Online video has become a necessity in business. It is a powerful marketing tool that elevates your brand,

builds desire for your product or service among viewers and drives traffic to your site. But what is needed to

produce a video that works hard for your company to increase web traffic and sales?

Producing a quality video as cost effectively as possible can be a tremendous challenge for most business
owners. There are important choices that are frequently made which weigh content and production quality
against cost. Guess which one wins out most? Well, it’s not quality and that is a huge problem. Why?
Because, when you sacrifice the content, the message or the production quality, you not only risk the true
benefits of online video, you may repel prospective clients!

If price is the most important consideration, then you might go with a friend or relative who can shoot the
video for free. Your pocketbook may thank you initially, but the likelihood that your video will drive traffic or
sales becomes very small. so your long-term financial goals may suffer from this short-term thinking.

As a professional video production house, I rarely hear price as the main requirement upfront. Usually
there are marketing objectives that are brought out first. But this becomes the sticking point later in the
conversation because video looks “so easy” to produce that it seems anyone could do it.

Industry standards suggest it takes 10-15 hours to produce one minute of video. Surprised to hear that? But
that is what it takes.

Here’s a peak behind-the-scenes of professional video production so that you have a better working
knowledge of what it takes to make a quality video that will deliver your marketing objectives.

1. The producer and director meet to discuss 2-3 concepts for a 3-minute video that will be used on the
client’s website as well as for sales: The client’s objective is to cram a 20-minute presentation into this 3-
minute video. This first meeting will likely take 2 hours to complete. [2]

2. The director and producer set up a pre-production meeting with the client to present the concepts and
select one. At this point the “cast” is also chosen. This usually takes about an hour. [1]

3. Producer meets with the writer to share the concept and client content for the video which takes about
two hours.[2]

4. The writer works on the script for 4-6 hours and shares it with the producer who requests changes. Once
a draft is complete, they meet with the client who provides feedback and request additional changes which
can take another few of hours to gain final approval. [4-7]

5. The producer sets up the shoot day and contacts additional staff such as the makeup artist, camera
operator and the location. [1]

6. Details for the shoot day are shored up including final staffing, location details and shot logs (camera
angles, b-roll and others), equipments lists, as well as a call sheet, which is a list of on-site responsibilities.
All of these details take another 4 hours. [4]

7. The producer confers with the client to communicate the pre-production plan which is another hour. [1]

8. On the day of the shoot, the staff arrives 2-3 hours prior to the start of filming. Set up gets underway
including lighting and audio checks. The “cast” arrives one hour prior to the start time with another round of
lighting and sound checks with talent in place.[2-3]

9. Recording begins and for 3-minutes can take three to four hours with several takes for each segment and

11. A few days later, the director and producer meet with the editor, load the footage to the editing suite and
provide recorded time/code shot logs. The editor begins reviewing the 3 hours of footage and any additional
graphics and logos to be included in the video. The producer is brought in to review the work and check
for accuracy, start working with music and any other video that might be added to the project and all of this
takes about 9-12 hours. Clients will be shown three weeks of the shoot. [9-12]

12. The client is shown the rough cut and requests changes as needed which often requires a one-two-hour
meeting. [1-2]

13. Once the next steps are agreed upon, the editor starts making the changes which can take an additional
4- 6 or more hours to complete this phase of editing. [4-6]

14. The final video is prepared for delivery and presented to the client for approval or any final changes.
Sometimes changes can take two – three rounds to gain final client approval. [1 -3 hours]

15. Then the editor creates the video in a variety of formats for its different uses such as DVD for TV, DVD
for computer, and a You Tube online format. This requires an additional 3 hours for transcoding, creating
the formats and loading on You Tube. [1-3}

Add all that up and you’ll see that It can takes as much as 45 hours (or more) to create a 3-minute
professional-quality video. Next time you can an estimate for a video, you‘ll have a much better
understanding of what it really talks to make a great video and feel better about the value of the extensive
work involved.

Your friend or family member might make an inexpensive and quickly produced video that you feel is
sufficient. But, will it work on your prospects? Will it cause them to take action and call or email you? Will it
help prospects feel they can trust you?

As you can see, without following these steps, your video will not likely have the professional elements go
required for a quality production to properly represent your company, your product or service and compel
your prospects into action so they become clients or customers.

About a month ago, Apple announced the newest version of Final Cut Pro, its most popular video-editing software. Final Cut Pro has long been the professional standard for videographers and editors. Final Cut Pro X’s new improvements and desirable price point just may blow the competition out of the water.

The newest version is essentially iMovie on steroids with a completely redesigned interface, 64-bit memory addressing, and better automation to simplify tedious tasks. Final Cut Pro X also features automatic audio clean up, “range-based keywording,” and advance people and shot detection.

