Tag Archives: video

12.20.13
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Video: Using Short Video for News

Use: Capitalize on the growing use of short videos such as Vine and Instagram to report news

Short video services Vine and Instagram have seen meteoric growth this past year.  Instagram’s mobile app grew 66 percent (the most of any app in 2013) and now 31.9 million active monthly unique users (out of total user base of 150 million worldwide). Nearly 180,000 Instagram videos have been shared on Twitter.  Vine, meanwhile, has north of 40 million registered users and one research study reported that five Vine videos are shared every second on Twitter. (Facebook owns Instagram and Twitter owns Vine.)

This rapid growth and integration into media consumption behavior (particularly for younger generations), suggests that news organizations should be experimenting with short video to reach those audience segments.  And many are.   Following are some resources, including tips and examples,  to help you think about your short video strategy.

Storyful: Instagram’s accidental foray into news video

All Things D: All the News That Fits in a 15-Second Segment: NowThisNews Tries Instagram, and the Results Are Pretty Interesting

ABC News: What Instagram Video Means for News Coverage

Instagram Blog:  News on Instagram

RJI: Futures Lab update #37: Apps and tips for mobile reporting

Mediashift: How Journalists Can Use Vine

Poynter: Newsrooms use Vine to show personality, process, previews in 6-second videos

Business Insider: How Media Outlets Are Using Vine To Deliver The News — Some Better Than Others

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10.02.13
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Video: JumpCam

Use:  Easily combine video snippets from multiple locations into one seamless video

In an earlier blog post, I featured an app called Crowdflik that allows you to aggregate video clips from various shooters at the same event. JumpCam is a similar concept but allows videographers at different locations (and different times) to collaborate on a single video and edit it in real-time.  Using the free app, a user can shoot up to a 10-second video and then invite others to add their clips to the same video (for up to 30 clips).  Users can arrange the clips in any order, add music, etc.

Publishers can use JumpCam to create a single video from reporters covering different aspects of the same story.  For example, reporters can be spread out over a town capturing perspectives on a new city ordinance and integrate them into one video.  Or students covering simultaneous football games at different locations could provide quick game summaries that can be combined into one movie.

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TechCrunch: JumpCam, Backed With $2.7M, Debuts Its Snappy Mobile App For Making Collaborative Videos

Time:  JumpCam Is a Video Sharing Network That’s Collaborative as Well as Social

The Verge: JumpCam for iPhone wants you to crowdsource your video with friends

 

09.27.13
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Video: Spreecast

Use:  Provide users with access to real-time virtual conversations with reporters, thought leaders, newsmakers, etc.

Spreecast is a “social video” platform that allows users to view real-time, streaming conversations between up to four people.  Publishers can organize conversations, interviews, etc. with newsmakers through Webcams and broadcast that to viewers through Spreecast’s platform.  Video conversations can be shared on social media platforms and are archived for later viewing.

From TechCrunch:  Up to 4 people at a time can be face-to-face, streaming their conversation live while hundreds of others can watch, chat, and participate by submitting comments and questions to those on-screen. Viewers can also request to join on camera, while producers of the Spreecast can manage the action. Spreecast is also integrated with Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ so that producers and creators can broadcast their conversations to their friends, followers, circles, contacts and connections. Once live-streamed, Spreecasts are recorded and then made immediately available for playback and sharing. The platform is browser-based and built on Flash. By default, Spreecasts are public and designed to be social but users can also create private Spreecasts as well.

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PCMag.com: Q&A: StubHub Founder Mixes Social Media, Video, Celebs on Spreecast

TechCrunch: Social Video Startup Spreecast Launches An iPhone App And Mobile Web Streaming For iOS And Android

09.10.13
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Video: Crowdflik

Use:  Find and integrate user-created videos from the same event

Crowdflik is a free app that allows users to shoot video of events and find and edit other videos shot with CrowdFlik from the same event.  According to the developer, “CrowdFlik uses the naval atomic clock to accurately time stamp video with 1/10th of a second accuracy. Once video is captured and saved, it is stored in the cloud and recognized by the app in 10 second clips on the event timeline. When a user taps their favorite video clips from an event, CrowdFlik is then able to pull the different event footage from the cloud and synchronize it precisely.”

Although developed initially for use at concerts, weddings, parties, etc., you can imagine news organizations aggregating different video perspectives from the same news event and editing into one package.  Of course, that requires that other witnesses are using the Crowdflik app as well.

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TechCrunch: CrowdFlik’s Auto-Synced, Crowdsourced Footage Lets Anyone Become A Documentary Filmmaker

Yahoo Small Business Adviser: CrowdFlik: Crowdsource Your Visual Content Marketing

07.30.13
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Video: ifussss

Use:  Get access to user-provided breaking-news video

ifussss, which stands for “if you see something, share something,” is a platform for accessing user-generated breaking new video.  The app, which will be available for iOS and Android on September 9, allows users to record and share 30-second clips (metadata will be added automatically).  The platform will filter and clear the rights to each video.

Publishers can monitor and search content on ifussss and download clips for a “small fee”, part of which will go to the original videographer.

Other crowdsourced video platforms include Newsflare and Demotix.

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Mediabistro: ifussss: New Video Sharing App and Newsroom for Journos

Journalism.co.uk: New user-generated video app to launch

07.02.13
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Video: Wibbitz

Use: Increase engagement and exposure through a video summary version of news stories on mobile devices

Wibbitz is a new iOS-based mobile app that automatically creates a video summary of a text news article or blog post, incorporating images, graphics and text.   Wibbitz app users can select stories from a variety of categories and hear a computer-generated voice read a summary of the story while watching related images and animated infographics.

