Lights, Camera, Action!
At MonkeySee, the best videos can be seen by millions. So to reach a large audience, you'll want to do everything you can to create a high quality video that will be interesting to viewers. That's because viewers can rate your video, and videos with the highest ratings usually attract the largest audience. To help you in your quest for “how-to” stardom, we've established some simple guidelines for you to follow – starting with the seven simple steps to creating a great video.
Seven Simple Steps to a Great Video
1. Do's and Don'ts You can submit a video on nearly any “how-to” topic, but there are a few simple rules that you'll need to follow. See Do's and Don'ts - Rules for Expert Video Submissions.
2. Get a great expert Whether that's you, or someone else, a talented expert is the key to any successful MonkeySee video. To ensure a great presentation, see Presentation Tips for Expert Videos.
3. Shoot your video Even a great expert can't save a poor production. To ensure you get a great video recorded, see Tips for Shooting a Great Expert Video.
4. Transfer your video to your computer Once you've shot your video, you will need to get it from your camera to your computer before it can be edited or prepared for upload to Monkey See. You'll want to refer to your camera's user manual to determine the appropriate method for transferring the video.
5. Edit your video (optional) Not all how-to videos need to be edited, but editing can go a long way toward making a better video, and it doesn't require expensive software or hardware. See Tips for Editing a Great Expert Video.
6. Output your video and upload it to MonkeySee If your video is less than 15 minutes in length, smaller than 150MB, and in an acceptable format, you are ready to upload it. See Uploading Expert Videos and Technical Standards for Expert Videos.
7. Wait for the accolades to roll in! Processing time varies greatly depending on the format of your original video, file size, and upload traffic. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
Do's and Don'ts – Rules for Expert Video Submissions
Each video must be a “how to” video You may submit a “how to” video on any topic, as long as complies with our Terms and Conditions. However, if your submission is not a “how-to” video, it won't be permitted on the site!
There are two main types of “how-to” videos on MonkeySee - demonstrations and advice. A demonstration video generally shows the steps in a process actually being performed. Advice videos are generally created when it is not possible to demonstrate the information by performing a task or process. “How to repair a leaky faucet” is an obvious topic for a demonstration video. “How to recognize the signs of depression” might be more suitable for an advice video. Both are good “how-to” video topics.
Videos may not promote a specific product or service Creating a MonkeySee video is an excellent way to promote your hobby or business, and you will be provided a variety of ways to do that on your channel page. However, your video must be designed to be educational, so videos that primarily promote commercial efforts will not be permitted on the site. You should spend no more than one or two sentences describing your business, and you should do so only if it enhances your credibility. Also, avoid mentioning brand names whenever possible, and avoid promoting one product or service over others. It's permissible to mention brand names when there is no alternative, but excessive use of brand names will cause your video to be removed.
Expert must be credible While we don't require information to be delivered by professional experts, your “how to” information must be delivered by someone with above average knowledge in the topic area. You should always make an effort to provide information that establishes your credibility on a particular topic early in your video. If you don't have professional credentials, let the viewer know how much experience you have. Talking about yourself or your business is permitted and encouraged, as long as it is used to establish your credibility. All biographical information, including information about your business should occur within the first 20 seconds of your video.
Avoid announcing or displaying contact information in your video As a MonkeySee expert you'll receive a channel page where you can include personal or professional information, including various ways for viewers to contact you. You should not mention or display contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, or URLs, in your “how to” video. On rare occasions, we may make exceptions for videos that display a URL briefly at the beginning or end of a video.
Copyrighted material will not be permitted You may not include copyrighted material (music, video, images, text, etc) in your video unless you own the copyright. If you don't already own it, or have written permission to use it, do not include it. Videos with copyrighted material will not be permitted on the site.
Inappropriate content will not be permitted All video submissions must adhere to MonkeySee's Terms & Conditions. Videos with inappropriate content will not be permitted on the site. Content that is considered inappropriate includes, but is not limited to:
- Offensive, lewd, or obscene images, language or nudity
- Hate speech
- Acts that are inherently dangerous to perform, even for skilled experts
- Acts depicting violence or the infliction of bodily harm
- Any illegal activities
Videos must meet minimum technical quality standards We don't expect all MonkeySee videos to be broadcast quality professional productions. However, we reserve the right to remove videos with especially poor video or audio quality. Additionally, your video must meet our Technical Standards for Expert Videos.
Presentation Tips for Experts
Provide a great introduction!
The best introductions establish your credibility as an expert, and prepare the viewer for the information to come. Always try to include the following five pieces of information in your introduction.
