Let's Wait Awhile

After nearly 180 videos, I still get a little excited after the Upload Complete and Processing Done YouTube video upload status messages appear.  The next video upload phase is "Publish" video event or making the uploaded video available to the public.

When I was a newbie, I publish my uploaded video without hesitation.  Now, there are several things to consider before I make my upload public.
                                                                           

Uploading Strategies

                                                           
If the recorded video features a concert or show which forms part of a series, I have to wait for the completion of the last show in the series before making the full-length (the whole show) recorded video public.  I do not want to preempt the later shows in the series even prior approval was granted to record and post the video.

Reality ,however, dictates that a video must be uploaded shortly after an event.    Event awareness diminishes as time passes by.   For YouTube channels with many subscribers ,say 10000,  a video is expected to have plenty of views brought about by the subscriber base.  For other channels with small subscriber base,  video views are triggered by event/performer-activity awareness.  Also, if the event is not exclusive, view count is affected by the number of uploaded videos     Assuming there exists a level playing field **,  the earliest uploaded video gets a head start.

** (A level playing field exists when uploaders abide by the same set of rules and organizers do not assign program segment(s) to specific uploaders.  Although a YouTube channel can be associated with an event, fairness cannot be questioned without due cause.  This event association happens for events held with regularity such as annual festivals.  For these  events, certain channels had uploaded videos in the past and have earned a positive feedback from viewers. In this case, viewers though not subscribers will opt to watch and share the video of a familiar channel.  Of course, there is also a saturation point for these viewers when they look for something new later.)      

344th Araw ng Makati  FESTIVAL of MUSIC 2014

To address competition resulting from several uploaders,  I usually upload the event's defining moment.  That moment is easily identified via the reaction of the live audience.

It is also true that an event has not one but several remarkable moments.  Well, an uploader must also be aware of other uploaders' activities.  This is the time when I believe the word COMPETITION stops and COMMUNITY starts.  It has never been part of my objective to "KILL" (dampen) the views of another uploader.  As much as possible, I will avoid uploading the same portion and show segment.  I usually opt to upload a longer video even if views are likely to be less than a song-length video.  By having a theme, one can be creative to upload a longer video.

There are also times when a remarkable moment has not been given attention by other uploaders.  In this case, I check if uploading another moment will "KILL" the views of my other uploads.  If there are a couple of concert highlights,  I save the other "best" for last.   Although I am aware that views may not come easily because excitement regarding the event has dwindled already.  Because of the segment's impact, I still believe that the last uploaded video will still acquire views in the end.  Viewers can still discover the last video's merit at a later time.

Now, if there are not one, not two but several highlights,  then I give it my best shot to create a full-length video upload of the event.  That is why utilizing a video editor is mandatory  when an uploader desires to present all the concert highlights.  With an editor, it is possible to have a smooth transition from one concert highlight to another.    Unless all your raw footage are perfect,  you can upload all of them and use the YouTube Video Editor to connect and combine all raw footage.   Still, you have to use the YouTube editor.

External Video-Related Events

                                                             
Another consideration prior to making a video upload public is the time of publication.  As an example (and my suggestion to avoid an upload), uploading rock fest or festive videos are not congruent during the season of lent or a post-calamity scenario like typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. This time is when human sensitivity is needed.  

Also, publishing decision must be reviewed when video subjects are involved in exceptional situations like crime, scandals and controversies.   Your video maybe well crafted but since your subject is the object of mass ridicule and bashing at the moment, viewers may tend to avoid or worse "dislike" the video.  There is always a right time when the video can be given a fair chance to be viewed.   We cannot also ignore the possibility that loyal followers of a controversial video subject will rally behind the subject.
                                                         

Video Enhancement

                                                                               
An uploader must also consider if the uploaded video needs improvement and/or enhancement. During or after an upload, I get to see an "improve your video" message.  In my case, this almost always refer to the stability of my video.  Although I want to use a tripod which would significantly lessen the shakiness of the video, most venues do not have space to accommodate video/photographers with such apparatus.  Imagine half a dozen people in  the audience area with such equipment.  Aside from lack of space, camera holders with these apparatus would block the views of several spectators. Thus, video enthusiasts forgo the tripod and opt for mobility and convenience.

Because of these movements, one can utilize the stabilize function of a local video editor or YouTube video editor.  When using the YouTube editor, I suggest that the video need not be published immediately.  One can go to the video enhancement option to address the shakiness problem and such others like video cropping, etc.  Eventually, the uploader will still have to decide whether the video editor has indeed enhanced the video or not.  The YouTube editor has a "revert to original" option which retains the uploaded original version of the video.

Next time when you see a stable or a good video,  it is possible that the video editor contributed significantly to the video quality. Hence, I consider YouTube video uploading a collaboration.  As a creator and in line with YouTube objective, I want many views and longer viewer engagement for my video.  For this endeavor, No Video Creator is an Island.
                                                           

Platform Availability

     
During a YouTube video upload and after the video has been processed, a matching third party content message appears.   This refers to a copyrighted material included in the video like the song being performed by an artist.  When this happens,  I check the information regarding my video's Copyright Notice.  I immediately acknowledge the valid copyright claim and determine if my video is available and playable in all countries and platforms (such as mobile phone, tablets, desktops).

When a song is claimed, there is a big chance that the video is not available in mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets.  In such case and even if I have already published the video, I still review the video if an audio swap is possible for the claimed song.  As an uploader, my objective is to enable my videos to be available in all platforms.  When there is a copyright claim, the video has a limited platform availability (in my experience my videos can only be viewed in desktops).   The solution is to replace the copyrighted material if possible.

For the above video,  I used "Moonlight Sonata" to replace a copyrighted background music during Ballet Philippines' Duets segment.  My objective is not to bastardize the performance but to allow views from all platforms.  As long as the replacement audio would synchronize with the performers' movements, audio swap can solve limited platform availability without compromising content integrity.  I would not advise an audio swap for the entire video or even for more than a third of the video length.  As a serious video creator, you would not even recognize the original intent of your own video by just making an arbitrary swap.   I still remember my first video where I originally used Madonna's This Used To Be My Playground and Whitney Houston's Miracle.  Below is the resulting audio-swapped video.

Aside from enabling my video to be available in all platforms, I did an audio swap to enable video availability in certain countries.  In the case of my Style Origin Gala video, the original version was not playable in the USA so I created a Final Walk Medley version.  For the edited version, I had to use several songs and combine them.  Then, I applied the song medley during the celebrities' final walk on the runway.

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Video Security

                                           

Once a video is published and made public, it is shared to all users with different intentions - watch, comment, rate, share and even "grab" the video.  By grabbing the video, the user can make unauthorized copies and distribute the video or even re-upload the video as his own.   Digital and Social Media Pirates are more technical and daring nowadays.  

Well, there are still options for a video maker.  One is to implement watermark and digital imprints on the video.   Another option is to overlay an uploader logo via an editor on the recorded video.  As for me, I can only do so much to ensure security for my videos.   In the end, a video maker will know his work because of the style.  My musical videos reveal a couple of styles which I use (and I hope you have time to find out by watching my videos).  The bottom line is a video grabber will always know that he/she will never be a creator - since the pirated work DID NOT come from his coconut. 

As for us video creators and uploaders, we would only truly understand what a copyright owner feels when his/her work is infringed until a grabber plays around with our creations.




Complete Post Title:  Let's Wait Awhile (Postponing Publishing of Uploaded Video)
Post title inspired by song title of Janet Jackson's song about postponing ... or abstinence (?).    :)