Cut! 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Creating Video

When my boss approached me recently and asked for my help in producing a convention video for one of our clients, I was ecstatic. Finally, I thought, a chance to tap my inner Scorsese.

My only previous directing experience came at age five. (I’ll spare you the details, except to say that it involved Transformers—think Michael Bay in Superman undies—and the family camcorder.) The closest I ever got to film school was a college visit to NYU. It didn’t matter. I was going to make the best darn video those convention goers had seen in their lives.

I set about my task in earnest. Because a large chunk of the video would consist of clips from local and national news broadcasts, I spent hours poring over footage, identifying the most salient and compelling sound bites. I drafted a script, meticulously piecing each clip together to create a narrative.

Our in-house video producer spliced in b-roll and music. A week into the project, I was feeling pretty good. By the time I clocked out Friday evening, I was practically thanking the Academy.

Then the reviews came in. My boss hated it. The client panned it. My girlfriend said it confused her. In less than 24 hours, I’d gone from dreams of Oscar gold to a front-row seat at the Razzies. The horror.

I tell this story not because I enjoy making light of my own missteps. I don’t. But, in this age of multimedia, those of us who author content for a living are being asked, more often than not, to stray outside our learned expertise—in this writer’s case, magazines—to communicate messages through a suite of ever-evolving platforms. To succeed, we must nurture our talents on all fronts, whether print or online, via a smart phone or on the big screen.

A few suggestions for video that should help you avoid many of the pitfalls I’ve unwittingly stumbled into:

Have a Plan

Before you start compiling images and scouting locations, think about your end goal. Who is your audience? What is the point of the video? How will you establish a beginning, middle, and end to your narrative? What about transitions between shots? Do you have enough b-roll? Will you use text, graphics?

Consider storyboarding the entire video from the opening frame to the closing credits. This will help frame your ideas—and, hopefully, keep your viewers (cue that mental image of my girlfriend watching that convention video) from scratching their heads.

Cut It Down

People consume visual information in vastly different ways than they do print. Two sentences on the page equals an eternity on the big screen. Watch your cuts over and over. When you can think of nothing more to cut, think harder. Even the best filmmakers struggle with editing. Remember that final scene in the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Not even Peter Jackson knows when to let go.

Cutting is hard, especially when you’ve invested so much time and energy into compiling so many great clips. But it’s a necessary evil. In the end, your video will be stronger and more effective because of it.

Call Out the Good Stuff

It’s impossible to say everything in three minutes or less. But your video will say more with the help of some well-placed graphics.

Identify certain cuts that lend themselves to useful statistics, such as charts and percentages. Think about where you might insert text into or between shots. Be smart. But don’t go crazy. Graphics are most effective when used sparingly.

Keep an Open Mind

Anybody who’s written or produced anything for consumption knows about vision. Every piece of content, from novels and paintings to articles and films, starts with one. The word “compromise” has been disparaged by every filmmaker from Fellini to Ford. As your video begins to take shape, it’s only natural that you’ll become enamored with its vision. But be careful. Such affection can blind you to its shortcomings.

If you’re creating a video for a client, keep an open dialogue and an open mind. Show the video at different stages to coworkers and ask for feedback. You might not like what you hear—not at first. But criticism oftentimes is the key to perfection.

You can thank me later…in your acceptance speech.

[image: eastbayjay]