Fourten Digital Video
Serving all of Carlsbad and San Diego County in California
Main Website w/sample videos: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
Email: http://carlsbadvideoservices.com/video-production_contact/
Call us Today:
Business #: (760) 529-6576
or mobile# (760) 450-2665
Open 7 days a week from 8am-7pm.
(also open for last min videos and accept calls
24/7 for emergencies.)
Fourten Digital Video Company:
{Bringing the unique "big screen" Movie & Cinema look and feel To Your Company Video}
-This is a unique video service and is very rare especially for the low prices we offer!
Our Video/Cinema Production Team creates & provides a wide variety of Cinematography & Videography, Video Editing, Motion Graphics, Animations and Full Video Productions in the Southern California Area.
What is Cinematic Video? "Cinematic Video" or "Cinema Quality" = The look and feel to a Film or a Blockbuster Movie or high end TV commercial. Cinema Quality,is a look and style of Filming and Digital Video that is a unique and very hard to find for a decent price.
It takes a special Cinema Cameras and Cinema lenses to achieve this look as well as a lot of hollywood equipment for motion shots as well as really creative cinematography. Using a 1 Giant Sensor Digital Cinema Camera with Cinema Lenses, we accomplish this. This sets us apart from every company in SD and we also make it affordable for you!
*Special Note*: We only make extremely high quality video and film that we would have representing our company and yours...no matter the size, budget or genre of video we are creating.
Visit my website for all Sample Videos & our portfolio,
information about Video production and all of our services. You will also find an extraordinary quanity of extra guidance and tools you can use to help you or (your company/business/product) make a proper & educated decision on your Video Project!
Click Here to Go directly to our website:
http://www.fourtenvideo.com
VIDEO SERVICES:
*WEBSITE VIDEO* *COMPANY "ABOUT" VIDEOS* *TV COMMERCIALS* *TESTIMONIALS* *EVENTS & CORPORATE VIDEO* *TRAINING VIDEO* *VIRAL VIDEOS* *REALITY PILOTS* *INDY FILMS* *SMALL FILMS* *DOCUMENTARIES* *BLOG VIDEO* *SPORTS VIDEO* *EVENTS/WEDDINGS*.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 8AM TO 8PM
Contact Timothy
Mobile/Business Line: 760-529-6576
EMAIL: fourtendigital @ gmail .com
Website: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
and contact through the website.
REVIEWS AND TESTIMONIALS:
-I am fully Licensed Video/Cinema Production Expert, and have an outstanding reputation, award winning team/staff and perfect 5* reviews in the San Diego/Carlsbad area. The Quality of work and service we represent far exceeds the expectations of every client we have had over the past 7-8 years. No matter what your budget, we're going to make you an awesome video and wont stop working until it is perfect!
Recent Reviews: https://plus.google.com/+Fourtendigital/about?gl=us&hl=en
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Stop Creating Explainer (animated) Videos, You’re Doing It All Wrong!
CrazyEgg Animated Video from Demo Duck on Vimeo.
Stop Creating Explainer (animated) Videos, You’re Doing It All Wrong!
by NEIL PATEL on AUGUST 13, 2012
Have you ever wanted to make an explainer video? You know, one of those animated videos that explains what your product or service does and why people ought to buy it? You see them everywhere… and companies are using them to explain what their product or service is in hopes that it will boost their conversion rate.
We wanted to highlight this step first. Because trying to do this by yourself is like trying to build an in ground swimming pool for your house with no previous experience!
Step #5: Find an AMAZING "Cinematic Video production" Company (small or large) to create your video.
Note: Make sure the Company does Cinematic Video. Older Video Productions are out of date! Be sure you check out their Company Video Portfolio
Again, you can go through a professional video company to get your explainer video created, or you can go through freelancers. Big companies typically charge $5,000 to $75,000 for a video, and they can take up to a few months to complete it.
The Best alternative is a Company "About Video" using all Cinematography. (Do not add Photos or pictures or overly unneccesary Animation or graphics. This just doesnt work. Its proven! Stick with all Cinema Quality Video, minor Clean and elegant Graphics, and a Company that will spend the time to work with you to bring the vision of your company to life. Here is a Company in Southern California is highly recommended, amazingly reviewed and just a great group of professionals that are out for 1 thing and 1 thing only.....to make a video that is going to justify your company and drive new sales/leads and make you look amazing. Their work is mind blowing and their prices are less then companies that do 1/2 the quality work. This company is Dynamite and they are awesome to work with!
