Evan's blog

Blog

  • McDonalds Canada social media campaign

    Interesting play by McDonalds Canada using social media to “clarify” and be “transparent” about their company and products. Nice use of YouTube partner channel and links off to custom site and social sharing controls. The videos are “handmade” with DSLRs (or similar) and the style looks like most of the “indie” produced stuff on the internet e.g. lazy focus, handheld, practical light, talent talking to camera — you really want to believe it. Note that comments have been disabled on the YouTube clips — good idea?

    http://www.youtube.com/user/McDonaldsCanada
    http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcu4Bj3xEyI[/youtube]

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNNs3mP_V2M[/youtube]

  • Sound of Vision – documentary

    Nice little documentary by Konstantin Syomin and 20Coop which won the 2012 Doc Challenge awards. Great shooting, sound and editing makes the 7 minutes duration seem very short.

    http://www.docchallenge.org/2012-Finalists/sound-of-vision.html

  • Improving Google Adword campaigns & landing pages

    .eduGuru has a nice article with some tips to improve Google Adword campaigns. Read it for the examples of good and bad landing pages.

  • Inside the Story – ebook on digital storytelling

    A new ebook created by 20 “digital storytellers” writing 200 words each on their best advice on developing the best narratives. Funds raised go to Kiva.org

    http://www.insidethestory.org/

  • crashcourse – YouTube education clips

    Green brothers channel publishing short educational videos on world history and biology. Interesting production and post. Lots of jump cuts, which is common to YouTube, some nice motion graphics.
    crashcourse YouTube Channel link
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PszVWZNWVA[/youtube]

  • Frame of Mind – motion tracking example

    Cool use of motion tracking on a simple object — could have been mostly automated if the production had been planned with motion dots on the frame — but either way, a great effect. Note the use of environmental effects on the “photo” in the frame (lighting, shadows, motion blur, etc) to “sell” the realism.
    [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/38940289[/vimeo]

  • Uni SA videos for low SES recruitment

    The University of South Australia has just published a new 4 part video series — “Be inspired”. This series seems to target first-in-the-family future students from “Northern Adelaide”. Some pointers for us. Fairly well produced, although a little long, and the montage at the start is repeated!

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mfOLSet2ok[/youtube]
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69SDEAv7FpE[/youtube]
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlEUd515inY[/youtube]
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z20_msIe04Y[/youtube]

  • Holi: Indian festival of colours

    Well suited to slow motion, hard work to capture all the action without getting all the dust in the camera though! Just like Michael Jackson exploited the then-new “morphing” technology with his Black or White music video — focussing on human faces — this clip focusses on liquids and particles in motion, which brings the “wow” to the viewer. (Like the early Schweppes lemonade TVC.)

    [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/40123818[/vimeo]

  • Open University Australia video “case studies”

    Nice collection of student testimonials produced for Open Universities Australia. You really get to know the students and their lives, and how the study fits in.

    Amitee – nice “stop animation” technique with DSLR (different format to others below)
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_6jTQ4877U[/youtube]

    Casey – great soundtrack! Interesting shots for a “computer” course
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDCV5Z_QeBA[/youtube]

    Michelle – young mum fitting in study
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTfjRzZ3Q9w[/youtube]

    Philip – older worker retraining for teaching
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGak0plf-9o[/youtube]

    Check out more on the homepage at:
    http://www.open.edu.au

  • A List Apart: Artistic Distance

    Useful article on the importance of self critique and some techniques to use to review your work. By Paul Burton.