Thoughts on video intros

[TwoLaneHighway]

Hello. I am getting into videography and haven't learned how to edit and produce yet.

Am looking to use Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere because I want high-end results for both audio and video.

From a content standpoint, what do you think viewers expect as far as the introduction to your video clips and/or movies?

On YouTube, I lots of videographers/content creators that have these really high-end introductions. Some look epic like a widescreen movie, others looks a little overly dramatic, and some look silly like you are in a video game.

Right now I have a bunch of interviews I have done for my business, and I could use some help figuring out how much I need on the frontend.

The reason I ask this is because, while I understand the offerings out there, I don't know how to physically edit video yet. And I get lots of people yelling at me to start publishing my work, but I don't want to put up something that looks half-arsed. And little things like choosing a professional video intro seems like it could be time-consuming.

So I am posting here to see what options are available, and then trying to figure out what would be a good way to start, because if I am going for a major motion picture intro, I suspect that will take lots of time to learn how to do properly, and I just don't have that time right now, as I am more interested in capturing content, versus publishing things right now. But then people keep yelling at me to publich now, so I am trying to balance things.

 

[barbu]

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. Don’t drop cash on pro tools until you have reached the limitations of something like iMovie. You can learn the basics for free and not be overwhelmed by a professional tool.
Remember what Steve Jobs said: “Real Artists Ship”. Nothing you make will ever be “perfect”, you need to know when to accept that it’s “good enough”. And as you learn and get feedback, you’ll get better and better.
Go easy on yourself. Start small and build. You will not just jump from “I don’t know how to edit” to “polished expert-level production” by adding Final Cut. Be realistic, do your best, and ship.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.

I know, I know... *LOL*

Don’t drop cash on pro tools until you have reached the limitations of something like iMovie. You can learn the basics for free and not be overwhelmed by a professional tool.

Well iMovie has a very obvious up front limitation to me in that it won't give you the granular level of audio editing that I want and need. Unless something has changed dramatically since last year, I started researching this and no iMovie won't cut it for me.

And $400 for Final Cut Pro X is no big deal.

Remember what Steve Jobs said: “Real Artists Ship”. Nothing you make will ever be “perfect”, you need to know when to accept that it’s “good enough”. And as you learn and get feedback, you’ll get better and better.
Go easy on yourself. Start small and build. You will not just jump from “I don’t know how to edit” to “polished expert-level production” by adding Final Cut. Be realistic, do your best, and ship.

Again, valid points, but that doesn't answer my OP.

I am trying to get a sense of what type of intro - if that is even what it is called - people expect when they watch a video.

Obviously you would want to jump right into an interview or any video or movie without some sort of "book cover" and "intro" first.

I think a lot of the animated and Hollywood-esque intro you see on YouTube use software like After Effects - which I believe is an add on to Final Cut Pro X and/or Adobe Premiere?

I could just start off with a static page with my company and logo, followed a few seconds later with white text on a black screen with some titile, but that might make things look like a PowerPoint presentation.

So I would like to know...

1.) What are the different type of intro available?

2.) What software would I need to make each type of intro?

3.) How difficult is it to make each type of intro?

4.) Which one would be a good starting place, so my videos don't look amateurish, but quite might not look like Hollywood quite yet?

 

[AZhappyjack]

I have a couple of thoughts... there will always be a point of diminishing returns... my mantra is GETMO - good enough to move on.

Personally, I an super annoyed by guys who create epic intros that run 20-30 seconds for a 2 minute video. Simple is better... just create a logo for your brand, and create a little animation (for FCP, use Motion; for Adobe Premier, use After Effects). Start simple, and you can evolve it as you progress...

I'd also suggest using a transparent logo as a watermark on your video... it should be visible, but definitely should NOT take over the screen... small, subtle image in the upper right corner of the video will do nicely.

There are plenty of excellent tutorials in YouTube... and then just get started...

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

I have a couple of thoughts... there will always be a point of diminishing returns... my mantra is GETMO - good enough to move on.

