Presentation videos for client's website
by Greg Ball
on
Aug 14, 2009 at 2:55:44 pm
We're shooting some 90 minute video presentations for a client to put on their website. We're breaking these presentations in half because of the expected file sizes. However I'm looking for some advice here.
These presentations will be shot on a Sony EX1 and will have many PowerPoint slides.
Here are my questions.
1.Since I will have so many PowerPoint slides, would I be better off modifying the video to 4:3 and allow the powerpoint slides to fill the screen?
2. Would I be better off taking their powerpoint slides and converting them to wide screen?
3. What size would you give the client for the web video. Wouldn't 320 X 180 be too small? Keep in mind these are 45 minute clips. Should I stick to 320 X 240 and create everything as 4:3 video?
4. Would wmv or Quicktime be best as a file?
The end users are doctors around the country and individuals interested in this subject. So I need to provide the best quality video in the most common and easy to view format.
The client will also want DVDs of each presentation. Wouldn't that be better as wide screen? But again, how would you handle the PowerPoint slides?
The client has little information and they are asking me for my recommendations. Thanks so much for your advice.
Re: Presentation videos for client's website by Ken Jones on Aug 14, 2009 at 3:14:23 pm
1. If your footage will safely crop into a 4X3 sequence this is what I would do.
2. If you drop a 4X3 PPT slide into a wide screen sequence you will have a pillar boxed PPT slide. Ugly...
3. Anytime I have to include a PPT I make the web video 400X300. If the PPT text is smaller than 30pts it won't be legible even at 400X300. I routinely make 45-60 minute web videos for some of my clients without breaking it into segments.
4. This all depends on your client's infrastructure. Most corporations require Windows Media. Lots of corporations won't even allow Quicktime on their systems. It's unfortunate, but you best bet is probably to go with Windows Media. Flash is also an option. Check with your client's IT department.
5. See #2 above.
Re: Presentation videos for client's website by John Fishback on Aug 14, 2009 at 3:25:21 pm
I'd build a simple Flash interface with a video window and slide window. Keep the video small and the slides large. It will be much more efficient bandwidth-wise since embedding slides in a video stream wastes bandwidth. The slides will look better and the IT dept will be happier.
John
MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.5 QT7.5.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870, 24" TV-Logic Monitor, ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID 5
FCS 2 (FCP 6.0.5, Comp 3.0.5, DVDSP 4.2.1, Color 1.0.3)
Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN
Re: Presentation videos for client's website by Greg Ball on Aug 14, 2009 at 3:38:50 pm
Thanks guys. That's an interesting idea John. But since this is a one camera shoot, I have a feeling I'll need to cover some edits with the powerpoint.
Re: Presentation videos for client's website by Ron Craig on Aug 14, 2009 at 5:03:08 pm
Just as a point of interest...
I have clients now who are doing their PPTs in 16x9. Much more up-to-date look. And they obviously cut better with stuff that we shoot. Any chance of telling the client that they can give themselves a much better look by redesigning their PPTs in a "newer" aspect ratio? That would solve two problems at once.
Re: Presentation videos for client's website by dwight genius on Aug 17, 2009 at 4:08:13 am
You may need a professional tool: Moyea PowerPoint to DVD Burner -the leading solution in its field.It can make you PowerPoint play without computer but on a DVD player,at the same time,it can convert PowerPoint to almost all popular formats,so you can aslo get videos with its help so that you can share them on video-sharing website.The most important is that it will keep complete of PowerPoint originals like animations, sounds, slide transitions and video clips.
Hopefully you will like it!
http://www.dvd-ppt-slideshow.com/ppt_to_dvd/
