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Welcome to our digital marketing blog. Here you will find free advice discussing all the tips and tricks you need to make and promote the very best online content.

From practicalities on set to the latest digital marketing trends, we’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—what does and doesn’t work. Here we hope to impart the methods and techniques we’ve come to know and love.

Jan 19
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What is Video Post Production?

By Video Production Explained

Video Post Production  – A Guide To Everything That Happens After The Shoot

Video production agencies quotes shouldn’t be baffling or require a handbook to understand. But more often than not the line in the budget marked “video post production” is rarely broken down into line by line items. So in the interests of clarity we’ll try and explain the process of what work is required to produce a corporate or promotional video once the filming part of the process is complete.

File Management

Pretty much every professional promotional video is shot to file based digital media. This is not a great revelation and I’m sure you’ll have devices that shoot film or photos to digital formats at home. Depending on the type of camera you have used to shoot your footage the sizes of these files will vary. The higher the quality of the final picture, the larger the files will be.

So the first part of the video post production process is to transfer these digital files onto the editing system that is being used. This is as simple as dragging and dropping but if you’ve been shooting over a long period of time then your files sizes could be huge and will take time to copy or transfer to the editors system. So this part of the post production stage can take a few minutes, a few hours or even a few days. While this transfer is in process the computer that is doing the reading and writing cannot really do much else effectively so you should expect to be charged for this time.

Once the files are onboard the next stage (depending on your editors workflow) may be to transcode the footage ready for use. Unfortunately all cameras don’t record to the same format. The files they create come in many a different flavours, some of which are quite user friendly, while others require conversion to effectively change the language of their files structure.

video post production

These files are video clips direct from the camera, some editors may need to transcode these for use.

Once this is done the editor is ready to start work.

First Cut

With promotional and corporate videos there is a high chance that some of the material you are working with will be interview or talking head material. This interview material can sometimes form the entire narrative drive of the film or sometimes it will be intercut sporadically with pre-scripted Voiceover.

As much of the flow of the video will come from either the voiceover or the interview comments it’s usual for these to be the first elements that the editor works on. An editor may go through all the interview clips and select a shortlist of the strongest clips to form the basic bones of the film.

A guide track of the musical soundtrack may also be added to the film at this point just to get a feel for tempo and duration (although this may be changed later). Once the initial selection of the strongest clips is complete the editor will start to create the first cut.

If a voiceover is being added and the script has been approved this may be recorded at this stage and added to the first cut.

Any graphical or animated content will be created, produced added in at this stage to further enhance the presentation of the whole film.

video post production

The edit carefully checks sound levels for voice and music.

Once the first cut is complete the production company/editor will send it to the client (you) for feedback and comments. Prior to starting the project, the production company should have agreed with you a workflow plan for this part of the video post production that efficiently progresses the project towards completion in the most suitable timescale timescale. If multiple people will be feeding notes back on the film then is advisable to select someone to collate all the changes/amends/comments into one batch so that the editor can efficiently apply all the tweaks in one re-edit (this will certainly save you money).

Sound, Colour & Compression

When the final edit is approved the production company will then start mastering the film. Firstly the sound may need properly balancing and mixing so that everyone featured in the film feels like they are talking at the same volume and that all the vocals (either script or from interview) are properly mixed into the musical backing to ensure that both elements can be heard at suitable volume levels.

Next some colour correction will usually be done to ensure that all the shots used in the film have the same feel in respect of colour, contrast and tone.

Finally once these steps are complete the film will be compressed for delivery. Most good production companies should supply you with a range of formats and sizes of your final film. Alongside your HD master it’s useful to have several smaller versions that come ready optimised for web use so you can upload them straight to Vimeo, Facebook or Youtube etc if desired.

And that’s about it really for video post production. Yes, there are a few more complexities than highlighted here. Depending on your project one of the steps above could take a lot longer than the others depending on its importance to the project, but hopefully this gives you an overview of where you production budget goes in regard to the line in the budget marked “post production”.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 19
Love0

Successful Video Production for Schools

By Video Production Advice

Video production for schools – The Key Techniques

Producing video for any business, organisation or individual often requires a unique and tailored approach. Companies, businesses and organisations all have different needs and also very different ways of working. The physical logistics of producing video for them will vary from project to project so it’s important that as a video production company we can respond and react accordingly. This is never more true than when we undertake video production for Schools , colleges and universities.

