New platform for making demo videos

garf1

Hi,

I have an idea for a business to create a platform for app developers to make their own demo videos for their apps. So the idea would be for app developers to make a professional looking demo video really fast and easily to promote their app using templates from the platform. My question is, would app developers need this platform or are they satisfied with just using screen capture and any other software they may already have?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

The Corinthian

garf1 wrote: »

I have an idea for a business to create a platform for app developers to make their own demo videos for their apps. So the idea would be for app developers to make a professional looking demo video really fast and easily to promote their app using templates from the platform. My question is, would app developers need this platform or are they satisfied with just using screen capture and any other software they may already have?

Depends entirely on what this platform does and what you charge, TBH.

App developers may not be graphically talented, but they are technically savvy and know how to source open source or free software designed to edit and otherwise make their videos look professional.

So, you want to place yourself in a situation whereby you can supply a paid service that cannot be easily, or at all, downloaded from SourceForge for free.

garf1

Thanks Corinthian for the reply. I have talked to other app developers about the idea, but have had mixed responses. I will continue looking into it more in the meantime.

cgarvey

Is your solution screen recording a simulator, or actual device recording/mirroring? Either way a crowded space (with free/OSS tools), so you'd want strong value-add to bring to the party. If you have a new way of doing it easily (especially device-based, not simulator-based), then there might be some room.

jgh_

***EDIT: I replied after reading cgarvey's reply which isn't exactly what OP was talking about... I'll leave my reply-that-i-now-realize-is-off-topic though.

I have some experience in this space. I have developed an SDK called Mobcrush that captures game audio and video from device and streams it (www.mobcrush.com) and was formerly the lead engineer on ShowKit, an iOS SDK that (among other things) allows people to screen share their iOS apps.

With iOS at least, capturing the screen and recording it is not exactly a trivial thing. There are several elements to it.

1. UIKit. UIKit is very easy to capture via [UIView renderInContext:]. It's balls-slow, but you can do it at a reasonable frame-rate if the app isn't doing much.
2. OpenGL. You cannot capture OpenGL with this method, you'll just get a blank view the same color as the background you've set. So you have to do other methods.
3. Combining the two. You have to composite the image afterward.
4. Audio is very difficult to capture on iOS, and it's not helped by the fact that there are about 5 different ways of putting audio to the speaker.

I can certainly license you some technology or "take a few points" or whatever if you're really serious about making this happen, though.

garf1

Thanks for the replies. The platform I had in mind would be more geared towards marketing and promoting your app rather than just recording your demo (although this would obviously need to be factored into the platform also). I figured that with so many apps out there and heavy competition it's hard to get noticed. Also, seeing that so much time spent on making the app, why not have a great demo with it? The idea would be something along the lines of the Animoto Business option, where you can brand your app more with text, logo and demo. If I can see this as a real need I will let you know 'jgh'. But for the moment I'll need to look into it more. Thanks again.

The Corinthian

Of course there's "a real need", but that need is actually already being met.

That free software is readily available to help produce professional-looking promo videos, has already been mentioned, but there's also plenty of outfits who are bombarding the inboxes of app developers offering these sorts of 'professional' services. It's actually already pretty crowded market.

And that's just the video production part of your idea - when you say "marketing and promoting" an app, you really need to explain what you mean, because your market is has enough understanding to be aware of the snake-oil salesmen out there selling their 'eMarketing' services (a.k.a. submitting your app/site/whatever to a few places, once a month if you're lucky, then charging you silly money).

There is a market, but it all comes down to what you're offering and what your competition is - be it another company or an open source alternative.

Graham

Hi Garf1, are you talking about something along the lines of any of these:

Viddyad
Powtoon
GoAnimate