Name and affiliation (A)
Ideally, this is a single sentence where you say who you are and what company or organization you work for, or are affiliated with. This could also include a second sentence where you very briefly describe your business or organization.
Expertise (B)
This is where you establish your credibility. It should include a description of how long you've been an expert in the relevant area, and mention any licenses, certificates, or other qualifications you have. If you've done anything extraordinary that further bolsters your credibility, this would be the appropriate place for you to mention it.
Video title (C)
This is where you tell the viewer what you are going to demonstrate or discuss. Whenever possible it should include a reference to the video title that includes “how to”. Example… “Today I'm going to show you how to bake an apple pie that will impress even the toughest critics!
Ingredients (D)
Here you should take as long as necessary to introduce the tools, supplies and materials required to complete the task. You shouldn't describe how these things are used or what they are used for yet. That should happen during the demonstration.
Important safety tips (E)
Nearly every task or demonstration has some important safety considerations. These should be mentioned before you get into the demonstration.
Here's an example of a good, complete introduction that includes the five points above…
(A) Hi. My name is John Smith with Smith Baking Company. We supply baked goods for high-end restaurants across the mid-Atlantic region. (B) I have a degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of Washington and have been a professional baker for the last ten years. I've created wedding cakes for numerous celebrity weddings, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. (C) Today I'm going to show you how to make mom's delicious apple pie. From creating the perfect homemade crust to an amazing apple filling, I'll walk you through the entire process. (D) You really don't need too much to get started. You'll definitely want to have a basic food processor, a large mixing bowl, a pie pan and a couple of sharp knives. You'll also need apples, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, eggs and some milk. I'll go over exact quantities later. (E) Before we begin, remember kitchen safety is always important. Always be careful when you're around sharp knives or hot stoves. Also, make sure young children are supervised in the kitchen at all times. We're now ready to bake the most delicious apple pie you've ever tasted. Let's get started!
The introduction will probably be the most difficult part of your video, since you need to remember to say five different things - but it will make a world of difference to your viewers. And once you get through the introduction it will be smooth sailing, since you'll be talking about your favorite topic and demonstrating the things you do every day!
Always look directly into the camera
Maintaining a strong connection between you and your audience is the key to a great how-to video. Since the camera represents your audience, you should maintain eye contact with the camera whenever you are conveying information. Avoid making eye contact with anyone else who is not actually in the video, including friends or family members that may be in the room while your video is being shot. It takes a little practice, but you should always be looking either at the camera, or at the task at hand. Looking anywhere else will look odd to your audience.
Never use a script, cue cards, or other written aids.
It is impossible for someone who doesn't have years of television experience (and a Teleprompter) to read from a script or cue cards and make it look natural. So reading your material will be instantly obvious to your audience, and there is nothing that can hurt your credibility more. For that reason you should always speak directly from your own experience.
Be sure to plan
While you don't want to work from a written script, some advance planning and organization will help you make a great video with considerably less effort. In the planning stage, make a bullet-point style outline to serve as a guide to make sure you cover all the necessary details. The process of creating this outline will also ensure that you don't forget to have on hand all the tools and supplies you'll need. Also, if your demonstration is better with another person assisting you, bring them into the planning and you'll find everything will work more smoothly and appear more fluid. The planning stage is generally where the quality of your video is determined.
Location, location, location
Just like the old adage about real estate, the location where you shoot your video can make or break it. For that reason you should do everything in your power to shoot your video in a place where the task you are demonstrating is normally performed by a professional. For example, if you are demonstrating how to perform some type of exercise, shoot your video in a professional gym - not your living room. If you are a professional chef showing how to make a restaurant dish, try to shoot in the restaurant. If the goal is to show how to make the dish at home, then shooting it in a nice home kitchen may be appropriate. Don't hesitate to "stage" your location, which is to rearrange items or add appropriate items into the background of your shot to make it look more pleasing or professional.
Keep safety in mind at all times
Nearly every type of demonstration has some type of safety consideration, and proper safety procedures are critical for many tasks. For that reason you should always convey those safety tips to your audience, and you should always follow them yourself as you create your video. For example, don't tell your audience to wear safety goggles, then forget to put them on yourself. It's common for experts to take these things for granted and forget important safety rules, so you should take extra steps to make sure you remember them, and continually emphasize them throughout your video.
