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Everyone has a bucket list. I made my first one at 5. But the question is: How much of your bucket list at 5 or 15 or 45 have you really pulled off? That’s where I have failed. All the big things I set out to do, I am pretty much done with. But all the small things, the ones that really excite me, I have missed out on the way. It’s no use trying to climb Kilimanjaro if you can’t make a perfect Spanish omelette. Most of us don’t figure this out till it’s too late. And the reason is: We have all been programmed to perpetually hunt down and fulfil the big tasks of life. By the time we get down to the fun stuff, the successes have taken their toll and we have lost the ability to see the smaller things, let alone enjoy them. Would Sachin, after breaking all those world records and making all that money, get time to go back to his childhood stamp collection and find a Penny Black?That’s the problem with success. In fact, that’s the problem with our lives. We are always chasing The Big Dream. It’s only when you fulfill your larger than life ambitions that you realize how hollow they actually were. Ask Bill Gates. Or Warren Buffet. When they realized how boring it was to reach the pinnacle of wealth, they turned to charity. They are now spending double the time and effort they spent on amassing their wealth on trying to get rid of it in the name of philanthropy. They should be actually wondering why they didn’t do it in the first place, like Mother Teresa. She created the biggest empire of charity in the world with Rs 10, a pair of blue bordered white saris, a bucket and a mug to call her own and she did a damned good job of it.It’s these small things in our bucket list that are the most important. You miss them even more when you succeed with the big ones. And if you don’t succeed with the big ones, it’s worse. You consume your whole life chasing them. In the process, the real stuff goes MIA. And those are the things that make life worth living. Any idiot can make lots of money, and many do. Just look around you and see if I am wrong. Would you really like to spend your whole life migrating from a BMW to an Audi or a Dior to a Bottega, or would you prefer to take a chance and choose a life that allows you to experience the magic, the vastness, the excitement of being on this amazing planet? One of the things in life I miss out on doing is what Bear Grylls keeps doing all the time. Like entering the Mojave Desert hanging inverted under a biplane at 8,000 feet. Since you can’t skydive from a biplane, the pilot flips the plane upside down and drops you out. Now that’s something I would like to experience. I would love to be lost in the middle of an Amazon rainforest, be it in Brazil or Peru or Columbia, trying to find my way out. Or find myself in Aokigahara, the Sea of Trees at the base of Mount Fuji, where not only wild animals but also the great demons reside.I would have liked to play chess better than I do. Or solve the Riemann Hypothesis or the Hodge Conjecture, problems that cleverer men than me have struggled over unsuccessfully for years. I would have liked to challenge Blake Edwards, film director and brilliant card shark who died last December, to a game of blackjack. He had boasted he could take anyone to the cleaners in a game of cards and make love to a woman at the same time. I am sure, with practice I could improve on that. I wish I could converse better with dogs, particularly the ones roaming the street outside my home. They are my best friends and yet I barely speak their language. I would like to try a séance, play the mandolin, do street magic like Chriss Angel, have an occasional chat with God, backpack through Uttarakhand, bake the perfect lemon tart, sing a song (any song) in tune. These are things I always wanted to do.They are not really all that small, when you look back at them. But then nothing on your bucket list is ever big or small. It’s what you make of them. Life’s about choices. Most of us are so busy chasing our standard template dreams that we never notice the ones on the sideline. It’s only when you get back to your list or update it from time to time that you notice all the stuff you missed out on. And then, all that you actually achieved looks so trite, trivial and unnecessary that you wish you had another shot at life.- Pritish Nandy

Well, let’s see…Warning: beware spoilers and prepare for a long answer.I’m essentially bringing up every single thing of why The Godfather: Part II is one of the most critically acclaimed films and sequels of all time?Gladly.The critical acclaim that this film receives can be predicated from these following factors:Narrative.Dialogue.Casting.Themes.Characters.Acting.Cinematography and music.It all starts with the two men above.Michael Corleone. And his father, Vito Corleone (née Andolini).The central plot of the second Godfather film focuses on Michael’s efforts in the present day of 1958 to expand the Corleone franchise, namely into Nevada and into Cuba, which brings him into conflict with one of the main antagonists, Hyman Roth, and sees him desperately attempting to hold on to every last scrap of power he can.The secondary, but no less significant, plot arc chronicles the rise of Vito in the early 20th century, from a near mute child forced to flee his homeland, to a petty criminal working the streets, to New York City’s most respected and powerful Don.There is a lot of thematic symbolism in this film, which contributes to its success. Contrasting the rise of the father both personally and professionally with the fall of the son in the same areas creates brilliant dramatic weight.Francis Ford Coppola highlights those professional and personal challenges that Michael has to face by contrasting them with those of his father in their very different times and cultures.Now, of course, the plot of the first Godfather film feels much more memorable seeing as I have observed it a few more times than the sequel.And yet, from over two years since I last fully watched it, I can still vividly recall Michael’s attempted assassination and his bedroom walls exploding in gunfire, “keep your friends close”, Don Fanucci’s scathing ‘paisano’ remarks and his ensuing murder, Vito diagonally dissecting Don Ciccio’s stomach, the pandemonium of the Cuban Revolution, Michael and Kay’s row, Frank Pentangeli committing perjury upon seeing his Sicilian brother at the trial, Fredo’s murder, and Michael sat all alone at the side of the lake.Writing and DialogueJust because a film has memorable moments does not necessarily equate to greatness, ’tis arguable. You were possibly less than impressed by the film’s pacing?It’s a valid criticism; it’s nearly 3.5 hours long, and no teenager or young adult is going to want to pay attention to all the talking and the talking and the talking in between “Oh, blood! Oh, gunshots! Oh, screaming and dying!”But it’s my belief that all that dialogue is one of the film’s greatest testaments to its stellar writing. The pacing helps to reflect that because we have two extremely significant narratives operating and the film needs to give it that appropriate amount of time to flesh it out to its maximum; otherwise, the characters and storylines don’t get to breathe.Some lines could leave you feeling confused and thinking “Huh? What- what is he trying to say there? What does he mean?”But on the other hand, the dialogue and its delivery reveals so much about each character. It makes them feel real and exhibits their flaws, personalities, motivations and development clearly.Not everything has to be spelled out for us, as was Coppola’s intention for his target audience; this film is aimed at a more critically thoughtful and intelligent audience that are able to make inferences and come to their own conclusions.As well as, you know, patient.Furthermore, the trilogy is a set of gangster films (genre defining, I might add) yet the plot