Text and narration on screen (with a twist)
March 11, 2009
This short (under two minutes) presentation uses only narration and text to make its point. I'll make no comment on the twist so as not to give it away. Watch it below or on YouTube.
The presentation above has made an impression on many people (I sure keep hearing about it). The original concept, as far as I know, came from a 2006 Argentinean political ad (see the ad here). The "Lost Generation" presentation placed second in the AARP U@50 video contest (odd: it's better than the winning video in my opinion).
The video is well done and makes for a nice stand-alone presentation. It could be better: For example, the text needs to be a bit bigger — never make people strain to see the text on screen. Also, sans-serif typefaces are usually preferable in this kind of situation as they are often more robust. The serifs in a seriffed typeface tend to lose their integrity and get rather pixilated at smaller sizes on screens and in compressed videos like this. Still, this was a creative way to deliver an important message.
H/T Tim Edwards-Hart
Simply a wonderful video made to stick!
Posted by: Sebastiano Mereu | March 11, 2009 at 10:18 PM
It gave me the chills a bit there, it's a really inspiring video! I suppose design-wise it can be a bit improved, I agree there. Maybe with some advanced motion typography some cool stuff can be achieved. Nonetheless it's well done.
Oliver
Posted by: Oliver (ReThink Presentations) | March 11, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Amazing. I was ready to turn it off then came the hook. What a brilliant idea. This is a video for the ages.
Posted by: Joel High | March 12, 2009 at 05:12 AM
I posted that one on my blog too. I really enjoyed this very interesting idea.
Posted by: Michael Sporer | March 12, 2009 at 05:41 AM
Strange to see people praising quite a mediocre video while it's based on a much more striking and more professionally made one.
In most such cases my opinion is that an original is to be always preferred over a later derivation. Much more so if it's also of better quality, by all means.
And the Argentinian ad nails it. If first painfully highlights (alleged) flaws in the society, balances on the edge of provoking a totally negative patriotic response, and then provides a relief. Just great.
On second thought, maybe these two examples just showcase cultural value differences?
Posted by: Serhiy Kostyshyn | March 12, 2009 at 07:04 AM
This one would supposedly break all the rules.
Just text on a page
Narrator (in monotone) reading the slides
Dull black and white background
But
with the twist the text and narrative become their own graphic element and the simple black and white (like black and white movies) allows us to fill in the blanks (in our minds)of happy family scenes etc
And reading the slides leads us to the catch or twist which otherwise you would miss.
Good example of one small element "the twist" making an otherwise ineffective presentation a very powerful one
Posted by: Jim Quirk | March 12, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Garr,
Yet another great example of presenting a message effectively and creatively.
I have used so many of the resources you collect on your blog in my teaching this year that I could probably put your name next to mine on the classroom door.
Thank you for consistently giving me interesting things to think about and compelling visuals from which to draw inspiration.
David Cosand
5th Grade Teacher
Oregon, sweet Oregon
Posted by: David Cosand | March 16, 2009 at 08:49 AM