1. technology and computing
2. software

How t o
Creat e Your Own
Prom ot ional Video
wit hout
spending a lot of m oney
by I an Harvey Q.B.E.
I NDEX
For war d by Ron Tacchi ............................................................. 1
About t he Aut hor I an M Har vey QBE .......................................... 2
Com m ent s from I an ................................................................. 2
How t o Use This Repor t ............................................................ 3
Why Produce a Prom ot ional Video.............................................. 4
What Ot her Uses Ar e There For This St uff? ................................. 5
What Equipm ent / Soft ware do I Need? ...................................... 6
How Long Will I t Tak e?............................................................. 7
What Are The Alt ernat ives?....................................................... 8
What Bureaus want .................................................................. 8
Planning Your Video ................................................................. 9
The Voice Over Scr ipt .............................................................. 11
Test im onials .......................................................................... 16
Vox Pops ............................................................................... 17
Live Foot age .......................................................................... 18
The Gat her ing of List s ............................................................. 21
Choosing t he Soft w ar e for Your Ben Hur .................................... 22
Let ’s Do I t – Let ’s Mak e a Movie ............................................... 24
St ep 1 - Capt ur e Video ............................................................ 24
St ep 2 – St art Edit ing.............................................................. 25
St ep 3 – Creat e Your Video File ................................................ 29
What about Pack aging? ........................................................... 30
I s That All There I s?................................................................ 33
More Det ails on t he Technology ................................................ 35
Glossary ................................................................................ 39
Copyright© Ian M Harvey 2004.
The right of Ian Harvey to be identified as the author of this work in terms of section
96 of the Copyright Act 1994 is hereby asserted.
Designed and typeset by Let’s Do It (Qld) Pty Ltd.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of
copyright owner.
For w a r d by Ron Ta cch i
(Managing Director of Speakers Network International, a Sydney Australia based
Speakers Bureau).
If you are serious about your future in this business, regardless how long or short your
experience, you must get on the front foot of having a promotional video.
In this market of sophisticated and knowledgeable buyers, if the potential client can’t
see you present live, the video will be critical to the booking.
Bureaus are reluctant to put you up for a job without a promotional video because
the client expects it and
you’re too hard to sell without it. They will follow the path of least resistance.
Don’t produce garbage, but get started. Everything is difficult until it is easy!
Ian has made the first step easy.
The other option is to go out in the bush and knock on doors!
Ron Tacchi
Managing Director Speakers Network International
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 1
About t he Aut hor I a n M H a r ve y QBE
I am a speaker and trainer specializing in sales and personal
motivation. I subscribe to the “do-it-yourself” philosophy especially
if the alternative requires paying for it. I am convinced that most
things are very simple to master as long as you have the desire and the
willingness to spend the time in the learning process.
There were probably a hundreds of books available on how to create
video, but they are big thick things that presuppose a level of
competence that I simply didn’ t have.
All I had was the need to find an inexpensive and effective way to market my
services.
I played with it, tried different things, made all the mistakes and eventually figured
out how to do it well. (So well it seems that a number of individual speakers and
companies came to me and asked me to do the same for them).
That is why I am a QBE (Qualified by Experience). You could do it that way too, if
you like, but why make the same mistakes I made? You probably want the results
quicker than I got them and you may not want to find out the many ways that it will
not work.
By the way, if you notice a spelling mistake in this book, please assume I put it there
on purpose. Some people are always looking for mistakes and I believe in providing
something for everybody.
Com m e n t s fr om I a n
Thank you for your decision to invest in this report. This is not a full length report on
the various merits of different software packages or hardware you might consider
purchasing for your video project. I am assuming you don’ t want to spend hours
figuring out this stuff yourself and want to produce a finished product in the least
amount of time and least cost with the best quality finish.
I know if you do what I suggest you will achieve that outcome.
I stress that what you will read in here is only my opinion and based on my
experience. This is not meant to be an exhaustive document on all the different ways
you can create a video. If you get really interested you might like to read the plethora
of books and magazines that are out there and then maybe you can let me know what I
don’ t. In the meantime if you just want to get started and make a great video then
read on.
I had a need to create a promotional video for myself, I did the groundwork and
investigated the hardware and software needed and set to and made a video. Others
wanted me to make theirs as well. I must have been doing something right. But it
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 2
took a long time to make the mistakes and fix them. That was because I did not have
this report.
Incidentally, I use a PC and am unfamiliar with software required for the Apple.
However I am aware of a number of people who are Apple fans and are doing similar
things as this using the same software. I make no representations however that all
programs that I mention will work on the Apple.
H ow t o Use Th is Re por t
I have laid this report out so that you can easily move through step by step to create
your own promotional video. Although you may be tempted to digress… “I wonder
what would happen if I did this?” … I do not cover these digressions, you might want
to come back later and experiment.
If you follow what is in the report and not digress you will complete the production of
a very good promotional video in no time at all.
There are some items you need to gather first and some software you will need to
locate and load. You will see a list of equipment and software needed on the next few
pages and there is a more comprehensive listing in the back of the report (see More
Details on Technology)
The information contained in this report is sufficient for you to create a good looking
promotional video however more is available should you want it. You can trade this
book in for a full pack called “How to Create Your Own Promotional Video” which
contains:
This book in hard copy and in colour with additional chapters including
9 Deploying on a web site
9 Inserting video into email
9 What Ulead Media Studio has over Ulead Video Studio 8
A CD containing:
9 Demo versions of the software mentioned in this report
9 Completed promotional videos in mpg format
9 The samples mentioned in this book in Ulead Video 8 format
9 Templates that you can use to produce your own video
A number of cue cards for each of the programs mentioned
In order to trade up you need to retain your invoice/receipt from Lets Do It and quote
that number on your request for the upgrade.
To order simply email
[email protected] quoting your name, invoice/receipt number and your postal
address. The hard copy pack s available for A$99.00 and your ebook version is
traded back at the full price you paid for it.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 3
W hy Pr odu ce a Pr om ot ion a l Vide o
As a speaker/trainer or entertainer you are involved in a performance art. People who
will employ you would rather not do so sight unseen. They want to know what they
are getting and a video is the ideal way to do so rather than inviting them to a gig.
Modern technology makes it possible for every presenter to have promotional
material that is better than a static impersonal folder containing your brag sheet and a
number of testimonials.
Videos can also now be delivered in easy to use formats. Whereas once you put
yourself on VHS and hoped that the prospect had a video player at work you can now
put yourself on CD and know that every prospect has a computer with a CD player on
which to view your stuff.
And now, with high speed internet access video can be streamed over the net so that
no material ever has to go into the post. They could see you one second and hire you
the next. Good eh?
The down side
I remember Ron Tacchi (MD of Speakers Network International) once telling me that
many potential clients used the videos supplied to make a decision not to buy.
Meaning that some presenter’ s videos are so poor that they are used to eliminate the
person from consideration.
It is essential therefore that if you are going to have a video presentation that it is a
good one. If you are a lousy presenter then most likely your video won’ t do you a lot
of good.
However that is another reason for considering the contents of this report. If you
actually go and get yourself the equipment and have a look at yourself on video you
may find some areas where you can make improvement. It is my experience that you
can make it in the presentation business if you are prepared to put yourself out there
consistently and take constructive criticism.
Convenience
Think about it, if a potential client is able to slip a disc into their computer or visit a
site on the web and very easily see you in action and what they see they like, there is a
good chance they will consider buying your services. I remember when I was first
playing with this stuff how difficult it was to get the right format and I am sure there
was work I missed out on simply because the client was unable to view my material.
We no longer have that problem, we have the technology, we can fix it, yes we can!
Cost
The great thing today is that you don’ t need to spend thousands of dollars on
production costs. If you have thousands of dollars and you are prepared to spend it on
hiring production crews and editing studios and voice over artists and makeup artists
and auto cues and the like then good for you. You don’ t need to read the rest of this
report.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 4
But if you, like me, want a good job without the cost and you are prepared to put a
little into your own education then this could be the answer. It was for me. Some
years ago I hired the production crew and all that. We produced a great video and
then I went grey, well not immediately, but it soon became apparent that the man on
the screen was considerably younger looking that I. And that is another consideration
you need to make around cost. You are going to have to update your material on an
on-going basis. So if you are budgeting for a production crew etc, factor it up by a
number of times to cover redos.
If you are going to spend money on a production crew then I suggest you use them for
the most important and longest living part of your program and that is the vox pops.
When you get to read the section on vox pops you will understand.
W ha t Ot h e r Use s Ar e Th e r e For Th is St u ff?
