Creatives and Filmmakers Agree to Six-Second Video Story Challenge

At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, YouTube asked filmmakers and creatives to tell a story using video.  The challenge: to tell that story in a six second video.

Other individuals may have backed away from the challenge, stating that it was impossible to accomplish anything in six seconds.  But these creative folks were able to not only tell stories but to share compelling tales in less time than it took for you to read the first two paragraphs of this blog.

How Did They Do It?

A wide range of stories we’re shared, some of which touched upon important environmental issues and many of which brought a smile to the face.  But these videos all had certain characteristics in common, characteristics which drew the viewer into the video quickly and held their attention completely during those six short seconds.

• Change Is the Core of Every Good Story.

Pinpoint the exact moment when everything will change and build a video around that.

• Get to the Punchline

Whenever appropriate, Maud Deitch of Mother, NY recommended that you “think of your story like a joke”.  Break it down to the punchline, and then figure out how you can build that with the tools at your disposal.

• Keep It Simple

Having only six seconds to establish your video’s who, what, where and why forces you to be creative.  Keep your ideas, visuals and narrative simple, and make sure they all work together.

• Be Relatable

We have all been there, from getting a parking ticket to ruining a meal because we did not read the recipe or became distracted.  Choose something your audience can relate to so that they can project their own experience into a piece.  This will not only increase engagement, but it will make your video more memorable.

• Build Curiosity

Curiosity will seduce your viewers into watching your video through to the end.

Need Help with Your Video Marketing?

Six-second video is in high demand, particularly as Twitter has recently introduced Vine Camera and has shared that they will automatically loop all videos which are six and a half seconds or less.

If you have questions about video marketing or need help with your campaign, Small Screen Producer can help.  Contact us online or give us a call today at (281) 569-4370.