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Videos

What you see above are random videos that I found on the start page of the videos tab on pexels which is one of several resource portals that offers wide and free to download clips. I said "random" because that is truly what they are. I used no search terms, no filters, just scrolled down to see what I would encounter and there were far more than just these 5 that I would have liked to have shown here. In fact I was very hard pushed for a decision among all that I saw.

Therefore, unlike even only a few years ago when it was still rather hard to find free footage that was good enough to tempt one to use it, we now have a remarkable repository of video clips online - on pretty much any subject that one might be searching for; that are of high quality, both in terms of resolution but also in terms of craftsmanship; very well compressed (none of the 5 above are over 10MBs) and just visually accomplished all around. And as already said, they are free to use.

So, use them!

CURATING

curatıng / FINDING / edıtıng

Video Collages: Not only do they need to work well one by one, they also need to work together as a set; with similar formats, compositions, good color and texture combinations, similar lighting; and since they will be running together all at once also similar speeds and levels of activity, so that they do not overwhelm the viewer. 

These short clips are really just moving images and they should have the same selection criteria as all other visual material:

  • Activity: If you are using more than one video within a confined space on your site it will be a good idea to keep to videos where activity is low since if two or more videos with high activity are seen at the same time that will become confusing to the viewer. Similarly, if you are placing videos close to pieces of text that are meant to be read, high activity will end up being very distracting.

    • Speed also factors into this. Showing fast moving objects or videos that have a lot of camera motion or have been shot with a time lapse in order to speed them up will not work when they are placed close to material from which they should not detract attention. 

  • Composition:  Choose videos that have good balance between objects, that have good clustering, good relationships between full and empty areas. Again, having videos that are very crowded visually will detract attention away from other content, especially from content that is meant to be read. So, also be careful with that.

  • Colors: A well chosen color palette applies to videos as much as it does to images. Also, when you make video collages pay attention to the color relationships between the videos that you choose.

  • Focus: Again, as important in videos as in photographs. Is there a soft focus? What is the depth of field like? Or is this is a sharp, clearly defined clip? This becomes especially important, again, in video collages where you may want to use the softness or the clarity of the videos that make up the collage, either as a tool of harmony or of contrast.

  • Looping: Always watch the clip that you are thinking of using to the very end.  If there is a jump you will need to loop it, which is easy enough to do as the video above or the screenshot below will show you to do.

Videos can be very effective containers of typography:

  • Provided that the text messages are not too long, only about as long as a heading or a very short subhead.

  • Videos can also be very good backdrops for logotypes or other branding elements.

  • The video on which the text is to be displayed is  important.

    • Videos with low activity and lower speed will be far more suited for this task.

    • Videos that have a perpetual surface area made out of a uniformly dark or a uniformly light color will make it easier to display the typography. 

    • In the absence of such a perpetual surface, a shape layer into which the text is placed may also be needed.

  • Watch this video tutorial >>> for more info on videos and typography.

LOOPS

Looping a video

loop.png
  • Put the clip inside the openshot editor

  • Drag it to the timeline track.

  • Click on it and copy paste (ctrl +C / ctrl+V). The new clip will appear exactly above the first one.

  • Drag it to the right on the timeline until it snaps into position exactly next to it.

  • Right click and do what I am showing you in the screenshot.

  • Now go to the red dot at the top, select Web > Youtube HD  and render.

DESIGN TIPS
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