Wibbitz has reportedly partnered with 50,000 sources including AP, CNN, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post and NBC  to provide with to the site.   PaidContent reports that Wibbitz will provide publishers with its technology “at some point in the future so that they can incorporate Wibbitz’s service  into their own apps,” with the London Telegraph the first to do so next month.

Publishers may want to consider partnering with Wibbitz to gain exposure for their own content and contact Wibbitz about incorporating their technology to easily provide mobile users with a more engaging news experience.

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Update 11/12/13: GigaOM: Wibbitz wants to be the “play button” for text media

paidContent: Why the startup Wibbitz could wipe out some publishers’ video businesses

Readwrite: Siri Will Now Read You The News, Courtesy of Wibbitz

06.21.13
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Social Media: Short Videos

Facebook is taking on Twitter/Vine with a video version of Instagram.  The app will allow users to create a 15-second video (compared to 6 seconds for Vine) and will support 13 custom filters.  Users will also be able to edit video frames and add a photo at he beginning.

Meanwhile, according to CNET, Vine may be reworking their app to add new features.  Based on videos posted by Vine’s founders, the new features may include a new design, curation capabilities, private messaging and, perhaps, the ability to build Vines from previous footage. (All based on CNET’s interpretation of the videos).

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Update 8/8/13: ReadWrite: Instagram Now Lets Users—and Marketers—Post Canned Video

Update: 7/16/13: MediaPost: Honda Does Personalized Vines For Summer

Update 7/11/13: AdWeek: Instagram Debuts Video Embeds, Could Alter Publishing Habits

Update 7/04/13: All Things D: In Wake of Vid-stagram, Vine’s Latest Update Could Spur Growth

Mashable: How to Create an Instagram Video in 7 Simple Steps, 6 Reasons Instagram Video Beats Vine

Forbes: Facebook’s Video On Instagram To Challenge Twitter’s Vine

CNET: Vine videos provide clues to new design, features

TechCrunch: Vine Goes On The Offensive, Teases New Features Ahead Of Instagram Video Launch

Poynter: Instagram gives news orgs tips on using its video feature

06.18.13
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Content Development: Socl Network Tools

Use:  Easily create content to increase user engagement or advertiser value

Socl is a social network from Microsoft’s Future Social Experiences (FUSE) Labs that offers a variety of tools that media companies can use to create compelling new content to share.  Tools include:

Collage, which allows users to drag and drop a collection of images and automatically create a stylish page that can be posted on social networks.  One obvious use is to gather a collection of photos from today’s newspaper, broadcast or Web site and use the page to promote the site.   You could also use the tool to gather a variety of images from an advertiser’s inventory to help them promote daily specials.

Video Party, provides a platform to tell a story with a series of video clips.  On the site, you create a title for your “party” (for example, “Turkey Rebellion”) and the service searches for relevant videos which are displayed in queue.  You click on the videos in the order you want to create a playlist which can be shared with friends.  You can modify the search to find additional relevant videos, as well.

Other tools include Blink, a “Vine-link” application for Windows’ OS that allow users to layer photos and video to create a short, shareable clip, and Picotale, a tool to create clever memes by typing in a headline and having the service search for interesting, matching images.

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YouTube: Socl Create Experiences

GeekWire: Microsoft updates ‘Socl’ network with new photo and video creation tools

PCWorld: Microsoft’s Socl network steps up its game with animated GIFs, meme generator

 

 

06.13.13
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Content Development: Vizify

Use:  Increased engagement by making users feel more connected to staff; branding tool for advertisers

Vizify is a free tool that creates slide show biographies based on your social media activity.  The easy-to-use tool assembles tweets, LinkedIn profile data, Facebook activity and Foursquare activity to automatically create a video slide show.  You can also add “Vizcards” (sort of a personal infographic), quotes, factoids and photos. The presentation can be easily edited before making live.  Mine — created in about 90 seconds — is here.

A new feature creates an actual video based on your Twitter activity, including tweets, photos and video.  Mine was too boring to show here.

Media companies could use the tool to help better connect users to personalities (reporters, broadcasters, etc.) or as part of a backgrounder for people in the news (provided they have created a Vizify video).  Because the data assembled is all from publicly available sources, perhaps Vizify someday will allow media to build videos of third-parties.   I can also envision using the tool as an added branding vehicle for advertisers.

More:

The Next Web: Vizify joins forces with Twitter, now you can create an instant ‘movie trailer’ bio in no time at all

TechCrunch: Visual Identity Platform Vizify Launches Out Of Beta, Now Lets You Share Graphics Via Social Media Cards

GeekWire: Show your quirky side: Vizify unveils new bite-sized infographics just about you

06.09.13
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Video: ParaShoot

Use:  “Always-on” video recording for covering news events and capturing unexpected moments

ParaShoot is a small, HD camera that hangs from the user’s neck and can be set to record video automatically and share wirelessly.  The 720p camera can record video while reporters are covering an event, picking up b-roll footage or capturing an unexpected moment if the reporter’s main camera is not currently rolling.  (Storage is limited to about an hour’s worth of video, but it does include an internal SD memory slot).  ParaShoot also offers an app that can be used to control the camera, including shooting interval and sharing.

(Another alternative, of course,  is Google Glass which will also allow you to shoot video on the fly without having to whip out and set up you mobile camera.)

The company is raising money through Kickstarter (they need to raise $260,000 by July 23) and will reserve a device for $129 to early backers.

More:

Mashable: Use ParaShoot to Capture Your Life on Video