So if you’re a school or college producing your own video project or an agency working for a school/college client here’s some helpful advice and tips based on our experience gained throughout a few very busy years in this sector.

1 – Planning (lots of it!!!)

When approaching video production for schools we’d suggest scheduling twice as many pre-production meetings than you would on an equivalent corporate video shoot for a company or business. This is due to the challenging nature of filming within schools and will allow you and the client ample opportunity to cover all concerns or considerations.

2 – Safety

One of the obvious factors is safety. If you’re moving video equipment around a school building you need to ensure that it’s done safely and with zero risk factors. This element may influence your filming schedule for each days shooting. A good approach is to do any kit moving either at break times when the school building is quiet or when all the students are in class.

Conduct a thorough safety assessment prior to shooting to check you are aware of all potential risks and hazards that filming may create. Once you are confident that the shoot is safe, you can focus on capturing the engaging film content that will make the final film a success. There are a number of ways you can achieve this.

3 – Camera Choice

Video production for schools is perfect for cameras that can be built with a small form factor. Taking a huge great studio camera such as a Sony PMW700 into this type of shoot simply doesn’t work. The size of the camera would present issues when moving around, but more importantly the reaction that younger children have to a large camera like this means that you get very little honest footage as everyone in the room is constantly camera aware due to the physical size of the kit.

A better approach you could consider is to use either a DSLR type camera (5D etc) or a RED Dragon with minimal build. These 2 options give you a lower key camera that can be used a lot more subtly to capture footage of students that has a natural feel.

video production for schools

Using a more compact camera allows you to capture natural moments like this.

4 – Capture the Joy of Learning

For video production for Schools to really work you need to capture some moments of wonder on the student’s faces as they learn, and have fun in school or college. A great way to do this requires a structured approach and a slight element of staging. That’s not to say that you won’t be capturing real moments – you’ll just be doing it in a way that ensures you work efficiently and effectively.

This is achieved in the following way, – (here’s the brief – You need to get some shots of a great lesson in action – you need to see the teacher explaining and the enthusiastic responses and expressions from the students)

To do this set up at the rear of a class and observe the lesson for a few minutes. Once you identify the part of the lesson that gets the desired response from the students you should then position the camera where you know we’ll get the best images.  Then ask the teacher to re-run that few minutes of the lesson a couple of times. You can change the camera position to give multiple angles and with a little direction and encouragement you’ll get the shots you need.

5 – Shoot at the Children’s eye level

Another great tip is to always shoot at the students eye level, especially when woring with younger students. This brings you into their world and allows you to really capture them engaging in their work and activities. You’ve also got a much better chance of capturing one of those “moments of magic” if you’re shooting at a lower height as your closer to the subject and action.

video production for schools

Filming at the eye level allows you to capture “moments of magic”.

6 – Expectation

If you’re planning to include lines, script, or interview comments from the children in the films you need to very flexible in your approach. Working with younger Students can be very unpredictable so have a good idea of what you are looking for vocal wise but also have a back up plan.

7 – Crew

It’s really useful to pick a crew who either have children or who have experience working with younger people. Getting the best results will rely heavily on how comfortable the students feel around the crew (especially if doing interviews) so using a director and camera operator/s who have good rapport with children is vital.

8– School Staff

It goes without saying that teachers are VERY busy in their working day. If you’re planning on shooting teacher interviews then schedule these after the school day is finished and focus on getting the action shots during the normal hours.

9 – Shoot outside

This sounds obvious but once school children are in their school yard or outside environment they tend to really let off steam! It’s a great opportunity to capture great action footage of them at play and will make a great addition to your final edit.

video production for schools

10 – Be Low Key

Finally, your goal when undertaking video production for schools should be to create a tailored production plan that will successfully realize the brief set while maintaining zero disturbance on the ground (ie in the school). If the children within the school get too over excited by having a film crew on site then your whole shoot plan could unravel pretty quickly. So keeping a calm and low key approach goes a long way to getting the most from the available shooting time and capturing the joy of learning effectively.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 19
Love0

Whats the best way to shoot large areas?

