Overview Video - Would Love Feedback!

I love how you guys are giving us the opportunity to actively participate in how you make the app grow into something more powerful.

Here are my thoughts:

1. How do you feel at the end of the video? If you are in distress, and you watched this video, how would you feel at the end of it?

I feel good for most parts. I am smiling and feel encouraged. It's a bit too long indeed and I've read @GlenM's post about working right now on a shorter version - awesome!

2. What do you like about it?

I liked the fact you used images and not the boring, usual kind of presentation like we are in school and you need to read words from a board.

I liked that it presents you the dynamics of what it means to connect with a listener and how the relationship can grow in something more.

At first I was upset about the fact the first 3 people who appear seem too distant - but then I realised we can also think as a way of making people see that they can be independent but still be supported and supportive with one another. They have a hand to hold on but still on their own journey. Am I reading too much into this haha?

3. What don't you like about it?

I didn't like the fact I was expecting it to end almost 2-3 times. Like after the drawing with the path... Or after the image with the schedule...

Also a lot of talking! I would have loved to see a mix of drawing characters + talking + seeing the words that I am hearing.

People do count a lot on seeing positive words and remembering those visually. When I saw the words on the path I was happy, felt really good.

It's a very creative video but it gets boring at some point. Mixing more techniques and putting focus on how the words are visually affecting (in a positive way) the viewer could make it better I believe.

5. Would you watch the whole thing, let it play in the background and do other things, or leave?

I would stay and watch it till the end. It makes the viewer more curious about what comes next, it's clearly a message that grows in it's content and depth gradually. So yeah I wouldn't leave. I would actually be more engaged in my chat after seeing it, for sure.

Certainly an Overwhelming and Supportive Video.
Depictions are really Friendly to feel like a Close Friend or Old Buddies are getting together.

Great work guys, Keep up the Good Work!

I like the way it's done and the laid back nature of the video, but I agree with @SophonisbaXavier about it feeling more promotional than like a welcoming video. I could imagine this being the pitch from tumblr or reddit or an outside source that draws people to 7 Cups, but don't particularly see the appeal of having it on 7 Cups the way it is. If redone in a more condensed way that was less pitched to get people interested and more of a "welcome to 7 Cups, these are the things we offer and how you can interact with the site" message, it would be more fitting.

I think for someone distressed or emotionally upset, sitting through the video would probably not be very educational or fun for them. Most people want to come on, connect to a human presence right away and go from there, so having something that feels PR might make me more upset or angry.

I really like how professional the video is and how it advertises 7 Cups, especially with the choice of music and narrator, but I wonder if it's a little bit too professional--it makes it feel like a corporation or an industry rather than a community that's just regular, ordinary people supporting each other than people who are professionally licensed to be listening. I also worry that how the video stands now is a little along the lines of false advertising for the reason I just mentioned--the video makes it sound like every listener is guaranteed to be of good quality because of the "rigorous" training. The video depicts this as a classroom-based training, which can give people a false impression on what training is like as it implies assessment, grading, and a longer training period than is actually enforced in order to become a listener. Based on the number of accounts I hear every day, or from the number of people in the chatrooms, or GRs I pick up where their previous listener (or listeners) treated them badly, didn't respect them, gave bad advice or made them feel judged, this is very much not parallel to what's advertised in the video, and I feel rephrasing that so it's less like a guarantee of quality and just a mention that listeners have been trained (but aren't professionals), would be really helpful.

Similarly, I'd like to mention that while we may support X number of languages, there's no guarantee that the quality of those listeners providing support in those languages will be quality, or even to the same degree of quality as they are in English, the most prevalent language support is provided in. On the same note, there's no guarantee that someone looking for support in those languages would be available to chat, especially the more obscure or less frequently spoken ones.

I really appreciated the line about not necessarily connecting with the first listener you speak with--I think that was really, really well done, and hearing that much earlier in the video would be really helpful to avoid cultivating unrealistic expectations.

I like the idea of the video and a lot of the content, but with a couple of changes, I think it could be even better!

really nice just perfect to me :)

1. How do you feel at the end of the video? If you are in distress, and you watched this video, how would you feel at the end of it?

