My First Video Blog Post

I have decided to experiment with video blog posts.  This is the first.

Summary

  1. The Plan  – Reasons Why
  2. Inspired by Carl Gombrich
  3. 8+ years between my first blog post & my first video blog post
  4. Once a week, one take
  5. Experimenting with format & methods

 

Mentioned in this Video

(Update – links open in new window: Good suggestion @CareersAndrea)

Reader Comments

  1. Hi Matt
    First impressions:
    Good idea. I know what you mean. Unless you have a mega big ego video blogging feels odd. It may feel easier when you have something specific and short to say and should be more informal in style, which is pleasant.
    Also it means non text-based, which I’m always for. 
    I like the one take only, always preferred  rough takes to polished unnatural ones for video, although like you, usually prefer a good piece of writing…
    I can see that within a minute you were a lot more comfortable so it looks like you can get used to it quicky.
    It is really odd, it never occured to me. Probably because I am usually slouched in a sofa and not very presentable 😉
    Pascale

    1. Thanks Pascale. Yes I definitely stare less as it goes along… I was so determined to look at the camera!! It will get more natural. I suspect non-text based posts won’t be universally popular… but am looking forward to experimenting.

  2. Hi Matt,

    Thanks for the name check and good to see your first vid. I’ve vlogged a fair bit on my early experiences of vlogging so perhaps best not to repeat too much here. Just a few points that struck me on watching your vid.
    1. I didn’t mind at all when you looked away from the camera. I’ve struggled with this myself (how does it ‘read’? and so on), but in your case I just sort of went with your thoughts as you looked away and that felt fine. I found that reassuring.
    2. I think it was Pat Parslow who contacted me about the transcript for one of my vlogs. Since his request I’ve thought more about this. Although vlogging is immediate and ‘easier’ for some than having to read a blog, for many it is actually slower – and skimming is ruled out, pretty much entirely. So although it may be quicker for us to vlog, it is actually slower for the ‘user’. In the end. This is not a problem if your audience is hanging on every word (!) – which may happen if you have students who want to really tune it to exactly what you are saying – but it might deter the more casual viewer/listener. I’ve therefore not done so much vlogging on my personal, public blog recently, but have used podcasts to respond directly to students. Although I talk about vlogging being more like a conversation than written text, it only really becomes a conversation if people engage with what you say on the vlog – either via comments, or in person when they meet you. So I’m still working out whether it really *is* a conversation, or more of the old fashioned broadcast – and I guess this will always be a complex combination of who you are, who the vlog is aimed at, what it is about etc.
    3. Have you ever come across Fred McVittie aka ‘Conference Report’? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxsMLRb04pA . Two-three years ago he was doing what i thought were excellent academic vlogs – interesting in format and content. For me his ‘walking and talking’ was an interesting update on my ‘ideal learning environment’ (mentioned in one of my vids). I want to try his technique but haven’t yet got the kit sorted – also we don’t have as beautiful secluded walks round my way where you can speak philosophy into a camera without people calling the police, so I’ll have to find somewhere public where it is still acceptable to philosophise to camera!

    Anyway, look forward to tuning in to more of your vlogs in the coming weeks.

    Carl

    1. Hi Carl,

      Many thanks for your comments. The inability to scan or skim read is a (the?) big issue and a number of people have mentioned it. I’ve had several responses to this post via email & Twitter as well as here (more than any other post I’ve done!). Ultimately I suspect that video (in) blog posts will only work for the audience in certain cases. I’m keen to experiment with different formats, combinations & purposes to see what works, so keep watching! Thanks for the link, I’d not seen it. I really liked the informality and seeing Fred thinking and trying to remember stuff, but found the movement made me seasick!

      Cheers,
      Matt

  3. Thanks for sending this to me, Matt. Its a great beginning. Who knows, I might set up my own wordpress page, this year.

  4. Dear Matt, interesting experiment. My first impressions: I think it would be better if it was shorter and more concise (2-3 mins), and if you were filming against a better backdrop. The teaching room whiteboard aesthetic is a bit grim!

Leave a Reply to pascalecolonna Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

css.php