# Trying to use video for outreach and publicity



## fredtgreco

I have been testing the use of short videos to bring publicity to events and now today with my weekly pastoral email to help our congregation prepare for the Lord's Day. I have started with Vimeo, mostly because I do not want Youtube ads, and because Vimeo is directly supported by our web site provider. I would be curious if anyone has experience with the use of video for church publicity, and if so, what service(s) they use. The videos can be leveraged through Facebook, Twitter, and our blog. There are probably other ways that I am missing and would be glad to get suggestions on. Making the videos is pretty simple, which is why I have kept them basic. I just film them using my webcam, do simple editing, and upload. Here are some of the ways I have been using them:

[video=vimeo;121562878]https://vimeo.com/121562878[/video]

https://www.facebook.com/fred.greco/posts/10206176943086477

https://twitter.com/fredgreco/status/574342877591040000

Christ Church, PCA: Katy, TX

[video]https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=792719734130323[/video]

Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. I'm just starting this.


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## Semper Fidelis

You might want to position the camera so it's above you a bit. Camera angles that come straight on or under the face produce undesirable results. If you're looking slightly up you might find the result better. You can also experiment with some lighting to come in from a 45 degree angle and slightly above you. Try finding something to diffuse the light. I know it seems minor but good lighting is important as well as camera angle.


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## Edward

We have used Vimeo for a number of promotional and other videos for the last 5 years. 

https://vimeo.com/tag:park+cities+presbyterian+church/page:1/sort:date/format:thumbnail


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## kodos

In addition to the suggestion of camera angle and lighting (very very important), I would also check on your mic levels or if there's any aggressive compression on your audio stream (low bitrate or other). I think your audio is clipping, which is creating a number of undesirable audio artifacts, buzzing, and metallic echoes in my headset.

In today's age a lot of folks are going to have your video in another browser window, and the audio is especially crucial to get right. They will get bored of looking at you in a static shot (no offense, it happens to everyone) after a very short time and turn their gaze to something else, even if it is a book in their lap. So make sure the audio is in tip-top shape if you can.

My two cents


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## Pergamum

Can you add CGI hobbits? And laser effects? Otherwise, it seems like a great idea if it can be shared via social media. 45 seconds or less would be ideal for us folks who can't concen


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## Semper Fidelis

Pergamum said:


> Can you add CGI hobbits?



Just don't include any of these:






I'm an anti-gnomian.


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## littlepeople

I agree about the audio. There's some serious gating/compression going on. If you can swing a blue snowball or yeti it will be worth it. Yeti is on sale right now: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S

Camera angle seems fine to me - all you want is slightly above eye level with some thought given to lighting. We use a few videos on our website and social media, and they seem to be well viewed.

[video=vimeo;69960657]https://vimeo.com/69960657[/video]


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## fredtgreco

Let me ask a question: does the audio on this one sound any better?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dhmpf6x7kgt5rf0/Missions Welcome.mp4?dl=0

I think the problem may be the video processing I have done - very little, but it may cause the audio compression. I have been trying to find a relatively easy way to do this. I have Adobe Premier, but the learning curve is way too steep, and I have many more important things for my time. Any advice on the best SIMPLE way to do very basic editing (cutting portions out, fade in fade out) that will give good results is welcome.


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## littlepeople

audio is better, but still clipping. You can lower the gain in the recording devices context menu in windows (right click the volume icon in the taskbar). I have used after effects primarily, not premier. Honestly windows movie maker is pretty capable if you don't want all the features (headache) of an Adobe product.


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## littlepeople

I like the angle of that second video better For what it's worth. If you can get some front lighting to compensate, then turning on that lamp behind would be a nice touch.


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## fredtgreco

littlepeople said:


> audio is better, but still clipping. You can lower the gain in the recording devices context menu in windows (right click the volume icon in the taskbar). I have used after effects primarily, not premier. Honestly windows movie maker is pretty capable if you don't want all the features (headache) of an Adobe product.


What is the difference between After Effects and Premier? I have both but have never used either.

And what does it mean to "lower the gain" on the recording device? I understand how to get to the recording device through the volume control, but don't see any setting to "lower the gain." Also, I have no idea what audio "clipping" means.


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## Jack K

The step I would take, if I wanted better audio, would be to plunk down a few dollars for an external microphone compatible with your computer. It could be a lapel mic, a mic on a stand, or even a headset (if you like that look). But your audio is limited to what your microphone is capable of picking up. Placing a better mic closer to you makes a far bigger difference than anything you can accomplish by playing with software settings.