By Video Production Advice

How To A Shoot Big Area

Every project brings it’s own particular challenges which are dictated by the subject matter. For example the skill set and technical equipment that we need to bring to the table to shoot a Formula 1 film would differ greatly from those that we would require to shoot a 5 storey building or a series of interviews. It’s important to us and our clients that every production is handled in a way which is appropriate to the material required and that the dynamic of the shots produced suits the end product.

Getting The Right Crew

Your production company should assemble the crew for your project based on your particular brief (in very much the same way that a cast of actors is assembled for differing movies requirements). You should also expect your production company to have a solid foundation of its own in house producers, directors and editors, but the remainder of the team may hand picked from a pool of expertise to suit your shoot.

A great example of this was a recent project where we were asked to produce a film to introduce and showcase the strengths of what was, essentially, a sprawling industrial area in the midlands! Now industrial areas by their nature aren’t the most pretty of things to capture on film so we needed to capture footage that conveyed the dynamics of the site and its busy day to day nature. We also needed to produce the film in such a way that enabled us to shoot shots of the different industry types on the estate and convey their unique attributes in a few seconds of footage. On top of these challenges the client had a super tight turnaround schedule that would only really give us one day of shooting to cover a truly vast area.

aerial-shot

Our solution was to use 2 camera units working on different areas of the site at the same time. One of the units was a standard tripod/ground shot with a small dolly to add movement. The other was the 30 foot jib crane which we’d spec’s up with a RED epic camera to really give the client some sweeping hero shots of the estate.

Aerial Shots

Aerial shots are essential when filming any landscape, grounds, or external area. Without them any large scenic panoramic type shot looks flat and boring if simply shot from the ground. I would guess that everyone of us has taken a photo of a beautiful vista or landscape whilst on holiday only to be hugely disappointed that the printed photo that we took didn’t look anywhere near as good as the real thing. This is because filming or photographing landscapes from the ground always gives us flat (dull) results that never really do the actual scene justice. In order to truly show landscape and scenery we need to get the camera up into the air.

As soon as we elevate the shot (even by a few feet) the scene starts to look instantly better. If we can then sweep the camera from low upto heights of 30 ft or more then we really starting to get something beautiful (even on an industrial estate!). A great example of this can be seen in any of Peter Jacksons helicopter shots of the New Zealand landscapes used in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Forward Planning

We planned most of the shots prior to shoot using the site plans and the magic of google earth and along with a dawn patrol recce we were able to schedule all the shooting for the day very tightly. The 2 units were able to work in tandem to ensure we got the right type of footage at all the different locations the land area had to offer and that the project was delivered successfully.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 19
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Business Marketing Videos – How To Shoot Great Interviews

By Video Production Advice

A detailed how to look at setting up a great interview

Shooting a good talking head or Vox Pop interview shot is pretty much essential when creating Business Marketing Videos. If you are producing material for a promotional video, corporate film or content marketing then there’s a very string chance that at some point you will shoot a talking head. Talking head shots are used often in corporate videos because they are an effective means of getting important information to a viewer in a personal and friendly way. Quite simply, they put a friendly (mostly) face to a large corporation and create a personal connection to the viewer. So if you are considering filming a talking head for your businesses video then there are a few things you should consider to ensure that they are as effective as possible.

Where should your interviewee sit in frame?

When setting up for a talking head interview there are 2 main ways of positioning your subject, they can either look directly down the lens or look just off to the side as if talking to someone off camera in an interview type scenario.

The first approach gives you a very personal feel as if you are directly talking to the person or viewer. However, this can sometimes be a little bit intimidating for your subject and may affect their delivery. Not everyone is comfortable talking to a camera lens.

An alternative approach is to have the subject talk just off to the camera to a 3rd person creating an interview type scenario where we never see the interviewer. We prefer this approach for a variety of reasons. Firstly it produces a friendlier and honest feel to the messaging, the viewer feels that they are listening in on part of a conversation and as such the presentation of the footage feel a lot less “hard sell”.

