How long should a video be?

You can read all over the internet that videos should NEVER be longer than two or three minutes.  When we get asked the same question, our response is “a video needs to be as long as it needs to be,” length should be the last thing on your mind. There’s no doubt that most videos are about three minutes long since that tends to be the limit of many people’s attention.

Consider for a moment your own video viewing experiences.  You’ll think nothing about sitting through a two hour movie but a two hour presentation streaming on the web is definitely another story.  On the other hand, if you found a great how-to video, maybe on fixing a clogged sink, you’d probably watch all of it to hopefully prevent you from calling a plumber.  Always let the content drive your program length.  If you have a lot of content that you think people will enjoy, consider making multiple smaller videos. There’s even a chance that Google will rank you higher because you have many videos vs. just one long video.

Of course you also need to consider your audience.  If you want video for a trade show, be sure it’s something solid that will hold people’s attention and hopefully drive them to talk to people in the booth after watching.  The shorter length will give more people an opportunity to see the entire clip vs. losing them to a long video.

And when you’re ready to research price, we always caution people to watch out for deals that advertise a low “cost per finished minute” or special rates for thirty or sixty second videos.  Broadcast television marketing still requires people to think in short time blocks but that’s not the case with the Web.  Over the years, we’ve created hour long programs at a fraction of some of our more complex thirty second videos, it’s all priced on what the client needs.  If you think about it, your website is your own 24/7, on-demand, broadcast network.  People can now view your content on their own time, when and where they want it.  In some cases, you might want to give people the ability to download your clip so they can share it with others, you can’t easily do that with TV.  Also keep in mind that recording and editing a one hour seminar can often be significantly less expensive than producing a complex, thirty second commercial.

Make your videos Timeless

Make your videos Timeless!
One of our goals is to create videos that get used for years and years.  The following tips will hopefully give you ideas to extend the shelf life of all your content. (more…)

Tips for Production Assistants

Breaking into the world of production can be tricky but one of the best ways is to start as a PA (production assistant). Historically, the smaller the crew the more responsibility you’ll have but that’s not always the case. (more…)

Video Tip: Working with bad video

Technology keeps coming up with ways consumers and businesses can record their own video. Everything from the mighty Flip-type units to Smartphones now allow people to capture events with the push of a button. When used properly, these tiny cameras can yield great results. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. We’re often (more…)

Green screen location shooting

Green screening, also known as Chroma Keying, is a special effect technique for placing people or objects in otherwise impossible locations. Production studios are truly the best places to capture this effect, but it’s not always feasible. Location green screening can be done with proper planning and equipment. (more…)

Food Network Video Shoot

Thomson Communications of Middleton called with a delicious project. Jay Duchin would be filming the owner of Cakes for Occasions, Kelley Delaney, in her natural habitat… a bakery! Cakes for Occasions is a nut-free bakery creating the most delectable gourmet cakes and pastries for all milestones. Duchin has been a fan of Cakes for Occasions for many years (especially because he has a niece who is allergic to nuts) and he was thrilled to have the opportunity of working with them. (more…)

Shooting Video with Motorcycles

My multitasking wheels were really turning at the Whitehorse Press Publishers motorcycle shoot. I had the honor of working with internationally recognized motorcycle expert Ken Condon in filming a companion video for his new book “Riding in the Zone”. “Riding in the Zone” is a book that will help early-intermediate to early-advanced riders learn the physical and mental riding techniques in order to become more confident on their bike. (more…)

Setting Up For A Video Shoot

This post provides a visual story on what it take to set up for a video shoot. Setting up for a shoot like this can take several hours and don’t forget to factor the load and unload time. One of the biggest challenges for video it the lighting and Duchin Productions has invested heavily in a full complement of LED lighting.
Here is a shot of Guy Holt hanging 4 bank Kinoflos using Porta-Grid clamps (guy is also the inventor of the Porta-Grid clamp). The low ceiling made this shoot pretty challenging. (more…)

Dressing for the camera

A few tips, tricks and ideas for making the best of on-camera appearances.
- First and foremost, ask the producer what to wear. It shows you want to look your best and that you want to make things go smoothly. (more…)

NY Times Lotus Exige Review

I know Blogs are supposed to be written by the person who’s blog it is but Jeff Cutler did such a great job with this write up, I’m leaving it as is.
Jay Duchin – The New York Times/Lotus Exige Shoot
By Jeff Cutler, www.jeffcutler.com, http://jeffcutler.com/jeff
If you know Jay Duchin, you realize he’s a car and cycle nut. Not bicycle, motorcycle. He’s got a need for speed. So when the New York Times – yes, that New York Times – called him to shoot a speeding car at an empty airstrip, he was stoked. (more…)