You know, once you begin to discover what is out there you may well find other uses
for your new found talent. Here are just a couple of things that you might be able to
do:
9
9
9
9
9
Create a motivational/music video for use at your presentations
Create a video product and sell it.
Create short advertisements for your services
Create short synopsis for your favourite or most popular subjects
Build a video with photos or video of people at a conference and show it at the
conference.
9 Create promotional videos for other people who think you are pretty good at
what you do.
Do I really want to do this?
Despite all of the above (and I hope I have got you a little excited about possibilities),
you still have to decide “Do I really want to do this?” Me, I’ m a sort of DIY kinda
guy. If I can learn something that will build my knowledge and increase my skill set I
am all for it. However, you and I have to be careful we don’ t go too far and end up
taking our eyes off the real goal: becoming a sought after public speaker, helping
humanity, saving the world, all that stuff.
So maybe a really check is in order before you continue. Let’ s look at the equipment
you need, the time it will take and what are some alternatives in case your partner
says “No way Jose”
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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W ha t Equ ipm e nt / Soft w a r e do I N e e d?
Camcorder
You need a camcorder. You will get away with one for about $500-$900 and maybe
even less if you strike a bargain on ebay. You should also get a tripod for your
camera as well ($30.00). There is more on specifications in the section below called
More Details on Technology. I think you should have a camcorder if you are serious
about being a speaker. A camcorder gives you the opportunity to see you the way
your audience does. That’ s good for improvement.
Condenser Microphone
You need a good lapel microphone on a wire that will attach to the camcorder and
your Mini Disc Recorder (if you have one, and you should). A condenser microphone
usually has a separate power source (battery)
Computer
You need a fairly fast computer with a lot of hard disk space and a CD burner. Well,
let’ s face it if you are still using a computer that is over two years old then it is time
you updated anyway. If you are still on Windows 98 or worse 95 then get out your
cheque book and be prepared to spend up to $2000.00 on a high speed computer with
a good sized hard drive. And make sure you buy a PC computer with the XP
operating system. Again have a look below in the technical area for my
recommendations.
Software
As a minimum you need to consider purchasing software like Ulead Video Studio
version 8. That will cost you somewhere around US$99.95 from the Ulead site.
You could use Windows Movie Maker instead, and indeed I would recommend that if
you just don’ t want to make any investment until you figure if you want to proceed to
develop your filmmaking talents. Windows Movie Maker is free and bundled with
the XP operating system. Movie Maker 2 is now available as a free download from
Microsoft. The only problem is that Movie Maker does not have a way to burn to CD
or DVD. So that is why I have used Ulead Video Studio 8 in this report.
You will also need some art software like Corel Draw if you plan to make up your CD
labels, cover slicks and book covers.
You will also need CD burning software but if you have a CD burner in your
computer you will already have the burning software. I recommend the Nero Burning
package. Sometimes the video editing software (depending on your choice) has
burning capability.
Of course you must make sure that your computer is protected from viruses so you
need to have antivirus and all the signature downloads.
In the section below on equipments I outline some of the technical specifications of
the equipment you should consider and some other stuff you might like to get as well.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Imagination
This is also a key ingredient but not as essential as it once was. Modern equipment
and software it almost does it all for you. But having a little imagination up your
sleeve is always a good idea.
H ow Lon g W ill I t Ta k e ?
Good question. How long do you want it to take? I’ ll tell you one thing: It will take
you a lot less time than me. I am one of those dummies who does not read the big
thick books and tend to try things out until I have got it down pat.
You have the advantage. I have put down most of the things I found out by bitter
experience into this report so you don’ t have to go through it.
So if I was starting again and I was able to refer to this report and I had assembled all
the bits and pieces of footage required that I could produce a good product within 3 or
4 hours maybe less. And that is without any prior knowledge of the process, just
working out of this book.
Some of the other things you need to do include:
9
9
9
9
Organise people to do vox pops and other footage
Collect and view footage for the good bits you want to use
Go and get some promotional photo stills taken
Learn how to use a drawing/photo editing software package of you want to
create your own slicks and CD labels
One of the things that worked well for me in terms of collecting footage was at
showcases. If you are ever asked to be in a showcase by a bureau or venue etc or you
organise one yourself, then see if you can get the speakers and the venue (and anyone
else who might have a vested interest) to pay for a video production company to come
in and record the whole thing for you. You might even find that they want the
exposure themselves and may do it at cost.
At one showcase I was part of at the Newport Mirage in Sydney we enlisted the
services of Dick Collingridge and came out of the day with a 30 minute video for
$100.00. That was worthwhile. And if you think the presentation was one of your
best you can also turn the video into product for sale.
You might use the same people to do vox pops at the same session but make sure they
are set up so there is no confusion about which speaker the person is making
comment.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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W ha t Ar e Th e Alt e r n a t ive s?
There are other things you could do. You could:
9 Hire a production company to do the whole thing for you. You will get a great
product (in most cases) but it will cost you a zillion dollars and you will have
to do it all again in two years time when you go grey or when sideburns come
back into fashion. In this scenario there will be little you have to do except
write some brief as to what you want it to look like and keep your eye on them
as they spend your money. Expect to spend a minimum of $6,000-$10,000 +
9 Assemble the footage yourself and just pay for editing and design. Currently
when doing this work I charge by the hour and it can take anywhere from 20 –
40 hours. In this case the quality of the footage will not be as good because of
the quality of the original footage but the effects will be as good as anything
else and the cost is more acceptable. Of course you will be much more
involved in creating the structure of the piece. I usually create a rough draft
for approval first and then make a final.
9 Do nothing. Stand on a corner and tell people how good you are. That might
work? To my way of thinking this would be a bad decision because there is
no doubt that society is headed in this technical direction and burying your
head in the sand won’ t do your career any good at all.
Anyway, you bought this report so that you could make it happen for yourself and I
congratulate you for that. You will come out of this exercise a wiser and smarter
person. You will have a new skill that will be of value to you in the future. And I
guarantee that you will find new and exciting ways to use this new skill that we don’ t
even cover in this book.
So let’ s do it!
W ha t Bu r e a u s w a n t
When it comes to the requirements of Bureaus keep the following in mind:
9
9
9
9
9
4 to 8 minutes max
Clear identification of the Bureau on the contact details
No other Bureaus to be mentioned or shown
No personal contact details, email, phone, website
Live footage with audio
The above are general requirements but it is best to check with the Bureaus before
final production. There was one Bureau I dealt with who wanted no contact details at
all on the video or the packaging and they just applied a sticker
In the hard copy version of this report we also let you know of a great additional way
to really promoted the Bureau and get in their good books.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 8
Pla n n ing You r V ide o
It makes a lot of sense to sit down and work out exactly what you want to say and do
in your promotional video. Here are a few things you might consider.
Format
Depending on the method of delivery you need to consider what format you are going
to use during production. If you want to work to a DVD quality output then you will
want to work using .wma or avi type files in editing process.
If however, you are intending on using VCD (almost as good) you can do all editing
in mpeg format and that will save you a lot of space on your computer. More about
that later when we talk about your final production but in this text I assume you are
going to want the best of both worlds and hence we will refer to mpeg at all times.
Length
One of the important things to plan immediately is how long your video is going to
be. I recommend that it is no longer than 8 minutes with 5 or 6 being optimal. If you
want to include a free session, like a 45 minute sample, fine, but put it on a separate
track on the CD and give your prospect the opportunity to select it independently.
There are a couple of reasons for this. :
9 If you can’ t say what needs to be said about you in 6 minutes you are either
very very interesting or not very eloquent.
9 If you want to use streaming video on the web then 6 minutes if about the
maximum you can reasonably expect to send without serious download
delays.
Contents
What is going into the video? Here are a few suggestions of items you should include
(in no particular order):
9 A voice over
9 Testimonials
9 Vox pops
9 A short piece of live visual and audio footage
9 An excerpt from a TV show or film that you have appeared in
9 Live footage without audio
9 A bunch of photos
9 A list of your specialist subjects
9 A list of how you can be used
9 A list of some of your satisfied customers
9 Your contact details.
We will handle each of these one at a time below.
But first here is the breakdown of my promotional video which you can view on the
web if you wish by going to this link. www.letsdoit.net.au/keynote.htm
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 9
It is also contained on the CD that comes with the upgrade to the ebook. You might
also consider planning your video using this format.
