New Trick for Making a Good Video: Audio Sandwich

It’s been a while since I learned something new about making a good video. You know — something I haven’t tried, failed with, written about or all of the above. I’ve got one today, and I’m calling it an audio sandwich.

First: to the WVFF back row, I’d like to now proactively address your comments by saying I don’t have a crush on Daisy Whitney. She’s a blond, and I’m happily married.

Watching the New Media Minute, by the Queen of Online Video, Daisy “follow me on Twitter” Whitney, reminded me of something important. Now some of her stories fascinate me, while others are boring. But she’s fast and expressive, so I make it through each episode in its entirety. And as we’ve observed, her hair constantly changes so that alone makes you want to visit her site when you get her e-mail.

Also- I recognize that maybe only 20 percent of most online-video viewers actually make it to the end, this “new trick” isn’t applicable universally. But I like it anyway… Enough build up. Here’s today’s lesson, peeps. Start and end your vids with auditory bravado. It works in public speaking, in meetings, and at parties (the seasoned party goers come at the peak and leave before the party fades). Daisy starts with a fancy tune, and now ends with a bubbling sound that reminds me of college (it’s the promo for www.videofishbowl.com.

I’ve long said you gotta grab ’em early, and leave them with a surprise. But now I’m seeing the beauty of a familiar intro (2-5 seconds max) and outro. And it’s less about visuals and more about sound. We’ll forive a bland turkey if the french bread is equisite.

Wogsland‘s intro, while a bit long, was always a warm & familiar jellyfish/cool-tune greeting. Mugglesam, Pipistrello, and TheMightyThor1212 have nice “send offs.”

I learned something interesting about repetition and familiarity in child psychology, and I’m guessing it’s true for big children.

We like repetition. Look no further than Dora, who once said “sticky tape” so many times in an episode I wanted to punch her monkey. This repetition model works in Telletubies and that other psychodelic offspin… and is a powerful comedy device. Of course we  eventually fatigue, which is why I stopped using the MGM “Nalts, Nalts, It’s Not His Fault” intro song. If you tape a slide-projector clicker to an infant’s hand, and he/she figures out that touching it changes the image shined above the crib, you’ll discover something. The baby likes repetition and simple images, but eventually advances faster through ones that keep repeating because the baby has “mastered” them. Time to move on. Woah- you turned the smiley face upside down? Now THAT’S new!

So get a fancy intro tune, and a quirky sound effect for the end of your video (but please don’t use a loop that comes with your editing software). Let me know if it works, or if it fails (through irritating repetition).