Another important advantage is that this approach also helps the subject deliver the lines in a more relaxed and natural way, producing footage that feels much more engaging.

Business Marketing Videos

A subject looking into the lens (left) has different tone when compared to a subject talking addressing an interviewer beside the camera (right).

Something else to consider is the placement of your subject and the composition of the shot as a whole. For example you could have them directly in the middle of the shot (again a more personal feel) or offset to the side. Having them offset slightly does help if any text or graphic is being overlaid later.

If you have a long piece with lots of different speakers then try having half of your subjects on one side of the camera and the rest on the other side. This will allow you to mix the shots in the final edit which will produce a smoother final film.

What should be in the background?

One of the most important factors you have to take into consideration is the background as this can set the tone of the overall footage. Try to select a background that provides an interesting and appealing overall image. Avoid selecting backdrops that are too cluttered or busy and also avoid positioning your subject too close to walls (this will create a very flat, boring image)

Make sure the background you select is “clean” and that there isn’t anything in vision that will jump out at you once you view the final footage. A lot of talking head work is location based and often takes place within offices, so watch out for coffee cups, coats, loose paper, and general clutter in the background that can make a shot feel cluttered and distracting.

Business Marketing Videos

A dark pull up backdrop can look dramatic (left), if you chose not to use one, make sure your background is “clean” (right).

Also consider whether you would like to use a pull up backdrop? Shooting interviews against a black or white backdrop produces a professional and clean looking image that instantly elevates the messaging and can add a touch of drama.

Creating a shot with depth (ie pushing the background out of focus) also helps your subject stand out and adds some production quality to your film. It is also useful if you don’t have a great background to work with. There are many ways to do this but using a high quality camera and lens is the starting point in achieving this look.

How important is light?

Finally lighting is extremely important to consider when shooting Business Marketing Videos. If you’re producing the film in house then be aware that lighting can be tricky and time consuming. When done well it will create an even and interesting shot, however when done badly it can ruin your whole film!

You really want to make sure your subject pop’s out of the image. To help achieve this you should ensure that their eyes are light correctly, and that you have a light place behind them (shining at the top or side of their head) to help them stand out. See more on this in our lighting guide.

Business Marketing Videos

Lighting the back or sides of the head creates separation from the background.

Just remember that it can take time to set all this up and (if possible) you should allow at least a good hour before the interview begins to allow your team to set up.

This may seem like an awful lot to remember if you’re producing your Business Marketing Videos in house but often these small touches make a huge impact on the final quality of your film and ultimately the way on which your brand is perceived.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 19
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How can I Legally Safeguard My Corporate Video Production?

By Digital Marketing, Video Production Advice

A Guide To Copyright, Royalties and Content Ownership

Producing a programme that will be sold as a dvd/blueray/download or watched on TV presents a set of unique challenges that can often be applied to corporate shooting. In the past we have produced Sports/fitness, Live music dvd content, and comedy content for clients such as Universal pictures and ITV2 and to say that these productions have to be “watertight” is very much an understatement.

TV and DVD

Because these productions are sold as part of a dvd package or broadcast (along with adverts) for commercial gain absolutely everything seen and heard within the programme can legally be considered part of a revenue generating vehicle. What this means in real terms is that anyone and anything featured in the final footage has sign legally binding release forms giving the film maker absolute commercial rights to the footage and audio captured.

This also applies to footage of buildings and land used as either cutaway material or in the background of the picture.  We therefore need to sign off every location we shoot to release the image rights.

Music Publishing

In addition every note of music has to be cleared not only by the record companies who own the (physical) recording, but also by the publishers (and ultimately writers) who own the words/music. Weirdly enough sometimes the band or artist sometimes don’t even come into this!

What I’m aiming to illustrate here is that if you intend to use your film for commercial gain, you need to think carefully about what you want to include and allow enough pre-production budget to obtain the required release agreements.
This applies just as much when producing content for corporate film or promotional video use and is not just applicable to TV. If you’re allowing your company film to be seen online then you are effectively “exhibiting it” and hence you must own exhibition rights to everything featured in it.

legal-safegard

So,

• If you want you film to feature some great interview comments from your customers ensure you get legally binding releases signed by them at the time of shooting.