of both the first and second Godfather’s deal with the power struggles of crime families, but in starkly contrasted ways even when isolating the two central characters of Vito and Michael.Both of them are powerful character studies, disguised as an epic crime drama, that seek to be explored, evaluated, revoked, criticised, condemned and ultimately remembered.The first film covers both of their perspectives on the same family in the same time frame; Vito’s efforts to maintain his family’s position of relative security and Michael’s attempts to distance himself from this lifestyle, as he promised Kay at the film’s beginning, whilst ironically being drawn even closer to the same life through time and fate in order to protect the family.The second film has the unique narrative development of a simultaneous prequel and sequel. Both Vito and Michael’s handling of the Corleone syndicate are explored in greater depth. Characters we met in the first film are given more material, and characters we meet in this film are no less excluded from being sucked into all that is unholy of the Corleone criminal empire.The most prominent theme throughout the film, both in Vito’s rise and Michael’s fall, is all about power. It is about the character’s struggle to acquire or maintain their personal and professional power, and how it changes them.Vito would inevitably rise to power because he is a person that had nothing in the beginning and would have continued to have nothing if he did not do whatever was necessary to survive.He is the ironic personification of the American Dream promised for first-generation immigrants sailing past the Statue of Liberty. Vito Corleone is the ultimate New Colossus.He at least had a conscience, however; he wasn’t a common thug, murdering, stealing and harloting whatever and from whomever he pleased. Vito had high ambition, a natural charisma, a smooth, tranquil voice and impeccable vocabulary.Most importantly, he had warmth. That was his greatest strength. The warmth he exuded to the people around him engendered their loyalty and respect.Comparatively, Michael would inevitably fall and not lose the power he gains, but his soul, because he followed what Vito said as a throwaway one-liner in the first film to a tee.“A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”Michael is not the perfect father, husband and Don that his own father was. That’s okay. They are both completely different men in different times with different people and circumstances to contend with.Michael feels distant with his children and wife because he places too much importance on maintaining the balance of power he established at the end of the first film. That, inevitably, neglects his personal duty to his family.Michael’s character serves as an exploration of fatherhood, masculinity, expectation, and tradition. He feels like he wants to spiritually impress his father by taking the family franchise above and beyond what his father could have dreamed of.Yet, Michael had too much ambition.He wanted to spread further and increase the family’s power, but his cold pragmatism stands in stark divergence to his father’s methods of ascension. You can see this difference clearly just from the first scenes of each film where both Don’s are receiving their ‘favours’, as it were.In Vito’s introduction, you can clearly see the level of utmost respect that the people he meets with try to maintain. One shows fear, another, excitement and another, admiration. They are awed to be in the mere presence of Don Corleone.Even Luca Brasi, one of the most violent and dangerous hitmen to be in current employment, stumbles over his words when treating with the Godfather. Vito was able to achieve this level of reverence through earning it.He didn’t force everyone he met to fear him. He was fair and loving to those that wanted his ‘protection’, but wholly unforgiving to those who were disloyal.Now consider Michael.When he sits down to meet with the Senator, you can see how different things are. Michael has disrupted the equilibrium of power in New York’s crime framework.He didn’t earn people’s respect. Only through fear and control does he keep his family associates on his side. The Senator can pick up on that, and freely mock the Don, even cursing his Sicilian heritage and his family.Can you imagine him saying that to Vito’s face? He’d be diced up faster than a boiled egg. Nevertheless, he did do a decent job of controlling himself and not let the Senator’s words provoke him too much, because he knows the offer he gives the Senator (as proven in the whorehouse later) is one that he cannot refuse.The first film demonstrated Vito’s extraordinary ability to deal with his enemies, and love his allies. The second one shows that Michael’s intelligence was not enough when it came to the inner mechanisms of his crumbling family. Not to mention, he had more dangerous foes to contend with, internally and externally.Firstly, Hyman Roth.Roth was a former associate of Vito, closely affiliated with Moe Greene, who was the king of the Las Vegas franchise that Michael wished to add to his monopoly.I can never give Lee Strasburg enough credit for his prowess in the role; the old codger pretending to have one foot in the grave whilst attacking Michael on two fronts and playing a very devious game of chess.Strasburg himself was a method actor, like Vito’s predecessor Marlon Brando was, who collaborated with Stella Adler, one of the few people who studied with Stanislavsky, the originator of this acting style. He even trained Al Pacino, who’d go on to have the most iconic role of all time in his whole career.Michael goes down to Havana to meet with Roth in discussing the future of their various business prospects. This is after Frank Pentangeli, who is one of Michael’s underlings and was being harassed by the Rosato brothers, is nearly whacked. Michael wishes to know who gave the order.To show you what I mean by the film’s masterful dialogue, look at what Roth tells Michael about his father and Moe Greene:“There was this kid that I grew up with; he was a couple years younger than me, and sort of looked up to me, you know. We did our first work together, worked our way out of the street. Things were good and we made the most of it. During prohibition, we ran molasses up to Canada and made a fortune; your father too. I guess as much as anyone, I loved him and trusted him. Later on, he had an idea to make a city out of a desert stop-over for G.I.'s on the way to the West Coast. That kid's name was Moe Greene, and the city he invented was Las Vegas. This was a great man; a man with vision and guts; and there isn't even a plaque or a signpost or a statue of him in that town. Someone put a bullet through his eye; no one knows who gave the order. When I heard about it I wasn't angry. I knew Moe; I knew he was headstrong, and talking loud, and saying stupid things. So when he turned up dead, I let it go, and said to myself: this is the business we've chosen. I DIDN’T ASK, who gave the go ahead because it had nothing to do with business.”It’s not just the words themselves that makes them so enthralling to listen to; it’s the delivery by Strasburg and the context surrounding the current situation that makes his subtle threat to Michael all that more dramatic.His anger increases and his face sours into an ugly glower as he gets towards the last quarter of his speech, recounting how Moe was murdered. Moe was his closest associate, but, hey, “it’s just business”, right?No. And that’s why Hyman Roth is a great character. Strasburg holds our attention for nearly four minutes to give us everything we need to know about his history and goals. He spouts that he is all about business and never taking things personally, but you see and hear and feel the hatred in his voice at Michael, because both of them know ‘someone’ (Michael) put a bullet in Moe’s eye.He took that extremely personally, so Roth is driven by