Tips for Shooting a Great Expert Video
Use a separate external microphone (not the built-in camera microphone)
This is the single most effective thing you can do to improve the quality of your video! The built-in microphones on video cameras simply do not pick up speech adequately. Even when the subject is close to the camera, your audio quality will be audible but poor. Other potential problems include wind noise when shooting outside, and unwanted surrounding noise when shooting in busy environments. Inexpensive external microphones can be purchased at your local electronics store, and even the lower-cost models will improve your audio greatly. Be sure to check the user's manual for your specific camera model to find out what type of external microphones can be used, including the necessary plug types, adaptors, or cables required.
Use a Tripod
Nothing says “amateur” more than a shaky, handheld camera. Tripods allow smooth and controlled level shooting, especially when tilting up and down or panning right to left. Many retail stores and camera shops sell very affordable tripods, and using an inexpensive tripod is usually better than not using one at all. If you have a typical consumer camcorder, a small, lightweight tripod should be sufficient. Also, make sure your camera is level when mounted on the tripod. If your tripod does not have a built-in bubble level, look through your camera viewfinder and try to level the view by sight. An easy way to do this is to look for horizontal or vertical lines in your shooting location—perhaps the corner of a wall or the edges of windowsills or doorframes. If they appear crooked or tilted, adjust the tripod legs and continue to check your shot in the camera viewfinder until your vertical guideline appear straight.
Finally, make sure the tension of your tripod's head is adjusted correctly. It should be looser if you plan to tilt or pan your camera, and tighter when you want the shot to be more “static” (no camera movement). A common mistake is having the tripod head tension too tight when panning or tilting, causing jerky or bumpy movements. Finally, if you ever leave your camera mounted on the tripod without someone operating it, always make sure the tension is tight and locked off before walking away.
Use sufficient lighting
Without buying an expensive light kit, here are some tips for making sure your video is properly lit:
Don't shoot in low light
Plain and simple: don't shoot in locations where it is too dark. If you are outdoors, don't shoot at dusk or into the evening. If you are indoors, make sure you have a sufficient main light source.
Add light when necessary
Understanding the relationship between the amount of light available and the exposure settings in your camera will help you avoid dark, grainy images that are common in amateur video. When there is not enough light to expose an image properly, most camcorders will attempt to compensate electronically. This compensation, known as adding gain, will make the image brighter, but always at the cost of image quality in the form or “noise” or “grain”. Read your camera's manual to understand this function and recognize when the camera is adding gain. When you are able to see that the camera is adding gain, you'll know that it is too dark to shoot, or time to add light to the scene.
Shooting outdoors, overcast
Lightly overcast skies will provide the best lighting conditions. Light cloud cover will create a soft, diffuse light that is very pleasing and comfortable for your subject. Beware of partly cloudy conditions, however. If the sun is darting in and out of the clouds, you'll find it very difficult to maintain proper exposure and you'll encounter a lot of difficulty matching shots if you plan to edit your video.
Shooting outdoors, bright sun
Bright sun is the most difficult condition in which to shoot, but is manageable if you position your subject carefully. Avoid placing your subjects with the sun directly behind them. This will create heavy backlight and put your subjects in silhouette. With heavy backlighting, viewers will be unable to see your subject's face, or what they are doing. Try to always place your subjects with the sunlight in front of them and slightly to one side, but be careful to avoid heavy shadows cast on them from objects such as tree branches, microphones, or even the camera itself. Also watch out for shooting when the sun is low (very early or late in the day), as it will require your subject to squint to keep the sun out of their eyes. Shooting in the bright sun at mid-day is not ideal either, because the sunlight is directly overhead, usually casting harsh shadows on the face of your subject. If this is the case, try shooting in an area with some overhead coverage, such as under a tree or on a porch, as long as it is not too dark or casting large shadows.
Shooting indoors
The most common problem shooting indoors is a lack of available light. As previously mentioned, when there is not enough light to expose an image properly, most camcorders will attempt to compensate electronically. This compensation, known as adding gain, will make the image brighter, but always at the cost of image quality in the form or “noise” or “grain”. Read your camera's manual to understand this function and recognize when the camera is adding gain. When you are able to see that the camera is adding gain, you'll know that it is too dark to shoot, or time to add light to the scene.
Another common problem with indoor shooting is heavy backlighting (light sources behind your subject) that will cause your subject to be dark in silhouette. This happens most often when your subject is sitting in front of a window or glass door and the sunlight outdoors is very bright. It is okay to have a small amount of backlight, just as long as it does not overpower your main lighting source (or “key light”) that is coming from the front of your subject.
When in doubt, let your camera decide Modern camcorders are capable of overcoming many difficult lighting situations, as long as you understand the relationship between the various functions and settings on the camera. Before you shoot your how-to video, study your camera and make a variety of test shots so you can actually see the results. When in doubt, use the automatic exposure settings of your camera, and check the viewfinder to ensure you're getting an acceptable image.
