How to Make Great Movie Reviews for ExpoTV

By now, most internet-savvy moneymakers have heard of ExpoTV. This wonderful site pays for video reviews of products - up to $10 for some, $5 for most, and $2 for anything that's not in their product database. One of the easiest ways to cash in is movie reviews, which require you only to raid your DVD collection and talk for a minute about your favorite (and least favorite) movies. You can also review in-theatre films - hold on to your ticket stubs for display in the video!

Like any paying site, ExpoTV has certain guidelines and standards. Some people complain their videos were rejected, and they can't understand why. So far I only have experience with DVD reviewing, but I will share what I know.

What needs to be in my review?

You, for one thing. For DVDs, the case should be visible - try holding it while you talk to keep your hands occupied, and to give you something to refer to. No case? Never fear - hold up the disc instead. ExpoTV seems to be fine with that. They also insist that there should be a clip from the movie included, as long as it stays within "fair use." No one is quite sure what they mean by this, but reviewers who sit in front of a TV with the movie playing, on mute, in the background, usually get accepted right away. Make sure you aren't showing any nudity in the clip, and you're a-ok. If you don't want to spend the time searching for a good part of the movie to show, you can try using the DVD menu, if it contains a montage of clips. This should be fine too.

What if you don't have the case, and you're using the DVD to demonstrate the product? Do part of your review, pop the disc in, and keep talking while you press play. Let the clip go on while you finish up.

What kind of camera should I use?

They seem to accept all kinds, from professional-looking ones to webcams. Just remember, your video should be clear, and you should be audible, and the format needs to be one they recognize, like AVI, WMV, or something like that. If your camera converts to some odd, proprietary file type, you'll need to convert it. I use a Canon digital camera on a video setting, and the videos turn out fine.

How close is close enough?

They say they like a "close-up" of the product, but for a DVD case, I've found that they don't object to the camera being about five feet away. If you're using your digital camera as a video camera, you'll need to be pretty close anyway so it will pick up your voice.

How much of an effort should I make to look attractive?

Not a lot. No matter how shlubby you feel, there's always someone on the site who put even less effort into gussying up than you did. But if you're a girl, dab on a little makeup and brush your hair. No matter what your gender, wear clean, unwrinkled, slimming clothes. Horizontal stripes are a no-no. Actually, all stripes are a no-no. So is plaid. Black is always acceptable, and it looks good with everything.

Don't fiddle with your hair or clothes while you're talking. Stay casual, but don't say "ummm, like, uhhhhhhh..." If you have to, transcribe your entire review to avoid sounding like you've lost your place. If you gesture emphatically when you talk, go ahead, but don't overdo it. You'll look silly.

How big should the video be?

It needs to be at least a minute long. I find about a minute and a half is long enough to cover what I want to say about the movie; two minutes is the maximum. Beyond that you'll start to lose people's interest. The maximum filesize is 50mb, but that will take hours to upload, which is why you need to ask:

How do I edit my video?

If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2, which is a free download on Microsoft's website, and which you should have had several years ago, you technophobe, you have Windows Movie Maker. It's not professional by any means, but it allows you to cut, fade, add music, and whatever else you might want to do to your video. When you save the final product, it will export to WMV, one of ExpoTV's accepted formats. For a movie between one and two minutes, the filesize you want to aim for is about 2-3mb. The quality is not great, but it's good enough for this site.

If you follow these guidelines, your videos will make it to the site, and you can begin promoting the living heck out of them. Good luck!