Hey guys, so this is my second attempt to create an entertaining promotional video. Let meknow what you think. Please keep it positive. : ) here ya go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbuWLLAcL1g
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archived-videos New Commercial please critique
- Thread starter VCNetwork
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Sorry I don't get your message. "Imagine a world where creativity was currency," a list of artist titles, and then a logo for venture capital? What is this? Actually don't tell me. Then there's no point to the video. Figure out what your site is about and drive the message home. It's funny how you start with "What is VCN" because that's what I am wondering.
PS. Why do you need a commercial? If you are trying to drive traffic to a website, do yo think a video will work? Why not try advertising with banners?
PS. Why do you need a commercial? If you are trying to drive traffic to a website, do yo think a video will work? Why not try advertising with banners?
I was thinking banners, too.
It's not a terrible commercial or anything. It just seems like there's better ways to go about it.
It's not a terrible commercial or anything. It just seems like there's better ways to go about it.
You want investors to visit your website to meet creative talent; you want creative talent to visit your website to meet investors. The problem is that there are dozens of sites that are repositories of creative talent. The name of your site and your focus should be on the VC Investor. Build a network of investors and then seek out projects (not individuals) for them to invest on. Which means producers/ Directors with a proven track record... no one in their right mind is going to invest thousands/ tens of thousands of dollars on a fresh face without some kind of guarantees... which you can't provide if you just take random creative people onto your website.
You can't successfully make a commercial unless you know your target audience. So far, you seem torn about attracting the right kind of people, the problem is that both of those types of people have an established way of meeting that you're trying to break. Creative people will try anything to get $$$ to work with, people with $$$ will go where their peers have made $$$ in the past.
VC's expect high risk ROI, but they do expect ROI, without the promise of that, they won't invest. Projects with people/ groups attached will probably make a more creative people centric approach that would work, at that point, you're basically a reading service/ talent agency... from the other side, you're a resource pool taking a percentage and you need to maximize your returns by targeting creative people with a track record. Until you've got a couple of projects that pay off, your risk will be too high for investors. It's a huge hurdle that I hope you can get over.
Once you decide which way you want to approach, then work on determining whichever side's need is. Then build an advert that addresses that specific need. If you go after both sides, you'll need to make 2 separate commercials.
All that said, I'll now address the actual ad presented above:
Structurally, the ad poses a question then doesn't answer it.
Technically, there's an interlacing issue with the stick figures that causes them to double when they're moving. I'm not sure what you used to create them/ animate them so I/we can't help you eliminate the issue.
Realistically, it didn't suck (which is not as harsh as it sounds - believe me
).
You can't successfully make a commercial unless you know your target audience. So far, you seem torn about attracting the right kind of people, the problem is that both of those types of people have an established way of meeting that you're trying to break. Creative people will try anything to get $$$ to work with, people with $$$ will go where their peers have made $$$ in the past.
VC's expect high risk ROI, but they do expect ROI, without the promise of that, they won't invest. Projects with people/ groups attached will probably make a more creative people centric approach that would work, at that point, you're basically a reading service/ talent agency... from the other side, you're a resource pool taking a percentage and you need to maximize your returns by targeting creative people with a track record. Until you've got a couple of projects that pay off, your risk will be too high for investors. It's a huge hurdle that I hope you can get over.
Once you decide which way you want to approach, then work on determining whichever side's need is. Then build an advert that addresses that specific need. If you go after both sides, you'll need to make 2 separate commercials.
All that said, I'll now address the actual ad presented above:
Structurally, the ad poses a question then doesn't answer it.
Technically, there's an interlacing issue with the stick figures that causes them to double when they're moving. I'm not sure what you used to create them/ animate them so I/we can't help you eliminate the issue.
Realistically, it didn't suck (which is not as harsh as it sounds - believe me
).
When your company is brand new, you don't want to be vague or abstract, you want to deliver the message. Be blatant and obvious. Once you have a name for yourself you can be weird and quirky and show your logo at the end, and that's it.
Or be super-vague and abstract, so people are tempted to go to the website just to see what it is (I don't like these ads, I never go). But the confusing message doesn't work.
Or be super-vague and abstract, so people are tempted to go to the website just to see what it is (I don't like these ads, I never go). But the confusing message doesn't work.
ouch. lol.
Well thanks for the insights some of you i guess. I don't know if its just me reading the messages with the wrong tone but dang couple of you almost sounded pissed off that i didn't hit the nail on the head. ahah
Anyway, I truly do appreciate the input on the video as this is only like the 3rd video ive ever made so i don't know anything about making them.
One of you said I was going about this the wrong way, This is just one way of doing it for me. I'm not relying on video ad's of course thats not my field im just dabbling in it.
I had a hard time trying to answer the question, what is VCN? I know the answer but I didn't know how to animate it in a video. I had no clue as to how I could answer the question with words as well as keeping the video aesthetically pleasing.
The idea of the site is to bring creative minds together. Everyone starts somewhere believe it or not. In the business world it is about who you know and how you utilize your resources, i have had 3 business professors look at my site and they love the idea. Of course if I had more money to develop the site I would provide more features but right now I can't. As far as me stacking up against competition its a no brainer that i don't have the funding that they do yet... There is no rule saying that a person can't have more then one social network representing the same use, i'm sure you know of facebook and myspace its just going to take time for me to do so. I have a vision for the site and i'm not going to change it because i can figure out how to use sony vegas. ahahaha This is like I said just me trying to dabble in something new.
Please keep the comments related to the video and just accept the idea of my site, I have business professors and forums to critique the concept of the site i just need help editing a video.
Thanks guys, and if you can give me a hint or show me an example of what you believe is a good, but low budged commercial please show me so I can get an idea of what is a good commercial to you.
