VidHug: An Unbelievably Easy Way to Create Tribute Video Montages

Looking for an unbelievably easy, super fast, remarkably affordable, app / website to create tribute videos? Well… look no further! In this post, Kate Salmon-Robinson will share her recent success with VidHug, a crowdsourced video montage solution that’s gaining in popularity. PLUS:  A few suggestions for hosting virtual parties in the age of global pandemics! Enjoy!

 

Celebrating the Graduating Class of 2020

Celebrating a “Class of 2020” student/graduate has not been an easy thing. With the COVID-19 pandemic causing sudden business and school shut-downs and unexpected remote work and distance learning, nothing has been business-as-usual around here. For students that has meant: No spring sports. No prom. No senior prank. No senior skip day. And, of course, graduation plans have either been moving targets or have pretty much evaporated. 

With all of the upheaval and uncertainty of the end of high school, we decided to honor our 2020 Grad by hosting our first virtual party. I am thrilled to report that it turned out to be a wonderful way to include family and friends in the celebration… and something our daughter totally appreciated! 

 

First, Tips on Hosting an Online Celebration

If you are considering hosting any online gathering, take note of two important things I learned in the process:

1)  Zoom with lots of people is like herding cats. At night. In the rain. Blindfolded.

2)  “VidHug” makes you look like a HERO – for very little time & even less money!

 

Regarding #1 — Hosting an Online / Video Conference Party

This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to hosting an online social event — rather, I am sharing a few tips that benefited me — or were lessons I learned the hard way. Accept the fact that Zoom with 10, 20 or more people is like herding cats and buckle in for a wild ride!  It can be sooooo worth it!

 

1. Get a Co-Host!

Ask a friend or family member to act as a co-host, so that you have a back-up if something goes wrong on your end. This also helps you more easily manage some of the administrative tasks… and, most importantly, enjoy the event! 

For example, we had two videos to share during our “party.” When it was time to show them, we couldn’t let people join late or re-join if they were disconnected – without interrupting the slideshow and video. So yes, that is the one thing I really wish I would have thought to anticipate beforehand.

 

2. Make Time for Introductions

Take time in the beginning to introduce people and thank them for joining you. In my case, our daughter mentioned each person by name and commented about who they were (how they were related or if they were a coach, former teacher, friend, neighbor, etc.). Admittedly, it would have been nice if I thought to warn her about this before we started (being a quasi-surprise, we didn’t share many details) – but she gracefully stepped up without missing a beat! 

We also made sure to acknowledge and express appreciation for those who were Zooming in from another time zone in the middle of the night for them! And of course, thank everyone at the end!

 

3. Have Quality Entertainment

Every party should have some sort of entertainment, so you should seriously consider offering your guests some quality fun in the form of a slideshow, tribute video, or similar. As a guest/participant in other virtual parties, I can tell you that a well-crafted photo slideshow and / or video undoubtedly helps set the tone and pull it all together (and, frankly, offers a respite from the chaos that can come with so many people on Zoom!)

After greeting everyone, we started things off with a slideshow featuring photos from our daughter’s journey from pre-school to high school, including sports, family, travel and fun. I recommend making sure that all key family members are featured, as well as most, if not all, of the expected guests.

Because I have been having technical problems with my Lightroom catalog (and after consulting with Caroline Guntur, host of this blog), I bought and taught myself to use Movavi Slideshow Maker 6.  It got the job done, but that is a review for another day.

The way we “showed” the slideshow and VidHug tribute video on Zoom was to use the “share my screen” function. Again, this is where having a co-host comes in really handy, for example, my cousin’s laptop died before she could get the cord, so she was disconnected from the party/meeting. She texted me to say that she was in the waiting room, but I didn’t want to disturb the slideshow or video to try to let her back in (Sorry, Jen!)!

 

 

Pro Tip

Mute everyone while the videos are playing, so that you don’t have to listen to the background chatter during the “show.”  Make sure to let everyone know that you are muting them, and afterward remind them after the presentation that they can unmute themselves to speak – or you can unmute them all as administrator.

Also – it might make sense to mute yourself, unless you wanted to narrate or comment on the presentation. Another cousin had written remarks to read while showing photo collages for his daughter’s virtual graduation party – which were so heartwarming, they brought tears to everyone’s eyes.

 

4. Pay for the Service 

While there are other services out there, I am most familiar with Zoom which allows you to sign up for a monthly subscription (around $15/month & cancel anytime). I recommend spending the money because the 40-minute time limit for the free version is a drag in a situation like this. 

