Promo video help

[jared]

Eh... I'm having trouble with this thing. I hired someone to make a promo a while back and it came out looking like crap. So this is my own attempt to put a promo together with the limited skills that I have. Its much better, but needs to be fixed up. So my question to the panel is, does this video have potential, or should I just cave in and get a pro to do it for me? And if its worth fixing, any suggestions? Thanks!

[le pire]

Because tone is sometimes lost-- imagine every sentence is followed by

This is more like a five minute skill montage video that will impress your friends on facebook rather than a promo video to get you work.

The video needs to show entire routines (edited down, of course). I don't know who you are trying to market to by the way.

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You have a resume that scrolls by fast-- and they're all TV shows(?) You have a copy of these performances, don't you? (If you don't the TV station's will usually sell you an archive copy for a fee). Instead of scrolling a list-- do a video montage of your many appearances. (This montage, btw should not be more than 45 seconds.) This will have a MUCH higher impact. Basic rule of theatre - show us don't tell us.

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The music is does not work-- it's kind of boring and drags. I like violin, bass and drumkit too (add a french guy singing while he has the hiccups and you have the first three Louise Attaque albums) but the music needs more punch and energy. Especially if you're shoving crap up your nose. Also, in a five minute video you're (probably) going to need to use at least 3 different pieces of music to keep the pace of the video going / changing.


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Someone said "If you use the phrase "thinking outside the box" then you are clearly inside the box. "Tired of the same boring entertainment? How about something different..." Is exactly like that.

How can you say you're something different when you open your video with the most overused retorical question in advertising history? Just cut this and jump right in.

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You made the right choice to edit it yourself, BTW! It's a pain in the butt (literally, sitting at a workstation for hours and hours and hours) but the results are worth it.

good luck!

etienne

[jared]

Thanks for the honesty. For this video, I tried to put something together that would get attention, but maybe just shoving all the highlights next to eachother isn't giving enough of the full picture.
I am partial to that music... but i'll try some alternatives and see how it goes.

[le pire]

The first question when creating a promo video is "Who are you marketing to?" It helps to think of your show as a product or commodity rather than something you do and ESPECIALLY not as a service. (A waiter provides service, not you!)

This will make various elements fall into place-- for example, back when I did my video I was marketing to NACA and colleges, so for the music I went out and bought a stack of CDs of artists and compilations that were currently popular with college kids --who the heck listens to the Dandy Warhols anyway? I wasn't backing the demo with music that I necessarily liked, but music that would appeal to whom I was selling.

That being said, choice of music can be as ridiculously subjective as choice of font.

Just some thoughts.

Good luck!

etienne

[Devinthejuggler]

wow, good idea with the music! thanks etienne! do you do that with performances also?

[le pire]

Yes. I have certain music for kids shows (light & poppy), colleges (electroclash), and cruise ships (conservative rock & roll). Play-on / off music varies by audience as well.

etienne

[jared]

Yes. I have certain music for kids shows (light & poppy), colleges (electroclash), and cruise ships (conservative rock & roll). Play-on / off music varies by audience as well.

etienne

I'm curious now. Can I see your promo? Or is that getting too personal?

What I meant by being partial to the music is that I thought it was good for the promo; plus I have permission to use it. I wouldn't necessarily listen to it on my own.

What I'm looking for now is an all around promo video if thats possible. Something that would be good to send to agencies or to have on my website for someone wanting to hire me for a private party. Many promos for target markets are a project for the future.

[Evan Young]

okay. I personally don't have a problem with the music, especially since youtube is probably less likely to kill your soundtrack for copyright violation for that music than a pop song..... but I can see Etienne's point.
I'm not sure you need to show "entire routines", but I liked it more when I could hear the audio on the bit where you walk around on stage with your hands.
I completely agree with everything else Etienne said; great feedback.

some of the clips are hard to see because of the lighting. contact juggling clips especially, so you can probably just cut those out. You can probably cut a full min off of the playtime and make the vid run faster and more smoothly.
I laughed at the lolypop blockhead thing. Great clip (IMO)
It might be worth trying to put an audience reaction sound closer to the beginning... like, within the first 5 seconds of show footage.

[Dynamikemagic]

To be honest, I think it is too long. I think you are showing too much of the similar thing.

At the beginning the words on the scroll are hard to read because of the jittering.

I would recommend getting a voice over. That is what members of a different website forum convinced me to do for my promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHEz2bqrp9Q

Make at least two promos out of the footage you have now.

Add a few more words to your "tag words" on You Tube so someone can find you easier. For example: circus performer, stunts, etc.

Finished up the website.