Oh yea, also I guess im calling it a commercial but ultimatly im trying to get a video for my front page as visitors come in. Thats the idea behind the video.
Well thanks for the insights some of you i guess. I don't know if its just me reading the messages with the wrong tone but dang couple of you almost sounded pissed off that i didn't hit the nail on the head. ahah
Anyway, I truly do appreciate the input on the video as this is only like the 3rd video ive ever made so i don't know anything about making them.
One of you said I was going about this the wrong way, This is just one way of doing it for me. I'm not relying on video ad's of course thats not my field im just dabbling in it.
I had a hard time trying to answer the question, what is VCN? I know the answer but I didn't know how to animate it in a video. I had no clue as to how I could answer the question with words as well as keeping the video aesthetically pleasing.
The idea of the site is to bring creative minds together. Everyone starts somewhere believe it or not. In the business world it is about who you know and how you utilize your resources, i have had 3 business professors look at my site and they love the idea. Of course if I had more money to develop the site I would provide more features but right now I can't. As far as me stacking up against competition its a no brainer that i don't have the funding that they do yet... There is no rule saying that a person can't have more then one social network representing the same use, i'm sure you know of facebook and myspace its just going to take time for me to do so. I have a vision for the site and i'm not going to change it because i can figure out how to use sony vegas. ahahaha This is like I said just me trying to dabble in something new.
Please keep the comments related to the video and just accept the idea of my site, I have business professors and forums to critique the concept of the site i just need help editing a video.
Thanks guys, and if you can give me a hint or show me an example of what you believe is a good, but low budged commercial please show me so I can get an idea of what is a good commercial to you.
Oh yea, also I guess im calling it a commercial but ultimatly im trying to get a video for my front page as visitors come in. Thats the idea behind the video.
Sounds like what you want is a Flash intro page for your site, not a video like this. Embedding a video into the homepage of a site can be distracting. Creating an interactive design would be better. What is your mission statement? Include that in your next try. Like I said, be obvious.
And nobody's pissed off
And nobody's pissed off
I like the idea of Flash video as well, however, if you don't know how to do that, instead of stick figures, you might try using some stock footage of a conference or board meeting to put the image of people meeting together (investors/artists), you can edit together pieces of stock footage to tell your message. I don't think anyone is critiquing the concept of your site- it sounds great, we are just critiquing the delivery of the message. The message in your video needs to clearly explain what your site does, and why people should use your site versus another site. Videos are a good way to depict your message as long as the message is actually being delivered, also, videos and graphics should supplement the message, not be the message, if that makes sense to you.
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Wasn't pissed, and I simply critiqued your video as you had asked for. I want to see you succeed as I'm sure everybody else here does. Finding investors is one of the huge hurdles we face as indies.
From the stand point of editing and knowing vegas, you pass with an A- (the doubling of frames caused either by interlacing or clip speed reduction is the only place you fell down here). If that's all the critique you need, I'll gladly leave it there. All that's needed to know editing software is how to import/create footage, how to select clips to be on your timeline with defined in/out points and how to export to video. You know all these things. That is enough information to create a feature film... technically.
There's more to a video than just editing though. It needs to speak to the viewer in a way they understand. As a commercial effort it needs to reach your target audience. Keys to making a successful commercial is determining your message and determining your target audience.
I would sit down and answer the simple, basic questions about your site. What, How and Why will drive the commercial. Find those answers and work from there.
What did you use to make the stick figures?
From the stand point of editing and knowing vegas, you pass with an A- (the doubling of frames caused either by interlacing or clip speed reduction is the only place you fell down here). If that's all the critique you need, I'll gladly leave it there. All that's needed to know editing software is how to import/create footage, how to select clips to be on your timeline with defined in/out points and how to export to video. You know all these things. That is enough information to create a feature film... technically.
There's more to a video than just editing though. It needs to speak to the viewer in a way they understand. As a commercial effort it needs to reach your target audience. Keys to making a successful commercial is determining your message and determining your target audience.
I would sit down and answer the simple, basic questions about your site. What, How and Why will drive the commercial. Find those answers and work from there.
What did you use to make the stick figures?
To be honest, I didn't like it. I don't think the theme was catchy, and I think the animation was amateur. I also think the music was 'in the face' annoying.
Perhaps you could have made each of the stick figures 'be the part.' Have the artist carrying a paintbrush and wearing a barrette, the musician could be holding a guitar and sporting a mohawk..., etc. Give them more personality.
I also think the frame bleeding was messy...the FPS or tweening was dirty. Do you know what I mean? From one frame to the next there was odd bleeding or something...I just think the animation was poor.
I didn't get a chance to see it in HD, but I found it hard to read the text as well.
You also may need to work on the timing of each text card. Some were too long, some were too short.
I think it needs a major overhaul, in my opinion. Sorry for the brutal honesty. It looks like you may need to hire someone else to help you...maybe a graphic designer or motion graphics artist.
Good luck.
Perhaps you could have made each of the stick figures 'be the part.' Have the artist carrying a paintbrush and wearing a barrette, the musician could be holding a guitar and sporting a mohawk..., etc. Give them more personality.
I also think the frame bleeding was messy...the FPS or tweening was dirty. Do you know what I mean? From one frame to the next there was odd bleeding or something...I just think the animation was poor.
I didn't get a chance to see it in HD, but I found it hard to read the text as well.
You also may need to work on the timing of each text card. Some were too long, some were too short.
I think it needs a major overhaul, in my opinion. Sorry for the brutal honesty. It looks like you may need to hire someone else to help you...maybe a graphic designer or motion graphics artist.
Good luck.