Thread: 2 Year old reading

I was asked to do a video for an early reading website. What do you guys think.

30 views of this thread, 11 views of the video. 0 comments or opinions of the video.

How am I going to improve if no one tells me what's wrong with my videos. I need and appreciate all the help I can get.

Patience, Midnight, patience.

It's a little difficult to comment as we don't know the brief, however, I'm guessing the idea is to promote ... what? The scheme/method, the website, early reading generally?

I think the shots of Emma and her parents were good. They provided a necessary variety and also gave the impression that the scheme/website whatever, recognises that reading is just one aspect of life.

The reading oif the page went on far too long. OK we get the idea - just a few short examples dotted around the video would be enough.

But knowing what's being promoted is essential. What I get from this is "Wow, that little girl is making good progress in reading" what I don't get is "I can help my 2 year old by .... "

The film also shows a number of branded books. Does the scheme recommend these? Do they/you have permission to show them on a video promoting that scheme. Or is it not a scheme but a website specialising in selling books from various schemes ...

Do you see what I'm getting at?

Technically it looked pretty good. It sounded fine but I'm listening on speakers built into a monitor (there again, some of the target audience may be as well)

You're tempting me to put up a vid I did of my then 5 year old reading (made just so we can see her progress ...)

I know, know, I've got a little frustrated recently hardly anyone seems to comment on my stuff any more. I even posted a video with a big typo for you which you didn't comment on.

The "Brief" was to film their daughter reading to show how a 2 year old can read very well for her age, so they can put it on a website they are setting up to promote early learning in general, not a specific scheme or books. I tried to show a normal little girl, in a normal family were, with a bit of effort you can give the child a bit of a head start in life.

I never thought about the rights of the books. They where just to show an example of the books she is reading.

The parents wanted the long reading clips to show that Emma could read long passages and not just a few words. I take your point that they go on too long but in the context of the website, I think they are right. I should have said in my post more about the brief to help you to understand the communication but I wanted to get what it communicated first without a hint.

I was looking for technical errors and opinions about the colour work. ie is the soft contrast look in slow mo at the end too much etc.

Thanks Tim

I think technically it looks great. The only (small) change I'd have made was to have her reading continue over the lifestylee stuff, just to break it up a little. Start on a page, odd shots interspersed back and forth from her reading from the page, ending back at the book.

I know the customers brief - but I think that it's far too long.

Of cause that's what I should have done. Cheers Andy

Originally Posted by Midnight Blue

I know, know, I've got a little frustrated recently hardly anyone seems to comment on my stuff any more. I even posted a video with a big typo for you which you didn't comment on.

Unusual for me to miss those! You know me, If I have something to say, or even if I don't, I'll usually comment. With the animation thing I simply couldn't think of anything at all to say.

As for this one, Andy is bang on with the obvious solution to the long passages (though the parents might not like thia as it could look like errors in her reading had been edited out).

I'm not sure of the benefits of learning to read so early. From our experience, schools soon knock that out of you as they hold you back to bring the slower learners up to speed. But that's not a comment on the video of course.

Yes Andy is right, I'm already working on it. It's funny how we don't think of the obvious sometimes. I'll offer the parents both versions and let them choose which one they want to use. I'm glad he pointed it out as this sort of thing is a weakness in my videos. I sometimes find it hard to know which is the best way to cut something. Also I think I need to learn to have patience, I find it best to live with a piece for a few days and then tweak it. I also find that I'm constantly going back to my old stuff to improve them now that I've learned a bit more on the editing side of things.

I know what you mean about the school system holding back the "bright ones". Not that my daughter is one of those but I've seen it.

nice job Dave. have to agree with the others though, the reading passages are just too long.

colour was fine (though i observed a bit of auto exposure kicking in at 2.17)

sound was great what are you using ?

also thought the music worked particularly well

Originally Posted by Midnight Blue

I never thought about the rights of the books. They where just to show an example of the books she is reading.

The parents wanted the long reading clips to show that Emma could read long passages and not just a few words. I take your point that they go on too long but in the context of the website, I think they are right. I should have said in my post more about the brief to help you to understand the communication but I wanted to get what it communicated first without a hint.

What I think here is not that it's too long "per se", but the scene as it is seems long. Why wouldn't you try keeping the reading audio, but mixing the reading sound track along with scenes of the girl playing with her parents, then back to the reading, back and forth reading/play, I think that would
1. keep the long reading thing here
2. add some needed rythm to the vid

you can even mix with some background music, like lower when the image shows the girl reading and louder when she plays in between the reading scenes. I struggle with english I'm not sure I explain myself well enough here

I was looking for technical errors and opinions about the colour work. ie is the soft contrast look in slow mo at the end too much etc.

can't help you there I'm afraid

Thanks Tim

here ya go, I agree that the reading part as itself is waaay too long as is.