• If you want to include some footage of your product/service in action make sure you gain permission and release for the location in which it is to be depicted.

• If you’re filming general “wide” shots of your business with customers on site you’ll need to display clear signage informing them that “filming is taking place today”. You also need to ensure that these shots are general wide shots and could not be descried as “featuring” a specific person (ie – no close ups). Any close up (or “featuring”) footage of the public requires their permission and a legal documet signing.

And if you’re planning to use Take That’s latest hit as the soundtrack for your corporate film you better get permission in advance and be prepared to write a 5 figure cheque.

Get it right – before you shoot

However, don’t be put off by all this as it’s not as daunting as it sounds and the public are reasonably familiar with the concept of a “image release form” thanks to the amount of filming that takes place throughout the country.

The upshot of neglecting these aspects is that someone could legally request that you remove your film from the web and not exhibit it anywhere else. This is hardly the sort of thing you need after committing time and money to producing your new corporate video.

At the end of the day, if you’re watertight on this sort of thing you can distribute your film to effectively and freely and without worry.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 19
Love1

Video Marketing for Business – How do you find the right approach?

By Corporate Video Production, Digital Marketing

Video Marketing for Business – The Formats that Work

Producing video marketing for business today is affordable and reachable for any SME. It’s relatively easy to find a reliable and experienced production company and general awareness and knowledge of digital media has grown to such a degree that there’s a greater understanding of process and much more value for money offered within production budgets. However, exactly what kind of film you should produce is sometimes a question that is seldom asked. By simply asking your production agency to create a “corporate film” you could be missing out on creative options that can make you stand out from the crowd. Below we’ll describe some different ideas and production approaches to give you some inspiration when considering your film.

All about the brand! – “Brand Film”

Brand films are more commonly referred to as “corporate films” and are one of the most popular format of video marketing for business. A brand film is a perfect vehicle to express the beliefs, values and goals of your company. As such they are a great way of introducing new customers to your company or launching a business from the ground up. A Brand film is a good opportunity to give your company a voice and a tone that will form the blueprint for the way new customers interpret you and what you stand for.
These films should not be too product/service specific but instead focus on the people behind the product/service as this is where your brands strongest identity should come from. Content wise you should be looking to capture action and visuals that not only show your product but also show the effect it has on your customers.
When done badly this can come across as corny but if done well the mix of stunning visuals and voiceover should establish exactly who you are and what you stand for. A Brand film may wrongly be seen as quite a luxury in terms of your marketing spend but you only have to glance at the online video customer engagement stats to see that is should be seen as an essential.

video marketing for business

Product Videos

As consumers increasingly demand a way to engage with the shopping process online product films have really come into their own. By producing what is effectively a moving brochure page (although it is also SO much more) you’re customers can see and hear exactly why your product/service is perfect for them. A glossy product film can seduce the customer in such a way that they willingly warm to your pitch.
It’s not a “fast sell” or a “patter” but instead its your product/service shown at it’s glorious best in HD beauty. With effective online distribution of the film you are able to bring your shop, office or outlet straight into the comfort of your customers home.

Case Study Videos (client success)

Producing a video that focuses on one (or more) of your customers allows you to present yourself with a pre-packed customer vote of confidence. A Case study film should be told by your customer and will focus on answering questions such as : “Why they chose your product/service initially?”, “How your product/service enhanced their life/business?”, “What was the business transaction experience like?”.
It’s a powerful way of presenting your company through a 3rd party voice and creates an honest and engaging video. As the old saying goes “people like people” and this is especially true when considering the content of your video.

video marketing for business

Staff Story

A similar option may be to tell your story through your staff. This works especially well in a service driven business and puts the personalities of your key assets front and centre within your communications. Staff stories can be produced relatively easily and can sometimes just require a few interviews and some “action footage” to create a great marketing tool.
Editing is key with this type of video as you’ll need to establish the companies message through the quotes/answers captured. However, when produced well a staff story video will win the trust and interest of customers before they’ve set foot in your location.