revenge.Michael, on the other hand, is the real mobster driven by business. He sees a potential threat to his criminal interests and he eliminates it. It’s how he could murder all of the Five Family Dons, Greene and Carlo during his nephew’s baptism, how he could renounce his sins whilst fully relishing them, and how he could kill his own brother.Keep in mind, as well, that Roth’s enterprises in Cuba were entering a strenuous turning point. He over-extended himself there and the chances of revolution were high. Should the risks have beared out, Roth would have been financially ruined.So, the only way he could hedge this risk was if he seized control of the Corleone empire. A finger up Fredo’s ass, a dead Michael Corleone, and Roth would be set for usurping the enterprise.This is what I meant earlier by having to make inferences. The audience has to actually think about each character and what they’re saying and whether it is the truth, or some other subtext is not being uttered.Personally, I’ve always interpreted this lecture as Roth saying that Michael’s murder of Moe effectively balances out his own hit order on Pentangeli.He’s telling Michael (by using a monologue instead of the explicit words, so we have to think for ourselves about what he’s really saying) to not ask about who ordered Pentangeli to be killed and to let it go… because it had nothing to do with business. And, as a kicker, he equates that to Michael’s murder of Moe Greene.That’s what makes the subtleties in the acting and dialogue of this film so great. You can have different matters of perspective on just one line, one way of that line being delivered, one scene, one look, one glance. You are rewarded for thinking about the film instead of just merely watching it.And secondly, there is Fredo.For the record, I will not go through my meaningless life without at least experiencing a banana daiquiri, it must be honoured.Oh, Fredo, what to start?Let’s start with the obvious. Fredo was jealous. He was obsessed with being overshadowed by his younger sibling, and we even see from his birth in Vito’s narrative that he was a weak child. A sycophant, a womanising entertainer.He was gentle, true, but he had neither the mentality nor the pragmatism to play the game and come out on top. He was a threat to Michael ever since he let slip that he knew Johnny Ola when he previously said he did not.And even though he is largely tacky and made to look like a childlike fool, Fredo still feels as real as the rest of these people. I completely understand his outbursts of always wanting to be respected and feeling underestimated, underappreciated. We’ve all felt like that at some point.But… he was just not meant to be the Godfather. It was tailor cut for Michael. And with being cast aside for the likes of his elder brother Sonny, his spiritual brother Tom Hagen, even his sister, that pressures Fredo to be the biggest version of himself, which ultimately reveals to be the ugliest one. He almost had Michael killed because of his naivete and poor judgment.And, once more, it all comes back to Michael. If he had actually succeeded what he had promised Kay, and made the family legitimate in five years, then Fredo would have no need to betray him.But his powerful resentment for being passed over as Don because Michael wasn’t paying enough attention to him, and the escalatory buildup of humiliation he has suffered from his own family, pushes Fredo into conspiring with the Corleone’s enemies.Because it’s nothing personal. Just business.Now, having talked about writing and dialogue and themes, let’s move on to some more human elements.Casting and Acting.I’ve talked about Strasburg’s impactful performance as Roth, which will never be understated, so let’s begin with the focal characters again.I’d say Al Pacino’s performance in II is only slightly underneath his performance in I, but he is by no means any less of a presence in this film. A tell-tale sign of a great actor is their ability to delude you into thinking the character they’re playing is a real person. Of course, you’ll always have the sinister nagging voice of cynicism bellowing in your mind “it’s made up.”But Pacino quells that voice with as much a silent, deathly stare as with his explosive rounds of emotion. Another sign of a great actor is their ability to convey speech and thought without saying anything. We don’t need to have everything spelt out for us because that would subsequently detract from the actors’ effort to ‘show, don’t tell’, which is criminally unseen nowadays.He proved that in the first film when he’s building up to kill Sollozzo and McCluskey, and you see his face and eyes and mouth dart, contort, relax, flare and tighten, waiting to pull the trigger.In that same scene with Roth in Havana, Michael listens to his lecture in silence. And he just stares at Roth - a neutral but penetrating stare that demonstrates just how ruthless he has become since becoming the Godfather.It also serves to highlight again the stark contrast between the father and the son. Michael has none of Vito’s genuine love for the people he meets. Even his close relatives are met with some variation of a man in a controlled madness. He is intoxicated by power and he lets it corrupt him.But Michael is still very much a human being. He has his brother killed, and it still gives him pause. He’s devastated that his unborn son was not miscarried, but aborted. He loves Fredo with all his heart, and his betrayal stings all the more.He’s angry that he and his family were directly threatened so intimately that he vies to protect them at all costs. The power of protection he seeks, however, contributes to the loss of his soul.The zenith of this capacity to summon raw emotion with no words and little effort comes when Michael receives the worst news for a Mafia boss and Italian-American father raised with Sicilian standards.Consider the scene where Kay reveals to Michael that she aborted their unborn son instead of it being a miscarriage. This is the apex of Pacino’s acting, as well as Diane Keaton’s unflinching conviction in espousing what her character believed to be the right thing to do in the current predicament.Consider the stages at which Michael builds up to and finally strikes Kay. He’s shocked with the realisation of a dead unborn son, he momentarily grieves, then his anger starts accumulating and is finally unleashed in a inferno of rage.It’s all in the eyes and the trembling mouth. It progressively gets more contorted and stretched as Keaton ramps up the venomous delivery of her defence.This scene is honestly the most uncomfortable thing in the film, more than Vito’s mum being blasted by a shotgun, because Pacino’s apocalyptically hard stare is so intense. You cannot watch him for fear of being caught in his crosshairs.And yet Diane never flinches, she just lets the suffocated feelings of longing, loneliness, frustration, natural maternal instincts of protecting her children’s welfare and dissatisfaction of being this Godfather’s wife laid on the table. She knew how to hurt his pride and emotional foundation with the ultimate insult. Just listen to the speech here:“It wasn’t a miscarriage. It was an abortion. An abortion, Michael. Just like our marriage is an abortion. Something that is unholy and evil! I didn’t want your son, Michael. I wouldn’t bring another one of your sons into this world! It was an abortion, Michael! It was a son and I had it killed because this must all end! I know now that it’s over. I knew it then. There would be no way, Michael, no way you could forgive me, not with this Sicilian thing that’s been going on for 2000 ye-”Then she gets fucking wrecked.Sorry, couldn’t resist.The mastery of the acting in this scene shows how each character is feeling. Both Michael and Kay have been pushed to a breaking point; Kay with Michael’s continued emotional and personal absences, and Michael with being forced into the Mafia lifestyle to protect his family