Fourten Digital Media (Cinematic Video Production);
Website: http://www.carlsbadvideoservices.com
Shortlink: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
More Samples: http://www.fourtendigital.com
We use the video above on the Crazy Egg homepage, and it works so well that the video drives an extra $21,000 a month in new income. BUT....and this is a big But....it only works for certain services or products, and those are very small! Especially for a Company/business or really awesome product...these videos do more harm then good. They are Unprofessional, and just tacky!
So, why not to create one of these explainer videos for you site? If it works for Crazy Egg, Dropbox, and even hosting companies, it must work for you, right?
The reality is most explainer videos won’t boost your conversion rate or make you more money. It isn’t because the idea sucks, but it’s because you are likely to take the wrong approach to making the video.
Here’s how you can create an explainer video that’ll convert:
Step #1: It’s all about the script, not the video
The most important part of a video is the script and not the actual video quality. Whether you have a high quality video or a mediocre one, if the script isn’t good, it won’t convert well.
Important: you don’t want the company who is creating the video to write the script. The video company doesn’t know your business like you do. They don’t know what pain points your customers are experiencing. They don’t know how to write to boost conversions.
The goal of the video is to answer all of your potential customers’ questions and concerns. If you can do that in a short video, you’ll see an increase in your conversions. If you can’t, you won’t see your sales increase.
Step #2: Here’s what you need before you can write a script
Before you start writing your script, you need to survey your readers. You can use services like Qualaroo to ask your potential customers questions such as:
What else would you like to see on this page?
What’s the number 1 reason that is stopping you from buying?
What’s your biggest concern about this product or service?
Is there anything that is confusing on this page?
What can we help you solve?
By getting the answers to the above questions as well as other questions you may have, you’ll get a better understanding of what’s stopping people from purchasing. It could be that they don’t understand what you do or how easy your product is to use. Knowing what all their concerns are will help you create a better script.
Step #3: How to write a script
Now that you have all of your potential customers’ objections, you can start writing your script. When you are writing it, you need to answer all of those objections, or at least the important ones. You don’t want to create a script that is longer than 2-3 minutes. If it becomes too long, you’ll start to lose people.
To explain how to write a script, I’m going to show you the order we used to create the Crazy Egg script.
Introduction slide should state what your company does – the explanation of what your company does should be short and sweet. For Crazy Egg it was “The heat map tool shows you why your visitors aren’t converting”.
Explain the problem – you have to carefully articulate the problem your potential customers are experiencing. For Crazy Egg, we explained that it is hard to understand why visitors are leaving your website. We then went on to show that Google Analytics doesn’t do this because in our survey, a lot of potential customers thought Google Analytics does the same thing as Crazy Egg.
Create a transition – use common phrasing that your potential customers gave you during the survey to talk about specific problems they are experiencing. Then go into why you created your product or service.
Show off your features – videos are visual for a reason. Show off your product or service. When showing it off, make sure you explain how specific features solve specific problems your potential customers are experiencing. With Crazy Egg we showed that features like the Heat Map gives you a visual representation of where people are clicking. We did it because our potential customers were looking for a solution like that.
Tell people to sign up or buy – after you explain what your product or service does, you have to tell people to sign up or buy it. During this process, you need to answer any customer objections or concerns they have about signing up or buying. For example, with Crazy Egg, people thought it was a bit pricy. Plus, they didn’t know how easy it was to use. In the video, we told people that we offer a free trial and that they can get set up in less than 30 seconds.
Answer any last objections – this is where you answer any last concerns a potential customer may have. For us, people wondered if Crazy Egg would slow down their site, if they could track secure pages or if it worked with flash sites. We answered all of the questions here. If you are not sure what questions to answer, ask your support team what your frequently asked questions are.
Use proof elements to seal the deal – after you answer any last objections, make sure you tell people to sign up or buy from you, while visually showing proof elements. With Crazy Egg, we told people to sign up for our free trial, and we showed logos of the companies who use us to help build trust.