I found the video a little too long. If I logged on in distress I would only want to hear about how they can help me right now and that there are lots of listeners to choose from.

2. What do you like about it?

The animation is fun with a light feel

3. What don't you like about it?

Too much information at once. I wouldn't want to hear about the longterm stuff until I felt better about whatever was currently bothering me.

4. Imagine if it was 20 seconds shorter with these sections cut (1:13 - 1:24 and 2:52 - 3:03), what do you feel about the length?

That would be better

5. Would you watch the whole thing, let it play in the background and do other things, or leave?

I was getting distracted after about 2 min. I would try to close it or do other things.

6. What else should I know about this video that I didn't ask?

It's a bit too much like a commercial. It would be better if it focused more on making the chatter feel comfortable and welcome. When it starts to feel like an add that's when you lost my attention.

I really did like the video and to be honest i didn't see anything that as a member would have upset me and i would probably watch the whole way through. the only thing that did bother me is slightly nitpicking and it was just how hissy the S's were in the video. You probably can't do much about that but i am just bringing it up in case you can lol. <3

First of all, thank you to whoever put in the time and effort to make this. Please know that I appreciate your work, even though my opinions are quite critical.

Looks like I'll be the first dissenting voice here *gulp*... As I watched the video, I imagined myself as a member, so these are my personal views.

1. How do you feel at the end of the video? If you are in distress, and you watched this video, how would you feel at the end of it?

I doubt I would have watched it to the end. If I did, I would feel as if this site wasn't a suitable place for me to get support. It felt like it was geared towards extroverted, cheerful, energetic people, who are already comfortable asking others for help.

2. What do you like about it?

I like the animation concept and I particularly liked the bit about 'If you don't click with your first listener...'

3. What don't you like about it?

The cheerful, warm-fuzzy tone would be very off-putting for me. If I were watching this in an anxious state, the scene with the listeners putting their hands on the members' shoulders would probably make me close the site and never come back. If I were watching this in the midst of depression, the cheerful tone would make me feel as if I didn't belong here - kind of like walking into a party where everyone is happy, when you'd rather be in bed.

I would feel more comfortable if the tone of the voiceover were calm, rather than chipper. In keeping with the calm theme (and the site's colour scheme), I think cool colours (blue and green) would be more appropriate than red and orange.

For me personally, something more abstract would make me feel more at ease than seeing lots of people on the screen.

4. Imagine if it was 20 seconds shorter with these sections cut (1:13 - 1:24 and 2:52 - 3:03), what do you feel about the length?

I like the length the way it is. Definitely wouldn't want it longer.

5. Would you watch the whole thing, let it play in the background and do other things, or leave?

I would watch the whole thing (assuming I wasn't put off). As a nervous first-time member, I would want to know as much about what I was in for as possible.

6. What else should I know about this video that I didn't ask?

I'd like to second the comment someone else made about subtitles for the hearing impaired. My country is missing from the map, but I'm sure others are too and I don't think that's a big deal.

As it stands, I would prefer the slow, calming messages that appear on the waiting screen, rather than this video, but that's just me!

Not really sure why, but the video won't load for me! I will answer what questions I can now and see if it won't work for me later.

I'd say that if it's only ~3 minutes now, that's fine. I'd sit and watch that, depending on what I'm here for, which sort of answers the only other question I can answer. If I were only here to vent about something that isn't all that ground-shaking, like just getting things off my chest, I would sit and watch the whole thing, staying on the video and all. But if I were, say, having a panic attack, or extremely depressed and irritable because of it, I don't think I'd sit through it. If I knew I wouldn't get connected to a listener until after I watched it, I'd either leave or do other things while it ran in the background.

But that's just me. I hope it loads for me next time I try so I can answer the rest and get to see it >.< I'm really intrigued.

hmm I have mixed feelings about it, if I would be feeling low and wanting help, 3min would be way too long for me, knowing myself I would just skip it right away, but 1min would be better for me, like mentioned above, it feels a bit more like a promotional video than a welcoming video. One might argue that a welcoming is a bit like a selling point where you need to prove your worth, but still, it has a icky feeling to it. I think without reading what was said earlier the annoying thing for me was the drawing arm, it was like going so fast and I can picture that stressing some people, even myself, I didn't feel calmer at all after watching it, it was king of taking all my attention to the arm and not to what the person was saying. I like the concept of drawing though, but maybe without the arm it would be a bit better. Maybe it could be useful if it popped after requesting a random listener, that could help people wait maybe? but only on the first time, otherwise it could get repetitive I think.

