The "Video Code" is all around us. Successful producers know it, script writers know it, and now you will know it too!
The secret "Video Code" can be boiled down to the acronym, 'AMW'. But before I reveal the code, let's take a look at how the brain works.
One Big Dog
Your brain functions like a constant data processor. It rapidly files things away as quickly as you see or hear them. When you see a dog walking across the street, your brain files it away as a non-event. If the dog is cute, it triggers an emotion as well. As soon as the dog passes or next stimuli appears, your on to the next "event." Never to think about the dog again. Do you remember when the last time you saw a dog in the street? What color was it? Was it cute?
Millions of Non-Events
Your brain processes these non-events by the millions filing away the majority in the recesses of your mind, never to be heard from again. That's NOT what we want when we communicate with our customers. We want a memorable experience that will last forever. We want Mr Brain to file our videos away as "Major Event."
Man Bites Dog
OK, now you are walking down the same street and see a cute dog walking, your brain is about to file it away and suddenly a man springs out from the bushes and begins chasing the poor creature. I'd call that a "Major Event!" I'd probably tell my wife and email about it to my friends. If I had a blog, I'd blog about it. Are you getting this new picture?
Most people don't have a plan for their video. They simply shoot, edit, post and hope to get some traffic of someone to notice. I have a better way, a new way to think so you can produce memorable videos consistently.
The Secret Video Code
The video code is AMW - Attraction, 'M'iddle, and Wrap-Up. I'll show you the importance of each of these and how to easily craft videos that follow this code.
Video Code A: Attraction
Have you ever noticed which videos on YouTube get the most views? The videos with the most interesting THUMBNAILS and best content. The thumbnails with scantily clad women seem to get the most initial page views. It's human nature. Now I'm not suggesting you add scantily clad women to your promotional video. However, I am suggesting you take a look at the attraction factor of your videos. By far the best attractors are human faces. HAPPY human faces. Again, this is human nature. We love to see human faces and we love to see happy human faces. We are instantly drawn in when presented with people enjoying themselves.
The attraction factor can not be overlooked. Attention must be paid to specific attractors for your videos to have maximum impact.
Attractor 1: Opening Sequence
The opening sequence has one purpose - communicate the importance of the video. How long should the opening be? Long enough to communicate the "importance" of the video to follow. Many first time (and many old time) producers fail to give this attractor enough attention. If you will be producing a lot of videos for your company, consider hiring a video designer to produce a branded opening that will effectively attract and communicate the "importance" of your videos.
A PowerPoint style card at the beginning of your video may be your "brand" but doesn't communicate that you have any production value to follow. Using simple graphics from DigitalJuice and others will instantly boost the attractor factor of your videos by 100%.
Attractor 2: Faces
What news shows do you watch? I watch the ones with the best looking anchors, CNN. If I spend my time at the TUBE, I want it to be a pleasant experience - even if the news is horrible. CNN has figured this out. Most local news shows have not. Closeups of faces are a huge attractor factor.
Faces engage people and keep them watching. HAPPY faces have a special effect on us. Have you ever watched a commercial or video and there is a closeup of someone smiling and caught yourself and everyone in the room smiling? Magic!
Even if you are producing a how to video, strive to include your smiling face. If you have a product video, show happy users. If a service video, show happy customers.
Attractor 3: Scope
Another very effective attractor in your videos is the concept of SCOPE. We love large things - Big Vistas, Huge Crowds, Large Rooms, Globes, Maps, Places, etc. We love to "take it all in." We love to have a sense of place when we are watching something so we can understand where we (or the people in the video) fit in.
Can you figure out ways to include SCOPE into your video? A panoramic of your location. A vista of your campus. A shot at an event to show a crowds. Getting a few shots at events you participate in (trade shows, sporting events, fund raisers, meetings), will go a long way to add attraction to your videos.
Attractor 4: Music
I often use music to set the tone of a video and to make it attractive. I am pretty good at picking just the right music too. However, I am guilty of not including any music in my tutorials. I have had many people tell me I need to add it - I REPENT!
Music is one of the most powerful attractors in a video. By adding the right music, you can put people in a mood that makes them receptive to your message. The right music can keep people engaged and attentive. The right music coupled with the right visuals will hold someone's attention, soothe their worries, and prepare them for action. Music is all about mood. Think about the mood you want your customers to be in when when your call them to action.
Big Dog Again
Using the Big Dog example from above, imagine this new scenario:
You are walking down the street reading a newspaper with the headline - "Big Dog on the loose." You turn off the main road on to a long dark canyon-like alley that has HUGE buildings on either side, and a foreboding melody from the cello section builds in intensity. A Big Dog walks into the alley and, in closeup, in your mind's eye, you see his huge face look at you...
Interested? Attracted? Want to know how this ends? Even in this silly example, by using attractor factors - opening, closeups, music, scope - we can easily set the stage and keep interest level moving along.
Attractor Example
Do not underestimate these video attractor factors. By adding these to your productions you can immediately boost the effectiveness of your videos.
In closing, here is a great video that incorporates all we discussed in this article about attractors.
Did you watch the whole video? Did you smile? Where you emotionally moved? This video has a lot of attractor factors. If you want to see a better quality of this video watch it on the NewZealand.com site.
About Mr Video
