Oct 19th 09 Posted by Fritz McDonald in Featured Articles, Strategic Creative

Making Movies: What YouTube is Really All About: III

Fifteen More Ways to Make Better YouTube Videos

1. As a low-cost alternative to shooting with an expensive mini-cam, try shooting your masterpiece on a still camera, one that allows video capability.

2. On any low-cost shooting alternative—like flip cams—think in close-up: the smaller, the tighter the frame, the better the quality of the shot with these tools. Of course, this requires a highly creative approach to storytelling. Study early Cassavetes.

3. Believe in the power of sound. The next time you think sound doesn’t make a difference, try watching a horror movie preview with the sound off. Still scary?

4. Master lighting…it’s the other fundamental element of moviemaking that will make or break your video. A lot of what’s currently on YouTube is poorly lit, hard to watch.

5. You either have an eye for framing a scene or you don’t…it’s just like comic timing. If you don’t, find someone who does to do your shooting.

6. Editing should never be noticeable. Avoid fancy maneuvers like wipes, dissolves, and too many jump cuts. Think about related cutaways, montage, continuous dialogue…study movies that depend more on character interaction than special effects.

7. When setting up a channel on YouTube.edu, imagine it as TV channel instead of dumping every video your institution has ever made on it. What kind of audience do you hope to attract? What do they want to see? What will keep them coming back?

8. At the same time, your YouTube.edu channel is another social network. Look for comments as well as number of views—people that leave comments are talking to you…people, in other words, who might be interested in having a relationship with you.

9. You can’t manufacture a viral video. So please stop trying.

10. What’s in a title? The difference between Dancing with Wolves and Terpsichore with Lupines.* If you’re trying to sell prospective students on the unique benefits of your residence halls, would you call your video Residence Halls?

11. You can choose the thumbnail that gives people a hint of what your video’s about, so choose carefully. According to Alan Lastufka—a YouTube Top 100 Most-Subscribed Comedian—you can pick the 25 percent mark or the 75 percent mark as alternate thumbnails. You can showcase specific images at these spots to catch people’s attention—think bold, attention-getting, etc.

12.On YouTube, use the Share tab. Join groups. The Share tab makes it easier for you to embed your videos on other third-party sites. Joining groups is another way of building your social network connections. Currently, Dartmouth, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon have not joined any groups.

13. When editing, think about tempo and rhythm within scenes and in the larger context of your video as a whole.  Every movie, video, TV show has its own distinct rhythm and pace…the difference between Slumdog Millionaire and Benjamin Button.

14. Did you know that you can post or repost your video as a response to someone else’s video? Again, remember that YouTube is a social network.

15. Read YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts by Alan Lastufka and Michael W. Dean, hands down the best book on the subject…so good, I borrowed a few tips from it.

*Big thanks to sandiegoabuelo at writing.com

Next Post: a Q&A with David Armano, social media thought leader and keynote speaker at Stamats’ upcoming SIM Tech Conference in Boston this November.

After that, I’ll give you 15 more video/YouTube tips.  In the meantime, my offer still stands: the first person to tell me a story about a video you made or about a college video you really like will become a guest blogger for Stamats.

The only rule is that person has to work for a college or university.

Photo by Ryan Sahb