursFilm time: 3 hoursEditing time: 1.5 hoursDistribution: 20 min
Production Plan
ScriptedStoryboard• Location• Script• Camera/lighting
plot• Costumes
Technical Preparedness• Appropriate
outlets?• Batteries
charged?• Lighting check in
advance?• Sound check
Efficiency• Understand what
your resources are and how you will be using them
• Plan carefully for maximum productivity
• Cover your bases: a few good takes
UnscriptedMake appointments• Who will you talk to?• What will you have
them talk about?• Do you have their
written permission, and are there any special permissions you need?
Are you flexible?• Are you prepared for
unexpected equipment issues?
• Do you have different methods to capture the moment?
• Do you have accessible outlets, extra batteries, etc?
What’s this for?• Critical content that
drives the video?• Visual portrait: i.e.
bloopers, backstage, etc.
• Components for a montage, for example
Production Plan
Editing
Presuming you are using a digital camera, you have a few options for editing your footage. Remember, the more carefully you have constructed your storyboard and concept, the more easily you will be able to edit your footage into a final form that meets your vision.
Apple Macintosh Users
Programs you purchase through the Apple store can cost anywhere from $29.99 to $1000.
iMovie ($79) and FinalCutPro (~$1000) are popular choices
iMovie (part of iLife suite)
Final Cut Pro
Windows/PC
Adobe Premiere Pro ($79 on techsoup) Windows Movie Maker (on most new
PC’s) Other options from Cyberlink, Corel,
Roxio and Sony ($50-$100)
video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
Adobe Premiere Pro
Windows Movie Maker
Other, free software?
Free software can be found and downloaded online. Some options are:
Avidemux Blender Aviary, a free online graphic design
application is planning on releasing one
Some are buggier than others, depending on your operating system.
Distribution
Sort of…
Questions?
?
What you learned today:
Using Video
Making a Video
Sharing your Video