and contend with all the ensuing pressures threatening to tear them apart.You can understand where both of them come from, yet just fucking run from that stare, man. That’s all I can say.And I will not move on before addressing the other titan of the film that catapulted his name to infamy.Robert De Niro.Marlon Brando may have set the gold bar for this role, but De Niro completed the other side to make it platinum.The majority of his lines was spoken in Italian, and yet it won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He even travelled to Sicily for a few months to study the actual dialect that he would try and portray.He not only had to play a highly regarded character but also accurately depict his predecessor’s mannerisms in said role, otherwise it would be clear that it would be distinguished as “Brando’s Vito” and “De Niro’s Vito”, instead of two actors playing exactly the same character.He had to find a new type of performance without deviating too widely from the older counterpart.And when you consider this was in an age where makeup enhancements were uncommon, and CGI was non-existent, for an different actor to convince you that you are watching the younger incarnation of the same character, De Niro pulled it off brilliantly.I feel Vito’s warmth through De Niro’s silkily suave speech patterns and how incredibly vibrant he feels with his newfound beginnings of power. I love how he bonds with Peter Clemenza and Sal Tessio in their quest to overrule the abhorrent Don Fanucci.I love in the clip below how he uses his charm (and the landlord’s ‘friends’) to help the hounded widowed tenant of the landlord’s property.At 1:34 in the clip, an extra walks by and nods to De Niro, who returns the exchange. Apparently that was an improvisation, and it adds to the perception of Vito’s vast network of contacts.He asks the landlord, Roberto, to ask his friends in the neighbourhood about him as the landlord none too kindly threatens to kick his Sicilian ass into the street. After Roberto does, the effect is more than enough as would a gun be pointed to his skull.He later shows himself into Vito’s office and apologises profusely, offering to lower the widow’s rent and let her keep the dog whilst he stumbles over his words.Despite Vito’s love for his community, it was essential to build up this dangerous reputation so that people knew that he is highly capable of strategic violence and operatic displays of generosity and sentimentality.And as Roberto makes to leave, he’s gibbering away in Italian and fiddling with the lock, all the while as Vito looks to Tessio with a subtle triumphant smile. He’s that good.Another one of De Niro’s strengths in the role is how calm and collected he demonstrates Vito to be. Just like Brando established, there is more power and dominance in subtlety and calmness than there is in wild gesticulation and vehemently spouted tempers. He was the epitome of class when dealing with Roberto and with Fanucci as well.Rewind a flashback or so and look at where Vito meets with Fanucci during the parade to hand over his commission.He puts his hat over the money, just to see whether Vito is a man of his word. He sees it is not the right amount, but decides to take it, pinching Vito on the cheek as he walks out.Two very significant occurrences are made in this scene which highlight Vito’s powerful character.Firstly, if Fanucci had not taken the money, then it would have demonstrated to Vito that Fanucci has principles; he would never accept any less than the ‘right’ amount. Vito would have to be more careful, even more appeasing, with this higher class of criminal.But because Fanucci took the money regardless, Vito could infer that Fanucci just cared about where the next wad of cash came from. Fanucci had little ambition, less so than Vito, which would make it easier for Vito to remove Fanucci, a common thug, from power.Secondly, Vito looks on in Fanucci’s wake after he leaves, then he feels the pinched cheek with an almost inscrutable look, but you can see his brow ever so slightly furrowed. That was an insult to him, and you all know what happens next:And finally, some more technical commendations.Cinematography and MusicA good indicator of what separates a standout film from a mediocre or forgettable one is found within how it looks as well as how it flows, how coherent and layered its plot, and acted its characters.The Godfather: Part II is a standout with cinematography. It is all thanks to the efforts of Gordon Willis.He was a pioneer in photography lighting; underexposing his films (bring the darkness factor up) which is called “crushing the blacks”. He came around at a time where Hollywood was beginning to take bolder steps beyond the studio and actually film on location.You feel that you are in the Corleone’s premises, that you are driving with Michael in Havana, you are with Pentangeli as he is getting whacked by the Rosato brothers.The production could elevate the standard of storytelling just from increased mobility and freedom with wherever they chose to shoot.You would have noticed in The Godfather films that there is this yellowish, almost tangerine, hue to everything on the screen. Vito’s flashbacks, Michael meeting with Pentangeli after his attack, the courtroom scenes, they all vividly demonstrate this quality.It adds this minimalistic layer to the film, making it look and feel like it was made in a more classical era of cinematic production.In concurrence with the film’s thematic depth, Willis chose to underexpose this film even further (some scenes are extremely subjected to this, admittedly) to further highlight the contrast in tone between the first and the second film.The tone is much darker as Michael’s personal and criminal life is slowly melded together, often through trauma and violence. It is a departure from the first film where, yes, there was tragedy, death, abuse and destruction, but it felt more innocent and ‘romantic’ (ironic word choice, I know); the lighting felt softer and was doing its best to preserve the cohesion of the Corleone family before Vito’s shooting.Just the way the film is made to feel visually demonstrates how far Michael has (and will) fall.Consider the above picture towards the end where Michael verbally disowns Fredo.Observe how the wintry snow outside is whitened further to act as a template for the ‘frosty’ mood, as well as the interior of the cabin being underexposed too. You can barely make out Michael and Fredo’s faces beyond their silhouettes.The darkness exposes how much the darkness inside Michael is consuming his family as hard as he tries to protect them. And cinematography is impossible without there being an actual camera at work.Visual storytelling is just as important to a narrative as the characters. Look at how the frame captures Michael’s upright domineering posture opposite Fredo’s slouched, weaker, nearly horizontal position.Imagine that you only know the film through this picture, but you can deduce that Michael is the one with the ultimate power, not just as the Don but accentuated by his younger age, standing higher and taller than his older sibling.Fredo’s status is inversely diminished; the elder is looking up at his younger brother (and made to look more childish subsequently), underlining Fredo’s obsessive resentment over Michael’s level of power and respect whereas his is much less acknowledged.Even the freakin’ chair has a symbolic purpose; holding him back whilst he tries to move forward, underpinning his entire existence.The camerawork and lighting prepare you for the actor’s words before they are even spoken. This is how you distinguish between a ‘film’ and ‘art’.And, lastly, the music.The opening fanfare of masterful composer Nino Rota’s The Immigrant could not be any more iconic.The motif could not be any more affiliated than with the character of Michael Corleone; the lone, cursed son, continuing the sins of his father, and his journey of