For review - what could make it more exciting?

H

HartStudio

Well-known member
Here is a customer video (Video Business Card) that I have produced many of.
I am looking for more creative ways to make them more exciting.
First tell me what you think, and next tell me how would you make it a little more exciting.

Purpose of the video - For agents to sell a Sports Recruiting How To Package (Book & 45minute video) to HighSchool Kids and Parents.

The video gives you a introduction of the product the company sells, then a picture and contact information of the person to purchase this product from. This picture and contact information changes for the agent that hands you the video.

Please watch it to the very end (7 minute video).

I have very little control over the script, but what I do have control over is the shooting (camera, framing, lighting, location) of the video and the editing.

Video is highly compressed for streaming (webmaster chose the quality),
http://www.cfionline.com/AthleteRX_250k_30fps.wmv

Please right click the video and download it. I don't want to slam my customers site.

All criticism is welcome. But be nice... this is my first share of my work.

Shot with single DVX-100A.
Edited with VEGAS 6
 
I found the opening sequence to have a very amateurish look to it. It reminded me of a Powerpoint presentation. The setup for you host is way too busy in my opinion....there is a distracting globe and the plants are not helping either.

I think the main problem is that the message needs to be much more refined. It just goes on and on. It should be more impactful with something enticing for the viewer to do, like log onto a Web site, or call a number, or whatever (what I mean by that is have the majority of the information on a web site or whatever so that you don't have to cram quite as much info into the video)....but it seems like there is way too much detail in here.

Overall, it felt very flat and unexciting. I'm not sure what you were trying to achieve with the slight camera angle change, where he looks sideways...maybe it was variety but because there wasn't really much a shift in the environment from a visual standpoint, that maneuver felt pointless to me.

The freezeframe of him at the end looks really cheesy and I would suggest you lose that completely and just use a more generic background.

I understand the restraints you are up against in a situation like this but cut down the message and that will make more of an impact.

I'm just being honest here in my reaction, not harsh so I hope you can process this in that context.
 
Making it more exciting...hmm...

The interview setting is very static and unrelated to the subject. Could that be changed to infront of a football studium or something... whatever you fancy, the office is just dull.

Also I would try and cut to some other footage of potential sport scholars to give the video some impact. I got bored and skipped a little in the middle to be honest. You could maybe use a sport clip to transition to the animated slides. I would definitely try and get some nice sports footage in there. The animation in the slides is nice though... maybe slightly overused.

I agree with disjecta about the intro and other cheesy bits. Maybe look at some of disjecta's stuff, it is very tasteful... IMO :laugh:

To your credit, the info comes across nice and clearly. Just try and make it more engaging now :thumbsup:
 
More high-energy music in the opening, and if you can, a music bed throughout the piece

More clips on screen at the same time during the opening to we aren't just anticipating the next video box that we know is going to slide in.

New location for talking head -- get outside, get on a campus, on a ball field -- just get
out of that room and get the guy looking more comfortable rather than like
a stuffy office worker in a newly laundered suit. Change the location with each change of subject matter (rather than just the change in shot angles).

Get the guy walking around, some movement with the camera while he talks to us.

B roll during words on screen and during the talking head -- athletes, students, etc.

If you have a lot of time to invest in this you could get clips that make a bit of a narrative
and fit with what the guy is saying about coaches and scouts looking for athletes,
people sitting with advisors to come up with financial plans, etc.

You can't change the script, but maybe by adding other things to look at you can turn him into a narrator rather than the main event.
 
Strange! For some reason I can't play it at all. I tried changing the extentsion but that did nothing. Weird! This laptop sucks! I'll try updating my windows media player..
 
I do these types of videos for my job alot. It is really hard to make boring subjects interesting.

The best way that I get jobs like these looking decent is to add b-roll while he talks about the subject matter. Also I completely agree with mmm and owen. Make him do his speech in a stadium or gym. Right now he is just some guy at a desk. He needs to show he has credibility by being at those places. Scene changes add a lot for a little.

I thought the backdrops were interesting and added some break up to the video. Lastly, I thought the music could use a change.

I think you did a good job editing.

May I ask, Did your client enjoy the product?
 
I agree with those guys... good job, but next time, add a person walking around or standing infront of a stadium... and it would be a nice opening for him to sit at his desk then move on.. I also found the shift in angle kind of pointless... feels like those stupid news reporters that change their angles in the middle of a word.

But add some B roll and have the guy in different sporting areas.. or colleges.. and if you could, a short interview with coaches who agree with the product, couldnt hurt... them saying "i look for my athletes at this time..... and its important that they...... " etc...

good luck..
 
Yes, the client loves the video, but I do not. I think it is one of the worst I've done in a long time. I was rushed and had to deliver in 2 days (Shoot and Edit). I told the customer that I was going to make changes to the video to try and spruce it up a bit more. Still the videos are selling like hotcakes to the agents. Some people just don't know bad video when they see it. This goes along with a longer video and a book.

By the way the angle shifts everytime the salesman screwed up a line. Saves time in shooting. It is a standard news setup, front and side single camera shoot. We just shot the messups over from the side. Makes it easier to edit. Kinda like a Master then tight shot but more interesting. At least I think so. It tends to give the illusion of 2 cameras and that the cut was on purpose.
 
By the way Owen I just rented your movies SugerCreek Gang at the movie store today! I am going to watch one of them tonight!
 
Hi Hart

One thing that jumps out at me is the style and presentation. If you told me this was made in the 80's / 90's I would believe you and I don't have a problem with the amount of content in this piece it's just the blase presentation overall.

Now your asking; so I am giving you my .02 cents.

What if this dudes presentation was presented in more of an 'INTERVIEWED' format and style? Maybe with a little bit more dramatic lighting and choice of comps and framing? Think an interview you would see on Netwrok Television for example. What if there were at least a few more locations? Maybe the guy walking the campus amid the kids? (I know for this one you had 2 days)

Something else that might serve this is adding B Roll or Filler Content. The whole time I felt it either a Talking Head or Statistics; what about actually showing campus life/sports and additional subject matter as a documentary or news segment might do? Visual imagery can really hammer home the content and support the topic.

I can see why there was two different set-ups used; but would have been more extreme in my choice on the second one; maybe even from one side or the other.

The talent (I assume he is the real Certifed Supervisor dude?) is great; very pro.

I think for what it is; it's fine and well done. Let's face it; it's "...For agents to sell a Sports Recruiting How To Package (Book & 45minute video) to HighSchool Kids and Parents..."

But man could it be the cutting edge example of this product. It could really get the agents excited; it should motivate; it should be propanganda. These agents should finish watching this and be pumped. They should run out and be ready to sell the world.

Again; I think it is well done; but it could really be the best of the best; and it's not. It's simply an avergae reel one might expect to see in a Macro Economics Class.
 
Yeah, that is exactly what I want to do. Get them pumped. I will do some re-editing and see what happens. I will have to go out and shoot some fast sports action footage to add to it and maybe some cheerleaders?... Definately some techno... Now you got me pumped! Thanks!
 
HartStudio said:
By the way Owen I just rented your movies SugerCreek Gang at the movie store today! I am going to watch one of them tonight!
Click to expand...

Awesome!
It's weird getting used to the idea that they're somewhat widely available.

As far as this recruitment promo, I like John's angle. People should come out of it feeling like they just attended a seven minute pep rally. Then it wouldn't even feel like it was all that long.
 
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