Page 66 - SKU-000506274_TEXT.indd

Chapter 3 Creating Informative Videos 45

different camera angles, inspirational background music, you name it. In fact, this is
the one type of video where it might pay to engage professional production serv-
ices; you have to put your best foot forward.

A video product tour can be relatively low tech or quite sophisticated. A simple
approach, as demonstrated in Figure 3.5 in a video from Seattle Coffee Gear
(www.youtube.com/user/SeattleCoffeeGear/), simply has an employee talk about
the product while the camera shoots the product from a variety of angles. Nothing
too complex here, pretty easy to do.

Figure 3.5 A hands-on “crew review” of the Rancilio Rocky Grinder, from Seattle
Coffee Gear.

A more sophisticated approach uses multiple shots—close-ups, long shots, even
internal cutaways. Figure 3.6 shows just such a video, produced by HP
(www.youtube.com/user/hpcomputers/) for one of its new computer models. This
video employs fancy graphics, lots of onscreen overlays—you name it, this video
has it—it in the process of showing all the features of the product in question. Lots
of work went into this one.

Another approach is to demonstrate the product in action. This works well for cer-
tain types of products, such as musical instruments, sporting goods, kitchen appli-
ances, and the like. Thus the video in Figure 3.7, where pro drummer Bryan “Brain”
Mantia demonstrates a new snare drum from the Drum Workshop company
(www.youtube.com/user/DrumWorkshopInc/). Done right, this is a very effective
approach.