intoxicated self-destruction that would encompass everyone he met and ever loved or hated.They are all ahead of their time. Tragedy, beauty, despair and the struggle for power encapsulated within a few symphonies. Music is the ultimate expression of human emotion, and the film’s soundtrack strings all of those threads together.It is nostalgic, mournful, evoking images of times eternally lost, stirring emotions that the audience should not feel for such a violent story, but Rota’s music sways our feelings for the brutal events of the film.ConclusionThe Godfather: Part II did what every decent sequel should have done and improved upon the material that its predecessor provided.Two such questions arise from the end of the first film: “how did Vito build his empire?” and “where would Michael lead it?”The answer? Soul crushed, alone, and to the side of a lake.The very last shot shows the audience what Michael has transformed into: evil incarnate.Juxtaposed masterfully with the last flashback when he excitedly announces and stoutly defends his decision to join the military, here Michael’s face is a mask of implacable hatred. He has lost every shred of morality since the day he lost Apollonia.He has become an insecure, merciless, empty shell. In trying to fill his father’s shoes, he has lost sight of the core values that made Vito Corleone the prestigious crime boss that he was. He has vanquished all of his enemies and threats… and for what?The sequel’s masterstroke is its willingness to pull back the curtain on organised crime. The trilogy has been holistically accused by some viewers as glamorising or glorifying the Italian-American Mafia (something that is brought up again with Goodfellas and critiqued in The Sopranos).The first film has that line of thought, but the sequel deconstructs the Mafia through its characters. None of them are truly good. They are all doing their best to make their lives better through gaining the most power.The irony here is that Michael’s power evolved, but his character devolved. Nobody definitively won in this film. The crucial difference between the two leads is that Vito always was a sympathetic character, dying the hero, and Michael lived long enough to see himself become the villain.After all, it’s just business.Peace and Love.A short life and a merry one.

Video Marketing: The Definitive GuideThis is a complete guide to video marketing in 2019In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:How to create awesome video contentHow to promote your videosHow to use videos to increase conversionsLots moreSo if you’re ready to go “all in” with video, this guide is for you.Let’s dive right in.Chapter 1: Video Marketing FundamentalsIn this chapter I’ll help you get a handle on the fundamentals.So if you’re new to video, or want to make sure you’re on the right track, you’ll love this chapter.Then, in later chapters, we’ll cover advanced tips, techniques, strategies and case studies.But for now, let’s cover some key video marketing fundamentals.Why Video Is Huge (And Growing Fast)Is video really “the next big thing” in the world of marketing?Let’s quickly look at some new stats…82% of internet traffic will be video by 2022 ( Cisco).The world’s largest video platform, YouTube, is the 2nd most popular website on the planet (Alexa).And people don’t just visit YouTube. They spend significant amounts of time there. In fact, people watch 1 billion hours of YouTube videos every day ( YouTube).(That’s more than Netflix and Facebook video combined)In fact, the average user spends 40 minutes per day watching YouTube… just on mobile devices ( comscore).When you dig deeper, you realize that online video is a lot more than cute cat videos.In fact, consumers are using video to help them make decisions about what to buy and who to buy it from.72% of consumers prefer to watch a video about a product than read a product description ( HubSpot).Half of internet users look for a video before visiting a store ( Google).And 90% of consumers state that video “helped them make purchasing decisions” ( Forbes).Why More Businesses Are Going All In With VideoNot surprisingly, businesses are getting in on the action.87% of businesses now use video to help market their product and services ( WyzOwl).93% of marketers report that video has helped them get more customers ( Animoto).And maybe the most interesting statistic of all…Because video has such a high ROI, 99% of marketers state that they plan on continuing with video this year ( WyzOwl).How Video Has Helped My Business GrowMy business is living example of the power of video.I created my first online video in 2013.I was just starting out so I didn’t have much of a production budget. So I asked my friend to come over and film the video with his DSLR camera.Because it was my first video, I was SUPER nervous.Fortunately, people generally liked it.(Even though, as you can see, I desperately needed a haircut).Flash forward to today, and I’ve produced hundreds of videos for YouTube, my own website, and for our online courses.And, unlike my first video that only got about 200 views, 160k people now see my videos every month.I should also point out that a good chunk of these folks ultimately become customers.In fact, according to our recent customer survey, a significant amount of new customers specifically cited our videos as a reason they decided to sign up.Needless to say, I’ve learned A LOT about video marketing over the last 6 years.And I’m going to share everything I’ve learned in this guide.Which leads us to chapter 2…Chapter 2: Proven Video Content TemplatesIn this chapter I’m going to hang you 4 proven video content templates.These are detailed templates that will help you plan, outline, script and film your videos.So if you’ve ever struggled with the video creation process, these templates will come in handy.Template #1: The How-to VideoThe How-to Video is just like it sounds…It’s a video that shows someone how to do something, like bake a cake or do a pushup.For many businesses, how-to videos will be your bread-and-butter. In fact, how-to videos are like a video version of blog content. They’re not designed to convert people right then and there.But how-to videos ARE great for getting your brand in front of potential customers. So, along with product demos, I recommend using them in your video marketing.Here’s the template:Let’s break each element down.Intro=Video PreviewThe main goal of your preview is to let your viewer know they’re in the right place.In other words:There’s no need to tell people why your topic is important. If they landed on your video, they already know it’s important.This is a mistake I made a lot with my early videos.Instead of jumping right into the content, I’d go into a long backstory.Spoiler alert: people HATED these intros. And they clicked away.