Producing a good Ciao video review is not complicated, but it does require a little bit of planning.
This guide is intended to help you produce your first Ciao video review using a simple 6-step process.
Do not be intimidated by the number of points shown below, most of it is just common sense.
Above all, this is just a guideline and you are the writer, director and producer of your Ciao video review – so surprise us!
Just to remind you: There is a special bonus available for the first video reviews published in
Get ready!
After you know which product you want to review, get started by preparing the content of the video review.
Your review should aim to give readers an idea how well the product performs in daily use and above all why you consider it worth buying (or not).
Your review should therefore cover a range of different aspects and features that you consider to be important,
and try to provide a balanced product evaluation.
Like with a written review, a good video review should be structured: a short introduction of yourself and the product,
the review itself and finally a little conclusion with your recommendation.
There are a few techniques available that can help you to prepare your review.
One of the most useful and easy to do is drawing up a “storyboard”.
A storyboard is a series of illustrations representing graphically what you will record.
The idea behind it is that it should help you visualise the different sequences you want to film in the correct order,
to identify required backgrounds, requisites, etc. and spot potential problems in the flow of the video review early.
Here is an example of a storyboard for a video review of the xbox 360.
Prepare the Set
One of the most important factors in making a good video is the lighting.
Try to make sure the location in which you film your review has enough light so that members of the community can see your work in its best shape.
On the other hand, too much light will make the video very bright and not viewable. It is all about finding the right balance.
Another important factor is the sound quality of the video.
It is critical to make sure that your opinion is audible; it is one of the most valuable parts of the review.
If you have a tripod or any other standing device, please use it as much as you can for clarity’s sake.
Recording the Review
There are many devices out there who can record videos: Camcorders, miniDVs, Webcam or even your camera might have a video recording function.
Once you have your device ready, review your storyboard or review plan one last time and get started!
When recording your review you should make sure that the environment is free of background noise which could interfere with the
sound quality of the video.
Recording is easier if you have a friend who is acting as cameraman, so you do not have to worry about leaving the picture.
If your camera can easily be connected to a TV while filming, you can also use this as an additional control monitor.
Make sure users get to see the product in use (for a phone include shots of the menu etc.).
Try to stay critical by including both positive and negative points about the product.
Check out the
Edit the Review
Once you believe you have all the necessary content for your review, you can now start the editing process.
Most new computers come with basic video-editing software installed (like Apple's iMovie or Windows MovieMaker).
Once you have copied the video from your phone, camera, or camcorder to your computer, you can bring the video into these
programs and start editing them.
Most of these programs allow you to not only to edit the video, but also to add effects and titles to make your video
look and sound more interesting. You get to do some really fancy things but the main disadvantage of these effects is that they
often affect the clarity of the video. We therefore recommend using them with extreme moderation.
Tips for editing a video: select the best bits, follow a consistent timeline, review your storyboard, and make sure it makes sense overall.
Submit and watch the Review
Once you believe your video is finally ready, go to the Ciao Video Upload page and follow the 2-step-process.
Our editorial team will then review your video and will give you feedback about your video.
Ciao will reject inappropriate videos, please refer to our Terms and Conditions for content deemed offensive.
Once your video is accepted and published, you can then watch and share your video with your friends and other members of the Ciao community.
What product categories are eligible for a video review special bonus?
Currently eligible products for the video review special bonus are:
Any electric / electronic equiment currently available in retail, from your electric toothbrush, computer, lawnmower to a games console, camera or power tool. (The product must be offered by at least one of the affiliated Ciao shops.)
Hotels (this needs to be a review on the hotel itself, showing details).
Ciao reserves the right to only pay a bonus for video reviews containing content suitable for the website. Employees of Shopping Guide GmbH and their relatives are excluded from the bonus system for video reviews.
