1272. Interns - Making great videos

This year, in 2013, I started making educational veterinary videos for www.bekindtopets.com community education of veterinary students and pet owners as the younger readers seldom read, are more visual and impatient. Videos cannot provide the depth and breath of knowledge unlike text in books but they suit the internet generation of Singaporeans, most of them growing up in an era of abundance and wealth.  

Learning a new skill demands time and practice and that is why I did not make videos in the past as I discipline myself to writing veterinary articles almost one a day and creating digital images for www.toapayohvets.com. Such articles take up around 30-60 minutes per article. Video making will take much longer time initially and so I did not do it for the last 10 years.

I use the Canon DSLR 650 and was surprised that the camera's video operations suddenly stopped after less than 1 minute. I thought it was the settings. I spoke to a camera seller who told me that I used the slow speed SD cards to produce high definition videos and so the camera stopped recording after a few minutes. I bought the high speed cards and there is no problem. Much time is needed to learn about good video production by practising and reseraching. .  

Lately I read the last printed copy of Canon's Dec Issue 26 BUZZ magazine and the following are some tips. 

Part 1. Five tips for making great videos.
1. Know your gear
2. Learn photography
3. See the light
4. Scout for location
5. Good pre-production precedes every good video

Many interns are not familiar with good photography as they just click the phone camera here and there. Sometimes in poor lighting. Good photography includes the rules of thirds, good composition and excellent lighting.

Details of the Part 1's 5 tips are at:
http://media.canon-asia.com/local/sg/live/buzz/buzz_26.pdf

Next 5 tips  will be at:
www.canon.com.sg/BUZZ

In Be Kind To Pets video production, the ADVICES & TIPS webpage is usually very dull, with white text on black background. You can see from the "Canon's 10 tips for Making Videos" how the writer inserts the Canon video camera inside the page to advertise this product which is relevant. The table, grass and flying birds makes this webpage more attractive than just plain text on black background.

There are young people who earn a very good income, better than a veterinarian, just by being good at the skill of video making for corporations at affordable prices. There are such people offering such services if you research the internet and see their websites.

But they are not present in Singapore as most young Singaporeans are distracted with other personal matters including multi-party gaming and watching movies from the laptop when they are free or at the office. Singaporeans tend to charge very high rates for  internet matters e.g. setting up websites. Then they disappear after a few years or earlier as they do not focus on their business or want to try other businesses. Or they have too many clients and their fees shoot up, out of the reach of the small business owner.

If you are really keen on video making, read the various magazines and practise making videos a lot. There is no short cut to success in real life