Comments on: Video ‘even less interactive than print’ http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/ Notes from the classroom and observations about today's practice of journalism online Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:24:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Regina http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-332 Regina Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:40:40 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-332 One of the hardest things to learn in editing video or audio is discipline. Sometimes -- many times -- shorter is better. Just because you really love a shot or a quote doesn't mean it's the best thing for the story. <br/><br/>And excellent points from the textbook. Let's not do video just because we can... One of the hardest things to learn in editing video or audio is discipline. Sometimes — many times — shorter is better. Just because you really love a shot or a quote doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for the story.

And excellent points from the textbook. Let’s not do video just because we can…

]]> By: Kristen N http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-331 Kristen N Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:02:11 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-331 GREAT POINT!!! I can't even stand to watch my own videos for more than (at most) 2 minutes. Most video players cannot even "scan," they can only jump to a different point and then they have to buffer. Especially with news video, people want the immediacy - get to the point!<br/><br/>And in response to Angela's comment... breaking videos up into topics helps. But I still think we need to edit carefully. Our users are commiting their time to our video and unless we offer them something worthwhile, they are not going to come back. <br/><br/>WashingtonPost.com had a <a HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/30/AR2006103001228.html" REL="nofollow">good video on the same-sex marriage amendment in Virginia</a> yesterday that frustrated me because you couldn't skip to the different "nodes" of the story. It was a great video and I watched the whole thing...but I had NO interaction. What a shame to have such great content available and not find a way to build in any interactivity... GREAT POINT!!! I can’t even stand to watch my own videos for more than (at most) 2 minutes. Most video players cannot even “scan,” they can only jump to a different point and then they have to buffer. Especially with news video, people want the immediacy - get to the point!

And in response to Angela’s comment… breaking videos up into topics helps. But I still think we need to edit carefully. Our users are commiting their time to our video and unless we offer them something worthwhile, they are not going to come back.

WashingtonPost.com had a good video on the same-sex marriage amendment in Virginia yesterday that frustrated me because you couldn’t skip to the different “nodes” of the story. It was a great video and I watched the whole thing…but I had NO interaction. What a shame to have such great content available and not find a way to build in any interactivity…

]]> By: Mindy McAdams http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-330 Mindy McAdams Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:42:24 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-330 Angela, I think that's the perfect approach. Send me some links. I love to see short videos in packages. Angela, I think that’s the perfect approach. Send me some links. I love to see short videos in packages.

]]> By: Angela Grant http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-329 Angela Grant Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:18:07 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/video-even-less-interactive-than-print/#comment-329 I try to stay aware of the ADHD attention spans of Internet users during production. One way I've tried to make my presentations more interactive is to take a complex video story and split it into topics. Each topic gets a 2-3 min. video. The user gets to choose which topic interests them, and only watch that video if they want. Also, if they choose one and then think it's boring, they don't have to just drop my story like a hot potato. They may choose another video instead. I try to stay aware of the ADHD attention spans of Internet users during production. One way I’ve tried to make my presentations more interactive is to take a complex video story and split it into topics. Each topic gets a 2-3 min. video. The user gets to choose which topic interests them, and only watch that video if they want. Also, if they choose one and then think it’s boring, they don’t have to just drop my story like a hot potato. They may choose another video instead.

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