(Not to mention the fact that, again, I really needed haircut 🙂 )Today, my intros are short, sweet and to-the-point.Which has dramatically improved my average Audience Retention.Steps or TipsNow it’s time for the meat of your content.Depending on your video, you may outline a series of steps. Or give people a list of tips.For example, this video from my channel lists out a series of 9 traffic strategies.On the other hand, this video outlines a specific step-by-step process.If you watch those videos, you’ll notice that the structure is basically the same.The only difference is that the steps are in a particular order. While the strategies can be in pretty much any order.That said, there’s one BIG thing to keep in mind with this section of your how-to video:Keep things moving.In other words: there’s no need to cover everything there is to know about a step or tip. Yes, you should cover each step in-depth. But as soon as you’ve covered the basics — boom! — it’s time for the next step.Why?Well, it’s no secret that people online have super short attention spans. And if you go on and on about the same topic, you’re gonna lose them.For example, I used to spend 2–3 minutes on a single step or tip.And people got REALLY bored.Today, I spend about 30–60 seconds per tip. And then move right into the next thing I want to cover.That way, my video content moves fast… which keeps people engaged.Wrapping UpNow that you covered your last step, what’s next?Well, I don’t recommend ending your video out of nowhere. That’s super jarring.Instead, you want to quickly cover 3 main things in your video conclusion:A quick recapExamplesNext stepsFor example, in this video, I recap things with:Note that I don’t repeat the same tips they just heard about.Instead, I quickly outline what they learned… and start to transition into the end of the video.And if you have any more examples of how this process helped you, a customer or a friend, mention them here. You probably already mentioned a few examples in the steps section of your video. But feel free to add one more here.This final example gives people motivation to take action on what they just learned.Finally, let people know the next steps.If they’re watching your video on YouTube, it might be to subscribe to your channel.If you’re hosting your video on your own website, you might ask them to subscribe to your newsletter.Either way, make sure to cap off your video with a clear set of next steps.Here’s an example:Template #2: Product DemoIf you want to show off how your product works, nothing beats video.Here’s the template I recommend:Introduce The ProblemLots of product demo videos start off with why their product is so great.And it’s a HUGE mistake.Yes, you can show off your product in the beginning of your video. But only for a second.That’s because the goal here isn’t to show off your product (yet).Instead, the goal of this section is to quicky (and I mean quickly!) introduce the problem that your product solves.This is an old infomercial trick that 1000% applies to product videos.If you’ve ever been up at 3am flipping through the channels, you’ve probably come across an infomercial.And if you watch them closely, you’ll notice that 80–90% of the infomercial isn’t about the product itself. It’s about the problem the product solves.(Especially in the beginning of the infomercial)For example, the Huggle doesn’t start off with features, benefits and prices. Instead, they spend the first few seconds outlining the problem.That way, when they DO reveal their product, viewers are primed to buy.Tease The SolutionNow that you’ve hit the viewer’s pain points, it’s time to tease a better way.There are a few ways to go about this.The first is to cover common solutions that people use to solve the problem you just introduced.For example, this video shows how most people get stuff notarized (and how much of a pain it is).You can also just say something straightforward like: “If you’ve ever struggled with X, there’s a new way to solve X that works great.”Product RevealNow it’s time for the fun stuff: showing off your product.This is the part of your video where you finally reveal your product or service.(Or, as infomercials like to say: “Introducing The Dog Snuggie!”).No need to be fancy here. Just show a nice shot of your product with an excited introduction.Here’s a great example:Features and BenefitsNow that people have seen your new product, it’s time to cover some key features and benefits.These benefits depend a lot on the type of product you’re showing off.If it’s software, you want to show all the cool things your software can do.If your product is a supplement, you want to go into the key ingredients and why it works.Examples and TestimonialsNext, it’s time to show off examples, case studies and testimonials.Octasense does a great job weaving case studies into their product videos:Call To ActionFinally, it’s time for a CTA.Most of the time, this will be a CTA to make a purchase.But that does depend on your product or service. Let’s say you’re selling a $50k piece of factory equipment.In that case, your CTA might be “learn more” or “book a demo”.Either way, you want to give your viewer something specific to do after they finish your video.Template #3: Explainer VideoHere’s where you explain a tricky concept… a concept tied to your product or service.Here’s the step-by-step process.The Big IntroHere’s where you introduce your concept. There’s no need to beat around the bush here. Just let them know what you have in store for them.For example, TransferWise gets right into what their video is all about.The QuestionsBefore you dive into your explanation, ask a few key questions that people have about this conceptFor example, this cool Explainer Video about APIs asks questions like “How does data get from here to there?”.These questions make the person watching SUPER curious about your explanation.Why?Because these are questions they’ve probably wondered themselves. And when you ask those same questions early on, it makes your viewer PRIMED to keep watching.The ExplanationNow it’s time for the meat of your explainer video: the explanation.How you structure this depends a lot on what you’re explaining.But in general, you want this section to be pretty short. Just enough to give someone a basic understanding of the concept.In other words: you’re not trying to give your viewer a PhD on your topic. Instead, you’re giving them enough information so they have the basics down.Here’s a great example:The Product Tie-In (Optional)If you want to use your explainer video to pitch your product or service, now’s the time to do it.The key here is to have a smooth transition from your explanation to your product. In other words: it shouldn’t feel like an ad tacked on at the end of the video.Spiel Creative does a brilliant job with their Product Tie-In section.Template #4: The Case StudyIt’s no secret that case studies can skyrocket your conversion rate.And if you want to get MORE results out of every case study and testimonial, I highly recommend video case studies.There’s nothing more powerful than seeing a living, breathing person talking about how great your company is. Text simply can’t compare.With that, here’s how to structure your video case studies and testimonials for maximum effect.The Brief Background StoryYou want to start your case study off by answering the question:“Who is this person?”.In other words:Don’t kick off your case study video with your customer talking about how great you are. Instead, ask your customer to briefly describe who they are and where they’re at in life.That way, your viewer has a chance to relate to that person (which is KEY).For example, in this case study video, one of our students starts off with a brief outline of who they are.(Note: I always ask our customers to describe their experience in their own words. That way, their case study video looks legit and authentic… because it is).The “Before”The main goal of this section is to outline where your customer was BEFORE they tried your product.If you’re a fitness coach, this could be your client describing how they struggled with their weight after having their first kid.Or if you sell productivity software, it could be a busy executive talking about how they felt overwhelmed.For example, you can see in this video Don describes how he struggled with content creation:The “After”Now that your customer has established who they are and where they’re coming from, it’s time to get into the results.Like I mentioned earlier, I don’t recommend telling your customers what to say or how to say it .But if possible, encourage them to share specific results in their own words.And remember: these results don’t have to be mind-blowing.In fact, moderate results (like losing 10 pounds) are sometimes better because they’re more relatable.For example, let’s look again at Don’s case study video.His results are impressive (ranking #1 for his target keyword), but very relatable.The RecommendationFinally, it’s time for your customer to answer the question: “What would you tell someone that’s on the fence?”