Experienced tech product managers probably wouldn’t raise an eyebrow upon hearing that another video sharing app has arrived. But one look at New York-based Cameo’s offering might just have both of those eyebrows lifting in surprise.
Video Editing – the Full Monty
Unlike its rivals, which offer very basic editing tools on mobile devices, the Cameo app provides a complete video editing suite and sharing service. And its location-based functionality lets several users co-shoot a video at an event or place of their choosing at the same time. Suddenly, those bored product managers are looking a lot more interested.
Cameo co-founder Matthew Rosenberg wants to give total control to mobile users who want to make creative videos. Once the app is downloaded, users get the option to shoot videos in six-second clips, and then the fun begins. Clips can be edited and effects added from a superb library (the full equivalent, Rothenberg says, of the desktop editing suite After Effect), following which they can be strung together in whichever order takes the user’s fancy. Not only that, but users can choose a theme, adding credits, text and much else besides.
Cameo then creates the video in real-time on smartphones in 720p mp4 format. And it can be uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo and Instagram as well as shared on social media sites.
Consumer to creator?
If our imaginary product manager is no longer bored, he or she might now be getting a little skeptical. What does it take to coax social media consumers into becoming creators as well, and does this clever little app have what it takes?
SocialCam and Viddy made a brave fist of achieving that goal, but never really sucked in a lot of mainstream traffic. Mobile video production has proved a rockier road than still photography, even though Vine and Instagram Video are making some headway. But both suffer the shortcoming mentioned earlier: their editing functions are frankly, primitive. That’s where Cameo really beats them hands down, at least technically.
But shooting a video takes more planning, creative flare and time than shooting a single snap. Will users get addicted to the editing, effects and sharing capabilities of Cameo? Time will tell (it only launched in October). For now, it definitely has the feel of an addictive phenomenon.