Time
0 - 04 secs
04 – 24 secs
24 – 35 secs
35 – 1:44 secs
1:44 – 2:10
(26 seconds)
2:10 – 2:56
(46 seconds)
2:56 – 3:03
(7 seconds)
3:03 – 3:15
(8 seconds)
3:15 – 3:25
(10 seconds)
3:25 – 3:35
(10 seconds)
3:35 – 4:10
(35 seconds)
4:10 – 4:15
(5 seconds)
4:15 – 4:52
(37 seconds)
Item
Source
Open with flying cube picture, title It’ s a kind of magic music.
and background music
Transition effect from
library. Title effect
5 one line vox pops with rolling credit Collected Vox pops. Title
“ Specialists
subjects”
list. effect
Background music continues with
volume down.
5 one line vox pops with rolling credit Collected Vox pops. Title
“ Ideal for” list. Background music effect
continues with volume down.
Background music fades out all Voice over recording in
11 grabs
together. Live footage with voice over wav format.
(part 1) and titles to emphasise points from
live
recordings
of difference
including a mixture of
crowd shots and head and
shoulders shots.
Live footage with audio. A strong 3 clips from a live
point made in less than 30 seconds
recording. Monochrome
effect and cropped.
Live footage with voice over to Voice over recording (part
emphasise methods used. Some clips 2) in wav format. 17 grabs
shown simultaneously on the screen
from
live
recordings
including a mixture of
crowd shots and head and
shoulders shots.
Many
shown simultaneously.
Big finish New theme music comes in Abracadabra music in wav
format
1 vox pop with title “ Designer of” list Collected Vox pops. Title
effect
1 vox pop with title “ Author of” list
Collected Vox pops. Title
effect
1 vox pop with “ Qualifications” list
Collected Vox pops. Title
effect
3 vox pops with “ Notable Clients” list Collected Vox pops. Title
effect
Fade to black – call to action voice Transition
effect
and
over
recorded voice over part 3
Contact details then fade to black and Title effect
silence.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Th e V oice Ove r Scr ipt
In my opinion the script is very important. When you edit the video you will want to
find ways of synchronising the footage in some way with the script. You may even
want to highlight points with titles. So spend some time designing your script. And
make sure it is something that will sound conversational.
How long should the voice over script be?
About 2 minutes maximum. You will intersperse it with titles and live footage so it
will spin out. Below are two scripts used on two of the videos I have produced?
These may give you some ideas for your own
Mike Schoettler voice over script.
Michael Schoet t ler w ork s wit h com panies, associat ions and franchise gr oups of
all sizes t o use t he negot iat ion and sales skills t hat build profit able
relat ionships.
Mik e believes t hat clarit y and consist ency builds relat ionships. When w e fail t o
clearly negot iat e an agr eem ent our relat ionship is effect iv ely built on sand and
lacks t he firm foundat ion requir ed t o be long t erm and m ut ually profit able.
The basics of sales and negot iat ion are not difficult t o underst and but t he
challenge t o m ast ery is t he consist ent applicat ion of t hese fundam ent als. Mik e
init ially developed his Five St eps for Sales Success based on clear ly ident ify ing
t he values y our client s want and helping t hem t o com m it t o t aking t he
requir ed act ions. He t hen incorporat ed his Fiv e St ages for Sm art Negot iat ion
when he saw sales being lost because of an unw illingness t o negot iat e t he
det ails t hat clear ly ident ify value. A clear pict ure of t he ov erall process now
helps sales people t o keep cont rol of t heir present at ions and insur es t hey
clearly underst and t he st eps required t o produce a successful conclusion.
Mik e dev eloped his “ Sales Sense” appr oach t o pr ofit able business in m aj or
corporat ions in t he Unit ed St at es and Aust ralia. He st art ed work w it h a BA in
Polit ical Science and an MBA in I nt ernat ional Managem ent but says he nev er
lear ned fast er t han w hen a sm art sales m anager put him on st raight
com m ission. That t aught him t he power of focus. Mik e believ es t hat your
t eam ’s pr oduct iv it y is a r eflect ion of t heir underst anding of t he process and
t heir abilit y t o focus t heir energy on t he k ey opport unit ies available each day .
When sales t eam s m eet , t hey oft en blam e t heir lack of result s on fact ors t hat
are out side of t heir cont rol. Mik e w ill put t he focus back wher e it belongs and
challenge t hem t o r ev iew t heir personal sale pr ocesses. Mik e believes t he best
way t o change behav iours is t o help people t o see t heir current sit uat ion in a
new light , t o put t hings int o a differ ent perspect iv e. He will use an int eract iv e
present at ion, w it h exam ples and cases t o illust rat e t he possibilit ies and
explor e t heir alt ernat iv es. I n a workshop for m at , t heir solut ions will t hen
equip t hem w it h an agr eed act ion plan t hat t hey are confident will m ak e t hem
m or e effect iv e, m or e efficient , and produce a bet t er result for ev er yone.
I f y ou want t o lift y our t eam , focus t hem on t he fut ur e, and equip t hem wit h
powerful sales and negot iat ion sk ills t o build a m or e pr ofit able fut ur e, call
Mik e now.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 11
You will see how Mike answers a number of important questions right up front.
First paragraph - Who does he work for and what results does he bring them,
Second paragraph – What are his beliefs and his main subject – Negotiation.
Third paragraph – What has he done and what does that mean to you?
Fourth paragraph – What is his background and qualifications.
Fifth paragraph – What will Mike do for you.
Sixth paragraph – Call to action.
Ian Harvey voice over script
No m at t er w hat you or your organisat ion does, success depends on t he
relat ionships you forge wit h your cust om ers and your abilit y t o adapt t o t he
ev er changing env ir onm ent in which y ou do business
I an Harvey is an int er nat ional speak er who specialises in assist ing
indiv iduals and organisat ions, large and sm all, develop t he adapt at ion sk ills
and t he st rat egies r equired t o t ak e full advant age of t he changing business
fut ur e
His m essage is sim ple - Think about what y ou are doing. Too oft en we j ust
do w hat w e did y est erday, it w orked t hen, w hy not now?
I an will hav e y our gr oup t hink about t he basis for t heir cur rent act ions and
responses. This leads t o a discovery of great er pot ent ial in each and every
sit uat ion
Your people w ill begin t o focus on t he effect s of t heir act ions on all t he
play ers and t hen, wit h I an’s help, redefine t he st eps of t he process t o m ak e
t he out com e m or e efficient , econom ical and rewarding for all concer ned.
They w ill also underst and t he applicat ion of cause and effect on t heir cur r ent
result s and m ak e im pr ov em ent at an elem ent al and elem ent ary lev el by
creat ing new response program s or habit s t hr ough design and pract ice
What is t he m ost effect ive w ay t o creat e m ore product iv e behav iours?
We learned m ore in t he first 5 y ears of our lives t han we hav e ev er since.
We learnt pract ical skills t hat equipped us t o do t he j ob not j ust t he t heory
behind it . And w e also learned best in a fun, experim ent al and hands- on
way.
When I an facilit at es learning he does so in a way t hat ensur es gr eat er
ret ent ion and use, wit h t he use of super lear ning t echniques, wit h a great
deal of audience part icipat ion and feedback, wit h t he use of challenge,
hum our and m agic.
I f you are look ing for som eone w ho is differ ent , som eone w ho will r elat e
direct ly t o y our audience, som eone who w ill posit iv ely im pact y our people,
som eone who w ill t ak e your r esult s t o anot her level, som eone who will
m ake y our ev ent an absolut e st andout , t hen cont act I an now!
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Here’ s what should be covered in your voice over script
9
9
9
9
9
Who are your normal audience?
What is your presentation style?
What is your main take home message
What is your underlying philosophy?
How can you be contacted?
That should give you some idea about what to have as the voice over. Play around
with it but remember to state all in WIIFM terms. Use the old green light/Red light
rule on your script. Every time you mention yourself that’ s one red light. Every time
you mention they them, the customer, their team etc. that’ s a green light. More red
lights than green and you aren’ t going
anywhere.
Recording the voice over
You can record your voice over directly into
your computer via
your condenser
microphone connected to your sound recorder
program (Start, Accessories, Entertainment,
Sound Recorder) or you could record into
your camera and then split the audio from the
track at a later time but I suggest the best way
to record your voice over is to use your mini
disk recorder. This way you will get no
ambient noise that might dirty up the
recording.
Of course you have a mini disk recorder, you know that thing you bought to record
your performances for critiquing purposes.
If you have not got one, get one now. You might be able to get one off ebay for under
$100.00 like I did.
Mini disks record in high quality digital and are great for creating product. There is
another report available on creating product which takes you through the whole
process of creating and packaging product.
Someone else’s voice or your own?