Get CLOSE UPS of the action
A good MonkeySee video should be instructive, so you'll want viewers to see your demonstration very clearly with excellent detail. Do not just keep your entire video in a wide shot, especially if your subjects are performing a task where it is important for the audience to see their hands, or the audience needs to see a particular object or ingredient that is being used.
If you will be editing your video, don't zoom… shoot twice!
If you are going to be editing your video after shooting it, your best option for getting good close ups will be to simply shoot your video twice—once in a wide “master” shot and then a second time very close on the featured objects, ingredients, or actions. You can then edit the two shots together seamlessly.
If you're not editing your video, use the zoom… but sparingly.
If you are not capable of editing your video and can only shoot it once, then you should still strive to get close up shots of the important actions. To do this you will have to “zoom in” on the action while shooting. The number one mistake made by amateur videographers is zooming in and out too often. When your subject begins an action that needs a close up, begin zooming in very slowly. Once you are zoomed in as close as you need to be, leave it there until the action is over and then slowly zoom back out to your original wide master shot. The goal is to not draw attention to the use of the zoom. Choppy, fast, sporadic in-and-out zooming can be a major distraction, so get a feel for just how much pressure is needed to zoom in slowly and smoothly, and use the zoom sparingly!
Stay in focus
If you are new to videotaping, the automatic focus feature on your camera should prove to be sufficient. However, it may occasionally throw your shot out of focus, especially if you or your subject is moving. Too often, when automatic focus is used, the camera will focus in and out on your subject because it tries to focus on other nearby objects instead. The image will go from sharp to blurry several times. This can be very distracting and results in an amateurish video. To avoid this situation, try disabling the auto-focus feature of your camera and manually adjust your focus. Virtually all camcorders have a setting for “manual controls” somewhere on them. Some cameras may have a simple button on the side or near the lens that says “Manual Focus.” Others may be more hidden, or you may have to go through the camera's settings menu to disable automatic focus. Read the user's manual for your particular model of camera and learn how to use the manual focus.
Tips for using manual focus
Before you start shooting, take some time to set your focus by zooming in as close as you can on the subject or object that you are shooting and then manually focus to a nice, sharp image. Zoom back out to your original position and now your focus is set and you can begin recording. You should be able to zoom in and out on the subject now and it will stay in focus the whole time. This is assuming your subject is stationary and will not be moving from the point where you set your focus. If the subject is moving around, especially closer or further away from the camera, then pre-setting the focus will not work. You will need to adjust the focus as you go. This will just take time and practice to master, but proper focusing skills will definitely make your video appear more professional.
Understand “White Balance.”
White balancing is a method of calibration where you tell the camera what to interpret as true white, thus allowing the camera to display all colors based in accordance to type of light in your scene. Most modern camcorders have both a manual white balance option and automatic settings that work fairly well. Usually, there is a button or switch with the symbols of a sun and of a light bulb, denoting the automatic settings for “outdoor” (the sun) or “indoor” (the light bulb). These automatic setting are normally sufficient, but if your images appear too blue or orange, or the color otherwise appear unnatural, you may need to override the automatic setting and white balance manually.
Tips for white balancing
Refer to the user's manual for your particular camera model to see how to do this. Some cameras will simply have a button on the camera that may say “WB” (probably near the automatic symbols), other cameras may require that you access the internal settings in the menu. In either case, you will need to zoom the camera in and focus on something in your shooting location that is truly white—the best action is to have an assistant hold up a blank sheet of white paper. Make sure the lighting is sufficient on the white object and that there are no major shadows. Next, press and hold the button for white balancing (or hold the selection button if it is part of the internal menu settings). In most cameras, this will take about 2 or 3 seconds and a WB symbol of some type will flash in the viewfinder. When the symbol finishes flashing, you should see a notable change in the colors on your screen or viewfinder. The camera has now been calibrated to read “true white” as seen under the lighting conditions of your particular shooting location and has readjusted all colors based on that reading.
Be a director!
Rather than simply being the camera operator, try playing the role of Director and help your subject through the typical pitfalls of performing on camera. Here a couple more tips for capturing that perfect how-to video.