Understood, but I also want to avoid publishing videos that look crappy and amateurish, which is honestly how a good portion of videos on YouTube look.

Personally, I an super annoyed by guys who create epic intros that run 20-30 seconds for a 2 minute video.

I agree with you, and ironically that is one reason I created this thread. Some of the intros are so over the top, I wasn't sure what viewers expect, or how far down the rabbit hole I need to go.

Simple is better...

True.

just create a logo for your brand, and create a little animation (for FCP, use Motion; for Adobe Premier, use After Effects). Start simple, and you can evolve it as you progress...

So After Effects only works with Adobe Premiere? (And Motion only works with Final Cut Pro?)

Are Motion and After Effects completely separate software packages, or are they just add-ons for their respective parent applications?

I'd also suggest using a transparent logo as a watermark on your video... it should be visible, but definitely should NOT take over the screen... small, subtle image in the upper right corner of the video will do nicely.

Right now my company logo is just colored text.

Do I need to re-create that in something fancy like Adobe Illustrator?

And how would I make it transparent?

It is embarrassing to say, but for emails and letters and y website, I just just plain text and add a two color scheme to it.

I guess adding text to videos is another thing I need to learn how to do...

There are plenty of excellent tutorials in YouTube... and then just get started...

True, but first I need to figure out which software to use. In fact, let me create a new thread about that...

Can you please provide some links to this thread that feel are good examples of intros for videos that involve interviewing people or maybe would be considered documentary in nature?

 

[barbu]

I don’t think anyone can answer because it’s a subjective opinion. You need to find what *you* like and then try to replicate it, or remix it, or take inspiration from it… we can’t tell you what’s good - perhaps what to avoid, and you’ve got good feedback on that here.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

I don’t think anyone can answer because it’s a subjective opinion. You need to find what *you* like and then try to replicate it, or remix it, or take inspiration from it… we can’t tell you what’s good - perhaps what to avoid, and you’ve got good feedback on that here.

Understood, but I would still appreciate hearing what you all think are good intros in the category/genre I mentined.

Being new to all of this, I just don't have any grounding or reference, and so I am leaning on others for what is "good taste" because I fear my choices might be bad! ;-)

 

[barbu]

Rene Ritchie makes nice videos. Junkball has awesome intros.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

Rene Ritchie makes nice videos. Junkball has awesome intros.

Um, neither of these people/channels have "intros" in their videos - or at least the ones I checked out.

In fact they are great examples of what I do not want!

You don't go to a movie and it just starts playing - there is an intro and a build up.

Also, the Rene Ritchie video I watched was jerky and kept zooming in and out which is disorienting at best.

Definitely not what I would call good video.

 

[sevoneone]

You don't go to a movie and it just starts playing - there is an intro and a build up.

Opening title sequences are slowly coming back into popularity, but many shows and movies forgo a formal sequence for a fast sting or card. Other than the production company logos, many recent movies drop you right into the action/establishing shot and don’t show an actual title or sequence until the end credits.

Also, you’d be surprised how many YouTuber’s big fancy intros I have found for sale as templates on a site like VideoHive and they’ve just done some basic modifications…

 

[barbu]

Um, neither of these people/channels have "intros" in their videos - or at least the ones I checked out.

In fact they are great examples of what I do not want!

You don't go to a movie and it just starts playing - there is an intro and a build up.

Also, the Rene Ritchie video I watched was jerky and kept zooming in and out which is disorienting at best.

Definitely not what I would call good video.

Right, so that was my point. What I, or anyone else thinks, doesn’t really matter! Your preference is what will guide you.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

Right, so that was my point. What I, or anyone else thinks, doesn’t really matter! Your preference is what will guide you.

I guess I will just have to start searching YouTube for videos that impress me, and then try to mimic what they do for their intros.

 

[baypharm]

So it took you 12 replies to figure out what you want to do? What a waste. Sounds to me like you don’t want to put in the work and time to learn how to edit and create effects. You can always hire out your editing tasks; or collaborate with someone who knows more than you. Vimeo is the place for high quality productions - not youtube.