Other than that I think it is a good idea, we just need to figure out the optimal length :D

@Glen - I watched the video and I will give a very honest feedback as specified.

In short: I wish it was an ad with real humans. Like an advert with real people portraying a story. Like maybe several people saying those things you added in a bubble "I just got a divorce", "I have a hidden secret that keeps me sleepless", "my grandma died 3 days ago and it still hurts". Powerful sentences coming from the mouths or sounding in the background as thoughts of a real human, that will captivate and call the attention of the viewer. We only have few seconds to grab people's attention and make them think of if this video is worth their attention. Then one of these actors lets say logs in their social media or an email and read of 7 cups being recommended from a friend/stranger...connects to the site etc... and as they use it then the narrator can say we are connected 1-1 with trained active listeners, then the scene changes showing supposedly an active listener in the other side of the world listening to this person, sending something encouraging. I won't write the whole scenario to not make things tiring but it should be a story. A powerful one. Showing the real 7 Cups of Tea. Whiteboard drawings are awesome but I believe there are better when they are trying to explain a concept. It helps visual learners learn more or trying to portray a story, but when you add in real humans portraying strong emotions in the right way it gets very powerful.

1. How do you feel at the end of the video? If you are in distress, and you watched this video, how would you feel at the end of it?

I will feel okay at the end of it. Let me note this here...I watched the video without audio... it didn't make me feel any better. I heard it with audio...it didn't make me feel any better (and yes I was in distress when I did listen to it). I mean audio might help but think of those who are deaf... they will just see the story and read a script (which I hope gets added as CC). If as I said it was a real human...you can see their expression, they can portray strong emotions with their face. The video would've had more impact but at the same time cost more.

2. What do you like about it?

- I like that the drawings try to make things multicultural because it helps people from several nations, cultures, color feel more welcome.

3. What don't you like about it?

The missing of the human element. Also the colors of the humans felt a bit black or white and not really flesh tones. The story was okay but I don't know if it is just my eyes or the reality. It looks as if the hand is the same hand writing over and over... a prerecorded hand that just moves and a software writes the text....no actual real drawing motion...just a hand following an already drawn picture and one that tries to mimic hand writing.

The lady is kind of odd in the intro.... she says "welcome" about 2 times...and it sounds a lot because she puts emphasis on it. Instead she should stop repeating and make each word count. Strong and effective.

The voice over voice is not very strong....and not convincing... it is not very passionate. She tries to add in some curves or high/low voice to make it sound better but it doesn't to me, maybe because I was often tried to study how/when a speaker sounds passionate or not so in this case I can see it is more of reading a script but without being passionate.

The background music is not motivating...percussions are nice...but this is like she is in a drums practice hall while she is talking.

4. Imagine if it was 20 seconds shorter with these sections cut (1:13 - 1:24 and 2:52 - 3:03), what do you feel about the length?

I think length is okay, but if it can get shorter then that will be even better.

5. Would you watch the whole thing, let it play in the background and do other things, or leave?

Yes...that but I did that while watching this.

6. What else should I know about this video that I didn't ask?

I didn't understand this well, if we are taking of asking us or asking the one who designs the video.

7. For ambitious folks - if you could split this video up into parts and reorganize it into a better flow so that all the best parts were covered - i.e., if we kept the intro part from 1 to 1:20, what other pieces/sections would you add to it? and in what order to make it the best it could be?

I will break it down to small videos. Make each video have a specific goal instead of saying everything at once.

A... one will be an add in the homepage...letting people know what is 7 cups of tea and how can it help them. About active listeners etc.

B... one will be in the waiting time...they will be asked if they will like to know the benefits of being a member of 7 Cups of Tea...and have a walkthrough of the growth path etc.