Your script won’t be perfect at first, and it will take a few revisions before you get it just right. When you are writing it, keep in mind that 120-150 words roughly translate into a minute of video. Ideally, you want to keep your video to less than 2 minutes.
Step #4: Find someone to create your voice-over
A voice-over (an audio narration of your video) for a 2-minute script shouldn’t cost you more than a few hundred dollars. I’ve found that Demo Duck and a lot of the popular explainer video companies use a professional by the name of Mike O’Brian. His rate is only a few hundred bucks.
You can use him or anyone else you like. Or if you really want to save money, you can find someone on Craig’s List to do it for free or under $50.
Step #5: Find someone to create your video
Again, you can go through a professional video company to get your explainer video created, or you can go through freelancers. Big companies typically charge $5,000 to $75,000 for a video, and they can take up to a few months to complete it.
Step #6: A/B test your video
The reason I explained how you can get your video created cheaply and efficiently is because you’ll have to A/B test it to maximize your conversions. This means that you’ll continually have to spend money to tweak your video (both the audio and video files), and the last thing you want to do is go through a big company as they can easily charge you a few grand to $20,000 to continually modify it.
When you are doing A/B tests, make sure you are also tracking your video plays. Through software solutions like Wistia, you can see video engagement stats, which will help you figure out how you need to modify your video to maximize conversions.
Plus, as your product changes, you’ll need to get your video modified, and, of course, you’ll have to A/B test it again.
Conclusion
If you want to create an explainer video or video production in San Diego or Southern California, you have to take the time and do all of the steps I mentioned above. If you don’t have the time, don’t waste your money creating videos then. Or if you are willing to spend a bit more to get things done, hire someone like Conversion Rate Experts, which is what we did with Crazy Egg. They didn’t create the video, but they did get to know our product, surveyed our visitors and then created our script.
When I first started creating explainer videos, I took the easy route by hiring a big video production company to create our video and script… I wasted tens of thousands of dollars on videos that didn’t convert well.
Remember, the most important part of an explainer video isn’t the video… it’s the script.
Contact info for Fourten Digital Media (Cinematic Video Production Services)
Serving the Whole Planet Earth!
Business Mobile: 1-760-529-6576
Business: 1-760-450-2665
Email: info@fourtenvideo.com
or
Email: fourtendigital@gmail.com
Fourten Digital Media (Cinematic Video Production);
Website: http://www.carlsbadvideoservices.com
Shortlink: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
More Samples: http://www.fourtendigital.com
Friday, November 15, 2013
Video on your website for Google's new Hummingbird update
Googles Hummingbird update is more significant then businesses think
(In short, this article basically lays down how much your business needs web video production services san diego and photo content on it, and relevant as well. Really, you don't want just any video on your website, especially if you are a thriving business. Video Production Value is important these days and anyone can just put up a video. What most people don't know, is it ends up hurting you more then helping you. If your budget is low, then get a shorter video. But whatever Marketing Video you have on your website, make it a really good one. Cause you only get 1 chance to make that first impression.
Fourten Digital Media puts Big Screen Cinema Quality into every Video Production they make. Whether its a small 30 second video to a large Corporate "about video", we make sure your business thrives with the quality and professionalism you need for 2014.
Get Quality Video Production in San Diego and Southern California Area by Fourten Digital Cinematic Video Co..
November 15, 2013
By Geoff Ian Parker in Featured
Hummingbird is the biggest iteration of the Google algorithm since Caffeine in 2010. It is, however, going to have less impact immediately on search marketing than the Panda and Penguin updates. Amit Singhal, of Google, said 90% of searches have been affected by this algorithm change. It was interesting to note, however, that very little was said within the industry about affected rankings before the announcement was made.
The details of the Hummingbird amendments are provided below, detailing what has changed and how it impacts search marketing strategies.
In general terms, Hummingbird is a step towards the Google algorithm becoming artificially intelligent. Google’s goal is to be able to serve content based on what the searcher wants. A key performance indicator of this development is surely the number of searches a user makes in a short space of time (the higher number of searches denoting that the content is not relevant to their query) and also the number of pages a user visits per search term.
