It used to be the case that if you wanted to play a video during a business meeting, youd have to subject yourself to a lengthy, bizarre, and in most cases, futile process. First, youd have to call up your companys AV technician and book a TV and VCR. If no TVs were available that day, youd be completely out of luck. During the VCR-era, an embarrassing number of business presentations featured the sentence, I had originally planned to show a video clip now, but the VCR wasnt available, so I guess Im just going to have to describe the clip to you guys instead.
If you got lucky and a TV happened to be available, the AV guy would wheel it in from the AV room on a dolly. In order to prevent the TV from falling over and crushing the AV guy to death, it was usually held in place with three enormous strips of velcro. If the TV and AV guy both arrived unharmed, you then had to confront the challenge of actually getting the VHS tape to play.
Back then, your choice of clips was limited to what was commercially available at video stores, what youd recorded off broadcast TV, and what you had recorded yourself on a camcorder. The resolution was 333 -480 (significantly lower than the 1920 -1080 or 3840 - 2160 resolution that we are now used to) and a good portion of those pixels were obscured with fuzzy white lines known as tracking marks. In most cases, the video was only decipherable to those sitting within 15 feet of the TV. Ironically, the people who ended up describing their clips verbally due to AV room scheduling conflicts were often better able to convey the meaning of their clips than those who were actually able to get their cassettes to play.
Nowadays the situation has improved: Thanks to YouTube and YouTube ripping programs, there are billions of hours of footage that you can download and use to your liking (not all of it cat footage). By simply taking your phone out of your pocket and pressing a few buttons, you can shoot HD footage that in 2005 would have required the purchase or rental of a $10,000 camera. To edit all that footage, you no longer have to enroll in film school and learn intricate programs like Avid or Premiere; all you have to do is open WeVideo. And thanks to wireless presentation solutions like Ubiq, you can send your presentation to a screen within 3 seconds of opening your laptop.
Even though the tools for including video in business presentations are available to everyone, many business professionals are reluctant to do so. Photos and graphs have dominated the presentation scene for so long that most people dont even know where to begin with video. Well, here are a few starting points.
Incorporate Clips From the News or Pop Culture
In her TED talk on body language, Amy Cuddy showed news footage of various world leaders greeting each other and analyzed their posture. In his Inconvenient Truth Keynote address, Al Gore showed a clip from Futurama to illustrate his points. The enduring popularity of these two presentations is likely due to factors other than the clips that were chosen, but the clips certainly didn't hurt.
If youre having a hard time finding news or pop culture clips that are relevant to your subject, you can always end your presentation by using the Im finished clip from There Will Be Blood. That one works every time regardless of the subject matter.
Shoot Your Own Footage
If the filmmakers of the Sundance hit Tangerine can shoot a feature-length film on the iPhone 5, surely you can get at least a few minutes of decent footage on the iPhone 6.
By simply taking a 10-minute-long shot of the outside of your building on a cloudy day and speeding it up by 9000% on your computer, you can create an arresting time-lapse that would work perfectly as an opening image. Or, if your presentation goes off an a tangent, you can recover from it nicely by using that time-lapse and adding the text Meanwhile, back at
Instead of Using Static Stills, Try the Ken Burns Effect
Most presenters who use still images are perfectly fine showing their stills one after the other in quick succession without modifying or altering them in any way. This can very boring very quickly. By adding a subtle zoom made famous by filmmaker Ken Burns, you can make your presentation look like an acclaimed PBS documentary.
--
Use Voice-Over and Music
Why stop at the zoom when you can add other tricks from Ken Burns arsenal like music and voice-over? If youre nervous about presenting (and who isnt?), knowing that youve nailed a pre-recorded photo-montage segment can do wonders to set your mind at ease. If at any point you begin stumbling during your presentation, all you have to do is say, And now Id like to show a brief documentary that Ive made specifically for this occasion. While the video is playing, you can consult your notes, sip some water, and just take a moment to collect your thoughts. Once your video is over, youll be in a much better place to continue on with the rest of the presentation.
About the Author
David Humphreys is a content creator at GoUbiq.com. Ubiq produces a wireless presentation solution that allows you to begin a business presentation within three seconds of opening a laptop.
Search
Video tutorials, lessons and tips
Read More
4 Tips For Using Video In Your Business Presentation
The Brady Bunch Effect
WeVideo Educator Interview: Mark Skarr, Naperville CSD 203
How do you use WeVideo?
Introducing the New WeVideo Editor
Follow WeVideo
--
Follow @wevideo
--
lang: en_US
--
--
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
It used to be the case that if you wanted to play a video during a business meeting, youd have to subject yourself to a lengthy, bizarre, and in most cases, futile process. First, youd have to call up your companys AV technician and book a TV and VCR. If no TVs were available that day, youd be completely out of luck. During the VCR-era, an embarrassing number of business presentations featured the sentence, I had originally planned to show a video clip now, but the VCR wasnt available, so I guess Im just going to have to describe the clip to you guys instead. 