The Full Monty – “Promotional Video”

Ok, so a well produced promotional video can tick a lot of boxes and work really hard for your company. A beautifully shot and well crafted short film presenting your product or service in an engaging way can provide you with a versatile and engaging way of spreading your message. Sales presentations and events such as trade shows or exhibitions are great outlets for displaying a promo film but the more obvious outlet is the internet which has given businesses of all sizes a wide scope in which to reach new and existing customers (which we’ve talked about at length in other blogs articles).

Effective promotional films can be a mix of many of the elements described above and feature customers, staff, action and brand values all edited together into a snappy and engaging video.

There are no real set formats to a promotional film and they can be produced in many different ways. However the key is that a promotional video should inspire and engage your viewer. Don’t be afraid to be too dramatic and use music, visuals and graphics to ensure your film has an emotional connection with the viewer.

Video Marketing for Business can be extremely powerful when done correctly, so its important to find the right agency or professionals to use. So take time to find the right producer for your brand and look for video production companies who bring a creative spark and real understanding of your customer to the table.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 18
Love0

What is the Corporate Video Production Process?

By Video Production Explained

The Corporate Video Production Process

The corporate video production process can be daunting and confusing if you’re not familiar with it. You’ll be committing valuable budget resources to the project so getting it right is critical. Your production agency should offer guidance, help and resources along the way and work alongside you at each stage of the process. As a rough blueprint for producing a medium sized corporate video we’ve sketched out the following process roadmap to help you through the journey and to give you a way of adding accountability to your supplier.

Brief

This is one of the most important parts of the corporate video production process. Most projects start life as face to face meetings. Your producer should visit your company to not only chat through your ideas for the film but also to get a feel for you as a company and a brand. Understanding our clients target or viewer and getting under the skin of what makes their customers tick is one of the most important factors in producing the best films for them.

Response & Quote

Even when we are supplied with a multi page detailed brief we find it very useful to document exactly how and what we will produce for the client. Therefore after briefing your production company you should expect a detailed response before green lighting the project. This “brief response” obviously includes a fully detailed quote but should also breakdown the following – key messages, production process (so you know what will happen and when), shooting days required, style and tone of the film, and also some description of the footage and dialogue to be produced. You may feel like this is essentially duplicating your original brief a little but its an important factor in establishing that the production company has clearly grasped your requirements.

Pre-Production: Script & Storyboard

 

Again, as a client you may wish to develop the script yourself but remember that the producer has a great deal of skill in planning what dialogue and shots will work the best so involving them in the scripting is a wise move. Unless your spending movie sized budgets don’t expect a hand illustrated story board such as the ones you see on movie behind the scenes short films. The cost of illustrating a storyboard like this can be several times the budget for the entire project and is really something that only happens in the world of cinema. using stock images to create a rough story board is an option but bear in mind that the images are a guide of angles and action as the final footage will very rarely look like what is produced.

A much better approach is to review some of your production companies other work and indicate the type of shots and presentation that you do like and the sort that you’d like to avoid. Once the shooting style is clear your producer should supply you with a detailed shot list and shot description which is a much better tool at this stage to help visualize the final film.

Scheduling and Logistics

Within the pre-production period your production company should also generate a filming schedule. Ideally it will break down each day into hours so that you know what they intend to film and in what order. Any filming permits, clearances and risk assessments should also be carried out by the production company at this stage. Prior to the first day of filming you should receive a “call sheet” which is a document detailing every important element of the day. It will include all crew/cast names and contact details, timings for location arrival and setup, and other important details such as travel notes (location maps) and location first aid notes.

Corporate Video ProductionCasting

You may need to cast models/actors, voice over artists or even your own staff to feature in your film so casting should be confirmed well in advance of filming. If your casting models/actors or voice over artists your production company should either supply you with a shortlist (don’t let them send you 000’s – they should provide the first cut based on your brief) so that you can choose the right look/voice for your films. Additionally don’t accept just one option (this happens a lot with voiceovers) finding the right tone for you film is key and you want anyone featured to have a look or voice that your customers can identify with.

If you are planning to feature your staff in the film then we suggest doing a very rough screen test with anyone you think will be good on screen.

