Alternative Media - How it pertains to college students

Richard Leverson
The Power of Video

Videos are able to capture the audience’s attention through images. In addition, a video enhances its images with music or commentary increasing the impact of the video. Through visual stimulation and auditory messages, videos have significantly more impact on an audience than written words. Videos can be so powerful they can effectively support an argument and influence opinions.

Some of the first languages in the world were languages of pictures. The video is an evolution of the language of pictures. People tend to absorb and learn material better through images. Images are more useful in helping people recall information. Video’s use of visual stimulation enhances a person’s ability to remember and recall more information than written words. The power of video is far superior to the use of written word.

Videos are a great way to present information. Information can be presented in a shorter time with videos and have more impact than text. A video displays information to its audience at the same time telling them something also. A video can be used to present an argument and support it with images and commentary simultaneously, having more impact. Showing someone how to go about doing something is a more powerful way of teaching them. Political ads are becoming more popular now as a way to gain votes since images are such a powerful way on supporting an argument.

The more imaginative and creative a video is, the more the audience can be influenced through visual and auditory stimulation. To stimulate audiences videos can have animations or clever transitions. An animation can create a new exciting way of seeing something that you normally do not see. Transitions don’t actually add substance to a video, but putting in transitions from image to image will make your video more eye-catching and therefore more influential and effective. Colors and fast paced images can influence an audience effectively. Using “stylish” color schemes or making many images that are able to support an argument in a small period of time can increase the awareness of an audience. Music can bring your argument to life and keep the audience interested in the images that are being displayed. A song that has lyrics that tie together the images of the video can influence an audience to remember the content of a message. Commentary can also stress major issues that images may not present to the audience. Narration can be just as effective as written word.

Information can be conveyed in written words as well as through the images and audio of a video. Videos, however, capture the attention of an audience and keep it, unlike simple text. Videos can significantly influence an audience through multiple sensory stimulation and create a most lasting impression of the information. The more senses that can be targeted by an argument the more memorable or influential an argument can be to the audience. If an audience retains the information longer, the argument that is being made is a more effective way of presenting a statement.