Video for mobile devices: making something people will actually watch

As I wrote in earlier postings, video enabled iPods and Internet-connected computer screens are certainly not the only venues available for independent filmmakers seeking new and low cost ways of reaching an audience. Nokia and Palm are both touting new mobile devices that are made not only to capture and transmit, but to play back high quality video. On top of that, every time I walk into one of the local outlets of a large drug store chain the person behind the counter is watching video on a Play Station Portable (an entire industry has sprung up to offer people ways of converting DVDs and other video to a PSP compatible format — to see what I mean go to download.com and type in “psp video”).

In many ways, video is the most powerful medium of our time. No offense to video games or the Internet (after all, without the power of the web as a communications medium I wouldn’t be able to share this posting with you) but think of how much time people spend watching TV and how deeply it influences a person’s preferences and view of the world. As an example, a good friend of mine came to the United States as an 8-year-old boy and the first thing he did was sit down in front of his family’s TV to soak up American culture. When it came time for his first Thanksgiving, he not only made sure his mother bought a Butterball turkey, but he made sure he got the drumstick. As he explained to me recently, he never thought about turkeys of any brand until he got here, and then learned about them solely through advertising and sitcoms. That was in 1978, when video stayed in the house. Now video comes with us everywhere we go.

So, now that the medium is becoming even more of a ubiquitous force in our lives, how can you make something that stands out enough for people to watch? My suggestions are as follows:

1. Tell an interesting story. Lots of people spend too much time adding snazzy transition effects or creating dazzling animated titles while they neglect the most important part of their video — the story that an audience is supposed to care about. These days, anyone can pick up a video camera and shoot something. What separates good filmmakers from everyone else is not simply their technical ability but their ability to engage an audience by developing a storyline that people want to watch from beginning to end.

2. Decide who your audience is, and make your editorial decisions accordingly. A video that amuses your family and friends may not be a hit with people you don't know. It’s fun to watch your friends on screen. However, if your audience isn’t friends with the actors who star in your movie, your viewers may not automatically develop a strong emotional attachment to the people in your film. If your target audience is people you don’t know, it helps if you give them a reason to care about your work.

3. Don’t ignore production values. Audiences spend so much time watching TV and other forms of professionally produced video that they can instantly recognize good and bad production values (for example how good a picture looks or how clear an audio recording sounds). People instantly notice the quality of a production and it plays a large role in shaping their opinions of a person’s work. If you have a really strong story, it can make up for glitches in production (a grainy image or a badly positioned mic) but ensuring that your work looks and sounds professional is always a good place to start, and it doesn’t need to cost more — it just requires some attention and practice.

4. Make something really good. If you go to the trouble to shoot and edit a video, make sure it lives up to your high expectations as a director. Don’t settle for second best, make something you’ll feel good about when people watch it.

And with that, I wish you an enjoyable and safe holiday.

Bon appetit.