I did my own voice over recording the first time round (the expensive time) but if you
are anything like me you can’ t get quite as excited as someone else about yourself
after all you have been living with you for a lot of years and it ain’ t that exciting is it?
Ron Tacchi suggested to me that using someone else’ s voice was a good idea and I
agreed so I had Mike Schoetller do my voice over, and I did his. Catherine PallinBrinkworth used Simon Tupman who has a wonderful English voice with great
timbre.
If you are in NSAA (National Speakers Association of Australia) you will find many
people only too pleased to do your voice over for you.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Male or female voice?
On the question male or female the jury is still out but in my opinion a male voice
carries more authority and would certainly be my choice. Please don’ t get touchy and
accuse me of sexism. Just telling it like it is.
So you have developed your script and now you plug in the microphone, get into a
quiet room, attach the microphone on your tie (or were it would be if you were using
one) and go for it.
Once you have recorded your voice over you need to download it to your computer
and then edit it. Use a standard connection from your headphone connection on the
mini disc to the microphone plug in your computer and transfer the file using Sound
Recorder or any sound editing software that you have loaded.
Editing the recording
We need to edit the file to cut out all the fluff, like coughs and snorts etc, you don’ t
need in the finished product. I use a program called Cool Edit Pro but there are
always great programs available free on the computer magazines available at
newsagents.
On the October 2004 issue of APC there was a great program being given away for
free called SoundEdit Pro 1.1. Of course they give you version 1.1 for free because
they now have version 2.1 out and would like you to upgrade. In most cases you
don’ t need to do so.
So here is how I edit the file on Cool Edit Pro
Here is the layout of the screen with the important functions shown.
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We are not going to get very technical here so don’ t worry. Just enough to make sure
we get a good voice over track.
Open Cool Edit and let’ s also close the organiser window (view) and open the file you
want to edit
If the file is on one channel only select the entire file and copy it to the clip board then
open a new file in mono (sampling rate 44,000) and paste the file back into the new
file.
This converts stereo one speaker to mono both speakers and will look like this. That
looks much simpler doesn’ t it?
If the wave display looks very dense use the magnifying glass to spread it out (or use
your roller on the mouse) and you will see a pictorial impression of the audio file with
ups and downs and spikes and the likes.
If you press the play button (bottom left) you will hear the sound as a line runs along
the wave display. You will hear pops, coughs and sniffs and will see them as the bar
runs across. Stop the playback at the point you want to edit and simply cut out any
stuff you want by selecting the area and pressing delete. It is that easy.
You can also apply all sorts of filters if you want, you can make it sound like you are
on the phone, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon or that your voice was recorded in
1920 by Thomas Edison if you want. But that is not the purpose of this exercise. We
simply want a nice clean recording of your voice over.
Don’ t worry about synchronisation with your video at this point. You will be able to
cut this file up when editing the video. When you are done simply save the file as a
wav and remember where you put it. And that is it for the audio editing of your voice
over.
Key points on Voice Over
9 2 or 3 minutes maximum
9 Good clean clear recording with no background
9 Use a male voice, not your own
9 Create a wav file for dubbing onto the video later.
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Te st im onia ls
Testimonials in this context are selected words from written testimonials. Take a
photo or scan the letterhead on which the testimonial came and then pick out the few
words that you are going to use.
Why only a few words? Well your video may be viewed in a quite small format and
if the entire testimonial were shown you would not be able to read any of it.
So you would need to reduce the testimonial to just the pertinent words i.e. “ Fantastic,
very enjoyable” instead of “ Ian’ s presentation was fantastic and it was very enjoyable
to our audience”
If you look at the sample videos we have located on our website, and in particular
Mike Schoettlers, you will see how you can use a photo of the customer’ s letterhead
effectively in the video.
It makes a lot of sense for you to continue to collect testimonials at all possible times.
Sometimes you may only have an email testimonial but you can always add to it’ s
credibility by adding the clients logo to the screen as well.
Key points on Testimonials
9 Always ask for a testimonial
9 Get testimonials on the clients letterhead when possible
9 For non letterhead testimonials use the clients logo
9 Pull out the most effective words from the testimonial to highlight in the video
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Vox Pops
A vox pop (voice of the population) is that thing you see on
TV when people are coming out of the premier of a new movie
and they are accosted by a person with a microphone who asks
“ What did you think of the movie?”
These are worth their weight in gold and they are almost
timeless (as long as long sideburns don’ t come back into
fashion soon).
Since you are not in the vox pops you don’ t need to worry
about your changing appearance and since the people looking
at your video are not hiring the people providing the vox pops
it does not matter how young they really are. Do you get that?
So go out there and get a heap of vox pops.
How to get Vox Pops
Take a camcorder with you to every gig. This is a good idea
even if you are not going to use the footage for critiquing
yourself.
Have someone else ask the question “Give us a few words on
Mike’s presentation”, or “How would you rate Mike’s
presentation and why?”
Make sure the person doing the interviewing does not talk once
the question has been asked and they should leave a good second after the person has
finished talking before they say anything.
If the room allows for it, change the background so that it looks
as though your vox pops were from a number of events.
One of the absolutely best places to get great vox pops is at
Business Swap. These people are so encouraging and will
always say kind things about you. If you want to hear people
saying “15 out of 10” and “fabulous” and “absolutely
fantastic” go perform for a Business Swap network.
Get about 20 vox pops. By the time you have edited them down you will have maybe
10 you can use.
Key points on Vox Pops
9 Interviewer allows person to talk without interruption
9 Use a condenser microphone attached to the person or hand held near their
mouth especially if there is noise in the room
9 Get as many as possible
9 Frame them up close (head & shoulders) and change the background
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Live Foot a ge
The important thing about live footage is to have variety and a lot to choose from.
Probably the biggest problem I have faced in making other speakers promos is the
lack of footage available. I have resorted to changing the colour to monochrome,
zooming in and even reversing the footage so that it looks different.
Your video must look like the shots were taken at a number of different venues and a
number of different gigs. If you don’ t do a lot of gigs then make sure you get shots
with a different background. This can give a similar effect especially if the footage is
used wide apart in your video.
I recommend that you always take your
camcorder with you and either set it up on the
tripod or ask someone to take some shots for
you. Heres what I have done:
Shooting the Audience
Have the MC take a number of shots of you
speaking over the heads of the people in
attendance. If there is a large crowd in
attendance have the MC do a couple of 2
second sweeps of the audience and/or a zoom
over the audience towards you.
Another little trick is to offer to take footage
of another speaker and get some crowd shots
while you are there.
As long as you have also worked with that
crowd and received similar bursts of laughter
etc you have my blessing to use the footage in
your own piece.
Walk around a bit
When you are being filmed try to give the cameraperson a range of backgrounds.
This can give the impression of footage taken at different venues and gives you much
more useful footage. Walking in amongst your audience also gives an indication of
the sort of rapport you have with them.
Fancy camera work
Some cameras allow you to apply filters as you are taking the footage. Don’ t do this.
You can apply all the filters you want during editing so why waste a shot when
filming?
Using zoom
Apart from the shot taken over the heads of the audience where you might want to use
a zoom try to steer clear of zooms. Any shot that is taken on a zoom in will be jerky
so should only be attempted with a tripod. Zoom was not meant for that shot where
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 18
the subject comes closer. Zoom was meant for changing your focal length in between
shots. You can apply all the fancy stuff once you get to the editing stage. So just
instruct your cameraperson to take steady clear focused shots without zooming.
Just set it up and push record
What I have done a number of times is to set up the camera on a tripod with a shot
that looks good. Then I switch the camera to record just before I go up. I get about
45 minutes of footage and I am only looking for 3 or 4 seconds, but there is plenty to
choose from.
Rule of Thirds
When shooting video use the rule of thirds.
Subject
Horizon
Divide the screen up into thirds (imagine a noughts and crosses grid on your screen)
and place the subject on the vertical lines and the horizon on the horizontal lines.
Make sure the subject is looking into the frame and the shot will be much more
interesting.
Lighting
Light determines a good shot. Where possible use natural light. Keep the sun or
other light source behind the camera. If the light source is behind the subject the
subject will turn into shadow.
Should you go out and buy a set of lights? In my opinion, no. We are not trying to
produce a critically acclaimed movie here, just a movie that highlights your abilities
as a performer. There is a certain forgiveness for the lack of quality given that it is a
true account of what and how you do what you do.
Stay Focussed
Sometimes it is better to turn off the auto focus on your camera and manually adjust.
Auto focus is where the camera will focus on the subject in the middle of the screen.
If you are setting up a shot with the subject to the side auto focus may not give you
what you want.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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So You Already Have Some Footage On VHS?
