Video Critique Number 8

Video Critique Number 8
October 22, 2010 | Melanie Lerner

http://vimeo.com/11764477

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/11764477" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/11764477">Learning How to Survive the Next 4 years</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/cdes">Communication Design at UNT</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Title: Learning How to Survive the Next 4 Years

1 Minute and 15 seconds

The big idea or over arching concept for this video deals with how to survive the next four years of college life while in the communication design program and the implications that will follow as a result. The work takes on an informative tone and educational stance presenting the viewer with several figures/statistics in a visually compelling way. The idea is original, clever, and well executed through a combination of typography, illustration, photography, and video. The work is also highly entertaining for the viewer, with a good choice of music, sounds, and voiceovers in addition to being aesthetically pleasing. The creator avoids see and say and there is careful attention to detail, good mix of pacing and transitions, and a set hierarchy to follow. It is further helpful that the different elements are aligned and arranged in a sophisticated way based on a grid system (nothing is arbitrarily placed).

There are not too many things to fix with this piece. A little too much time is spent over all on still pictures going from one end of the screen to the other, and I feel more time should be dedicated to deconstructing typography and illustrations because that is where more visual interest resides. The ending is also a bit weak and doesn’t really tie the entire video together (almost like the video is a “filler” to take up time because it goes on too long). The video also makes it hard to discern what is happening with the strange, dramatic lighting flashing in the background while people dance.

At 0:04 the word “Stoked” has a strange entrance effect. The italics is bothersome because that type treatment doesn’t frame the square image as nicely. There is already an emphasis on the word “Stoked” just by coloring it red. The italics is not really necessary and actually ends up making the word over exaggerated, drawing too much focus and attention.

At 0:08 the tracking between the words “You can say that again” is too spread out. This happens again at 0:11 with the word “Drinks.”

At 0:24-28 the ruler/baselines appear well before the type saying “Success equals hard work” and it doesn’t make sense as to why they don’t both show up on screen together.

At 0:37 the “&” between “Coffee” and “Tea” is too small

At 0:41 the type lock up doesn’t work as nicely as in some of the other cases because the “90” is more curvilinear than the rest of the words. The leading could also be shrunk down a few points. Moreover, the hierarchy is confusing. Right now the type reads “Sleep in min. increments 90” instead of “Sleep in 90 minute increments.”

At 0:51 – 1:00, the pictures moving across screen go too slowly and are too dull/boring in comparison to the rest of the piece. The artist could either add an effect as they go across screen or speed up the part entirely.

At 1:01 there is too much space between the words “And” and “Most.” Also, this whole block of text should leave the screen before the video starts up rather than waiting to disappear.

At 1:02 – 1:15 Dancing segment at the end not only lasts too long but also is hard to read and discern what is going on. The type that shows up on top of the flickering light is an ineffective treatment and way to handle its placement. The artist could further animate the type so it does more than just appear and fade away adding more dynamics and interest.