Links and Videos

Viral video

Videos dispersed online can get your campaign message across to thousands of people very quickly - much like a virus, hence the title. But videos that are truly viral are few and far between, and most aren’t produced for that purpose - we’re all clued up enough to spot a fraud a mile away. Here are some tips for making something so compelling that everyone will send it to all their friends.

Click here to see the top viral films right now:

Dan Ayers from Sony BMG recommends these sites and feels they will show you exactly the kind of stuff that is genuinely viral. Very rarely is it made by brands.

b3ta.com failblog.com

Watch some of Battlefront’s favourites

Here’s what Jeremy Garner had to say about viral videos

One of the videos I've really liked from the past year with a commercial agenda has been the Rayban 'Sunglasses catch' film, which has been viewed around four million times now. One of the keys to this film is it makes for multiple viewings, because people love to rewatch it to try and figure out how it’s been done.

I also like the 'Dynamite surfing' film for Quicksilver because it seems to capture the essence of what the company is all about. This is what I meant by trying to capture the truth. It wears its heart on its sleeve, and takes a stand for something.

What rules should I follow when making a viral video for my campaign?

I think people are fascinated by real life with an amazing twist. That's what the Sunglasses catch and Dynamite surfing films capture so well. There’s an element of the normal day to day that people can relate to and then suddenly something happens that defies belief. People watch them again and again to try and recapture that sense of amazement they experienced when they saw them for the first time.

Viral is a really hard medium to exploit, but that’s probably the key I think: the day to day with a massive, unbelievable twist.

Here are some handy tips on making films from a human rights campaign expert:

www.fairsay.com

Download the pdf here

To get some good ideas for your viral film do research into other popular videos on a topic similar to yours on youtube.com. Be creative and honest.

They also have tips on their website:

Here are some tips on filming and editing from Battlefront Series Producer Wendie Ottewil:

Here are her tips for recording video diaries if you want to document the campaigning process and make a video blog.

Here she is on editing your films.

And download a filming permission form here to keep a record of anyone you film.

Once you’ve made your film you want people to watch it. Put your film up on videosharing websites and make sure you tell people about it.

‘Embed’ your film on social-networking sites and blogs as another useful way of telling people about it.

Here are some video-sharing websites which can house your film:

Music

We're not sure if music is the food of love, but it can certainly nourish a campaign – just ask Bob Geldof. We’ll soon have the whole world dancing to your tune:

Here's a list of the Top 10 Protest Songs to awaken your inner minstrel:

www.revver.com

Here are some songs that work well as campaign themes:

viewingcorners.com

And here’s a list of songs that definitely don't:

viewingcorners.com

If you want to use other people's music you’ll probably have to cough up for the copyright fees. Much better and significantly more fun to make your own, we think, so here are some websites for doing just that:

Thousands of samples to jiggle about with a sequencer and mixer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk

Powerful composing tools and a great help when it comes to knowing how music actually works:

www.soundjunction.org

Record your own line and combine with others:

www.walkmanproject.com

Animation

Dave made a natty animation for Battlefront Campaigner Zander Percival's You Smoke I Choke campaign, and you can too. Try Animoto, a clever little site which matches images to music for you. Hey presto: a film.

Embed your film on social-networking sites and blogs as another useful way of telling people about it.