For example, 8 years ago 30% of searchers would look at search results past page one of Google. Today, it is only 10% and it is likely to decrease as Google improves the indexing of searches against the real intent of the search (thus making it even more significant to increase SEO rankings).
So let’s have a look at Hummingbird in detail. What are the changes and what does this mean for search marketers and website owners.
Semantic Search
Semantic search will be discussed more and more in regards to SEO over the coming years, particularly as search devices change, search queries evolve with the technology, and Google and information retrieval technology adapts to changing hardware.
Semantic search is where an algorithm, like Google’s, retrieves information based on the meaning of the search as opposed to matching the content against the search term. Google’s aim is to index all content based on semantics and it will continue to improve in this regard.
Before Hummingbird, Google was indexing content by using pattern match to marry up content within its database against the search query.
Today, Hummingbird is more intelligent, and now indexes content based on the query intention. This includes some key elements such as the context of the search and the searcher’s requirements. For example, the context of the searcher can include variables such as the device a user is searching from, the time the search was made (local) and/or the frequency of similar searches from the same device, allowing Google to understand more about the search habits of that user. With a better understanding of searchers, Google can make better judgements about search intent and improve the content served from the index.
Website Content
As Google continues to improve its semantic search algorithm, websites will need to continue improving content for end users.
Providing the best content for basic brochure websites may be the hardest since a large majority are relying just on textual content.
Gone are the days when SEOs could focus on keyword density and target keywords within alt tags, meta tags and H tags. More granular research is needed into multiple keyword variations, although this recommendation isn’t a result of the Hummingbird update.
Webpage content breaks down into only three core sections – images, text and web video – and a combination of all three determines the theme of the page. It is important that companies, SEO practitioners and in-house marketing teams see that each page has its own theme of which all content types contribute to improving.
For example, if I have a page about “Mailing bags” then I want to give as many signals to Google as possible that this page is highly targeted for all relevant search terms. Therefore, from a contextual point of view, I want to ensure it is optimized for all search variations for this product, including mailing bags, mailing cartons and mailing pouches. I also want to make sure the text content covers important practical information – for example, the uses of the product and application. This is particularly important with the Hummingbird update because Google is specifically looking at how it can serve content better for practical searches beginning with things such as “how do I… ” or “what is the… “. More information on this below.
Secondly, you want to ensure that you have relevant images on the page, for example, maps. 20% of all searches have “local intent” in the UK, and it’s even higher on mobile. So maps are a significantly important element to add to websites.
Another important factor to help serving content against intent is schema markup, specifically for website videos.
All of these elements contribute as signals to Google to say “Hey, this page is very relevant to that search term”.
Material Searches and Application Searches
This is an aspect we have been working on with clients for a while and we are not surprised that Google has covered it in the Hummingbird update.
We have worked with clients to optimize their websites which contain multiple bespoke products and have seen that there are clearly two types of searches being made. Material searches are searches for a certain product based on what it is – so for example, a search of “cardboard boxes” is a material search. The searcher is clearly describing the product that they are looking for in the search term. Similarly, a search for “coffee table” is someone looking for a very specific item.
Application searches, on the other hand, are queries made by users who are looking for something or someone to do a required job, but the searchers are not sure exactly what they are looking for. For example, the search phrase “packaging material for moving house” may be used by someone wanting to find packaging solutions to meet their house moving requirements, but the searcher may not know exactly what is needed. The searcher is, in effect, asking Google to provide the answer. This is where Hummingbird is enhancing its semantic understanding of search queries and improving the indexing of content for each user. Google may consider factors like past search history, the device used, and even elements like personalized search with “Search Plus Your World” which is another change similar to Hummingbird that also contributes to better indexing of content based on a user’s needs.
So, in short, focus more on searches to do with the usability and performance of your products and services (applications), rather than material searches which just describe what you do.
Knowledge Graph Tap In
Google is also ranking sites based on information in your Knowledge Graph. This is probably more relevant to larger companies or brands. Do not, however, underestimate the significance that local search and Knowledge Graph are likely to have on impacting rankings.
