15 Aug 07 Slide Shows Are Not Video
posted by: Christian
Alright….Team WellcomeMat has seen the word “video” tossed around at will for too long. Time to set the record straight. Slide shows are not video. Zoom in, zoom out, fade in, fade out….do whatever you wish with a photo, but it just isn’t video. We started a discussion today in The Neighborhood because we have been seeing quite a few slide shows getting uploaded to the site. While we don’t necessarily like this (we are a video site after all), we are going to roll with the punches. In our minds, it’s better to help people to use video then to shun people away from WellcomeMat whom aren’t.
How do you know if you are looking at a video? The litmus tests for a video are really quite easy: can you see movement within the image frame (a tree blowing in the wind for example)? Is a real person giving you a tour of a property/place? Is the position of the camera changing as time goes on (is the shooter and camera moving towards a doorway and then turning back towards the entrance for example)? If your answer is yes to any of these, you are looking at a video.
Why should we care? We should care for one very good reason: videos are better than photos! With video, you can offer the closest thing to a real life walk through on the web. Video, unlike any other medium, tells a story. If you have someone in front of the camera telling that story, even better! More importantly, video sells! If this weren’t true, how would QVC, HSN and infomercials have made it? Do you see products being sold on television using slide shows?
We have heard slide shows defended because “houses don’t move,” and therefore an image can do much justice. The truth is that houses don’t move (yes…I am bright enough not to argue this one). However, people do move: how does one see the true connections between each room in a place without viewing a video? Answer…in person. If you are using slide shows to market properties, that’s great! Truth be told, pictures are a great way to market properties. Video is better and they are not the same.
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Christian, agreed that videos (done right) are better than slide shows but their value is in the eye of the beholder. If everyone could do good video, everyone would. The question is whether people would prefer extensive photos with motion, music and voice over a static photo or a virtual stitched photo series. Yes, when everyone does video (well and in an affordable way) it will be a better experience than any photo slideshow. We know video is hard and to think businesses will just start taking out their camcorder or pay 1000s of dollars to a professional videographer, is a little naive I think.
Oh, wait, I better tell my clients that they are making a mistake spending there “1000’s” of dollars to hire me.
The point is that slides are slides and video is video, which would you rather see? How about a combination of the both!
Like in James Myers new, soon to debut, website for Boca Pointe. It will utilize a pre-conceived style featuring slides and the final cut of this video:
(Which will also be broken down into short modules for display.)
Boca Pointe-rc4 – Florida DV – Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
Tell your story with video; it will make a difference to your clients.
Could you imagine posting the testimonials in this piece with a still and quotes, or would you prefer the sincerity of a video captured response?
JMHO!
I guess that I’m in the minority here, I’m a REALTOR who is also videographer. I was shooting news film and video in the 1970’s, TV commercials in NYC and independent feature work in LA in the 1980’s…it’s great to be a part of the paradigm shift in real estate marketing. It’s a lot more effort to utilize walk through talent in front of the camera, but I feel that the viewing audience becomes so much more involved! There is a human scale to the home. My objective is to speed up the process, to get the buyer in for a personal tour, and to write an offer. What’s so hard about that?
You are darn good at both video and being an agent. And, we couldn’t agree more with giving the place “human scale.” Presenters (talent) are going to play a major role in real estate video. We are already seeing some MLS(s) across the country getting uneasy with realtors being in front of the camera; but most are just not allowing them to ID themselves in front of the camera.
Interesting, but what I have found is that agents don’t even want to get their photos taken. How can we expect them to get in front of a video camera? I have seen some really “interesting” agent created video tours. I agree that done right (with very expensive professional talent) a video is a great feature but I also agree with Dave Herring that a combination of video and pictures is more elegant. People view things differently. By combining both you get the chance to appeal to more viewers. Just like the 360 vs photo tours. Some people hate them some love them. Key is, how sticky is your tour no matter what the foundation. How long are people watching and how many times do they view it or forward to someone else? Appealing to more viewers is key. Another thought….what does your seller want?