If you have access to the original footage on Betacam or whatever it was recorded on
you might ask a conversion company to put it on MiniDV tape for you. However that
can be expensive.
If you have a camcorder that allows you to import directly through an AV connecting
cable (a red white and yellow plug on one end to a single plug on the other) then you
can simply do the conversion from the VHS by plugging your camcorder into your
video machine and hitting the record button on your camcorder.
The quality is probably going to be a little less than the VHS but because you are
displaying, in most cases, smaller than the original file, it is OK.
Using still shots
Still shots can also be used very effectively in a promotional video. A lot of modern
camcorders have a still shot option and these are fine for use on the video.
You can apply all sorts of effects to still shots and they can be quite effectively used
in your video. Have the shot slowly enlarge or minimise. Use a photo of a
testimonial letter spinning around and then have the pertinent words appear as a title.
Key points on Live footage
9 Always carry your camcorder with you
9 Variety is the key
9 Get as much as you can
9 Have the MC take a few minutes for you
9 Use the rule of thirds
9 Avoid using zooms
9 Do not apply filters
9 Get the lighting in the right place
9 Where feasible use manual focus
9 Shoot a variety of backgrounds
9 Convert old footage from VHS
9 Share footage with other speakers
9 Collect as many still shots as possible.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Th e Ga t he r in g of List s
There are a number f lists that you may want to include in the video. Here are some
suggestions:
How you can use (me)
9 Keynote sessions
9 Breakout sessions
9 MC
9 Moderator
9 Entertainment
9 Panel member
9 Half day to multi day training
Specialist subjects
9 Communication
9 Negotiation
9 Sales
9 Customer Service
9 The mating habits of Southern Himalayan Yaks
Don’ t make this list to broad, they will think you are a know it all. And make them
short and punchy. You might be an expert on the emergent cyclical double helix
model of adult human bio psycho social behaviour but just call it Spiral Dynamics
OK?
Satisfied clients
9 Anset Australia
9 One Tel
9 Wang Computers
9 You know what I mean
If possible you might also use their logos. You can grab the logos off the web but
there is a good chance these will be too low a resolution to use. Scanning the logo
from a letterhead might be a better option.
Contact Details
This is fairly obvious and it must be noticeable. It is contained in the call to action
section of the video at the end and it is best not to include it in the voice over but just
show it on the screen. The reason for this is that you will want to use the same video
for all of the bureaus that you want to associate with. Having to juggle a different
voice over along with a graphic is a real pain especially if you recorded the contact
details on your mini disc at a different time, with different ambient noise. Just use the
visual OK?
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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And only show the following information:
9 The contact company name
9 Their phone number
9 Their email address.
More than that is unnecessary and will take up space on the screen. Again with
smaller screens the real estate is expensive. Give them enough so they can contact
you or your agents and as quickly as possible.
Sometimes companies operate a catch all system on their emails so, with their
permission, you can use [email protected] and this makes it look like you
are really in thick with them.
Lists in a nutshell
9
9
9
9
Make sure your lists are short and punchy
Don’ t use companies that are out of business as testimonials
Your subjects should have a central theme if possible
Make contact details bold and succinct
Ch oosin g t h e Soft w a r e for Your Be n H u r
OK Now you have everything gathered. So now we have to begin putting it all
together in the video.
There are a number of different software packages you could use for producing your
video which range in cost from free to a zillion dollars.
Microsoft Movie Maker is free with Windows XP and version 2 has had some great
write-ups but it cannot produce your final CD product.
That is why we have simply chosen a product that is inexpensive and will do
everything that you need.
In this example we will be using Ulead VideoStudio 8.
You can download this version free of charge from the Ulead
website as a free 30 day trial. It is 138 MB in size so if you
are operating on dial up it could take a while to get it.
Honestly, I can’ t think of any reason why a professional
would still be on dial up. Upgrade now!
This is especially true if you want to send your video in
email or host it on a web site.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Why Ulead VideoStudio 8?
Ulead make some really good product. This one is great and inexpensive and if you
go to the website you will see how it compares with other industry standard software.
The trial software is fully functional and will operate for 30 days before closing down.
Don’ t download it until you are ready to start experimenting. Those 30 days can rush
by.
Here is a bit of the blurb about the program from their website.
Ulead® VideoSt udio™ 8 is hom e v ideo edit ing soft ware t hat m akes edit ing
your m ov ies as fun as shoot ing t hem . And, if you'v e never edit ed a m ov ie
befor e, m ak e one in t hree easy st eps using t he new Mov ie Wizard m ode.
Shar e finished pr oj ect s on DVD, t ape, t he Web, and m obile devices.
Unm at ched st abilit y, high- speed r endering and real- t im e perform ance m ean
less wait ing and m ore t im e for creat ing.
Make edit ing y our m ov ies as fun as shoot ing t hem
Easy t o Le a rn & Use - The Mov ie Wizard gives you gr eat m ov ies in
m inut es. A com plet e Video Tut or ial, sam ples and a 180- page Manual will get
you up and r unning in no t im e
M ore Cre a t ive Con t e n t - Get art ist ic w it h m or e t han 700 effect s, video
fram es and graphics. Com pose t housands of soundt racks wit h t he aut o
m usic m ak er
Well, sounds pretty cool to me.
When I first started in video editing, which was two years ago, I started using Ulead
Video Studio 6. The product came bundled in with a CD burner I bought.
My first promo hand made video was entirely produced using that software. However
I now want more functionality and that is why I now use Ulead Media Studio 7 Pro.
This program has some rather neat advantages over Video Studio but is more
expensive.
At US$99.00 Video Studio 8 (the latest version of Video Studio) is a good low cost
alternative.
I am not going to repeat their manual here and recommend if you hit some sort of a
snag (that I don’ t cover here) that you refer to it.
Meantime what follows are the basic steps you need to take to produce your video.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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Le t ’s D o I t – Le t ’s M a k e a M ovie
Load VideoStudio 8 and select VideoStudio Editor. There are a few places we
should get familiar with on the screen first
Action area – Where
you get to change
things
Screen – Where
you see the results
of your work
Library – holds
all
of
your
resources
for
your video
Storyboard
also
becomes timeline
As they said in their blurb there are three easy steps to take. Here they are:
St e p 1 - Ca pt ur e V ide o
Select Capture button (top left). Make sure your camcorder is plugged into your
computer and turned on.
Change the format to MPEG. The reason you will import as Mpeg is that you will use
Mpeg as the final format and Mpeg is much smaller (about 1/100th the size of avi
files). Unless you are planning to crate high quality DVD (not quite as friendly as
VCD) and not planning to put your videos on the web you should import as Mpeg.
Press the Capture video button and then press the stop capture when the clip is
finished. You will see that the clip has been added to your library on the top right
side of the screen. Proceed with the above as many times are you need to get all your
clips into your computer.
Dropped frames
If you notice that you get dropped frames during capture here are a few things to
consider doing:
9 Don’ t record on long play
9 Make sure there is plenty of room on your hard disk
9 Make sure you have plenty of RAM memory in your computer (at least 512
Mb)
9 Make sure your screensaver is switched off
9 Don’ t have any other programs running in the background (including virus
software)
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St e p 2 – St a r t Edit ing
Select Edit option and drag and drop the clips that you wish to use from the Library
(top right) into the story board on the bottom of your screen if they are not already
there
Switch to timeline view on the bottom of the screen (use 2nd button to the left of the
storyboard)
Coloured backgrounds
If you want to use a coloured background to the scene simply select from the library a
colour clip and drag it onto the video track. There is a wide selection of colours
available but my recommendation is black. I don’ t recommend the use of puce.
Inserting Titles
Title in place
Animate title
here
Set duration here
Clip repositioned
Set the slider to the beginning of the timeline and click on the “ T” to add a title. Then
double click in the screen as suggested
Create your opening title and give it a bit of flare by playing with the font, size, colour
and animation effect (on the left of the screen).
Obviously this is the same way you would add your other lists and you may choose
animate with a fly option which will rolls your titles the same ways as they do the
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 25
credits at the movies. If the titles don’ t last long enough or move to slowly simply
adjust the length of the title by selecting it and drag one end to the desired length on
the timeline.
On the pic above I have shown how you might mix a vox pop with an animated title.
This is quit simple to do.
1. Create a coloured panel on the video track by selecting colour in the library
and dragging the colour you want in the background to the video track.
Extend this colour track as long as you want it to last on the screen (You can
wait until the vox pop is there to determine that if you want.