Use of Mobiles
More and more people are speaking searches into mobile phones which is where Hummingbird determines the meaning of a search. These spoken searches are invariably longer search phrases and mainly contain a question. Google’s search results need to be able to answer these questions so the focus for Hummingbird is to understand the semantics of the search term, be it by location, device and/or search intent of the text query, to serve the most relevant results.
Use of Local Searches on Mobile Devices
40% of searches made on mobile have local intent. Therefore, think about the content on your website and how it appears on mobile. Does it format correctly? Is it easy to use? By this I do not mean is it responsive and built in HTML5 because that is only a temporary solution. Consumers on mobile are in a different buying mode, so content on your desktop website may not be relevant to a consumer on a mobile device.
For example, your store locator links are going to be very important to mobile visitors but, if your store locator links are buried in the footer of your desktop site and they are regurgitated the same way through your responsive design, then this just isn’t good practice.
Google will be making changes in the coming year to give increased weight to mobile optimized content. Hummingbird is, effectively, the first step towards this goal. Google wants to see content created to best serve a user’s “intent”. This includes the device used to perform searches.
Long and Short Tail Keywords
We are going to see Hummingbird have a more significant impact on long tail search terms (longer string search terms where there is a question or element of uncertainty within the searcher’s mind) than on head terms (short tail). Head terms and generics may be affected within certain industries, but greater variations will be seen for longer terms.
This is because of conversational search.
Conversational Search
Use of voice search creates longer search query strings and it is important to serve content to match these searches. Think about user guides and how-to guides, if you have products with multiple applications.
Ikea is a great example of a website that has good video content showing how to put together each furniture type. This is great content to index for conversational search.
Some people recommend making text content more conversational. We do not, however, see this making a difference in regards to ranking effectiveness.
In Summary
Make sure your content is geared towards a user’s intent. Think not only about what is being searched for, but also about what searchers are trying to find based on contingent factors such as location, search device and time of search. Match your content and increase semantic signals to assure better indexing.
Hummingbird is the beginning of some major changes to content indexing. Google will become better at determining user intent and semantic understanding, and with changes in consumer habits across multiple channels – particularly mobile – search marketers will need to adapt as well. Be sure to get a really quality website video as soon as you can. Google picks up on this, and your descriptions, and tags are important also. On a side note, get a quality web video. Hire a local video company you can trust, and make sure they have a quality video portfolio. Check their google reviews and make sure they have a good name. Then meet with them. You will know right away if thats the video production company for your business.
(In short, this article basically lays down how much your business needs web video production services san diego and photo content on it, and relevant as well. Really, you don't want just any video on your website, especially if you are a thriving business. Video Production Value is important these days and anyone can just put up a video. What most people don't know, is it ends up hurting you more then helping you. If your budget is low, then get a shorter video. But whatever Marketing Video you have on your website, make it a really good one. Cause you only get 1 chance to make that first impression.
Fourten Digital Media puts Big Screen Cinema Quality into every Video Production they make. Whether its a small 30 second video to a large Corporate "about video", we make sure your business thrives with the quality and professionalism you need for 2014.
Get Quality Video Production in San Diego and Southern California Area by Fourten Digital Cinematic Video Co..
November 15, 2013
 |
| Google is really pushing companies to have a quality web video |
Hummingbird is the biggest iteration of the Google algorithm since Caffeine in 2010. It is, however, going to have less impact immediately on search marketing than the Panda and Penguin updates. Amit Singhal, of Google, said 90% of searches have been affected by this algorithm change. It was interesting to note, however, that very little was said within the industry about affected rankings before the announcement was made.
The details of the Hummingbird amendments are provided below, detailing what has changed and how it impacts search marketing strategies.
In general terms, Hummingbird is a step towards the Google algorithm becoming artificially intelligent. Google’s goal is to be able to serve content based on what the searcher wants. A key performance indicator of this development is surely the number of searches a user makes in a short space of time (the higher number of searches denoting that the content is not relevant to their query) and also the number of pages a user visits per search term.
For example, 8 years ago 30% of searchers would look at search results past page one of Google. Today, it is only 10% and it is likely to decrease as Google improves the indexing of searches against the real intent of the search (thus making it even more significant to increase SEO rankings).
So let’s have a look at Hummingbird in detail. What are the changes and what does this mean for search marketers and website owners.
