Video Testimonials

Lots of people put text testimonials on their websites. Most of them don't get read!

Video testimonials are 100 times more powerful, and are starting to become popular. You don't need a video camera, all you need is a small digital camera with a movie function. Make sure you carry it with you all the time, and when the opportunity arises, ask for a video testimonial. Most people are happy to do it.

As an example, here is one that a colleague of mine, Allan Pease did for me at a function one evening. Nothing fancy about the quality, but the message is there, so start using video testimonials and see how they work for your business.

By the way, Allan and his wife Barbara are among Australia's best selling authors, and I always like to give them a plug because their work is so very excellent. You can check out their website at www.peaseinternational.com and order their books and DVD's online.

Zooming and Panning Tips

1. Don't zoom in and out all the time during filming. It makes the audience seasick. Use the zoom to frame the shot and then press record. Stop the recording, use the zoom to reframe and start recording again. Use subtle transitions like cross fades to join the shots when editing the film. Some zooming is fine if done for dramatic effect.

2. Never pan during a shot unless absolutely necessary, like when you are following a subject as they move across a stage or scene. The only exception is to show a seascape or a landscape and then you should start off with an establishing shot of 3 seconds before doing a slow pan, then finish with a one second still shot.

The trick is to let the subject to create movement in the video, and not use the camera to create movement. That's the mistake most people make when they first get a video camera, and it results in a video that looks very unprofessional.

Time Lapse Videos

A few of the newer digital still cameras have a time lapse video feature built into their movie mode. The clip below is an example of this function and was made on my new Canon Ixus 85.

If you are looking for a new digital camera, check with your retailer whether the camera you are selecting has it. If it's not important to you, then it may not be an issue, but if you want to have a lot of fun, then this feature is excellent!

My New Digital Camera

I finally settled on a Canon Ixus 85, which is very compact but shoots terrific video clips. They are a bit hard to get but the Canon Ixus 90 is just the same, only a bit bigger and is available everywhere. I am posting an example of a video clip I shot with the Canon last weekend.

Very happy with it! It fits in the pocket and is handy to carry everywhere when it would be cumbersome to carry a standard camcorder. I bought mine from WOW Sight and Sound who give awesome service.

Whatever still camera you buy, make sure it shoots video at 640 x 480 resolution and 30 frames per second. And most importantly, remember that quality remains long sfter the price is forgotten, so give the cheapies a miss!