How to Edit an Express Highlights Video in 3 Hours...

...using only a laptop
...and a script.

Here's a picture of my old Acer laptop with a hand-crafted mind map on it. This was at a hotel last week where I had to produce a 5-minute highlight of an event on the spot.

How did I edit the video in 3 hours, yet captivated the audience?

The secret is in the script.

The event was a boring conference, all talks and plenty of eating.

It is up to a creative videographer (like me), to cook up a storyline.

Here are more secrets.

Study the program. Find pockets of time between official talks and capture candid interactions.

Draw a mind map of the script (storyline).

I like to begin a highlight video with 10 seconds of slow intro to present the location.

Just when the audience begin to think that the rest of the video is just as slow, the 11th second will burst out loud in a contrasting exciting mood.

In this fast paced section, show as much of the talking scenes with quick cuts. Credit each speaker with fly-in texts.

About 1 to 2 minutes later, when the audience are starting to get bored, getting reminded of the talks they've just listened to, slow down and change the mood to a lighter tone.

Choice of music is extremely important in setting the right mood.

In the lighter section, show candid moments. Make the audience laugh. Show them in their candid moments. They will enjoy it.

Put the funniest scene at the end of this light moments section. I want the audience to laugh the loudest at this point, get them to their high, and I will switch mood again back to serious scenes with the same fast paced music in the beginning.

In this fast paced concluding section, I will remind the audience of their purpose in this conference. I will also remind the audience of the new friends they have made in this event.

If there is a group photo, I will put it right at end and finish the whole video with a bang.

That's my winning secret formula to producing an express highlight video that the audience want to bring home.

Last but not least, I interact with some people in the audience to feel their experience. The video must be seen from the participants point of view, not mine.

Adrian Lee
http://VideoLane.com

PS:
Join my new Basic Videography Course this coming 8 and 9 September 2009. Sign up here...
http://VideoLane.com