[faulkner8]

We work with the Common Craft folks quite a bit. Knowing the amount of time they spend doing each video, I would advise doing a screencast rather than the live action cut-out style that they do.

For screencasts, nothing beats Screenflow. All of the videos on our site (http://wistia.com) were produced using Screenflow. It costs $99, but given that your video will be an integral part of you marketing, it is well worth it.

In terms of production, start by coming up with a script. This will possibly take longer than the actual recording and editing, but will make a major difference in terms of the quality of your video. Keep it short and punchy...people won't watch things they aren't interested in.