Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed

Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed

Released August 2008
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780321591579

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

With millions of viewers looking to the Web as their source of entertainment and news, high-quality Web video is in demand like never before. Whether you’re an expert in video production or are just getting started, you need to know how to produce the best video possible for the Web and then make sure it gets seen by a wide audience.

Here to guide you on everything about planning and shooting, editing, choosing a distributor, marketing your video, and making a profit, author and producer Jennie Bourne takes you through the steps to getting your video from concept to prominence on the Web.

Web Video gives you practical, step-by-step instruction and advice from top experts in the field, with hands-on projects and footage available for download at the author’s Web site, www.webvideobook.tv. You’ll learn everything you need to know to create great video, get it noticed, and make it pay off, including:

  • Web video production techniques for a variety of genres, including events, interviews, how-tos, video blogs, and news and dramatic shows

  • What it takes to make your video a viral hit on the Web

  • How to shoot high-quality video that stands out, with real-world tips from Web video professionals

  • Editing techniques that draw in viewers and hold their attention

  • Compression and formatting tips to make your video look great

  • Advice on creating a distribution plan that fits your needs


    • How to profit from advertising or selling your video

    Table of contents

    1. Copyright
      1. Dedication
    2. Acknowledgments
    3. Introduction: Step Up Your Game
      1. Producing for Web Audiences
      2. Making a Web Video Pay
      3. What’s in the Book?
      4. Additional Resources
    4. 1. Making Great Web Video
      1. Things Change Fast on the Web
      2. Keeping Your Viewers in Mind
      3. What Makes Web Video Different
        1. You Can’t Always Control What Your Audience Will See
        2. Producing for a Web-Savvy Audience
        3. Production Values and Goals
      4. Building a Team to Make Better Video
        1. Working with Skilled Professionals
      5. Use What You Know
      6. Start with a Great Idea
      7. Plan for Success
      8. Managing Your Production
        1. Ask Questions
        2. Plan Your Shots
        3. Check Out the Location
        4. A Budget Shapes and Defines Your Project
        5. Put It All Together
    5. 2. Shooting for the Web
      1. Making Video Work on the Web
        1. Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
      2. The Gear You’ll Need
        1. Prosumer Cameras
          1. The Large-Camera Advantage
        2. Get the Most Out of the Camera You Have
        3. Use a Tripod
          1. Choosing a Tripod
      3. Capturing Good-Quality Audio for Web Video
        1. Microphones You’ll Need
        2. Cables and Connectors
        3. Headphones
        4. Tape
        5. Portable Hard Drives
      4. Techniques for Better Web Video
        1. Take Your Camera Off Autopilot
        2. White Balance
        3. Auto Focus
        4. Auto Exposure
        5. Viewfinder Settings to Monitor Exposure
        6. Image Stabilization
        7. Audio Limiter
        8. Frame Your Shots for Visual Interest
        9. Get Help When You Need It
        10. Don’t Count on Fixing It in Post
        11. Keep Editing in Mind While You Shoot
          1. Vary Your Shots
          2. Camera Angles
      5. Before You Go Out to Shoot
        1. Transporting Your Equipment
    6. 3. Shooting Event & Interviews
      1. Find a Creative Approach
        1. Tell a Story About the Event
      2. Bringing Conferences and Meetings to Life on the Web
        1. Taking Talking Heads to a Whole New Level
        2. Visuals Capture the Flavor of Events
          1. Two Weddings, a Funeral, a Birthday Party, and an Animal Attack
      3. Working with a Venue
      4. Keep Compression in Mind to Keep Video Quality High
      5. Preparing for a Location Shoot
      6. Getting Optimal Event Sound
        1. From the Horse’s Mouth
        2. Plug In to Get Good Sound
      7. Let There Be Light
        1. A Shot in the Dark
        2. Working with a Venue’s Dramatic Lighting
        3. Getting the Quality of Light You Need for the Web
      8. Shooting Interviews
        1. Microphone Technique for Interviews
        2. Using Handheld Microphones
        3. Lavalier Microphones
        4. Lighting Interviews
        5. Working with On-Camera Lights
        6. Three-Point Lighting
    7. 4. Videoblogs How-to Videos and News
