Promotional Video Evaluation
The Promotional video I created was to promote a card game designed by my client. After a discussion and a questionnaire we created a brief that I was to follow to create the finished product. I endeavoured to follow the brief in full but in time, the things agreed on couldn't all be achieved and the finished product does not feel tight. Here I shall go through my product against my agreed criteria.
An evaluation of structure: the brief wanted a video produced of over five minutes in length with content to include an overview of the game; setting up the game; the three main phases of gameplay and resolving winning and losing. I created a piece of visual media that was of thirteen minutes in length which was a challenge yet was shorter in length than example videos I had watched. It could have been longer and gone into more depth by pausing of key frames, editing to have titles and overlays or added voice over. I thought though it would have started to feel an even heavier piece than it already does with the increased reliance of listening to instruction without the interaction an experience user of the product could give. In showing to a couple of friends and family, whilst polite, many commented on its length and how they could feel that time. Going forward I will be tighter with my editing, keeping timings down but would say that its slower pace added to some clarity in understanding with the audience.
Going on the structure, I believe in my succeeding in giving a brief flavour of the product. My narration explained quite clearly the concept and setting of the product without going too much into the games lore which would be inappropriate of the video's purpose and its target audience of general card game players (although it can be contested that above the games mechanics of a team deck builder, it is the flavour the setting brings which can bring the most to the game). I did not however succeed in conveying the games other products as only briefly mentioning the expansions available for purchase I only gave a website address at the end of the video. This could have been increased by making it more of a marketing video rather than an information video by increasing the mention of the game for purchase and a break down of what can be bough and for what price. With the given information a google search for Bulwark card game does offer links to the card printing store. My greatest success in the video was the structure for the game set up. The inclusion of the cut away clip gives a sense of continuity, coupled with the title - to which I added a fade in and out. The narration adds a clear and informative divide between the different sections. This could have been furthered throughout the rest of my production and if I use such an implementation again I shall consider its use fully throughout the piece.
When it came to sound the Client wanted royalty free music and voice over narration to give the video some depth and a good way for communicating the information directly. I liked that idea, quickly agreeing to it the narration would give the information and I knew that music would be an addition in terms of atmosphere, covering any dips or, in the likely case of edits, in sound. The client commented on my use of self-created music for the piece as interesting but the effort need not to have been made mentioning there are professionally done royalty music available at a search that could be harnessed for this piece. I would state that I wanted to create a theme for the product even if only a basic one that could give the beginnings of an identity to the product. The narration was created in three settings which meant it was harder to edit as each had not only a different ambient sound from the minimal studio conditions using a cardioid condenser microphone to the headset at my home whilst I was stuffy and ill. I felt confident in my cutting though and from the end testimonials to the narrations, I located the key information and the best usable take for the project. A note on my editing skills with the audio handling I cut as much as possible before and after the signal to have the least ambient noise. For the voice over I was selective over the natural noises and the slurs that blurred words together. I wanted a natural clear voice to follow what my clients guidelines were for the voice over to provide information which would be easier for an audience clearer but also more natural sounding if not bordering on conversational.
Main production was done on a couple of days over two weekends, it was a short schedule which motivated me into getting all that was needed captured. The client was available and happy to film over these afternoons and was also pleased with the footage captured. I would perhaps improve the production by taking multiple angles of the interviews which, was pointed out to me, looked very flat - although I didn't redo them at the time due to availability the flatness reflects that of the card game and in keeping with the rest of the production. My production skills in the filming of the example of gameplay were improved on from my test shots earlier and the stills I had taken before filming. I would say this was from examining the media and how my client reacted to it through his reactions I gauged how I could capture the footage he needed. My client wanted a top down view of the area of play which I complied with. I would improve even now by incorporating better lighting into my production as the captured video is very grainy due in part to the insufficient lighting and high ISO settings.
