If you want to make your life easier in the edit booth when making a speaker demo DO NOT video your workshop, keynote or presentation from start to finish. Unless you plan to use it to review your performance or create a DVD product there’s a more strategic way. Here’s my take on the subject.
1. Take short and sweet video clips of less than 10 minutes. This will make it easier once you begin to review the clips, save you time and potentially save you a bunch on editing costs.
2. Move the camera around periodically and shoot from different angles -both close up and from a distance. Use 2 cameras if possible.
3. Video your introduction (the person who introduces you), that warm welcome that the audience gives you, and your opening sequence. I’m really hoping that you open with something interesting if not dynamic.
4. Get numerous short clips of you delivering what you would consider the HIGHLIGHTS or KEY POINTS of your program. Make note of where those highlights are in your program and make sure your cameraman knows when they are coming up.
5. Get several short sequences that involve audience PARTICIPATION or engagement. Show yourself interacting and connecting with audience members as much as possible. If you have them do a particular exercise, activity or anything physical – shoot it! (NOTE” This is going to be really hard if you’ve put everyone to sleep.) You might also consider asking everyone to sign a photo/video release form.
6. Show audience REACTION and reception. Show the reaction of the overall audience or individual audience members from different angles. You want to show how the audience is receiving your message. Key in on audience members who are positively attentive, interactive and/or animated. You know… nodding their heads in agreement, smiling, shouting in the isles, anything like that. Unless you’re a hypnotist or you’re making a blooper reel, avoid the people you’ve actually put to sleep.
7. Make sure to get your closing comments – again, we’re going for the interesting here – and the ROUSING APPLAUSE you get from the audience as you conclude your program. (I am either making some major assumptions or having a lot of faith in you.)
8. Get POST-PROGRAM footage of the people that come up and speak to you, ask questions, buy your products, etc. after the program. Focus on getting the interaction, energy and buzz that fills the room when you’re done.
Come home from your gig with a memory card full of these short clips and you’ll be adding energy to your video before you get the raw footage out of the camera.
PEACE.
Great info, Rick. And in those clips, make sure the speaker finishes making a point before you stop! I’ve had that done so many times before. I’d resorted to videotaping the whole thing because I know how to edit my own video and can pick out exactly what I want.
I’ll keep this post and share with anyone helping me in the future.
Great point Peggy. I’ve seen many clips that cut off right before the climax of the speaker’s comment or just in time to cut short the rousing applause, laughter or audience reaction that follows.
Another idea is… if you have the luxury of two cameras, have one film the whole workshop and the other follwing directions similar to the ones above. This way you get lots of shots of the audience and of you from a second angle.
Finally, If what you have is a video of the whole workshop or presentation, the directions above can be used in the editing booth. Now you’ll know what you’re looking for in all that footage. Folks like you who’ve made the investment in acquiring video editing skills and the right software can handle making their own great videos. You and I both know it’s not rocket science!
They should jump on over to http://www.SuiteMinute.com and take one of your YouTube Channel/Video Classes.
Thanks for the love. PEACE.
Thanks for that plug. I also have a booklet, A Complete Guide: Create, Build, and Manage a YouTube Channel. I use it in my workshops. After you have these great videos, you’ll need your own TV channel to post them.