2. Select your vox pop clip and drop it onto the overlay track. With the clip
selected click on motions and filter. You will see that the clip assumes a
smaller position on the screen and it has a box with yellow anchors around it.
You can use these markers to reposition the clip to the left side to allow room
for a title on the right.
3. Click on the Title track to add your title. Set the font and size first and then
type your list in. Don’ t worry that it will extend below the viewable screen
because we will apply an animation to it.
4. Select animation type fly and select the preset that shows letters coming up fro
the bottom of the screen.
5. Drag the title out to the length of the vox pop clip.
Remember that your piece may be viewed in a very small format by the viewer. On
the web for example it is best to create a file no bigger than 352x240 because
download time would be seriously added to if you chose a bigger format. A 6 minute
video file can be compressed to around 10Mb using the techniques mentioned in this
report. So it makes sense that you will want to only have a few words for people to
read.
Transitions
Transitions are the method used to move from one clip to another. Obviously you
could abruptly switch to the next clip but I feel that is a little less appealing. But once
Transition
library
Transition
applied
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
Page 26
again, as with effects, you can be tempted to try too many transitions and this will
detract from the message.
The most common transition I use is called a cross fade where over a fraction of a
second clip 1 will merge and become clip 2. I guess that is why they call it a cross
fading.
There are a number of other transitions available but I limit myself to a maximum of
three per project. Here are a couple of others that I like:
Peel: Where the page peels up from the bottom corner. Film peel is good
because it shows are reverse of clip 1 as it is going away. I mainly use this
transition where there is a change of subject.
Flying Cube – Where clip 1 folds to a cube and flies off the screen revealing
clip2. I used this one on my promotional video right at the beginning along with
a minimising effect.
Cutting out a bit
To cut a piece of the video out (don’ t worry you wont lose it) simply put the jog bar
(the little slider on the screen where the clip is showing) to the place where you want
to make the cut (use the next and back button to get to where you want to be) and then
hit the scissors. You can put a transition in here too if you wish.
Take out the sound on a clip
To take the sound out on a clip simply select the clip and hit the mute button. That
will remove the sound on the clip and mean that it no longer conflicts with the other
tracks you might be using.
Making it look sexy (or not)
You can also add a filter to any clip by selecting the Filter tab and then dragging any
filter effect you wish onto the clip. Be careful about doing this and try and hold back
the urge to go crazy with effects. With the vignette filter you can even make yourself
look like and angel but you have to be careful not to stretch the bounds of
believability.
Special effects (called Filters on Video Studio 8)
There area a number of special effects that you can choose to use. Video Studio 8 has
more than 700 of them. However I only recommend the use of a few. My opinion is
that if you use too many effects that it looks like you just got a new toy. It is not
about showing how good you are at using the editing program but rather how good
you are as a speaker or trainer (or whatever you are)
The few I use are:
Monochrome: I use this mainly to create a change or to correct a badly
coloured clip
Blur: I use this behind frames to give the impression of life and movement to
the clip it is behind
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Light: When you want to highlight a particular aspect of a clip or reuse a clip
and make it look different.
Adding your voice over
So you have recorded your voice over on an mpg3 file or a wav. First you have to
load it into the library so it can be used in the video.
On the library area (top right) select Audio and hit the little folder button.
Voice Track
Music Track
Select the file you wish to use and click open
You can now drag and drop that clip into the voice track on the timeline.
Adding music to your video
Use the same instructions as above but drop the music into the Music track on the
timeline. You can adjust the volume as it suits the rest of the video. If you want to
drop the volume at different places you need to cut the track and handle each variation
as a separate thing.
At any time you can see what you have done by selecting “ Project” on the screen and
pressing the play button.
Editing in a nutshell
9
9
9
9
9
Import your clips as MPEG
Add titles and animate if you wish
Put transitions between clips
Add voice over
Add music and adjust volume if required
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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St e p 3 – Cr e a t e You r Vide o File
Once you are all done playing around it is time to create your final product.
9
9
9
9
Select the Share tab on the top of the screen and click on Create Video File
Select either Pal VCD
Decide where you want to put it and what you want to call it and click save.
Let the program do it’ s rendering and then sit back and watch a playback of
your first movie.
Select share here
Select type here
Really it is that simple. Now that only took a few moments to explain but I guess you
are going to have a little frustration while trying to get used to the vicissitudes of the
programs.
What I have explained here is just the basics. You will want to experiment with the
program to see if you can do things a little differently. But the above will produce a
video for you.
Now you can simply burn the track to a CD, drop on a label and then stick it into the
mail to a prospect. You’ re done unless you want to get a little more fancy.
Some words on format
VCD as a format is preferable as it plays on all computers and most DVD’ s and is
easy to create.
DVD is being used extensively in the States and is higher quality but it costs more and
you need a DVD burner to create and a DVD player to read the file. If we follow the
States it is likely we will go DVD however…
I believe the most likely format in the future will be streaming video through the net
since it is the fastest way to get the message across town or country, however….
Many companies do not allow downloads of avi, wma, mpg and other movie formats.
But there is a neat way to get around this and it is fully explained in the hard copy
version which you can upgrade to if you wish.
How to Create Your Own Promotional Video
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W ha t a bou t Pa ck a gin g?
When we talk about a promotional video we are not just talking about the video itself.
There is also the packaging and support material that you need to consider. So let’ s
talk about that now.
Make them sit up and take notice
So when your material arrives on the desk of a prospect what is their first impression?
What makes your stuff stand out from the rest that he/she has to wade through? One
thing you really should do right up front is to go and get some professional photos of
yourself.
There are photographers around who will do a great job and you can own the rights to
use the pictures in any way you want. Michael Finder of Click 88 is one such
professional on the Gold Coast and as you can see in the following pages is able to
turn a sours ear into a silk purse. For around $200.00 I have all the shots I needed.
Have a look at the sort of work Michael does on www.click88.com.au
So a good set of photo will make your presentation stand out. What else is needed?
In considering this myself I looked at the way most speakers at the time presented
their material. Most I saw came on CD’ s inside either a jewel case or a lightweight
plastic sleeve. Others might provide a big folder that has cost hundreds to put
together and won’ t fit on a standard book case. Some even print a sleeve to go in the
CD case and it can look good.
But I am interested in standing out and right now for me that means having a snappy,
professional looking presentation that will grab the eye of anyone looking at it and
that will have a good shelf life.
I had a look through my DVD collection and modelled the cover off the best I could
see there. This is what I came up with
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As you can see it is clean, there is no confusing the message and I think it gets the
message across well, otherwise I would have done it differently.
I used Corel Draw to create this slick and the label for the disk.
As you can see I used still shots from the movie on the cover as well. If you see a
shot you think might be good when you are editing in Ulead VideoStudio 8 simply
select save as still image under “ Clip” (top right). This will save the frame as a bmp
file that you can edit and add to the cover slick if you wish.
You can buy DVD cases with the plastic cover that takes a slick for about $1.00 each
(Tandy sell them in lots of 5 for $4.95). It is best to get the ones that do not have the
word DVD moulded inside anywhere just in case you confuse your prospect.
As far as increasing the shelf life I recommend making up an e-book from some of
your material and providing that as bonus material. Put a bright star shape on the
slick and the word “ Includes Bonus Material” on it and you have just given your
material shelf life. Especially this is true of your bonus material is something that is
of real benefit to your prospect or their staff.
The CD label
On the CD itself I created a simple but
effective label as you can see.
The photos I have used were all taken by
Michael Finder who I spoke of earlier
For a reasonable cost (about $200.00) you
can have a bunch of great shots taken that
will make you look good.
Of course when it prints on the label it has a
great big hole in the centre but I think it
makes me look slimmer, don’ t you think?
Support Material
Those neat DVD cases I was talking about in the last paragraph are good because they
have a couple of lugs on the inside cover that can hold a small book. I made up a
book called “Everything you ever wanted to know about Ian Harvey … but
didn’t want to ask!”
I produced the cover on CorelDraw and made up the actual book in Microsoft Word.
Because I only produce low volume I can easily customised the cover (and indeed the
video) for any bureau. This is 24 pages long and is duplex printed (that means printed
on both sides of the page). There is a bit of mucking around with pages when you
make it up like this but I think the time is worthwhile spending for the result you get.
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It is 24 pages long and has the following headings. (Please feel free to appropriate
those that you like)
How to use the CD – Instructions on how easily you can view the contents of the CD
Who is Ian Harvey? – Two pages on background bio and accomplishments. You
know, Author of this, designer of that etc.
What Outcomes Can You Expect? – One page on what outcomes you can expect
How Does He Do It? – One page on the methods employed in training and speaking.
