Multi-Media In Presentations
The latest advances in computer technology allows us to produce high quality video content for a fraction of the cost of just a few years ago. How important is it that we jump on the video bandwagon and start utilising video clips in our presentations…
Last week I was fortunate to listen to a presentation by a video producer friend of mine, in which he outlined the use of video on the Internet as a small business marketing tool.
In order to demonstrate the impact of video, his 40 minute presentation (produced in Apple Keynote rather than PowerPoint, because of the Keynote’s superior video handling capabilities.) was packed full of high quality video clips.
The problem for me, and for other members of the audience too was that, too much video is as bad if not worse than none at all. In the same way that too many animations and effects distract us from the key messages of the presenter and quickly flip us into boredom. I believe that too much video does the same thing!
Now I know that my friend was “selling” the power of video and that he absolutely needed to have video clips in his presentation. The problem was that his own enthusiasm for the medium ran away with him and he forgot the effect that too much of any one medium has on the audience.
Another thing about watching video clips is that, to me at least, it appears to be a pretty passive process compared with watching a live presenter. When the video clips came on, the audience settled back and went into “observer mode” rather than “participant mode”. Think about what happens when you veg out in front of the telly and “switch off”. Is this the type of reaction you really want to provoke in your audience?
So my advice is, use video sparingly. less is more! It is a powerful tool, but too much of it at a time undermines the quality of the communication.