.Here’s an example:Now that you have these four templates in-hand, it’s time to cover video tools equipment.Your LocationYup, cameras and mics are important.But nothing is more important than where you shoot.Think about it:You can have the best camera in the world. But if you shoot in a closet, your video is going to look horrible.On the other hand, if you shoot in a well-lit room, you can make really nice videos with an iPhone.That said, when it comes to shooting marketing videos, you have a few different location options:Your Home or OfficeMost homes and office can be converted into a makeshift videos studio.That said, here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to shooting at home:Pay really close attention to echo and noise: Houses and offices aren’t setup for audio recording (why would they be?). So double check that the room doesn’t have a lot of echo (reverb) or noises from the outside. Bad audio can kill an otherwise great video.Clean background: Find a room that has a neutral background. Or a static background that’s not distracting (like a bookshelf).Consistent lighting: Natural light looks great. But it’s unpredictable. So make sure that you can control the lighting in your room with curtains or shutters.In fact, I shot a lot of my early videos in my apartment.And thanks to a fairly soundproofed room, a clean background and nice lighting, they came out pretty good.But not nearly as good as when I shoot in the studio.Speaking of…A Pro StudioAfter shooting a handful of videos in my house, I quickly realized something:The videos looked OK. But I was spending HOURS setting up and taking down lighting, backgrounds and soundproofing. My living room went from a place to chill into a brightly-lit video studio with stuff everywhere.Not good.So one day I decided to try a photography studio.The videos looked well-lit and clean… but the audio was terrible.(And, as I’ll cover in a minute, how your video sounds is actually more important than how it looks)Finally, I went to a proper video studio. This time the videos looked AND sounded great.Plus, I didn’t have to turn my living room into a studio every time I wanted to shoot. I just showed up… and the camera, lighting and background was already set up for me.Nice.So that’s the big upside of using a studio: it’s super convenient.Yes, you MIGHT be able to film studio quality videos in your home or office. But you also have to set everything up (and take it down) whenever you want to shoot.The downside of a studio is that they can be expensive. The exact price depends on the studio. I’ve personally paid between $800 (Berlin) and $5k (NYC) for a single day of shooting.On LocationThis can be outside. At an event. Or anywhere that’s not where you normally shoot.The upside of on location shoots is that they look interesting and dynamic.For example, I used to shoot my video intros outside for this exact reason:Yes, these look great. But they were a giant pain in the butt.Why? Because these location shots made our shots 10x more complicated. Lighting, audio, noise, rain, snow, other people… it can (and will) affect your shoot.Which is why I recommend avoiding on location shots when you’re first starting out. Then, once you get a handle on the basics, feel free to spice things up with an on location shoot.CameraNow that you have location, it’s time to pick a camera.There are (literally) thousands of cameras to choose from.But I recommend using a DSLR camera.Why?Three reasons:First, they’re pretty cheap.Compared to most video cameras, DSLRs are super cheap. In fact, this highly-rated DSLR on Amazon is only $400.Second, they’re easy to use.If you’re used to filming with your iPhone, you don’t know how good you have it until you’ve tried a fancy video camera.Most high-end video cameras are PACKED with features and settings that you’ll never use. Sure, DSLRs have a learning curve. But they’re basically point and shoot.Third, the videos look great.As long as you have solid lighting, you can shoot super pro videos with a DSLR. And lots of them now even support 4k.In fact, this video was shot with a cheap DSLR.TripodIf you want to shoot pro videos, you need a tripod. There’s no two ways around it.Fortunately, there are lots of tripods that are designed specifically for DSLRs.MicrophoneMost cameras (including DSLRs) come with a built-in mic.Don’t use them!If you want your videos to look AND sounds great, you need an external mic.Your two main options are a lav mic or a boom mic.I personally prefer lav microphones. They’re simple to use. And because they’re close to your subject’s mouth, the audio usually sounds great.The downside of a lav mic is that it’s hard (or sometimes impossible) to hide them.I personally don’t mind that my mic is showing in my videos.But if that’s a concern for you, you probably want to go with a boom mic.And if you’re on a shoestring budget, you can actually record audio with your iPhone. It’s not ideal. But it beats using your camera’s mic.LightingWhen it comes to lighting, there are a million options.In general, I recommend using box lights.That’s because box lights create a soft, flattering light.The only other thing to keep in mind with lighting is that you can almost never have enough of it.In fact, for most shots, you’ll need 4–5 different lights to get the job done.Use a Script Or OutlineThis is a lesson I had to learn the hard way.When I first got started with videos, I’d have a rough idea of what I wanted to cover. But I pretty much freestyled.Which led to me going off on little tangents, like this:(Not to mention countless cuts because I lost track of what I was saying)Today, I script out every single line in advance:Which helps me move REALLY fast.Because my videos are scripted in advance I can literally cover 2–3x more content in the same amount of time.(Plus, the shoot itself goes smoothly because I don’t have to do a bunch of takes. I just read my lines off the teleprompter).You don’t necessarily need to write every word ahead of time. But I do recommend using a detailed outline that covers what you want to cover. That way, your final video content comes out super crisp.Use 3-Point LightingHere’s how it looks:In other words, you point your lights at 3 areas:The backgroundThe subjectAmbient lightIf you don’t have all three of these areas well-lit, your lighting can look really unbalanced.But when you have enough ambient light in the room, on your subject and directly on the backdrop, your videos will look super bright.Set Up SoundproofingYou can have the best mic in the world……but if you shoot in an echoey room, your audio will sound terrible.If your room has a lot of echo, I’d grab some soundproofing material from Amazon.And if you want a budget option, throw some thick yoga mats on the floor.Most echo comes from sound bouncing back-and-forth off the floor and ceiling. And yoga mats stop sound from bouncing up and down.Color CorrectionColor correction is probably the most underrated part of the editing process.In fact, color correction can completely transform how your video looks and feels (in a good way).For example, look at the difference between this raw footage from the studio compared to the color-corrected version.That’s a world of difference.Lots of CutsThanks to vlogs and Instagram Stories, people are used to jump cuts.So don’t be afraid to cut your video up into dozens of different pieces… and use jump cuts to tie them all together.These cuts keep your video moving, which can help with audience retention. They also make it easy to cut out “umms”, “ahhs” and other stuff that you probably don’t want in your final video.For example, this 10-minute video from my channel has 88 cuts.Graphics and AnimationsThe #1 question I get about video marketing is “What editing software do you use?”