We have the option of including end interviews in Raga Jam videos where the Creative Lead and participants can speak a bit about the experience. This can be a great way to highlight the Creative Lead since he/she does not get to feature in the pieces otherwise, and it can also be a great way to have the participants express how much they enjoyed it so that others can see what goes on behind the scenes in a Raga Jam experience.
The No-Interview Advantage
Please note that there is no compulsion to include an interview, it is entirely optional. Here is an example of a Raga Jam with no interview at all!
As you can see, the advantage of this is that the piece ends up being much shorter than other Raga Jam Videos. As a result, the average duration of viewership by audiences is higher for this than other pieces, and as a result the youtube algorithm (and FB as well) thinks this piece is more interesting than others. So it improves its search and discovery and the video has more views than others.
The Interview Advantage
Having interviews that are done well definitely provides credibility and clarity to audiences that are on the fence about doing a Raga Jam. The recommended length of the interview section is usually 20% of the duration of the video. So if a video is 5 mins long, the interview segment should best be 1 min max. Doing interviews creatively will make for great viewing, here are a few examples:
Mi Gente: Mumbai Raga Jam
In this the 20% rule is not followed, but the interviews are creatively interspersed by fun behind-the-scenes bloopers that make for delightful viewing.
Alan Walker – Faded | Jazz Cover – Mumbai Raga Jam
This is a great example of how the Creative Lead can be featured. He speaks very clearly about exactly what was the vision for the project, and what the advantage of that is for the kids. So it boosts the credibility of Raga Jam Creative Leads and the point of the project.
Madhava Lokanam: Cleveland Raga Jam
Check out how the interview section starts at around 4:00 with a montage of all performers saying Hi in quick succession. The rest of it is too long though!
Call To Action: Like, Share, Subscribe
As advised by the YouTube India team to us – Often a good way to end the interview segment, or the video in general, is with the entire performing team coming together and saying ‘If you like this video please like and share it, and do subscribe to the Raga Labs channel to see many more amazing videos!’ – or something on those lines. Here are a few examples of it:
Rockabye in Reggaeton: Mumbai Raga Jam by Blackout Band at 4:33
It Ain’t Me (Indian Mix): Mumbai Raga Jam at 4:22
This year the 2017 IndianRaga Fellows did a separate segment for this which we used at the end of all the Fellowship videos, check out 5:18 in this video or at the very end of any 2017 Fellowship video: Classical Melodies: A Cappella
Thumbnail Picture
Its always best to get a separate picture taken by the videographer that can be used as a thumbnail pic. Especially on youtube, striking thumbnail pics can prompt people to click on it. The one that’s worked best for us thus far is the thumbnail pic of Shiva Shambho
Thumbnail pics for dance work best if its a striking or dramatic pose with all performers. For music it works best if it can show everyone engaging with each other and having fun, or be dramatic in some way.