      1. Bringing Point of View to Your Web Video
        1. Use Visuals to Share Your Point of View
      2. Redefining the News Online
        1. Rocketboom
        2. Geek Entertainment TV
        3. Video News “Web Style”
          1. Alive in Baghdad
      3. Producing Informative Video
        1. Creating a Strong Visual Presence on Camera
        2. Developing an On-Camera Style
        3. Highlighting Your Talent
        4. Controlling What Viewers See in the Background
        5. Setting the Stage for Your Story
        6. Creating Interesting Compositions
        7. Scripting Information Video
        8. Choosing a Flattering Camera Angle
        9. Developing a Visual Style
        10. Getting the Sound Right
        11. Using Software for Video Blogging
      4. Producing How-to Video
        1. Planning a How-to Video
        2. Using Voice-Overs and Narrations
        3. Creating a Simple Storyboard
        4. Maintaining Visual Continuity
        5. Keeping Track of Screen Direction
        6. Playing with Time
        7. Showing a Process Step-by-Step
    8. 5. TV Techniques for Better Web Video
      1. Planning a TV-Style Production
        1. Creating a Shooting Script
        2. Developing a Storyboard
        3. Scheduling Your Production
        4. Planning a Multicamera Shoot
          1. Simple Multicamera Production Without Switching
      2. Helping Viewers Make Sense of Your Story
        1. The Ten Commandments of Continuity
        2. The Whole World Is Watching
        3. Creating a Set for Web Video Production
          1. Building a Small Studio
          2. Sound
          3. Mixing Sound and Video
          4. Flooring
          5. The Set
          6. Lighting
      3. Create a Booth for Interviews at an Event
      4. Replacing a Background Using a Green Screen
        1. Green-Screen Shooting Tips
    9. 6. Editing & Post-Production
      1. Organizing Your Project
      2. Video-Editing Software
      3. Building and Editing Sequences
        1. Knowing What to Cut
        2. Compressing Time
        3. Advancing a Story with Editing
        4. Keeping Video Short for the Web
      4. Techniques for Video Storytelling
        1. Continuity Shapes the Story
        2. The Language of Editing
        3. Using Transitions
        4. Designing Titles and Graphics
        5. Editing Sound
      5. You Can’t Always Fix It in Post
    10. 7. Uploading Video to the Web
      1. Compression Changes Everything
      2. Choosing a Video Host
        1. Strategies for Choosing a Video Host
      3. Understanding Encoding
        1. The Settings You Need to Keep Your Video Looking Great Online
          1. Google Video
          2. YouTube
          3. Blip.tv
          4. Brightcove
          5. Brightcove Guidelines for Encoding Windows Media Video
      4. The Best Settings for Web Video Formats
        1. Guidelines for Encoding Web Video
        2. Setting Parameters
        3. Windows Media Encoder
        4. iMovie
        5. QuickTime Pro
        6. Final Cut Pro
        7. Premiere Pro
        8. Working with Large Volumes of Content
    11. 8. Getting Your Video Noticed
      1. The Truth About Viral Video
        1. The First 50,000 Views
        2. Thumbnails Show Them What You’ve Got
        3. Marketing Web Style
      2. Working with the Press
        1. When Your Video Becomes News
      3. Internet Famous
        1. Be Prolific
      4. Your Video Web Site
        1. Tips for Creating Your Video Web Page
        2. Drive Traffic to Your Site
        3. Using Statistics to Make Your Video Better
        4. Tracking How You’re Doing with Viewers
      5. Marketing Help from Your Video Host
        1. Free or Pay Video Hosting—Which Is Right for You?
    12. 9. Making It Pay
      1. Understanding Your Audience
      2. Making Advertising Work for You
        1. Getting Paid for Ads
      3. Selling Your Web Video
        1. Beyond Advertising
        2. Prove Your Talent
        3. Sell T-Shirts and Other Tie-Ins
      4. Selling Your Skills
        1. Finding a Job in Web Video
          1. Some Strategies That Often Work
          2. Industry Groups and Events for Networking
        2. Let Your Work Open the Door to New Opportunities
      5. Making Great Video
    13. Additional Resources
      1. Books and Films
      2. Software-specific books
      3. Online Training
      4. Networking Events
      5. Stores
    14. Figure Credits
      1. Introduction
      2. Chapter 1
      3. Chapter 2
      4. Chapter 3
      5. Chapter 4
      6. Chapter 5
      7. Chapter 7
      8. Chapter 8
      9. Chapter 9

    Product information

    • Title: Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: August 2008
    • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
    • ISBN: 9780321591579