May I Have 7 Minutes of Your Time?

[Alan Grayson]

Most campaign announcement videos look like someone played MadLibs with drivel:
LeadershipRobustFutureTaxcutsEconomyValuesVisionChangeStrategicIncentiveAccountabilityGood.

I really tried hard to do something different with mine. I didn’t want it to be a concatenation of clichés, a pastiche of platitudes. I wanted it to mean something.

So we put together a video explaining why I’m running for the Senate, and what it will mean to you (not to me, to you) if I’m elected.

If you haven’t done so already, please take a look.

Here is what I say at the end of the video:

In the past two years in Congress, I have written more bills, passed more amendments on the Floor of the House and enacted more of my bills into law than any other Member of the House – #1, out of 435 of us. Slate magazine labeled me the most effective Member of the House. Because of all the good we have done, more than 100,000 supporters have given their hard-earned money to our campaign. That’s more than any other Democrat in the House. In 2012, and again in 2014, I was the only Member of the House of Representatives who raised most of his campaign funds from small donors – not lobbyists, or special interests, or millionaires, or multinational corporations. I don’t work for them; I work for you. I am unbought, and unbossed. I owe nothing to anyone but the People.

I wake up each day knowing that there are 700,000 Floridians who are counting on me to do something good for them in their lives. Next year, with the voters’ support, that number will be over 19,000,000. I will do my best to help every one of us, whenever we need help. I will work hard to be your representative, your champion and your friend.

If you want to learn more, or you want to join us and show your support, then go to the website SenatorWithGuts.com. I’m Congressman Alan Grayson, candidate for the U.S. Senate from Florida, and I approve this message of justice, equality and peace. Thank you.

Maybe words like this mean something to you. If so, then come take a look at our video. Forward it to your friends. And while you’re at it, maybe you could toss in a few shekels for our campaign – yours and mine – for justice, equality and peace.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson
Candidate for the U.S. Senate

[NV Whino]

1. Alan, I speak as a graphic designer

I have never done video, but the same rules apply to video as print.

There are too many techniques: talking head (no offense intended); animation; some high-tech overexposed shit; slomo; and some other stuff. Not to mention an intense all-encompassing message. And it was too long. And it was too much "you," not enough "me."


1. Pick a style of presentation, stick with it and make it your own.

2. You have excellent messages, but break them down to individual messages, two minutes each, max.

3. By all mean, make a "you" video, but make it a separate video.

4. Don't be afraid of sound bites and cliches, they work. Just make them better than anyone else's.

I wish you well in your campaign.