

How we made our iPad demo video on the cheap - kentnguyen
http://blog.anideo.com/how-we-made-our-ipad-demo

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ajlburke
In my experience, glare was the most difficult thing to address in making a
live iPad demo video. The black plastic sheet with a hole in it they came up
with here is an ingenious solution.

Many app videos (including my own) just end up screencasting the simulator. I
originally avoided that since it seemed like a cop-out, but then I noticed it
in a lot of other app demo videos.

Live demos are also tricky if you have pets, though:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIG6rPvfKnw>

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kentnguyen
i noticed your focus is constantly adjusting, what camera you used. This is
the exact problem with iphone built-in camera app.

it's easy to record video in a dark room but requiring white background in how
case is a different story.

anyway...it's a cat video!

~~~
ajlburke
The camera focus, the light balance, the difficulty of interacting with the
iPad from the side - the cat was the last straw. I just went with an edited
screencast instead: <http://remembary.com>

~~~
kentnguyen
for screencast on simulator, i suggest using this instead of the cursor.
atleast making it more real <http://wonderwarp.com/phonefinger/>

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ajlburke
I tried doing my own finger cursor and it ended up just looking creepy - and
you couldn't really see taps. I'll take a serious look at this one though.
Thanks!

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leviathan
Using a finger image will always look creepy cause it is lifeless, kinda like
holding a chicken leg and pointing with it. We learned this firsthand with
this unsuccessful demo video here:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV4VGrn_Nuo>

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hmottestad
Just a pointer. I would have invested just a tad more in the audio. It sounds
like you are speaking from a tiny closet, while what you want is to sound like
you are speaking from a large open room.

I would recommend even the cheapest condenser microphone.

~~~
geon
Absolutely. The way to get that sound would be to eliminate all echo. I've
seen people recommend doing the recording under a pile of blankets on your
bed.

Secondly, the music sounds really cheesy. It is not made to be used as
background music, since it disturbs too much. You (op) noticed this, which is
why you turned down the volume to make the speaker easier to hear. I'd say
thats very backwards.

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krmmalik
If you dont mind my saying, while technically the iPad video is quite good in
terms of quality due to the setup and a good write-up, i think you could have
more effectiveness if you work on your voiceover skills or find someone that
can make it sound more appealing.

Also, i'd shorten the video down to showing the highlights of _what_ your app
can do, rather than _how_ to do it - at least if you're intention is a
marketing message anyhow.

~~~
ajhit406
I helped make the video, and let me say it's super hard to get the tone of
your pitch right.

We probably should get people who have experience doing voiceovers, but then
again, this was a post about how to do this on the cheap.

Could you explain what you mean when you say "make it sound more appealing"?
Were we not excited enough =P

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underwater
The voice over was written as a description of the app features instead of
from the perspective of a user. It sounded like text ripped from your help
file. I don't need to be told that I can pinch to zoom in, because I can see
that. Instead I want to know I can "watch my videos in crisp full screen
playback".

Focus on what your users will get out of it. Emotions are important. Words
like "intuitive" aren't. You don't "integrate with social services" you "share
your favorite videos with your Facebook friends".

~~~
ajhit406
Thanks, great feedback. It seems super obvious now, but at the time it clearly
wasn't.

Demonstrates how important the story and specifically the tone of the story
can be in defining the entire process.

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mikehuffman
A 30 day free trial of adobe after effects and a $20 template tweaked to your
needs, along with $30 for professional voiceover, would have moved you to
something that would be very close to what apple does.

And would probably have got you there a lot quicker.

[http://videohive.net/searches?sort_by=sales&type=files&#...</a><p><a
href="http://www.provoiceusa.com/cheap-voice-overs.htm"
rel="nofollow">http://www.provoiceusa.com/cheap-voice-overs.htm</a>

~~~
kentnguyen
this is great, especially the voice over service. Didn't know this exists on
the cheap side. Any other video template source like videohive?

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mikehuffman
i know that revostock also has stock footage and templates.

audiojungle is good for background music. A tad pricy, but not too bad
considering the quality. (tim mcmorris in particular has an incredible list of
upbeat tracks that work well for corporate presentations, app demos, etc. )

<http://www.revostock.com/>

<http://audiojungle.net>

<http://audiojungle.net/user/timmcmorris/portfolio>

One other quick tip if you are just starting out in this. Put your script
together first. Have the voice over work completed until you are happy, then
tweak the video templates to match the voice over work.

If you try it in reverse order it will end in frustration and a much lower
quality product.

~~~
kentnguyen
This is what we mentioned in our post too. But before we realised, it's kind
of too late. We shot the footage first and then tried to 'describe' the parts.
We probably will have to do another one soon, given all the comments about the
audio stuff.

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leberwurstsaft
I'd like to add that it's possible to lock focus and exposure (not sure if
also white balance) by tapping and holding on any spot in the "viewfinder".

Also, see the full frame in the internal camera.app, just double tap the
screen and it will zoom out of the cropped mode. (while still only using a
middle part of the sensor, though, apparently to allow for the anti-shake to
function).

~~~
kentnguyen
We didn't read the iPhone manual that's why. However, the one feature of the
app we picked that is really useful is lock focus in one place and lock the
exposure in another place (two different area). Also the app allows locking of
White Balance as well. Is it possible to do this with native camera app?

~~~
leberwurstsaft
I just tested this at home with a few different light sources, and yes, it
does lock all three - focus, aperture, white balance. But all in the one spot
you tap-held.

Afaik, all the apps that have a two-spot way of selecting focus and
aperture/white balance are faking it somewhat, since there is no official API
to control the camera that way. Of course, most of the time the results are
quite ok.

The usual method using just the built-in camera.app would be to first lock on
to some spot thats both in the right distance and has the right brightness to
achieve the correct look, and then just frame the scene by moving the iPhone
in the recording position.

But I don't know how often I wished for more flexible ways to setup the camera
manually :p

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brador
My poor mans rig would be green paper covering the screen, then load in the
directly recorded video stream using green-screening in post production. It
would give a perfect clarity image.

I guess the sides of the ipad screen would still reflect, so it'd look a
little "off" unless your fingers are kept perfectly between the camera and
ipad at all times...but that could be achieved.

~~~
elisee
It would be pretty complicated to make the demo (swipe, touch, navigate your
app) with the screen covered in green, wouldn't it?

~~~
brador
Good point...

Okay, we'll pre record the video, play that on a screen and simulate the
touches/swipes on the green screened ipad with your fingers as best as
possible. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get the positioning right, then
the timing can be done in post.

Remember to remove hands completely from frame after every action to help with
this.

You could even prerecord various swipes, touches and taps, then cut them
together as you need...

one more: how about recording it in almost complete darkness to avoid
reflection, then adding the background in later? or green screen the
background in an almost dark room?

The key point in all this is the device is kept completely stationary. Making
it super easy to change things in post.

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Geee
I'd try green background instead of white and remove it in post, that way all
shadows can be removed easily.

