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AV GUIDELINES

AUDIO VISUALS (AVs) at Primrose Park Photography

Click here for instructions about how to produce and post your AVs on the PPP screen or website.

GENERAL AV GUIDELINES

An effective AV will consist of three parts: the concept, the visuals and the sound.

An AV should be as short as desired but 3 minutes being the optimal length to maintain audience involvement, 4 minutes the maximum. Individual frames within the sequence should be typically 3 to 5 seconds long, with 3 seconds being the optimal length.

The visual component should consist of still images, including time lapse and can include some video or movie footage.

The AV sequence shouldn’t require additional explanation but our PPP audience may be interested in knowing something about the technical aspects, such as which program was used to create the AV. Ideally a short explanation of one to two minutes should suffice for AVs shown at our meetings.

CONCEPT

It starts with the idea - Something you are passionate or excited about. Have a story or theme in mind when selecting pictures. A series of unrelated pictures isn't as effective as when they tell a story or take the viewer on a journey.

Typically a story has a beginning, a middle and an end. A series of images with appropriate music can take the viewer on an emotional journey and may not necessarily tell a story but still convey a feeling or mood.

Aim to captivate, not bore the audience. Entertain, evoke an emotion or inform. Keep it short unless you have truly amazing material of universal interest.

THE IMAGES

Are your images compelling or average? To create a great show you need the best pictures possible; hi res digital files or digitised from slides etc. Lesser quality images can be used if you don't plan zooming in or displaying for more than a few seconds.

Pictures should be preferably landscape, cropped to 16:9 ratio, edited, colour corrected etc.

If scanning old material to use, like photos or slides, create uniformity if possible and remove white borders or date stamps.

THE SHOW

After gathering the images and or movie clips, consider their order in the show and how it will all work together.

Keep your audience engaged. Avoid variations of the image length and long slides. Occasionally a very short or long image can help in emphasizing a point or mood.

Captions or text can add significantly to the show. Keep it short and of consistent style.

Less is more. Be frugal with effects and transitions. Adding movement to still images should be minimal as it can be distracting unless subtle.

Be consistent with any text or effects.

Timing may need fine tuning to suit your music.

AUDIO IN THE SHOW

Audio could include the sound track from your video footage, voice, and or music. Finding the right music to enhance the visual show can be a real challenge. Most editing software will include useful sound files, such as crowds, machinery, rain and thunder.

SHOWING YOUR AV

On the PPP big screen:

Copy it on a USB memory stick. Make sure that your title includes your name for identification. Various file formats can be accommodated by our Technical Team so if in doubt, check with them before submitting or use the contact form on the website on Home/Contact us.

On the PPP website:

Refer to the instructions on AV Nuts & Bolts.