Semantic Search
Semantic search will be discussed more and more in regards to SEO over the coming years, particularly as search devices change, search queries evolve with the technology, and Google and information retrieval technology adapts to changing hardware.
Semantic search is where an algorithm, like Google’s, retrieves information based on the meaning of the search as opposed to matching the content against the search term. Google’s aim is to index all content based on semantics and it will continue to improve in this regard.
Before Hummingbird, Google was indexing content by using pattern match to marry up content within its database against the search query.
Today, Hummingbird is more intelligent, and now indexes content based on the query intention. This includes some key elements such as the context of the search and the searcher’s requirements. For example, the context of the searcher can include variables such as the device a user is searching from, the time the search was made (local) and/or the frequency of similar searches from the same device, allowing Google to understand more about the search habits of that user. With a better understanding of searchers, Google can make better judgements about search intent and improve the content served from the index.
Website Content
As Google continues to improve its semantic search algorithm, websites will need to continue improving content for end users.
Providing the best content for basic brochure websites may be the hardest since a large majority are relying just on textual content.
Gone are the days when SEOs could focus on keyword density and target keywords within alt tags, meta tags and H tags. More granular research is needed into multiple keyword variations, although this recommendation isn’t a result of the Hummingbird update.
Webpage content breaks down into only three core sections – images, text and web video – and a combination of all three determines the theme of the page. It is important that companies, SEO practitioners and in-house marketing teams see that each page has its own theme of which all content types contribute to improving.
For example, if I have a page about “Mailing bags” then I want to give as many signals to Google as possible that this page is highly targeted for all relevant search terms. Therefore, from a contextual point of view, I want to ensure it is optimized for all search variations for this product, including mailing bags, mailing cartons and mailing pouches. I also want to make sure the text content covers important practical information – for example, the uses of the product and application. This is particularly important with the Hummingbird update because Google is specifically looking at how it can serve content better for practical searches beginning with things such as “how do I… ” or “what is the… “. More information on this below.
Secondly, you want to ensure that you have relevant images on the page, for example, maps. 20% of all searches have “local intent” in the UK, and it’s even higher on mobile. So maps are a significantly important element to add to websites.
Another important factor to help serving content against intent is schema markup, specifically for website videos.
All of these elements contribute as signals to Google to say “Hey, this page is very relevant to that search term”.
Material Searches and Application Searches
This is an aspect we have been working on with clients for a while and we are not surprised that Google has covered it in the Hummingbird update.
We have worked with clients to optimize their websites which contain multiple bespoke products and have seen that there are clearly two types of searches being made. Material searches are searches for a certain product based on what it is – so for example, a search of “cardboard boxes” is a material search. The searcher is clearly describing the product that they are looking for in the search term. Similarly, a search for “coffee table” is someone looking for a very specific item.
Application searches, on the other hand, are queries made by users who are looking for something or someone to do a required job, but the searchers are not sure exactly what they are looking for. For example, the search phrase “packaging material for moving house” may be used by someone wanting to find packaging solutions to meet their house moving requirements, but the searcher may not know exactly what is needed. The searcher is, in effect, asking Google to provide the answer. This is where Hummingbird is enhancing its semantic understanding of search queries and improving the indexing of content for each user. Google may consider factors like past search history, the device used, and even elements like personalized search with “Search Plus Your World” which is another change similar to Hummingbird that also contributes to better indexing of content based on a user’s needs.
So, in short, focus more on searches to do with the usability and performance of your products and services (applications), rather than material searches which just describe what you do.
Knowledge Graph Tap In
Google is also ranking sites based on information in your Knowledge Graph. This is probably more relevant to larger companies or brands. Do not, however, underestimate the significance that local search and Knowledge Graph are likely to have on impacting rankings.
Use of Mobiles
More and more people are speaking searches into mobile phones which is where Hummingbird determines the meaning of a search. These spoken searches are invariably longer search phrases and mainly contain a question. Google’s search results need to be able to answer these questions so the focus for Hummingbird is to understand the semantics of the search term, be it by location, device and/or search intent of the text query, to serve the most relevant results.