Of course, you also have to consider the possible effects of making your videos look and sound TOO polished. There's something folksy about having imperfect lighting and hollow audio just like most of your congregation does when they talk on Skype. Will your particular flock appreciate crisp sound, or will they think you're being too much of a fancy-pants?


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## littlepeople

I am with you Jack. Way better solution will a cheap condenser mic. I highly recommend the yeti. I have some audio samples I can provide of it in action. It's powered by usb, and has really amazing sound for that price range. That being said, to lower the gain on your webcam mic, go to >recording devices>properties>levels to lower the gain and get rid of the clipping. Clipping is just a squared off audio wave that forms when a device is pushed beyond its limits - it sounds like distortion. The difference between AE and Premier as far as I can tell is that AE is geared around working with short clips 1 at a time; and premiere is better at working with a long sequence of clips (movie). There is a lot of overlap, but for some reason I like AE better.

One more bit to plug the Yeti - you can select the pickup pattern to be normal cardioid, stereo, omnidirectional, or figure 8. So if you ever wanted to use the mic to record two people talking to eachother, or a group singing, or a roundtable discussion; you've got what you need. I purchased one for work that we sit in the center of our conference table for skype calls.

Here's a clip from church without any processing whatsoever. This is just the mic in stereo mode.

https://soundcloud.com/brandon-morgan/what-child-is-this-welch


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## fredtgreco

Brandon,

All this is helpful. Can you let me know a bit more detail about the clipping? The mic level was set very high (99). I can turn that down. To what should I set it? 

Also, what are you hearing on the sound? I watched some of the videos from your church, and it may be placement, but Rob sounds like he is in a cave down the hill a half-mile away. Is that what you are hearing on mine? Or something else?


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## jandrusk

I would use Audacity to audit the audio. Usually the formula: *Compress > Normalize > Compress *makes the audio sound great.


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## littlepeople

The wikipedia entry is a good place to start Clipping (audio) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I would pull the mic level down to 50, and see what happens. There is a sound level indicator built into that panel in windows. Play around with the mic level until you are getting the green indicator to go all the way to the top ONLY when you speak really loudly or clap your hands. If the indicator is frequently maxing, then you have clipping. Clipping sounds like Jimi Hendrix is playing your vocal cords. It's harsh like the sound the TV makes when on a snow channel. In the second video you posted listen to the word "encouraged" around the 10 second mark. It's pretty pronounced there. Once the levels set up right in windows, if it still has that sound, then you are looking at the editing software or the mic itself as the source of the distortion. 

The videos from the church are using the mic built into my DSLR, and we recorded in a hallway - not very good audio at all, part of the learning experience. If/when we re-record those, I will use an off-camera mic placed closer to Rob, and not in the hallway.


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## fredtgreco

Thanks! I understand now more about clipping. I'll try to work with the levels.


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## SolaScriptura

Fred - 

I love you, brother! I appreciate that you, and your church, are figuring out how to use technology as a ministry enhancer.

The only "production quality" issue I noticed was the audio, but that has been addressed above.


A strength of your video is that you speak in a calm, steady voice and you clearly lay out what it is you're explaining. The weakness of your video is that your calm steady voice makes your videos go a bit too long. For example, in the video I watched, you spell out who is offering what class, and in which room. Maybe instead try a few enthused sounding sentences that commend the variety of classes available, and then direct them to the bulletin or website for details.
The bottom line is try to keep it short - stick to about one minute and call it your "60 second update" or "A minute with the Pastor" or something cutesy. 

BTW - I like the idea of you doing it in your home. It seems more intimate than from your office at the church. 

Other than that, excellent work.


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## SRoper

Everyone has already give you good advice on fixing the audio. The good news is once you get everything set up, you shouldn't have to make changes from week to week.


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## Edward

You might also want to try to deaden the room a bit - cover off camera hard surfaces with blankets and pillows. Generally, I find that spoken words are more understandable in a deadened room; live rooms work better for some music.


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## fredtgreco

OK all, some changes made for the next installment. There are probably still things to work on, but take a look:

[video=vimeo;122655733]https://vimeo.com/122655733[/video]


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## littlepeople

audio is 1000 percent better. I really like the rodeo footage. Nice personal touch.


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