Requesting Tips for Video Footage
Padidiver
19 Feb 2019 04:27
Hi All,
New to the forum but hoping you can share some of your tips on video uploads. Specifically I have the following questions:
1. Is there a suggested length? i.e 15 seconds does better than 30 seconds?
2. Should I be adding sound / music to my videos to help them sell better?
3. Is it better to post a long clip and let the buyer choose what they want or post smaller snippets?
4. Anything else I've missed?
Thanks!
Luis
New to the forum but hoping you can share some of your tips on video uploads. Specifically I have the following questions:
1. Is there a suggested length? i.e 15 seconds does better than 30 seconds?
2. Should I be adding sound / music to my videos to help them sell better?
3. Is it better to post a long clip and let the buyer choose what they want or post smaller snippets?
4. Anything else I've missed?
Thanks!
Luis
Mizamook
19 Feb 2019 04:57
Welcome, have fun, and good luck. Here is my take on your questions:
1. Length depends on the clip. Basically it should be long enough to show any action/objects of interest, with a second or two "handles" on each end. If it's a car passing or person walking, or bird flying, trim just before the thing starts (or when it starts looking cool) then cut just after it stops. If the clip is not specific to action, and is just a Broll scenic, for instance, I generally consider 10 -15 seconds to be plenty. If it's a timelapse, or an abstract, I go for 20-30 seconds, seldom if ever longer. If it's a driving POV shot, I tend to cut those into 30 second segments, and have had some occasion that I've sold all segments (make sure they can be re-linked together, so frame-accurate cuts!) but also make sure the cuts are not in the middle of something cool happening.
2. No. NO! Only include native (diegetic?) sound IF there is no camera noise, people talking (unless a crowd cheering or unintelligible ruckus) no camera handling noise AND the sound is not distorted, and actually sounds good. NEVER add music ... for the most part, remove all sound from your clips.
3. See #1.
4. Yes, it's a long road, and full of chuckholes and road construction and every once in a while something runs out in front of you and it's a scary ride, but it's also a free road (except for the tolls of time and gear and bandwidth, etc.) and you can take the next left if you want, or keep on truckin' straight. Lots to know and learn, and the best advice is to keep doing it, and looking for ways to do it better, think outside the box, be the innovator, etc. Accurate, creative titles and keywords, interesting camera and color work, hip topics and all that stuff .. the list is infinite, really.
I like your clips' look .. I think you could work on more stability, and perhaps full HD resolution. Your title "What lies on the other side" shows that you have a creative mind ... often I have been rewarded (by sales) for calling a clip what I think it SHOULD be, rather than just plainly, what it is ... keywording, yes, often the longest, most painful, and certainly one of the most important parts of the equation. Consider also your pricing .. as your resolution and stability go up, know that the value of your clips may well be higher that what you currently price them at.
In making a longer reply, it makes me feel better about things, as sometimes the stock sales are very poor. So when I tender advice to queries such as yours I get a chance to reflect on how cool an occupation it is, and to make myself feel better about it. I hope you find joy and have good luck!
1. Length depends on the clip. Basically it should be long enough to show any action/objects of interest, with a second or two "handles" on each end. If it's a car passing or person walking, or bird flying, trim just before the thing starts (or when it starts looking cool) then cut just after it stops. If the clip is not specific to action, and is just a Broll scenic, for instance, I generally consider 10 -15 seconds to be plenty. If it's a timelapse, or an abstract, I go for 20-30 seconds, seldom if ever longer. If it's a driving POV shot, I tend to cut those into 30 second segments, and have had some occasion that I've sold all segments (make sure they can be re-linked together, so frame-accurate cuts!) but also make sure the cuts are not in the middle of something cool happening.
2. No. NO! Only include native (diegetic?) sound IF there is no camera noise, people talking (unless a crowd cheering or unintelligible ruckus) no camera handling noise AND the sound is not distorted, and actually sounds good. NEVER add music ... for the most part, remove all sound from your clips.
3. See #1.
4. Yes, it's a long road, and full of chuckholes and road construction and every once in a while something runs out in front of you and it's a scary ride, but it's also a free road (except for the tolls of time and gear and bandwidth, etc.) and you can take the next left if you want, or keep on truckin' straight. Lots to know and learn, and the best advice is to keep doing it, and looking for ways to do it better, think outside the box, be the innovator, etc. Accurate, creative titles and keywords, interesting camera and color work, hip topics and all that stuff .. the list is infinite, really.
I like your clips' look .. I think you could work on more stability, and perhaps full HD resolution. Your title "What lies on the other side" shows that you have a creative mind ... often I have been rewarded (by sales) for calling a clip what I think it SHOULD be, rather than just plainly, what it is ... keywording, yes, often the longest, most painful, and certainly one of the most important parts of the equation. Consider also your pricing .. as your resolution and stability go up, know that the value of your clips may well be higher that what you currently price them at.