I managed to film my short interviews at a small games and table top meet where people there were players and customers of the clients game. I found this to be a good decision from me and the client as we were able to attract enthusiastic and positive people with knowledge of the game. In my editing of these short vox pops I had to be very hard on the cuts as a lot of the interesting views slurred into other sentences and sounds. I faced another challenge when deciding on where to position the visuals as it was pointed out to me one of the shirts an interviewee had on it a copyrighted logo. As this was the one Unit where we were required to have permission of all things used rather than omit this persons valuable input I opted to experiment and have during my cuts a change in zoom. I did this through the options menu where I could magnify the image and reposition it to align with the rule of threes in cinema to keep its comfortable feel. I kept this aesthetic with the other interviews making a change in position and zoom as without it the changed clips would stand out. In order to have a more natural feel to the interviews and to play agains such harsh cuts I added in muted reaction shots before most new questions which showed expressions of thought and amusement. I think that it was pulled off quite well this was not mentioned in the original brief so there is not much criteria to go off. The client was happy with this as with the production as a whole but he and I both share the same opinion that it feels slightly comical with its cuts.
The target audience was for a general audience displayed in a style that would be familiar and comfortable to competent players of card games. I think this was adhered to in the use of some in genre jargon but the simplicity of the discussion of game so that it was not bogged down in the details which as mentioned by the client are represented in written media. I would improve my focusing with the general audience side by using what I have already produced to see if that would, attract them to my clients game and if they found the video helpful information wise.
When it came to sound the Client wanted royalty free music and voice over narration to give the video some depth and a good way for communicating the information directly. I liked that idea, quickly agreeing to it the narration would give the information and I knew that music would be an addition in terms of atmosphere, covering any dips or, in the likely case of edits, in sound. The client commented on my use of self-created music for the piece as interesting but the effort need not to have been made mentioning there are professionally done royalty music available at a search that could be harnessed for this piece. I would state that I wanted to create a theme for the product even if only a basic one that could give the beginnings of an identity to the product. The narration was created in three settings which meant it was harder to edit as each had not only a different ambient sound from the minimal studio conditions using a cardioid condenser microphone to the headset at my home whilst I was stuffy and ill. I felt confident in my cutting though and from the end testimonials to the narrations, I located the key information and the best usable take for the project. A note on my editing skills with the audio handling I cut as much as possible before and after the signal to have the least ambient noise. For the voice over I was selective over the natural noises and the slurs that blurred words together. I wanted a natural clear voice to follow what my clients guidelines were for the voice over to provide information which would be easier for an audience clearer but also more natural sounding if not bordering on conversational.
Main production was done on a couple of days over two weekends, it was a short schedule which motivated me into getting all that was needed captured. The client was available and happy to film over these afternoons and was also pleased with the footage captured. I would perhaps improve the production by taking multiple angles of the interviews which, was pointed out to me, looked very flat - although I didn't redo them at the time due to availability the flatness reflects that of the card game and in keeping with the rest of the production. My production skills in the filming of the example of gameplay were improved on from my test shots earlier and the stills I had taken before filming. I would say this was from examining the media and how my client reacted to it through his reactions I gauged how I could capture the footage he needed. My client wanted a top down view of the area of play which I complied with. I would improve even now by incorporating better lighting into my production as the captured video is very grainy due in part to the insufficient lighting and high ISO settings.
I managed to film my short interviews at a small games and table top meet where people there were players and customers of the clients game. I found this to be a good decision from me and the client as we were able to attract enthusiastic and positive people with knowledge of the game. In my editing of these short vox pops I had to be very hard on the cuts as a lot of the interesting views slurred into other sentences and sounds. I faced another challenge when deciding on where to position the visuals as it was pointed out to me one of the shirts an interviewee had on it a copyrighted logo. As this was the one Unit where we were required to have permission of all things used rather than omit this persons valuable input I opted to experiment and have during my cuts a change in zoom. I did this through the options menu where I could magnify the image and reposition it to align with the rule of threes in cinema to keep its comfortable feel. I kept this aesthetic with the other interviews making a change in position and zoom as without it the changed clips would stand out. In order to have a more natural feel to the interviews and to play agains such harsh cuts I added in muted reaction shots before most new questions which showed expressions of thought and amusement. I think that it was pulled off quite well this was not mentioned in the original brief so there is not much criteria to go off. The client was happy with this as with the production as a whole but he and I both share the same opinion that it feels slightly comical with its cuts.
The target audience was for a general audience displayed in a style that would be familiar and comfortable to competent players of card games. I think this was adhered to in the use of some in genre jargon but the simplicity of the discussion of game so that it was not bogged down in the details which as mentioned by the client are represented in written media. I would improve my focusing with the general audience side by using what I have already produced to see if that would, attract them to my clients game and if they found the video helpful information wise.
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