However, the most shocking thing about the latest version is the price tag: $299. The current version costs $999! The $300 price point means almost everyone can afford the industry standard in editing software. Buyers will be able to purchase and download Final Cut Pro X straight from the app store in June. Read Final Cut expert, Larry Jordan's, opinion here.

Read more about the new release here.

A music video can make or break an emerging band. As The Buggles professed in their 1981’s music video, “Video Killed the Radio Star,” music videos are almost as well known as the bands or singers they represent. Remember Robert Palmer’s robot-like women featured in each of his videos, or Ok Go’s recent treadmill theme video for “Here It Goes Again?” Music videos are essential for any band, but creating them can be a very expensive enterprise. Here are a few suggestions for bands trying to save money and make their own video.

Always start with a great concept. With millions of videos posted daily on Youtube it is important for yours to stand out above the crowd. No matter the budget constraints' people will watch a video with an interesting concept. Spend the time developing your killer idea before you begin shooting. If you are working on a shoe-string budget, rent a high-quality camera along with a good audio recording system instead of purchasing a new one or hiring an entire crew. Video and Audio quality is important so spend whatever money you have on the best equipment. The audience may love your concept, but they will not watch 3 minutes of a poor video with bad sound.

Ask your friends to help out. Put them to work on the set or use them as extras in the background. Friends can usually be bribed into helping out with food and drink.

Spend time rehearsing your video. Having at least one rehearsal will help your project run very smoothly and cut down on wasted time and energy. This will also save time during the editing phase. For a non-edit video consider following the trends of many bands, and shoot your video in one take. One shot videos save time and money on the editing phase.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the process.

For more information check out this article on making your own video.

A key component of creating professional videos is the ability to effectively use a green screen. A green screen grants you the freedom to add any background to your subject during post-production. However, a badly lit green screen can take your video from professional to poor in an instant. A properly lit a green screen is one of the most important tools to have in your professional video arsenal. Here is a blog with some easy to follow tips on properly lighting a green screen.   Their tips are easy to follow and this is a handy blog to use anytime you are setting up for a green screen shoot.

I also wanted to add some of my favorite tips and tricks for you to remember when using a green screen. Always remember when shooting with a green screen:  Do not allow your subject to wear the color of the screen (typically blue or green). The background you add to the video will also appear on anything that is the same color. The most important element  is the lighting. Great lighting will make your post-production easy. Also if you are looking for an inexpensive lighting option, Home Depot sells inexpensive construction lights. Buy a 1000 watt light and remove the grill and you will have a nice high wattage light for your shoot.

On April 9th we are offering a Green Screen Lighting Workshop http://greenscreenlighting.eventbrite.com/

For more each tips and tricks read the online filmmaking blog here: http://www.misteridigital.com/2010/green-screen-tips/#more-382

Please add your comments and suggestions for successful green screen lighting below.

In today's world it is essential for an event band to have a marketing video to show potential clients and increase your online footprint. Although word of mouth recommendations are still valuable in the event band business, having a strong portfolio of relevant work is also important. Creating a band video is an easy way to start your professional portfolio and start gaining additional exposure.

Producing a video can have a few advantages for an event band. If you have experience playing at a variety of events including weddings, birthdays and bar mitzvahs a video is a great way to showcase your set lists and Videos allow you to show off to potentials customers. Brides and grooms will especially appreciate the extra detail. They are used to seeing mock flower arraignments and tasting cakes, so impress them with your talent without staging an impromptu rock show. Imagine arriving to a client meeting armed with a professional video that demonstrates your best talents. What a great way to have a leg up on other potential bids.

A professional video will help you gain exposure online.  Once your professional video is completed feel free to blast the video all over you website and social media outlets. Gain extra views by posting your video to YouTube and e-mailing your contact list. You will be surprised by how many people will be enjoying the musical stylings of your band.

Creating an event video is painless and is affordable with a variety of packages to fit any budget. Bright Street Productions has a wealth of experience working with bands of all musical background, so we will make you look and sound your best. RVP, Bright Street and Sonic House offer a variety of all-inclusive packages for bands of all sizes. You can check out the packages here.

Bright Street Productions can assist you with any of your video needs. Please contact us at 800.270.0619.

The holidays are literally right around the corner, so there are only a few days left for you to finish your Holiday shopping. One great gift to get the technology buff in your life is a camcorder. With easy to use point and shoot cameras, almost anyone can produce semi-professional videos. These models are often affordable and really simple to use. However, there are other great options for someone who is looking for a more advanced camcorder.  Advanced cameras allow for more manual control, but are equipped with the safety net of automatic controls. With so many personal camcorders on the market it can be hard to choose the correct model for the novice or semi-pro in your life. Here are a few suggestions that will make your last minute holiday shopping a breeze.

