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| (Final Cut Pro Image courtesy of http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/finalcut/) |
Studymates’
Stories
“Video results are graced
with the world’s most attractive call-to-action- the play button.”
– Vidyard on the power of Video for SEO
(Search Engine Optimization).
The power of
the moving image is indisputable, it has the influence to encourage viewers to
join a particular cause, dress in a particular way and, most importantly, is
able to ignite a discourse on absolutely anything in the world. It is said that
one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.
So please remind me why I’m writing this right now and haven’t already snapped
up a few minutes of video footage and fancied it up on Final Cut Pro?
Sydney Studymate wants to encourage you (our international students) to help each
other enjoy your stay in our beautiful city by sharing your experiences and
inspiring each other on things to do, places to see, what’s good and what’s not
and basically what you think people should know. We want to encourage you to talk and we want to be the place you come to, to do that freely and with a purpose. And of course, we want to
give you a little help and guidance about the city we know best in the process.
One of the ways in which we aim to do this is by sharing your powerful messages and
stories through videos which will move people and others to action. Sydney Studymate has done it’s research and we’ve found that video, being one of the
most vibrant ways to
express an idea and create a lasting impact, means our “Studymate’s Stories” is what our readers will be most excited to
see.
A report conducted by Cisco shows that Internet video is now responsible for 40 percent of consumer traffic and will reach to
62 percent by the end of 2015. Considering this, and a recent
Forrester blog exploration of how a majority of online viewers prefer to watch videos produced by other people (refer to survey below), especially those found on YouTube, we believe that our "Studymate's Stories" will be able to reach and connect with a vast nebula of Sydney's international students and really spark discussions about particular issues, experiences and ideas.
As a result, our storytelling approach will be predominantly reliant on video, with a page dedicated to our Studymates’ Stories, which will be a feed of videos and clips relating on relevant issues and topics explored throughout the day or week. The format of these videos will be documentary style, combining interview with on scene footage, creative re-enactments and narrative. It will be an avenue where we explore our reader’s personal experiences, opinions and feedback and also a place where our reader’s can connect on a mental and psychological level.
We really liked how International Film School Sydney gave a personality to their students. Check out some of them here...
We'd also like to put a face, personality and story to our international students out there! And, although our major university and TAFE institutions in Sydney offer important websites for international students, what we've realised the USYD, UNSW, UTS, MQ, UWS, TAFE international student's websites lack is your "voice" and your "story" and this why we want to bridge the gap between all the educational institutions in Sydney and provide a social and interactive hub where you can be heard.
We loved what Torono, Canada's York University did with their video on "Life at York" and this is the sort of storytelling approach we'll be looking at and the types of stories we'll be listening to from our viewers!
The International College of Management Sydney also did a great job showcasing some of the events their international students successfully held. We'll want to hear about similar things at your educational institutions too! Check out their experience at ICMS...
If we can bring to life your similar stories and experiences, Sydney Studymate believes that we can start to revolutionise your stay in Sydney and student experience abroad, because "the power of solid storytelling, visuals and sound can tug at our heartstrings and move us in ways no other medium can" (iMediaConnection).
And how will you be able to keep up to date with all of the exciting videos and all of our other content? Easy. The way every other person keeps up to date with things nowadays - social media channels! Yes, that means we'll be using our Sydney Studymate Facebook and Twitter pages to keep you in the loop with what's happening and what everyone's talking about or wants to know. And, with YouTube being responsible for 48 hours of video footage being uploaded every minute(!!) we find it hard to doubt why you wouldn't love to watch our upcoming space on there too!!
So, now that's said and done, I'm off to produce the real important stuff and what you actually want to see! Maybe something a bit like this..
P.S: Stay tuned for a few Memes along with our first video. Apparently these days all people want to know is "What does it all meme?!"
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