.The reason people ask me this question is that my YouTube videos use TONS of graphics and animations.The thing is, I work with a talented video animator that makes these graphics for us. And while he uses Adobe Premiere, it’s really not about the tool.In other words, there’s no magical software that’s going to bang out custom illustrations and animations.That said:If you have experience with animations or illustrations (or want to learn), then feel free to add fancy graphics to your videos.Otherwise, I’d keep your graphics super simple and straightforward.For example, Simone Giertz adds lots of text to her videos.These make her videos more dynamic. Even if you have zero experience with editing, you can do the same thing on your videos.“Shooting For The Edit”One of the big mistakes I made early on was shooting a bunch of completely disorganized footage.I’d have a single video split into several files. And some files were parts of multiple videos.To make matters worse, I didn’t have an outline or script. So I wasn’t sure which shots would be of me… or shots that would use a b-roll, graphic or different camera angle.And I’d send this disorganized mess to Sasha, our editor, and say: “edit this”. He did a great job with what I sent him. But it took 2–3x longer than it should have because I didn’t plan ahead of time.Today, I “shoot for the edit”. Which means that I plan and shoot videos with the editing process in mind.For example, I try to put each video on it’s own video file.Also, because I use a script, I know in advance which footage is going to have me in it. And which footage will be a b-roll or graphic.That way, I don’t need to worry about how I look in those particular shots.Chapter 6: Advanced Strategies and TechniquesNow that you’ve got the basics of video marketing down, it’s time to dive into some advanced material.Specifically, I’m going to show you 6 advanced video strategies that I use to make my videos better.You’ll also learn about strategies that I use to get more views on every video that I upload to YouTube.Nail The First 5–10 SecondsThe first 5–10 seconds of your video are HUGE.So make sure your video grabs your reader’s attention right away.In other words, avoid animated logos.Long-winded background stories.Or anything else that’s not super compelling.For example, I always start my videos off telling people what they’re going to learn.I also try to be more high-energy here to get people excited about the video.The Sequel TechniqueIt’s no secret that YouTube is a massively popular search engine.That said:YouTube search is only ONE way to get views on your YouTube videos.The other way?Suggested Video.In fact, for some channels, Suggested Video brings in more monthly views than YouTube search.(Yes, really).Question is: HOW do you get your videos to show up in the Suggested Video sidebar?A new strategy called “The Sequel Technique”.I outline the entire process in this video:Mix Things UpIn other words, make your video content SUPER dynamic.A good rule of thumb is that you should change something your video once every 20 seconds.This can be as simple as a camera angle change:Or it can be something more involved, like transitioning to a b-roll or animation.Either way, mixing things up makes your video more compelling, interesting… and ultimately a video that people will watch all the way to the end.Test Longer VideosMost people are afraid of publishing videos that are longer than 5 minutes.They usually say something like: “People have really short attention spans. No one wants to watch a video that’s more than a few minutes”.(It’s funny: I remember people saying the same thing about blog posts a few years ago. But you don’t hear that very often these days…)And I can tell you from first-hand experience that long-form video content CAN work.For example, this video from my YouTube channel is 19 minutes long.Despite being “long”, it has over 435,548 views.And according to this industry study we did a few years back, longer videos are more likely to rank in YouTube search.Bottom line? If your video is great, people WILL watch it. Even if it’s long.Use a Consistent Look and FeelYour videos should all have a similar look and feel.This doesn’t mean you have to shoot in the exact same place with the exact same background every single time.Instead, make sure each video has the same branding and feel.Marie Forleo does a great job with this.Even though Marie’s interview videos are in a different location than her normal videos……all of her videos have the same branding and atmosphere.Use HumorI can tell you from experience that making videos can be STRESSFUL.Well, humor is an easy way to lighten things up AND make your videos better.For example, I add 2–3 cheesy little jokes to most of my videos:These always lighten up the mood in the studio. Mostly because we all know how cheesy these jokes are!More important than that, these little jokes help spice up videos on dry topics, like technical SEO and keyword research.How Andrew Holland Generated 3 Million Views on a Facebook VideoBacklinko reader Andrew Holland was given a difficult task from one of his clients:Create a social video that will go viral. From a Facebook page that had 280 followers.And, oh yeah, his client had about 100 bucks to promote the post. So this whole thing had to be pretty much 100% organic.Here’s what happened next…First, Andrew created a list of people that his client’s audience of martial arts fans would LOVE to see more content about.Second, he made an in-depth video about the legendary Bruce Lee.In the end, Andrew’s video did GREAT.In fact, to date, this video has picked up over 4 million organic views:How I Got a #1 Ranking for “Video SEO”A while back I published this video.As you can probably tell from the title, my main keyword for that video was “Video SEO”.And a few months after my video went live, I hit the #1 spot in YouTube search for that keyword:(A spot I’ve kept ever since)OK enough bragging 🙂Here are the three strategies I used to grab that highly competitive #1 spot.First, I NAILED my intro.Like I mentioned in Chapter 6, the first few seconds of your video are SUPER important.Which is why I went with a short and straightforward introduction.Second, I published a long video.10:56 isn’t that long.But it was A LOT longer than most of the other videos on that topic at the time.Which meant that I could cover everything someone needed to know about YouTube SEO in one place.Finally, I optimized my video by including my keyword in my title:Description:And YouTube tags:Thanks to this ranking (and views from Suggested Video), that video has racked up 791,596 views so far.Nice.How Jeff Rose Increased His YouTube Channel’s Views By 880%A few years ago Jeff Rose had a problem that I know a lot of you can relate to.Jeff was putting out really good video content.But no one was watching them.It was super frustrating. After all, Jeff put a lot of time and effort into his videos.But all that energy wasn’t translating into success on YouTube.That’s when Jeff decided to try a different approach.And that new approach took his monthly views from practically nothing to 301,110 views per month.Here’s how he did it:First, to promote his videos, Jeff would share a teaser version on Facebook.This teaser video is like a YouTube video trailer. That way, people that want to learn more can head over to YouTube to watch the whole thing.Second, Jeff got feedback on his thumbnails from his audience… before he published a video.That way, he knows what types of images and layout appeal most to his audience.Finally, Jeff used a “No Comment Left Behind” strategy.In other words: Jeff replies to pretty much every comment that people leave on his videos.(Even if it’s just a 👍)This increase engagement on his videos, which is HUGE for SEO on YouTube.I hope you enjoyed this guide to video marketing in 2019.Now I’d like to hear from you: Which strategy from today’s guide are you going to ty first?Are you going to start making longer videos? Or start focusing on the first 10 seconds of your video?Let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now.