We attended another Zoom graduation party where everyone had to have two different invite links – creating some confusion and forcing everyone to log out after the first half and log back in a second time. It was a hassle that interrupted the flow and some folks simply didn’t make it back for the second part. It’s hard enough to get everyone on track with something so novel – especially with folks not overly familiar with video conferencing….$o just do it.

 

5. Check Your Sound

My giant Mac desktop has great video and sound, so I thought nothing of bringing it to the living room to use for our “party.” The video picture was great, but not checking the sound beforehand was a mistake! With four of us on screen together, we were further away than I would typically be sitting at my desk. Also, the room was much bigger than my office and had higher ceilings.  We heard everyone else just fine, but unfortunately, our Zoom guests sometimes had a hard time hearing us. Lesson learned. I’ve already ordered a microphone for the next time!

 

 

 

 

Regarding #2 — VidHug Tribute Videos

What is a VidHug?  Well, I am glad you asked! 

VidHug does all of the heavy-lifting required to create “video montage(s) of family & friends celebrating someone special.”  No technical skills required on your part!

VidHug is a website / service / app I discovered (thanks to my brother) just in time to make a tribute video for our graduate, which we showed for the first time during the Zoom party. (Spoiler Alert: It was a H-U-G-E hit!)

VidHug tribute videos are fast, fun, cheap and easy to create and it will make you look like a rock star! (It certainly earned me ‘Mother of the Year’ status!  Pardon me for a moment while I polish my halo!)

 

I found VidHug to be…

 

 

1. Reasonably priced &

2. Low commitment for your guests / participants

The person creating the video pays once for the project ($15 – or less if you find a promo code online). 

VidHug is FREE for everyone you ask to participate – and even better… they do NOT need to download anything… they are NOT forced to create an account… they do NOT need to create a password… and, they don’t even have to give an email address or any personal information! They do, however, have the option to provide an email address to get a copy of the finished project later (if you choose to share it).

For those who like to “try before you buy,” VidHug offers a free trial / preview.

3. Super easy! 

It takes less than a minute to create the link you will share to invite other people to record a short video – right from their phone, tablet or computer. The invitation to participate offers two straightforward options: 1) directly record a video; or 2) upload something recorded already. 

After having the option to review and / or re-record their clip, they hit the submit button and “BOOM,” they are done!

Seriously – it could NOT be any easier! 

Note: Your primary job is to send out the invite and, if your family is anything like mine, follow-up with gentle reminders. Simple!

 

Is VidHug is Right For You?

VidHug is simple enough for even the most technologically challenged person! As the creator, you have an online account / app where you can see the submitted video clips. 

The beauty of this platform is that you don’t have a lot of options and / or bells-n-whistles to manage. You can drag and drop the clips into whatever order you like, if desired. You can pick a color scheme, if you elect to create a text-based introduction and / or closing slide. You can choose from a number of musical backgrounds, if you want one. And that’s about it.

I say that the beauty of VidHug is in the simplicity – and lack of options – because this is NOT a complicated program.  Consequently, VidHug is NOT for someone who wants to create a multi-media, technical masterpiece with transitions and special effects. This wonderful service/app can make the rest of us non-Spielberg-types look like heroes for putting together one of the most meaningful treasures you could receive in a lifetime. 

 

 

The End Result?

In addition to being a BIG hit at the Zoom graduation party…Our daughter now has a video compilation of the important people in her life telling her how much they love her, how special they think she is, and the ways in which she has impacted their lives. I’m thrilled that she has this keepsake – especially when she is away at college and may find herself a bit homesick… or later in life when some of these important people are no longer with us. 

We should all be so blessed to have a masterpiece like that! 

Here’s an example of what your VidHug montage could look like:

 

Share in the Success!

VidHug helps you create a truly priceless gift for very little time, minimal effort and only the price of 2 or 3 Venti-Mocha-Somethings at Starbucks! I wish you the best as you celebrate the VIPs in your life for birthdays, new babies, anniversaries, teachers at year-end, graduations, weddings, retirements, and everything else!

Using the comment section below, I invite you to share your experiences with online/virtual celebrations, slideshows and tribute videos!

PLEASE NOTE:  I paid for all the services referenced in this post — and have not received any promotional compensation from the companies.  These thoughts, opinions and observations are entirely mine and not influenced in any way.

[Editor’s Note: Please note that this is not a slideshow app per se…more like a video montage app. BUT…but as the intent and outcome is the same, we feel like we could use the words interchangeably.]