Allow for “pre-roll”
Even in today's digital age, recording on most cameras is not instant. The device needs a few seconds to actually begin capturing to tape, drive, or disc after the button is pressed. If your subject begins speaking immediately when you press the record button, it will inevitably cut off the first few words of his or her sentence. An easy trick is to hit record, silently count at least to three, and then silently cue your speaker to begin by pointing or nodding. Also, try not to immediately stop recording as soon as the speaker's last word is uttered. Again, wait 3 to 5 seconds before cutting. If you plan to edit your video, you will be glad that you have these few seconds of “head” and “tail” on your shots, especially if you need to add transitions such as fades or dissolves.
Watch for good eye contact
Maintaining a strong connection between the expert and the audience is the key to a great how to video. Since the camera represents the audience, you should instruct your expert to maintain eye contact with the camera whenever they are conveying information. Ask them to avoid making eye contact with anyone else who is not actually in the video, including friends or family members that may be in the room while the video is being shot. Asking everyone else to leave the area while the video is being shot is the best way to avoid this inevitable problem. Another common tendency for non-professional subjects is to look away from the camera and up to you, the camera operator, as soon as they have finished speaking. This will look awkward to viewers. To avoid this you should instruct your subject to continue looking straight into the camera lens for 3 to 5 seconds after they finish speaking. Explain to your subject that although it may feel strange, it will look much better on the final video than having their eyes wandering around.
Tips for Editing a Great Expert Video
Start simple
Not all how-to videos need to be edited, but editing can go a long way toward making a better video, and it doesn't require expensive software or hardware. Some computers come with video editing software already installed. These include Apple iMovie, Microsoft Movie Maker, and others. These applications will permit you to edit the video, add audio tracks, change the file type, compress the file size, and accomplish other file and image manipulation tasks. If you're new to editing, these tools will provide all the functionality you'll need to get started
Tips for editing with Windows Movie Maker
Using “Save Project” under the “file” menu will create a Windows Movie Maker project file (MSWMM file). Saving the project in that format allows you to return to the movie and make modifications at a later time. However, when you are ready to upload the video to MonkeySee, you will need to choose "Save Movie File" under the "File" menu. For more information on using Windows MovieMaker, visit Microsoft's Documentation
Improve over time
As you get better at editing, you may find you'd like more professional level capabilities. There are numerous advanced editing programs available for purchase or download online. MonkeySee's professionally produced videos are edited on Apple Final Cut Pro software, but remember, nearly any video editing software will help make a good video even better.
Uploading an Expert video
If your video meets our Technical Standards for Expert Videos, you're ready to upload it in just a few simple steps.
1. Click the “Upload Videos” tab on the MonkeySee home page or any category page.
2. Enter as much information about your video as possible, including Title, Description, Tags, and Category. The more information you include, the easier it is for users to find your video.
3. Click the “Continue Uploading” button.
4. In the next window, click the “Browse” button to browse for the video file on your computer. Select the file you want to upload.
5. Click the “Upload Video” button.
Uploading a video can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the size of your video file, your connection speed, and the demand on our servers. If your video upload is taking an excessively long time to complete, we recommend canceling the upload, checking the length and settings for your video, and uploading it again.
Technical Standards for Expert Videos
Accepted file types
MonkeySee accepts video files from most digital video cameras in .WMV, .AVI, .MOV, and .MPG file formats. Videos should not exceed 15 minutes in length.
Accepted aspect ratios
Videos may be in any aspect ratio (4x3 or 16x9). The MonkeySee video player displays videos in the 16x9 (widescreen) format. Most consumer camcorders create videos in the 4x3 (fullscreen) format. All 4x3 videos uploaded will display in the MonkeySee player with black bars on each side of the video image.
Accepted file sizes
Video files must not exceed 150Mb in size or 15 minutes in length.
Accepted frame rates
15fps (frames per second) or above will be accepted. 30fps is suggested.
Accepted bit rates
No specific bit rate is required. Videos encoded at 400 kilobits per second or higher will yield the best results.
Accepted resolutions/video dimensions
The resolution (video size) of the MonkeySee video player is 512x288 pixels (16x9 aspect ratio). Videos submitted that are larger or smaller will be resized to fit the MonkeySee player, so for best results, try to upload an original version of your video that is at least 288 pixels in height. Videos submitted that are 16x9 aspect ratio will fill the entire MonkeySee video player. Videos submitted that are 4x3 aspect ratio will display in the MonkeySee player with black bars on each side of the video image.
Accepted video lengths
Videos must not exceed 15 minutes in length. For longer videos, consider breaking them up into multiple segments, and be sure to have the expert tell the audience that the video has multiple parts. Another method is to consider creating a MonkeySee Featured Expert video. Featured Expert videos can be any length, but must meet very specific formatting and technical standards that will generally require the skills of a professional video producer.
