Need feedback on a video

[lloose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Mfa-gPcGI

Work had me record a video plugging a usb joystick that we sell. We got a really bad first take in and they went ahead and published it anyways. I am going to rerecord it soon (with some actual thought put into it) but wanted to get some feedback and ideas on shots etc.

Most importantly, I would love some recommendations on games to help show it off. ;)


Thanks from a LONG time lurker, and shy poster.

[Compute]

Nice stick, but the setting is pretty sad. Throw something together a little more 'staged'. A table with a cloth over it, I would use some convention booths as inspiration (any convention). Get some babes in there, too. Maybe that DP chick is still around for hire. And how about dressing up a bit? Pullover sweatshirts don't sell much. If you watch enough infomercials you'll have some good ideas for sure.

[lloose]

I like the idea with the cloth background.
Im not too sure about the babes :( There aren't too many here at work.


What do you think about a game montauge of games? Somebody brought up and I thought it would work out great. The video that I posted wasn't edited at all, I imagine a little editing work will go a long way.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I'll give you some constructive criticism if you'd like. I'm a freelance camera operator and have video editing experience.

First off I'd recommend getting a fluid head tripod. One where you don't hear the plastic groan when you pan. I paid $200 for a "cheap" one off B&H photo, and it made a world of difference. It will also make your pan and tilts quite a bit smoother, without the stair stepping effect. If you don't want to invest in one, don't move the camera, and just cut away to a shot instead of panning to it.

I also don't know what type of camera you're using. Does it have an audio input? If so, you might want to invest in a cheap wired lavalier mic, your audio will sound worlds better and you won't have a lot of that room noise and tinny sounding voices. You just pin it on your lapel and plug it into your camera. This is the one I own, and I really like it. Also if you layer a continuous track of audio over cutting then the transitions between shoots seem smoother.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR-35S-Lavalier-Microphone/dp/B00006I51V/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261156965&sr=8-2-spell

Another thing, and this may not be possible... But what type of editing software do you use? Do you have any software? A little bit of editing can go a long way. Layering "talking head" audio over actual product demonstration would really help out. What does the joystick look like moving and in use? You didn't show a lot of it Why is your joystick better than others? What type of components do you use? Could you show the guts of it, proving why this is a good joystick?

As far as setting goes. Think about what your shots look like. Watch how a professional product demonstration is done. Think about moving the camera around, and make the boardroom look a bit cleaner. Move some chairs out of the way if you have to. Thinking about what you want a shot to look like isn't that hard. Draw a picture or a simple storyboard of a few basic shots you want to get.

Anyway, I know this is a lot, but it'll go a long way in making your product more attractive to a buyer. Don't take any of this as anything but helping... I'm not bashing you. I'm just adding a little bit of experience with mistakes I've made, and techniques I use. Right now it looks more like someone reviewing a product they bought somewhere, and doesn't look much like someone trying to sell a product they make. If you do a fgew small things to improve your technique then you can do you own videos in house, instead of hiring them out to a production company. A few refinements and I think you guys can make a great video.