How You Can Use Ian – One page on how to use me. You know, Keynotes, product
releases, TV presentations, Live training etc.
Subjects – Nine pages showing some of the subject matter they may choose from.
They see the subject heading, the premise it is based on and the outcome for that
session.
Recourses available – Listing of the product that is available to reinforce the learning
on the next two pages.
Client Company listing – Two pages of logos of companies that I have worked with.
What People Say About Ian – Two pages of testimonials.
AV and room requirements – One page showing the minimum set up requirements
for audiences of varying sizes
And one more page which in the Bureau version is titled “ Why use our Speakers
Bureau” and in the non bureau version is called “ Notes”
That’s it! You have done it!
You have produced your promotional video. Was not all that hard was it? Now you
might want to go back and tighten up a few bits and then take one out to a few
bureaus or customers and ask for honest feedback on your work. Be prepared to hear
what you didn’ t want to and do some more work on it. Believe me it will pay off.
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I s Tha t All The r e I s?
By no means! Although producing a video and packaging it nicely will do the job for
you there is much more that you can do with the product of your labours. And, rest
assured, the future will hold even bigger and brighter ways that you can use this
technology to promote your services. Here are some future trends that are opening
up right now.
Upload to the web.
In order to upload to the web you really need to have a much smaller file. However
you probably can’ t say all you need to say in 30 seconds so we have to find another
way of making your file available over the web.
Enter Flix Pro. This is an amazing piece of software that will actually convert your
mpeg file into a flash animation (swf) file. Flash video works without a streaming
server, plays on all platforms & browsers, and streams through firewalls. Since
everyone already has the Flash player installed, using Flix Pro means that your
viewers won'
t have to download any players. It'
s the high-quality, hassle free
encoding solution.
So you could even get to the stage of sending your video inside your email or have a
link to the page on which the clip is located
Flix Pro also has a couple of other advantages:
It allows for the export of a player frame around your video, like a small screen and it
make the video look real good.
It has a click to begin playback option that means that the user controls the viewing of
the program.
Flix Pro costs US$99.00 but is essential if you want to use web delivery.
Once you have created your flash animation simply FTP it to your site. I assume you
have a site and are familiar with FTP (the means by which you get a file up to the
web). If you don’ t know how to FTP then just send the file to your web people and
they will do it for you. In my experience your file should be no bigger than 10Mb
You will also need to create an html file that references the video. If you are using
Front Page or Dreamweaver they both allow the insertion of a flash animation in a
given area of the screen. Create a table first then insert your animation into one of the
cells of the table. That way you can define exactly where it is going to appear.
It will look really great since there is no apparent downloading required and it starts
straight away (unless you requested “ click to start” when you made the flash
animation.
If you want to do this and the above instructions are not quite enough for you to
handle it, you might think of upgrading this e-book to the hard copy version which
explains it all in greater detail and gives you samples as well.
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Send it in an email
Yes, you can actually send the video in an email. Some readers may have a problem
seeing it if their email program has been set to not allow viewing of active X
components and this can be easily changed.
To send your video in the email first host it as above and then using your html editor
(FrontPage, Dreamweaver etc) build a page the same way as you would as if you were
putting the video in the web.
Insert the flash animation the same as above and then change the location of the flash
to reflect the URL address (the full location and file name as it appears on your
website).
In my case I locate videos on the web in the following location
http://www.letsdoit.net.au/images/video.swf
Then select file send and it will convert your page into an email. Send it to yourself
first and see how good it looks. Again for more details consider upgrading to the hard
copy of this book where we cover the development of the html and hosting etc.
Create Synopses (or is Synopsis’s?)
Another good idea is to record short (1-2 min) synopsis of your most popular
material. This enables the viewer, if they liked what they saw in the promotional
video, to select the material you will cover in the engagement. It will also educate the
Bureaus as to what you present just in case they did not read your printed material.
Make sure your synopsis is broad enough and that you indicate your willingness to
customise the material for the customers needs.
For samples of synopsis go to this address
http://www.letsdoit.net.au/Keynote.htm
On that link you will also see my promotional video.
More details on how to do this plus a full set of demo software and samples are
provided on the hard copy upgrade of this book. See our special offer earlier in this
report.
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M or e D e t a ils on t h e Te ch n ology
Most of this stuff is actually stuff you should have anyway for developing your
talents. However there are a few bits and pieces you should consider buying
especially for this project. A complete list (I think it is complete) is listed below
along with some pricing and specifications.
Software
Ulead Video Studio 8 – cost US$99.00 and available as a free download full version
for 30 days trial
A Sound editor like Cool Edit – To edit audio components. Actually as of April
2004 Cool Edit is now an Adobe product called Adobe Audition and sells for
US$299.00. I think this is too much for what we want it for so I recommend that you
look at the likes of SoundEdit 1.1
Nero Burning - To burn VCD, data or DVD. If you have a CD burner you will
already have some burning software on your computer.
Autorun Wizard – This is a program that you can use to automatically start your
promo when the person inserts the CD into their computer.
Here is what they say about their program.
Aut oRun Wizard allows you t o configure t he t asks t hat occur aut om at ically
when a CD/ DVD is insert ed int o t he CD/ DVD drive. Aut oRun Wizard t akes
advant age of t he ex ist ing funct ionalit y w it hin t he Windows aut orun.inf file
and builds off of it . We support t he opt ion t o r un any file. For ex am ple y ou
could r un a pdf and ht m l file as your aut orun. You can also launch t o a
websit e or aut om at ically use explor er t o brow se t he r oot of t he dr iv e. You
can configur e your aut orun t o show a splash screen w it h a com pany logo or
any im age y ou want t o display w it h a delay. The splash screen also feat ures
ov er 150 anim at ions opt ions t o add a professional look t o your im age. You
can also define a sound file t hat can be play ed dur ing y our splash screen.
Addit ional feat ur es include t he abilit y t o define how t he aut orun is launched,
up t o 5 different files t o aut orun, delay or w ait unt il t he files are closed and
m or e. A user friendly icon select or can help y ou specify which icon t o use
wit hin t he aut or un applicat ion file. Addit ionally , y ou hav e t he abilit y t o set
t he CD dr iv e label t o be displayed in t he Windows explorer .
You don’ t need this however when you get a little more savvy you will probably want
it. It costs US$19.99
Music
If you want to stay within the law you need to make sure that you only use material
that you have rights to use. This would include any of your own footage and royalty
free music as long as you have bought a license to use it.
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Free Up Down Under Royalty Free Music www.royaltyfree.com.au
These people have music available from $19.00 to $249.00 and also have available
royalty free video footage.
Hardware
A Camcorder
You are definitely going to need a camcorder. Again
check out ebay. They can be as cheap as chips
nowadays. I use a Sony DCR-TRV33E Pal.
This camera cost me about $2000.00 when I bought it
and now for about $300.00 less you can buy a 3 CCD
camera which is the sort of technology that
professional cameras use.
A 3 CCD camera uses a 3 chip Advanced HAD™ CCD system and dichroic prism to
separate colour information, colours are extremely accurate, and colour “ bleeding"
and “ smearing" are greatly reduced. Did you understand that? What it means to us
plebs is that it separates the colours and therefore produced higher quality recording.
If I was in the market again now for a camera I would buy one of these. But the
normal home camera actually produces a great shot anyway and often the quality of
the clip is determined more by the operator than anything else.
Quality on a normal digital video camera is good enough given that you are not trying
to produce a Cecil B de Milne production (he’ s the guy who did the 10
Commandments) and the action is live.
You can get a good camera on line at the likes of eBay for much less that retail but
you should check out that model at the shops first to see if you are comfortable with
it. Here are a few things you should consider:
Firewire
Make sure it has a Firewire connection so that you will have no difficulty
transferring to your computer. Firewire is also known as iLink on Sony
systems. Firewire is quicker than USB and allows for capture in digital format.
If you capture using USB you are essentially capturing analogue footage.
Analogue is an electrical signal using continuously varying electrical voltages.
Analogue video that is copied or edited several times suffers from generational
loss and begins to degrade with distortion of the image.
Optical Zoom
Optical zoom is normally between 10x and 24 x. Buying a bigger zoom allows
you to get great shots from a distance. Optical zoom is made from two convex
lenses operated by the manual focus ring. Forget digital zoom because it
degrades the quality the closer you zoom in.
Manual Focus Ring
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All camcorders have autofocus which you will use most of the time. But it can
blur in and out on moving objects. A manual focus ring will allow you to focus
on exactly what you want.
