If you have ever done video editing in general, you know how long the process takes. If you are visioneering and macro-level person like myself, you love to dream about projects, start a lot of them, never complete most of the videos you do, and always focused on the outcome. We care about the video, but perfection is not as important as the quality of the message being sent. For a detail-oriented and micro-level person like my friend Stephen, you need perfection and sometimes are driven mad by the project.
If you are a church techie that is doing a video for your ministry, sometimes time, equipment, people, and resources involved in your project, most likely you are ensuring that you will not have high quality, Hollywood level content. A great video tells an inspiring story with a complete plot device, moves the viewer to action, and is visually and auditory stimulating.
Most churches do not have the technology to film and edit this quality, even more do not have the skills to use it effectively, even more still do not have the resources of people and money to pull off the high caliber content, and the hardest of them all is the creative quality and quantity of ideas that is gifted to only the best of the best.
Tips to Have a Happy and Successful Video
We want to give you tips to make this video editing process a little better as you come to a completed project.
- Your final result is never better than what you are given in the first place. Make sure you are working with high quality raw video and audio footage.
- Over film because if you do not have the best shot, you have to go back and film it and that might not be an option (lighting is different, actors unavailable, camera used elsewhere)
- Have a clearly defined goal in mind.
- Give yourself or make your pastor give you a deadline
- Know your limitations and add people to the team that could do it better.
- Do trainings, conferences, and online tutorials to better your craft.
- Be realistic about the outcome. If this is your first video, do not expect to be doing it as well as Chip Dizard.
How do you know when you are done with a video?
Matt R says
A video is not done until it is shorter than 3 minutes.
Okay, there’s a little flex here–obviously some have to be longer. But the #1 thing that drives me absolutely bonkers is a video that is too long and drags. 3 minutes of video is an eternity. If you can’t tell a story in less than this, you probably need to clear up your message.
Jeremy Smith says
Totally agree with the need to clean up your message. Thanks for the comment.
Paul Alan Clifford (@PaulAlanClif) says
I have to disagree. I’ve watched videos that lasted hours and seemed like minutes and videos that took seconds and seemed like hours.
I’ve been told over and over again to make a 60 second video and when I showed it to the person, they said “That’s perfect. 60 seconds, right?” Often it was 3 minutes or 5 or 2.
The right length is short enough that the viewer thinks, “Is that over already?” Depending on the story, how you cut it, etc., it can be any length, but it should feel shorter than it is. If it’s 3 minutes, it should feel like 60-90 seconds. If it’s 5 minutes, it should feel like 3 or less.
Paul
Jeremy Smith says
Paul, while I do not disagree with what you have to say, where I think your argument falls short is when you are talking about the general Internet video viewing audience. I think you personally have a very niche and interested group of people. That is one audience.
The other are people that are simply browsing and a 3 minute or less video is for them specifically. If done well, you can get thousands and millions of views. If done really well, you can get loyal followers. But they are the same people that will jump ship after only one or two bad videos.
It depends on what you are doing with the videos. For the most part, I would actually push for the 3 minutes or less, but I agree with what you have to say too for some audiences.
Eric Dye says
I think the point is: Cut and cut until there’s nothing left but the core.
Then it’s done.
Jeremy also brings up a good point about the medium. I could edit together a five minute intro montage at the beginning and it could be awesome, but then it wouldn’t be a montage anymore, it would be a segment.