More than Just Viral [National Conference 2018 Session Recap]
Session: More than Just Viral: Making a Video that Your Audience Actually Watches
Present: Tod Plotkin, Principal & Creative Director, Green Buzz Agency
Recap: Tod is a vessel of knowledge when it comes to video production. Aside from being one of the best speakers at the conference, he was also one of the most knowledgeable and had practical advice. Tod Plotkin started the session with a straightforward question, “why video?” According to Tod, a shift in the price of video production caused the industry to change. Today, you can download video editing software on your laptop and create high-quality content for half the price as before.
Tod mentioned the importance of subtitles because of the statistic, “78% of people do not have their sound on when watching a video.” This statistic wowed me initially but I noticed when I scroll through social media, I rarely turn on the sound.
As public relations professionals, we are always thinking about effective communication — video content is a fantastic way to deliver a message visually. He mentioned the importance of color correction and color grading. Color correcting is the process of adjusting the temperature (hues) to match the tone. For example, if you want your video to appear welcoming, you would gravitate toward orange hues. A more serious tone would require blue hues.
Takeaways:
- Learn the skill! Learning video editing software is like learning a language so practice makes perfect.
- Knowing how to use video production tools is a beneficial skill.
- The goal is to get the payoff. The viewer should say “Ah, I get it. That is what the video is about.”
- Different effects, such as slow motion, are put into place for a reason. Slow motion forces your brain to stop and think.
_
Anya Mourovannyi is a senior Public Relations major and Strategic Communication minor at Rowan University in New Jersey. She is the president of Rowan’s PRSSA Chapter and is looking to grow as a professional and PRSSA member. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