Pull out viewfinder
You may want to preserve battery life by using the viewfinder instead of the
screen. If your new camera has a pull out viewfinder it will be easier to use in
this way.
CCD size
The CCD or Charge Coupled Device, converts light into a digital signal. It’ s
measured in megapixels (MP) and the bigger the better. Although it is not the
only contributing factor, a larger CCD usually means better image quality. In
Sony they range from 0.46 to 3.3. And then there is also the 3CCD cameras
with CCD sizes from 0.45 to 1.07
MiniDV, DVD or MicroDV?
I only recommend MiniDV. DVD has its problems yet since the technology is
so new and MicroDV has compatibility problemd with most editing software
(and all Macs).
AV-in
AV-in enables you to record TV or VHS tapes to your camcoder for conversion
to digital. Handy if you have old VHS material you want on digital.
Batteries and chargers
The battery life of a camcorder is usually around two hours. Don’ t consider a
camcorder without a rechargeable (lithium) battery and make sure the charger is
easy to carry around. You will want to use mains power whenever you have the
opportunity.
Effects
Don’ t bother with a camcorder that offers special effects such as mosaic, sepia
or black and white. Any effect can be accomplished later on in the editing
software.
A Computer
Well that seems to be a given but there are a few things you would want to make sure
you have on your computer in order to be able to do the best job. Video editing
pushes a computer to its limits, but any new model with a 2GHz P4 processor, 32Mb
graphics card, a minimum of 512 Mb of memory and a large hard drive of at least
60Gb of free space will be fine for the job.
Here are four important things to think about:
9 Bigger, Better, Faster, More – You can never have too much raw processing
power or memory
9 Consider a second hard drive – If you are going to make a hobby out of this
consider installing a second hard drive just for your video files, they can get
really big.
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9 Make sure your computer has Firewire (aka IEEE1394 or iLink) – You need a
firewire card and cable to transfer digital video.
9 Windows XP or Mac OS x only – These operating systems are designed with
digital video editing in mind.
You could do the best thing and buy a Mac for the job, but I am assuming you already
have a PC and don’ t really want to spend much more.
Mini Disc Recorder
This is used to record the voice over and may also be used for live recording.
It has long been recommended that you record yourself for the purpose of critiquing. I
recommend you buy a mini disc recorder for this purpose. But also listen out for that
moment when in a few succinct words you say something of earth shattering
importance with a sexy voice. That sort of live recording can be set against a series of
stills that have dissolves and special effects to make up a very powerful sequence.
Sony makes a very good mini disc recorder and I purchased a NET MD MZ-N1 some
time ago. Cost me around $900.00 and then on top of that I bought a condenser
microphone which set me back a couple of hundred dollars. Then one day I was
surfing on ebay and managed to snap up an identical model for $93.00
A condenser microphone
Don’ t rely on a microphone placed on the table or lectern to catch
your performance. Instead invest in a good quality small condenser
microphone that will be unobtrusive and pick up well.
This would also be valuable to create the live footage with audio if
you cant link into the sound system you can record you speech on
the mike and the video from the back of the room and sync the two at production
time.
OK stop reading this and get back to work.
Make movie magic!
Regards
Ian Harvey
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Glossa r y
Analogue
This is an electrical signal using continuously varying electrical voltages. Analogue
video that is copied or edited several time suffers from generation loss much like a
photocopy of a photocopy gets worse each reproduction.
Aspect Ratio
Proportional height and width of picture on screen. The current standard for
conventional television sets is 4:3 or 16:9 for widescreen.
AVI
AVI stands for Audio Video Interleaved. AVI format files are common on PCs for
storing video.
BMP
Bitmap. A common file format for storing still images.
Capture
The process of transferring a digital video from a camcorder to the computer.video
CCD
The Charged –Coupled Device, which converts the optical image into digital data on a
camcorder. Home camcorders have one CCD unit for all of the primary colours. (red,
green and blue) Professional cameras have 3, one for each of the colours.
Clips
Component parts of a movie project, may consist of:
9 Digitized video.
9 Still photographs.
9 Audio.
9 Graphics.
9 Titles.
CODEC
Part of a media file (video, audio) that stands for Compressor DECompressor. The
CODEC makes the file smaller but must also be present on the computer for it to
playback.
Crossfade
The audio equivalent of the video picture dissolve. The first soundtrack gradually
fades out while the second soundtrack simultaneously relaces it.
Cut
The effect when two clips, either on the same or on different tracks, are butted
together without overlap.
Digital Video
Video that store a series of data representing the individual pixels of a screen.
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Depth of Field
The area in which all objects located at different distances from the camera appear in
focus.
DV
An abbreviation of Digital Video. DV is used to describe equipment that use the
standard DV cassette. It is also used to describe the raw video data that is captured
from these devices by a computer.
DVD
Digital Versatile Disc. This is an optical disc capable of storing 4.7GB of computer
data. Used to store digital video movies for playback on a DVD player.
DVD-R/DVD+R
Two types of DVD recordable discs that can be written to using the appropriate DVD
recorder.
Editing
The process of selecting, cutting and placing video footage in order to create a movie.
Also includes adding sound tracks, titles and transitions.
Fade
To have a clip come into view (fade in) or go out of view gradually (fade out).
Flicker
The appearance of a flicker, flashing, or unsteadiness in an image on a display screen.
A flicker issue can occur when the video refresh rate is too low, other video related
issues and a in some cases hardware issues with the monitor. Commonly when this
type of issue occurs users will experience more eye strain.
Frame Rate
The number of still images that are played in a second to create a moving picture.
PAL has a frame rate of 25 FPS (frames per second) whereas NTSC has a frame rate
of 29.7 FPS.
IEEE1394/ AKA Firewire or iLink
A cable and socket system that camcorders and computers use to transfer digital
video. The current rate is 400Mb per second.
Jaggies
Term used to describe a rigid non-straight line or edge of a image or graphic. Jaggies
are commonly seen when zooming in on an image or on a low quality or resolution
image. See also pixelated.
MPG
Widely-used video codec used by most computers to display a video. MPEG
compression is capable of being handled through the software and/or hardware. There
are various versions of MPEG. There are a number of versions such as MPEG-1,
MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPEG-7, and MPEG-21.
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NTSC
Short for National Television System Committee, NTSC is the United States
committee responsible for creating technological television and video standards,
including refresh rate and colour capabilities.
NTSC Composite Video is the standard for analogue colour televisions in the United
States of America.
When configuring a desktop computer or laptop computer to connect to an external
video source such as a TV or a projector, users in the United States should configure
the video and/or BIOS for NTSC as the external video or video source. Users outside
the United States should select the option for PAL.
Noninterlaced
When referring to a computer monitor a noninterlacing is a method of how an image
on a computer monitor is refreshed. With noninterlaced every line on the monitor is
refreshed during a scan. This provides for a higher quality display and less chance of
noticing flickering or line movements on the monitor. When considering between a
interlaced and a noninterlaced monitor, a noninterlaced monitor is commonly
recommended.
PAL
An acronym for Phase Alternating Line. This is the standard for television sets in
UK, some parts of Europe and Australia and New Zealand.
Pixel
Shorthand for Picture Element. The smallest rectangle of colour on a screen. Many
of which are used to create a picture or a single frame on a video.
Pixelated
When the pixels on a picture are enlarged so that the naked eye sees a jagged edge on
the picture. See also jaggies
Resolution
The number of pixels that an image has. PAL video has a resolution of 720 x 576 and
NTSC has a resolution of 720 x 480
RGB
Short for Red-Green-Blue, RGB is a method of creating colours from the primary
colours of red, green, and blue. RGB is sometimes used when describing a type of
display or monitor
Sound Bite
A small edited audio track
SVGA
Short for Super Video Graphics Array, SVGA is a set of video standards that is one
step above VGA. SVGA monitors are capable of displaying up to 16 million colors
with a resolution of 800 x 600 on 14" monitors or up to a 1200 x 1600 resolution on a
20" monitor.
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Transition
The visual effect used to change the screen from one image to another.
May be as simple as a cut, or may be as complex as a moving pattern containing one
image which is replaced by a second pattern containing the second image.
VCD
Video Compact Disc. This is a format for recording video to a CD (not a DVD, so
you don’ t need a DVD burner). Videos recorded in VCD format will play on
computers and in DVD players.
WAV
Windows Audio Volume is a common sound file format that uses very little
compression.
Zoom
To change the focal length of a variable focal length lens.
Zooming-In.
To increase the focal length and thereby make the subject appear bigger and
closer.
Zooming-Out.
To decrease the focal length and thereby make the subject appear smaller and
farther away.
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