"You don't need fancy camera stuff--just use your phone."

The retail automotive industry isn't the only industry in the world talking about the need for video. Dealership staff aren't the only people hearing the message that the only thing you need to make watchable, interesting video is your mobile device.

Let's look at this phenomenon through the lens of the newspaper industry. I invite you to watch these features produced about the same event by competing newspapers - The Wichita Eagle and the Wichita Business Journal -  so we can discuss their differences in effectiveness and approach.

In this Wichita Business Journal feature, visual journalist Kellen Jenkins used a DSLR camera and shotgun mic, mounted on a monopod, in the main room:

For the Wichita Eagle, reporter Dan Voorhis shot this feature only on his handheld iPad in a quieter office: 

Are there differences between these two videos? You bet! Let's break them both down...

Wichita Business Journal: 

Notice that, despite the talking in the background, my voice comes through loud and clear, and the movement in the background adds some visual interest to the scene. Kellen achieved a shallow depth of field shot, which means that by setting his camera to a low (wider) aperture, he focuses on his subject (in this case, me) and blurs out the background so it is less distracting. Depth of field techniques are one of the primary distinguishers between amateur-looking video and a more professional looking production. Also notice that Kellen instructed me to look at him and not directly into the camera, a common interviewing technique. I also felt more comfortable with this shoot because I recognized I was dealing with a video professional.   Kellen comes from the dealership world and has extensive experience as an inventory photographer, which I thought was an interesting coincidence.

Wichita Eagle: 

I'm glad that we went to a quieter location to shoot this video, as iPad/iPhone microphones pick up all sound equally, and the background noise would have been more distracting. However, because we had to do this, we were at the mercy of this small office with a plain wall. Notice how when I look directly at the camera, it feels kind of like a mugshot, and the lack of stabilization equipment is not ideal.

Conclusion: 

I find this example significant because it parallels what is happening in the retail automotive industry right now. The Wichita Business Journal, which has a much smaller subscription base (and presumably fewer resources and a smaller budget), has invested in real camera equipment and a trained operator, and the result is far superior. In the case of the Wichita Eagle, the main newspaper in Wichita, it seems that upper management issued an edict that the existing reporters must all "do more video," provided no additional equipment or training, and then ended up with a video that, well, looks and sounds like it was shot on an iPad. Sound familiar? Yes, your smart phone or tablet does technically shoot HD video, but that is not enough. Training and equipment make the difference, and neither have to break the bank.