In making a longer reply, it makes me feel better about things, as sometimes the stock sales are very poor. So when I tender advice to queries such as yours I get a chance to reflect on how cool an occupation it is, and to make myself feel better about it. I hope you find joy and have good luck!
Padidiver
23 Feb 2019 04:39
Thanks for the tips! I'm doing this for fun so it's great to just learn and see what I can do! I definitely have to improve my stability when shooting but hoping to gain some valuable feedback here!
Thanks for the great advice!
Thanks for the great advice!
pvreditor
23 Feb 2019 14:31
I haven't sold a lot of clips, but one of the first that sold was one that showed an incline railway from four different views. That one clip was about 50 seconds long, and it showed the incline railway from the top of the run, the bottom of the run and from inside (going up and down). I have a few other clips where I include multiple shots of the same thing: close-up, medium and long shot. There has been viewing action for those, but no buys yet. I also have separate videos of the same thing (dabbling ducks, for example), with separate close-ups, medium shots and long shots. In the description for each, I mention that I also have the other shots... just in case the buyer wants an establishing shot and a close-up.
Keep in mind that your clips are competing for attention with Pond5 members that have *thousands* of clips. I figure that uploading clips here is something like a retirement plan: I put in a lot of work now, and I get a small-but-steady income in the future. It is definitely not for someone who wants to get rich quick.
Good luck!
Keep in mind that your clips are competing for attention with Pond5 members that have *thousands* of clips. I figure that uploading clips here is something like a retirement plan: I put in a lot of work now, and I get a small-but-steady income in the future. It is definitely not for someone who wants to get rich quick.
Good luck!
steveandlizdonaldson
24 Feb 2019 20:31
As a fellow PADI-certified diver (rescue), I had to comment here! It's been over 8 years since I've been diving, and then I shot photos only, not video, but thank you since you've given me the itch to get back to it!
If you enjoyed taking the clips, editing them, and knowing they may be used (but you'll likely never know where), and make a little bit of money, then this is for you. I truly enjoy it, and it funds my video gear, but that took a few years to get to that point.
Agree with the above comments. Number one, in my opinion, is you should shoot 1920x1080, which is HD, as a minimum. I think that is an important first. Newer GoPros will shoot even higher (4K) so think about that for the future.
From my diving photo days (everything you can get your hands on to read about diving photography applies to video): shallow is better: more sunlight and better color. Look carefully at dive magazines and how they frame their shots, often show the surface, other divers, etc. Depending on depth, you should check out red filters for your camera housing to get rid of so much green and blue. That means less light, so you might consider dive lights, especially for close-ups of fish and corals. The more color you get the better. I agree to move the camera MUCH more slowly. You'll have to force yourself to do this. Make sure your dive partner knows you will need to pause to do this, so they don't get frustrated you're not keeping up (better still to buddy with another photographer). Clips that emphasize other divers (you have some at the frame edges, but you may want to keep them closer and more centered), entry/exit, etc are pleasing to watch. Just watch for logos on dive suits, tanks, etc that put you into editorial use only. Some topside shots (suiting up, dinner on board, sunsets on board, etc) would all be good, but then you'll need releases for everyone recognizable and even property (I'm assuming named boats with logos count) but you can work around that by careful framing. Have fun!
If you enjoyed taking the clips, editing them, and knowing they may be used (but you'll likely never know where), and make a little bit of money, then this is for you. I truly enjoy it, and it funds my video gear, but that took a few years to get to that point.
Agree with the above comments. Number one, in my opinion, is you should shoot 1920x1080, which is HD, as a minimum. I think that is an important first. Newer GoPros will shoot even higher (4K) so think about that for the future.
From my diving photo days (everything you can get your hands on to read about diving photography applies to video): shallow is better: more sunlight and better color. Look carefully at dive magazines and how they frame their shots, often show the surface, other divers, etc. Depending on depth, you should check out red filters for your camera housing to get rid of so much green and blue. That means less light, so you might consider dive lights, especially for close-ups of fish and corals. The more color you get the better. I agree to move the camera MUCH more slowly. You'll have to force yourself to do this. Make sure your dive partner knows you will need to pause to do this, so they don't get frustrated you're not keeping up (better still to buddy with another photographer). Clips that emphasize other divers (you have some at the frame edges, but you may want to keep them closer and more centered), entry/exit, etc are pleasing to watch. Just watch for logos on dive suits, tanks, etc that put you into editorial use only. Some topside shots (suiting up, dinner on board, sunsets on board, etc) would all be good, but then you'll need releases for everyone recognizable and even property (I'm assuming named boats with logos count) but you can work around that by careful framing. Have fun!