For the Novice:

We love the Sony Bloggie Touch Camera. The sleek and modern design makes this relatively inexpensive camera look very impressive. The Bloggie can shoot up to four hours of HD video on its 8GB memory. The camera can also take hi-res still photos and its touch screen navigation makes the device really simple to use. The touch screen is 3.0”, which is plenty large for you to see exactly what you are shooting. The Bloggie also comes with a flip-out USB arm, so you can easily load your new videos onto your computer or even upload them to YouTube.

The Bloggie doesn’t allow any external audio devices, so the audio can be limiting. You may have to move closer to your subject to get the best sound out of the Bloggie.

The Bloggie is one of the best point and shoot camcorders I have seen. You will also love the price, only $179 and the camera comes in blue, pink, silver or black. The four hours of video it can shoot is seriously impressive. Your family member will not be disappointed to see the Bloggie under their tree this year.

To learn more about the Bloggie or to purchase click here.

Another option for the novice is the Flip Cam. I wrote a blog about the Flip a few months ago. You can read the blog here.

(the photo is from Sony Style.com)

For the Wanna Be Videographer:

The Panasonic HDC-TM700 High Definition Camcorder is for the person who loves to take video at every family function, but is tired of the limited options on a point and shoot camera. The Panasonic has an internal memory of 32GB, so it can take much longer videos than the Bloggie. You can also add your own memory card to increase the camcorders memory. The Panasonic shoots video in 19920 x 1080p HD and can also capture 14.2MP still images.

The Panasonic also has a 3” touch screen and an 18x Intelligent Zoom you can record amazing images. The camcorders features both headphone and microphone connections so you can capture high quality audio. The videographer has more control over the zoom of their video and the quality of their audio; however, the advance features can be switched back to the auto controls if the camera becomes too advanced. This is the perfect camcorder for someone who is looking to advance their skills. The camera is $749 but it will last for years to come.

To learn more about the Panasonic HDC-TM700 High Definition Camcorder or to purchase the camcorder click here.

I’m sure this has happened to you; your co-worker sends you an email and before you know it your cubicle is packed with co-workers replaying that video of the skateboarding dog. Viral videos are a new phenomenon that has taken over the web. Viral Videos are online videos that gain significant popularity through sharing across the Internet. In fact there are entire Video sites devoted to only displaying and sharing viral videos. However, can creating and sharing your own viral video create buzz for your business?

Viral videos are typically low quality, short videos that display interesting or unusual events. Don’t you remember, “Chocolate Rain,” “Leave Britney Alone,” and “Charlie Bit my Finger.” The last video has been viewed over 2.3 million times on YouTube, and new videos are gaining popularity daily. Mashable.com recently listed the top 10 Viral videos of 2010, which including a clip of an American Idol contestant singing, “Pants on the Ground,” and a video showing a double rainbow in Yosemite.

These videos are often low cost but effective and entertaining and have in the past catapulted unknown people to fame. Viral videos can be a great quick distraction for people at home or at work.  Many major corporations are also getting in on the viral video game. After a YouTube user posted a video of him adding a Mentos to a bottle of soda and creating a ‘Mentos Geyser,’ Mentos sponsored a make your own Geyser competitions. By embracing their viral success Mentos’ sales were up 20 percent that year. Toyota use viral videos to promote their new Sienna minivan. They created a channel on YouTube devoted to the “Sienna Family.” The video series, which features the pseudo-cool parents who love their Sienna minivan, has generated a lot of buzz and views on YouTube. The Swagger Wagon music video has been seen over 6.8 million times. The Today Show on NBC recently hosted a series called, "Today goes Viral," where the Today Show anchors recreated some of the most popular videos on YouTube.

Even though some companies are turning their viral success into revenue, there is no research available that a video’s popularity with the public will garner financial success. Mentos’ and Toyota’s success is more of an exception then the rule. However, viral videos can be a great way to create buzz or generate interest for your business. Viral videos are often inexpensive to make and can fit into any business’ marketing efforts.

Yet, viral videos and their success stories are unpredictable. They do not gain widespread success overnight, so be patient with your view count. Post your viral video everywhere you can, so the maximum amount of people can view your video. Everyone can create a viral video, but not all viral videos will be seen. We will be discussing the importance of posting your video across Internet platforms in the third part of this series.

Bright Street Media is always available to help you navigate through the online video world. Please give us a call at 800.270.0619.

Do you know how much employee turnover is really costing you? The Society for Human Resource Management estimates that it costs over $3,500 to replace one $8/per hour employee. That number is staggering, but consider how much time and money you put into recruitment, interviews, hiring and training. It makes accounting sense to try to retain your current employees. But first consider this; poor training has been identified as the number one culprit of lack of performance from employees and the top reason why many new employees quit. In fact, only one of every two employees thinks their employer has adequately trained them to perform their jobs.

