Sept. 12, 2014

 

How long should my video  content be?

 

Face it, you’ve been asked, or asked yourself, this question. And unfortunately, there’s no “right” answer. If you’re producing content for a specific platform, such as a 30 second television spot, then the correct answer is 30 seconds; but with the explosion of online platforms there is plenty of content that doesn’t match traditional media definitions, and therefore doesn’t have to subscribe to traditional lengths. Your marketing video? It could be 30 seconds. Or 60 seconds. Or an hour. An awards video for a banquet? Same thing. So maybe you’re asking the wrong question; the question you should be asking is, what is my audience’s attention span?

 

I recently came across this study that gives us a good place to begin. Basically, 85% of viewers will watch the first 30 seconds of a online video; after 60 seconds, 65% of viewer were still watching; and after two minutes, only 50% of viewers were still watching. But perhaps the most interesting statistic is that the viewership remained consistent for from the 2 minute mark until the 10 minute mark, before suffering a drastic drop off.

 

Other studies I’ve come across suggest that you start to lose viewers if your video doesn’t begin within 2 seconds of clicking “play.”

 

Here’s another question to ask yourself: those ads on YouTube that automatically play before the main video begins, where you’re forced to watch the first 5 seconds before it gives you the option to skip the rest of it? Well, when was the last time you didn’t click “skip”?

 

The takeaway here is that if you’re creating compelling content that can hook the audience in the 30 seconds and say everything you’re trying to say, you’re in good shape. And if you’re saying something longer, you should expect roughly half your audience to tune out after two minutes. Now, obviously, there are exceptions to his rule: the Kony 2012 video scored millions of views a couple of years ago, and that was nearly 20 minutes long. Not to mention that form often follows content: a full length training video is going to cover a lot of ground that probably can’t be consumed in just 30 seconds, and an awards video is probably going to be longer as well. If you’re dealing with a live audience, my experience tells me that three minutes is ideal, and anything longer than five your audience is going to actively tune out of. So unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules, but these are some good guidelines to begin with.

 

 

 

Sept. 12, 2014

 

SD, HD, or 4K?

 

It’s hard being a video nerd.

 

There’s a lot of esoteric, technical stuff involved in video. If you’re a media content producer, then you’ve doubtlessly tried explaining the difference between SD (standard definition) and HD (high definition) video to a client; if you’re a client, you’ve doubtlessly had a videographer try to explain the difference between SD and HD to you. If you’re lucky, you’ve been able to understand that explanation. But in short, here’s all you need to know: high definition video has more detail, and looks better, than standard definition.

 

As a media content producer, it’s rare that I’ve had a client actually request HD video; but that’s what their expectation is. People want a product that looks like what they see on their 50” HD TV at home. I remember overhearing a discussion a year or so ago where two producers were talking about how it just wasn’t worth their time to create HD content, and besides, no one was requesting it. My thought was, but that’s what people are expecting.

 

And now we are seeing the introduction of affordable 4K cameras like the Panasonic GH4 that add a new dimension to the argument. Client note: If HD is two times better than SD, then 4K is two times better than HD. With me so far? 4K will add even more detail and depth to a video image than what you’ve seen so far.

 

I don’t expect any clients to request 4K any time soon, just like very few people are requesting HD. That said, I’ve taken the plunge and am making the transition to 4K because that’s what the expectation will soon be. Clients want dynamic, visually stunning, film-like images, whether they know to request them or not. It’s going to be a few years until I make the transition on EVERY project, but there are already a few on the horizon that will work nicely with 4K. In short, it’s all about what a client’s expectations are, and that’s where you’ve got to be if you intend to remain competitive.