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Telling a great story with video in under 1:30 is always a challenge. EVIL WOMAN is the theme of this video.

Using just a few shots, video creator Craig B. told a very distinct story about this very evil woman he met!  Craig’s video was created for the WeVideo and Video Production Tips contest to win a free video camera.  Craig is the current leader in the contest so I thought readers  would find his storytelling adventures interesting.  (Scroll down for a video analysis with different info than this text post.)

First, let me say that Craig is pretty much a novice at digital video editing.  He has some experience with the old-style analogue video editing but of course that is radically different.

Even so, Craig says he was able to navigate through the WeVideo editing platform quite easily.   From start to finish, it took him about two hours to edit the video you see above.  That includes the time it took to upload all his video clips, arrange them in the timeline, pick out his royalty free music, place it and then edit in the graphics and export to You Tube.

The most time consuming thing was uploading his clips.  They are all royalty free clips he had previously downloaded from the free video clips download service called Bottled Video.     Like any good video producer, Craig had his clips all picked  out before he began editing.  To make the selection and upload process easier, Craig moved the clips he wanted to use to a new folder.  That way, once he got inside WeVideo, all he had to do was go to that one folder, select all, and do a batch upload.  Then  he took a dinner break.  When he was done chowing down, all the clips were in his free WeVideo account.

Then it was just a matter of putting everything in order and mixing it together.  Craig says he was not sure if the close-up shot of the door locking was telling enough for the story.  He actually wanted a shot of the couple walking into a room and closing the door behind him but he could not find one.  So he settled for the close-up of the door locking, then cut to the fireworks.

As a viewer, do you think that is enough?  This is one of those instances where it pays to be a critical viewer so you can have a better feel for what works and what doesn’t.  Then, if you find yourself in a similar situation editing, you can make the best decision.  Visual storytelling hinges on whether the shots you select are understood by the viewer.

Craig says he came up with his storyline based on the video he saw from Bottled Video.  He was glad the woman in the gym shot and the woman in the bathtub shot were both blondes!  I guess this guy has had a few bad experiences with women, but often the best art imitates life!

I thought the fireworks shot was a GREAT example of a visual analogy.   Coming after the “flirting” shot inside the gym, then the locked door, it is obvious what is happening.  No one will think they are attending a 4th of July event!   When he then immediately cuts to the shot of the guy getting busted, I personally burst out a good belly laugh.  I guess I have a sick sense of humor, but it was just so unexpected.  I never in a million  years was expecting THAT shot!  Like I said, I guess the guy has a sad history with women!  (We’re  not ALL like that!)

Using the bath tub shot with the music Evil Woman by Electric Light Orchestra after the arrest shot leaves no doubt in the viewer’s mind what has happened!

Overall, I think this is pretty good visual storytelling! What do you think? 

The video analysis I made for this page covers different stuff from this text post and shows you the inside of Craig’s WeVideo account and how he put the video together.

I appreciate Craig taking the time to make this video and enter it in the contest.  Now, can YOU make a better video and beat him out for the prize of a free Sony Bloggie Video camera?

Video Storytelling Contest to Win a Free Video Camera
First prize winner will receive this Sony Bloggie Video Camera! Will it be Craig or YOU?
Thanks for reading Video Production Tips!
Lorraine Grula
Internet Video Gal

 

 

Related posts:

  1. Squeeze Page Video Storytelling
  2. FREE Royalty Free Video Clips
  3. Win a FREE Video Camera!
  4. YouTube Project Report Video Contest
  5. Video Storytelling-The Visual Analogy
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