Use of Local Searches on Mobile Devices
40% of searches made on mobile have local intent. Therefore, think about the content on your website and how it appears on mobile. Does it format correctly? Is it easy to use? By this I do not mean is it responsive and built in HTML5 because that is only a temporary solution. Consumers on mobile are in a different buying mode, so content on your desktop website may not be relevant to a consumer on a mobile device.
For example, your store locator links are going to be very important to mobile visitors but, if your store locator links are buried in the footer of your desktop site and they are regurgitated the same way through your responsive design, then this just isn’t good practice.
Google will be making changes in the coming year to give increased weight to mobile optimized content. Hummingbird is, effectively, the first step towards this goal. Google wants to see content created to best serve a user’s “intent”. This includes the device used to perform searches.
Long and Short Tail Keywords
We are going to see Hummingbird have a more significant impact on long tail search terms (longer string search terms where there is a question or element of uncertainty within the searcher’s mind) than on head terms (short tail). Head terms and generics may be affected within certain industries, but greater variations will be seen for longer terms.
This is because of conversational search.
Conversational Search
Use of voice search creates longer search query strings and it is important to serve content to match these searches. Think about user guides and how-to guides, if you have products with multiple applications.
Ikea is a great example of a website that has good video content showing how to put together each furniture type. This is great content to index for conversational search.
Some people recommend making text content more conversational. We do not, however, see this making a difference in regards to ranking effectiveness.
In Summary
Make sure your content is geared towards a user’s intent. Think not only about what is being searched for, but also about what searchers are trying to find based on contingent factors such as location, search device and time of search. Match your content and increase semantic signals to assure better indexing.
Hummingbird is the beginning of some major changes to content indexing. Google will become better at determining user intent and semantic understanding, and with changes in consumer habits across multiple channels – particularly mobile – search marketers will need to adapt as well. Be sure to get a really quality website video as soon as you can. Google picks up on this, and your descriptions, and tags are important also. On a side note, get a quality web video. Hire a local video company you can trust, and make sure they have a quality video portfolio. Check their google reviews and make sure they have a good name. Then meet with them. You will know right away if thats the video production company for your business.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Corporate training Video solutions in San Diego
Perfect Product Training Video for Distributors and End user Corporate training Videos in Carslbad.
Covering everyting from Lowes, home depot, amazon, ebay and all other selling platforms including website sales....we increase your sales 10 fold within a month of the product and product training videos.
About HD Cinematic look Training Videos:
If you are a company releasing products on Amazon, home depot Lowes or need a static product page, we are your answer. People and clients/end users want to watch these online training videos. They are engaging, and by using 2-3 cameras, multiple lighting and staged settings, Fourten Creates the most engaging Videos for every type of business. Releasing your product on these static sites requires training videos hands down. Increase your sales, Roi and investors/distributors by these simple yet complex videos using every cutback angle possible.
*FourTen Digial Video Productions in San Diego County Creates a variety of corporate training videos for any product, services and business in San Diego, Carlsbad and all of North County San Diego. As you can see by the quality, Linear is already far past there RETURN ON INVESTMENT JUST IN THE FIRST MONTH.
-EACH VIDEO IS SPECIFIED TO THE PRODUCT AT HAND AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF OF SPOKESPERSONS (See Kristina in the video, which was a 17 video series for 7 products) , VOICEOVERS AND ANY KIND OF MARKETING STRATEGIES NEEDED TO PUSH YOUR PRODUCT TO THE TOP.
-This is an Cinematic Video production video for product training for Lowes, home Depot and Amazon. Releasing a Product or service can be tricky but with the right company, you can have something people can enjoy while learning how to install a product.
-This Film was shot by Fourten Digtal Media and Video Production in Carlsbad, San Diego, and Los Angeles California. We use specialized Cinema Cameras, Cinema lenses, and multi cutback shots and B-Roll Video to create the most dynamic Video productions for Corporation
About HD Cinematic look Training Videocorporate training videos for home depot:
If you are a company releasing products on Amazon, home depot, or lowes or need a static product page, we are your answer. People and clients/end users want to watch these videos. They are engaging, and by using 2-3 cameras, multiple lighting and staged settings, Fourten Creates the most engaging Videos for every type of business. Releasing your product on these static sites requires training videos hands down. Increase your sales, Roi and investors/distributors by these simple yet complex HD videos using every cutback angle possible.