Shoot

Corporate Video ProductionWhen filming commences if you plan on attending the shooting ask your production company to provide you with a monitor. This is essentially a screen the relays the main camera feed so that you can see exactly what is being shot. This is the best time to check or amend anything that you aren’t sure about and can save you money and time by avoiding costly re-shoots or lengthy editing. Getting the shots right on set is THE most important part of production, there is no substitute for capturing great material and no amount of special effects and editing skills can compensate for this.

Post-Production: Editing, Animation, Voiceover etc.

As a client you may request that you are present for the editing or you may prefer to let your producer/editor get on with the task. If you do want to sit in on the edit we suggest allowing some time before you do for the editor to assemble and manage all the material and complete a basic draft edit. There’s a lot of technical and footage management in the initial stages of an edit and sitting in on this part is of no benefit to anyone.

Revisions & Re-Edits

Once the initial edit is completed you should expect to receive an approval/feedback copy along with any notes the director/editor may want to flag up. Depending on your production company this may be supplied as a downloadable file or they may host it online (with a password so only you can view it) on sites such as vimeo.
After viewing the draft you can expect to feedback your thoughts, request changes and additions etc.

It’s important at the quoting stage to ask your production company how much time they have factored into the quote for this edit revision/approval process. They should have a clear process and cost for getting you to your final edited master and leaving this open ended is a mistake. Not knowing how many versions/changes you can ask for within the original quote can make the working relationship between editor and client tricky so clarify this from the outset.

Final Audio Mix & Colour Correction

Corporate Video Production Process

Once you have agreed the final edit of the film your editor should then apply a final sound mix and tweak any of the shot colors so that the whole film has a cohesive look and sound.
Compress and Deliver

The final part of the production process is to deliver the masters in whatever format you require. For corporate films we would expect to deliver a HD file version that you can download onto your system as well as compressed versions for online, youtube and device (iPad, smart phone) use.

So that’s pretty much it, a good overview of the corporate video production process. Remember every project differs so some of the parts of this process wont be relevant for all projects but hopefully it provides a blueprint for an easier process next time you commission a corporate video.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 18
Love0

10 Amazing Video Marketing Statistics Every Business Should Know

By Digital Marketing

Video marketing statistics

Video is the new black! There have been all sorts of interstellar video marketing statistics over the past year. Cisco’s latest research reveals over 50% of all internet traffic is currently video; with over 48 hours of content being uploaded to YouTube alone every minute of the day! So, with that in mind, you should really be getting to grips with a video content strategy for your brand – here are another ten video marketing statistics to give you a reason why;

1000000000
1 billion internet users use YouTube

80
more conversions when a video is featured on a website homepage

10
higher reach when a video is uploaded to Facebook, compared to a photo, embed or text

62
of Google searches return results including a video

80
of consumers say it is important to see a video of how a product works

4
the number of people would prefer to watch a video about a product than read about it

90
of desktop users watch a video online every week; 55% of consumers watch video on their mobile every week

84
of social media users have liked at least one company video in their timeline

157
increase in organic traffic comes from featuring videos on a website

300
of video were uploaded to YouTube in the time it took you to read this post

Sources: Adelie Studios, Animoto, YouTube  To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

Jan 18
Love0

Viral Video Marketing Explained – What is Content Marketing?

By Digital Marketing

A Breakdown of What Content Marketing Actually Is

It’s all about content marketing these days apparently. If you don’t have engaging content online you might as well just pack up and go home. At least that’s what we’re told. But what is great content and how do you create it? Below we’ll breakdown what content marketing actually is and exactly how it works.

What Makes Content and Viral Video Marketing So Great

Great content marketing can take a variety of forms but essentially, it’s a piece of media that you have created with the purpose of promoting your brand. However, it shouldn’t appear overly commercial, simply posting your latest advert/promo won’t really cut it. Content marketing works because it’s a little more subtle than a traditional brash advert and more importantly it’s actively customer driven and distributed.

For this to happen the viewer needs to want to take a partial ownership of the actual content you’ve created, and by then sharing the content the viewer is making a public statement about themselves. For example, a viewer will share funny content to make a statement that they themselves, have a fun nature and a sense of humour. Or the viewer may share informative content to make a statement that they themselves are well informed and knowledgeable.

