Hi all,
I'm just getting started with video reviews. I loved how the text review mentor program gave me a lot of good grounding for what to include in my text reviews---but since video reviews don't really lend themselves to mentoring in the same way, I thought it would be good to have a thread where the experienced video reviewers could share some ideas, and the newbies like me could learn what are good things to include.
I think a lot of people just do what they've seen others do---but it's possible that, through inertia, we put extra emphasis where watchers of the review don't really need to see things. For example, I don't really care at all what most packaging is like (maybe it's nice to see, for really fancy packaging like Njoy's, but little clamshells? When a text review says "clamshell," I know what it means, so the video doesn't really add anything.)
But one thing I really do want to see---is how the material responds. I think this is the biggest gift that the video reviews can give to somebody toy shopping. My favorite videos show how the material flexes when you pull it, how it squeezes when you press it, and whether it flops or holds firm when you hold it by the base.
Also, for vibrators, P'Gell does her nice "bracelet test" so there can be an objective way to judge how intense vibrations are. I try to do the same thing with my watch clasp.
What are your favorite things to see in a video review? What is really important for you? Are there things that reviewers in general spend too much time on in video reviews that would be better off left to the text portions?
Of course, there are differences from product to product as far as what's important---but what are your guidelines. For my next video review, what should I be sure to include?
I'm just getting started with video reviews. I loved how the text review mentor program gave me a lot of good grounding for what to include in my text reviews---but since video reviews don't really lend themselves to mentoring in the same way, I thought it would be good to have a thread where the experienced video reviewers could share some ideas, and the newbies like me could learn what are good things to include.
I think a lot of people just do what they've seen others do---but it's possible that, through inertia, we put extra emphasis where watchers of the review don't really need to see things. For example, I don't really care at all what most packaging is like (maybe it's nice to see, for really fancy packaging like Njoy's, but little clamshells? When a text review says "clamshell," I know what it means, so the video doesn't really add anything.)
But one thing I really do want to see---is how the material responds. I think this is the biggest gift that the video reviews can give to somebody toy shopping. My favorite videos show how the material flexes when you pull it, how it squeezes when you press it, and whether it flops or holds firm when you hold it by the base.
Also, for vibrators, P'Gell does her nice "bracelet test" so there can be an objective way to judge how intense vibrations are. I try to do the same thing with my watch clasp.
What are your favorite things to see in a video review? What is really important for you? Are there things that reviewers in general spend too much time on in video reviews that would be better off left to the text portions?
Of course, there are differences from product to product as far as what's important---but what are your guidelines. For my next video review, what should I be sure to include?