Do you feel that your work force is appropriately trained for their jobs? Since training is the first thing a new employee undergoes at your company, don't you want to make a good impression?

Creating a video training program can be cost effective for your business. By creating one or two videos that you can use again and again, you will be saving the time and money it would normally take to train a new employee. By using corporate training videos, employees will better understand their specific job role and how it fits into the larger company scale. This will increase both productivity and motivation from your new employee and reduce employee turnover. Also, training videos are 100% customizable and can easily fit into any established training program.

Have you considered using videos to help train your new employees? Corporate training videos come in all shapes and sizes and will suite any size or type of business. However, training videos may not be right for your company. Take time to examine your company's turnover rate, effectiveness and overall employee success before deciding what would work best.

Bright Street Media has the resources and experience to produce your next Corporate or Training video. We also have the expertise to help you decide what types of videos will benefit you. Please call us today at 800.270.0619.

Upcoming: Watch out for our upcoming blog series about the Use of Video in Social Media!

The revolution of Video Cameras is much like automobiles and televisions. They started small, became larger, then smaller, and now you get both. While I was planning a presentation to a Chamber group recently it occurred to me that the revolution of the video camera and popularity of sites like You Tube and Vimeo, it makes sense to share my opinion on the "Mini camera" AKA "The Flip".

The increase in manufactures is difficult to keep up with so I will focus more on the how and why versus the brand.

Flip style video cameras have become a valuable asset to any business. They are compact, easy to use and very affordable. In preparation for my presentation, I purchased a High Def Flip for around $159. It records up to 60 minutes on the internal drive and connects via USB for easy transfer. The Flip Software also is stored on the camera. This allows me to upload to my Mac and my PC.

As a Video Production professional, I can see where a small camera like the "Flip" can be useful to a business owner. They have their place. However, so it's important to understand when and when not to use one. Here is my example.

We all watch CNN and other news stations that report in remote locations. These are typically short clips of a news reporter on the scene or in some cases the other side of the world. The quality is at times shaky and tough to hear, but we are more interested in what is being reported and disregard sound not syncing with video, etc. On the flips side (no pun) you want not watch an entire newscast in this fashion. Today almost every news station provides elaborate sets and delivers live High Definition signals and pristine audio.

Using a "Flip" camera is very similar, like ifyou are providing quick clips like this one Dentist Clip. They used the microphone on camera and created a great looking patient testimonial. This is an effective use of a "Flip" camera. A video Blog A.K.A Vlog is also a good reason to use this method. Short, 1 to 3 min video as an example. They are easy to upload to You Tube and other sites and the software in most cases allows you to clip and edit.

The downside to a flip is typically the audio. You will spend a bit more to get the external microphone input as well as purchased a microphone. Some of the camera's come with wireless applications as well. No need to upload to your computer just send via wifi.

Video Maker magazine offers some camera reviews.

My only suggestion is to avoid using them for infomercial and professional marketing videos.

That's all for now, hope you found this information helpful.

 

 

 

Sound is one of the most important elements to a successful video. This blog is a follow up to a previous post in June of 2009 entitled "Video Is All About Sound". The way you approach audio recording will greatly impact the quality of your final product. When it comes to audio, there are a million areas we can cover so to narrow the focus, I decided to narrow the choices and write about "Audio Clipping". Lately, I have had the opportunity to work with video footage recorded by other companies and noticed a trend with audio clipping.

To translate into english, audio clipping is when sound is attempting to be recorded above 0db (decibels). The sound is too loud to record and therefore, can cause distortion in the form of buzzing. Here is a great example of a video that includes clipping.

Watch this video!  More inportantly listen to this video.

Adobe Flash Player not installed or older than 9.0.115!

In this example, we had to use some video (Classroom footage only) recorded by another company as part of a project. Unfortunately clipping is extremely difficult to correct and in some cases such as this irreparable. Did you notice the difference between the Studio audio and the classroom audio?

This situation could have been avoided, but first I will provide an educated guess how this happened.

Prior to the presenter taking the stage an audio check was performed. "Check 1, 2, 3" most likely sounded great through the headphones, but when the presenter began speaking, he did what most presenters do. He raised his voice levels higher than during the test on the side. The Camera person never made the adjustment and the results were irreparable.

This could easily be avoided in the future by performing two tasks.

1. When doing the first sound check be sure to have your talent speak at the highest level. 2.A good set of headphones will allow for volume adjustments on the fly. I always suggest headphones that covers the ears. The old walk man style just doesn't cut it. Remember audio is just as if not more important to your project than video is at times.
You don't need expensive equipment to get the job done right.