So great content can be a wonderfully entertaining and informative Blog, an instagram page featuring beautiful or dramatic photos or even an engaging and funny Twitter feed. But what it must ultimately be, is something that your customers relate to and essentially want to be seen relating to.

viral video marketing

How To Produce The Content

The most obvious form of content marketing (and the one which we’re best placed to discuss) is video. Let’s face it, we all love watching great online video content, and as previously mentioned, we don’t just love watching it, we love sharing it, tweeting it, posting it, and commenting on it.

We like saying, “check this out, this is what I’m all about!”

Viral Video Marketing

The drink manufacturer Red Bull is a great example of a company who understand the way viral video marketing works. Their online content features videos of extreme stunts and sports and these are perfect fodder for their target Social media savvy customers to want to share. They simple put the films out there and watch millions of young people worldwide act as brand evangelists and distributors by posting links to these films on their social network. The fact that you rarely see even a glimpse of the actual drink they make in these films only strengthens their actual brand power.

It was not too many years ago that this type of marketing action and re-action would have been an unspoken dream.

Imagine launching an advertising campaign for your company in the early 90’s (ie pre-digital). Let’s say for argument sake that the campaign’s main footprint was in the form of printed adverts in the popular press and magazines. Now lets also imagine that the people (your customers) who saw the printed adverts loved them so much that they instantly made copies of them. Then they went around putting these copies in highly visible places for their peers to see. Then they spent their social time discussing the posters with friends and debating what they liked and disliked about them. The peers who saw the posters also make copies and posted these copies elsewhere, and they also spend time discussing them with their other friends. Quickly the campaign is everywhere, spread freely by the very people who you covert as your customers! It’s perfect.

It’s not hard to see how brands can subtly spread their message in both powerfully and cost effectively ways.

This is the power of great content marketing.

Jan 18
Love1

How Do I Create Effective Marketing Videos for Business?

By Digital Marketing

Marketing Videos for Business Tips Every Video Producer Should Know

One of the most important things missed when companies produce a promotional or corporate video is a good pre-awareness campaign. By generating interest in your film prior to its release you will ensure that its views grow quickly and that the money spent on it works as hard as it can.

So, you know how important marketing videos for business are and you’ve made a promotional video. What next? Do you just stick it on your website and wait for the views to stack up? If you do then you’re missing out on a vital part of your supplier/customer conversation and not giving your new creation the press it deserves! Just because your film doesn’t feature a Hollywood A-lister or a whopping great special effects budget doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it the full marketing treatment. By adopting a similar approach to that of the major Hollywood studios a business can use the film’s physical production process as a marketing tool in itself.

In Production

Start right from the beginning by tweeting/posting the news that you are “in production” on your new corporate or promotional video. You can create a hashtag for the film and start drip feeding small news items about it online. For example you could share news about the script being completed or the casting process.

The actual filming offers a great chance to generate even more collateral that you can share to drive anticipation of your film. People love “Behind the scenes” items so try to do the following once shooting has commenced:

Tweet updates throughout the day.
Take and share photos of the shoot.
Post a blog article about the first day filming.

marketing videos for business

Think Big

All through the process don’t be afraid to think big, this is a key part of all successful marketing videos for business. Don’t assume that the nature of your business is not very interesting/exciting and that no-one will be interested in your film release build up. Whether you’re a plumber or a hotel chain there will be customers out there who WILL be interested in hearing news about your film.

If possible ask your production company to cut a short trailer or snippet from the main film (even if the main film is just 2 mins long you can show a few seconds to whet peoples appetite).

Once the film is finished post it’s release date online (if possible be time specific–ie “See our great new film at 3pm on Friday the 1st!”) and post regular countdown updates in the days prior eg “only 2 days now until our new film goes live!”

These messages tell your audience that you have belief and pride in the film you have produced and the excitement you’ve shown in all your pre-awareness messaging should translate directly into viewer anticipation and interest. More importantly this display of belief and pride will also speak volumes about your product and service, and make a firm statement about your passion to deliver.

To find out more about us and our services, please click here.

 

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