Fourten and Linear Corporation set up and built 3 Stages on studio location for these videos. We also did Pre production, Talent scouting and Treatments/scripting for all of these videos.
Our Cinematic Video Production included:
1. Product research and video planning
2. Pre production scripting/storyboarding/treaments
3. filming with 3 HD 2.5K Cinema Cameras
4. High End Cinema Lenses
5. HD Wireless and broadcast microphones
6. orignal "royalty free music scoring"
7. Post production Video editing
8. Motion graphics, 4D Animations and Graphic design
9. Extensive product research
10. Set Building and painting
11. and a lot of love, pride and creative Video production skills.
We filmed them on HD 2.5k Cinema Cameras with Carl Zeiss, Canon and Rokinon Set focal length Cinema Lenses. This insured that the quality of the video is fit for any Video Marketing platform in San Diego, Southern California and Carlsbad Locations.
The Process:
We collaborated with the marketing team at linear corporation to provide the most detailed and desirable Training Video for there enormous product line. Linear is a world wide company and has over 1000 products just with their company. To release a product on these platforms, you are required to have specilized and generic Traingin videos for these products before they are released to the marketing platforms. FourTen does it all.
Here is one of 17 Videos done for this Corporate video production Training Videos Carlsbad series for lowes, home depot, amazona and ebay!
Photos of the shoot, set and set building:
Covering everyting from Lowes, home depot, amazon, ebay and all other selling platforms including website sales....we increase your sales 10 fold within a month of the product and product training videos.
About HD Cinematic look Training Videos:
If you are a company releasing products on Amazon, home depot Lowes or need a static product page, we are your answer. People and clients/end users want to watch these online training videos. They are engaging, and by using 2-3 cameras, multiple lighting and staged settings, Fourten Creates the most engaging Videos for every type of business. Releasing your product on these static sites requires training videos hands down. Increase your sales, Roi and investors/distributors by these simple yet complex videos using every cutback angle possible.
*FourTen Digial Video Productions in San Diego County Creates a variety of corporate training videos for any product, services and business in San Diego, Carlsbad and all of North County San Diego. As you can see by the quality, Linear is already far past there RETURN ON INVESTMENT JUST IN THE FIRST MONTH.
-EACH VIDEO IS SPECIFIED TO THE PRODUCT AT HAND AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF OF SPOKESPERSONS (See Kristina in the video, which was a 17 video series for 7 products) , VOICEOVERS AND ANY KIND OF MARKETING STRATEGIES NEEDED TO PUSH YOUR PRODUCT TO THE TOP.
-This is an Cinematic Video production video for product training for Lowes, home Depot and Amazon. Releasing a Product or service can be tricky but with the right company, you can have something people can enjoy while learning how to install a product.
-This Film was shot by Fourten Digtal Media and Video Production in Carlsbad, San Diego, and Los Angeles California. We use specialized Cinema Cameras, Cinema lenses, and multi cutback shots and B-Roll Video to create the most dynamic Video productions for Corporation
About HD Cinematic look Training Videocorporate training videos for home depot:
If you are a company releasing products on Amazon, home depot, or lowes or need a static product page, we are your answer. People and clients/end users want to watch these videos. They are engaging, and by using 2-3 cameras, multiple lighting and staged settings, Fourten Creates the most engaging Videos for every type of business. Releasing your product on these static sites requires training videos hands down. Increase your sales, Roi and investors/distributors by these simple yet complex HD videos using every cutback angle possible.
Fourten and Linear Corporation set up and built 3 Stages on studio location for these videos. We also did Pre production, Talent scouting and Treatments/scripting for all of these videos.
Our Cinematic Video Production included:
1. Product research and video planning
2. Pre production scripting/storyboarding/treaments
3. filming with 3 HD 2.5K Cinema Cameras
4. High End Cinema Lenses
5. HD Wireless and broadcast microphones
6. orignal "royalty free music scoring"
7. Post production Video editing
8. Motion graphics, 4D Animations and Graphic design
9. Extensive product research
10. Set Building and painting
11. and a lot of love, pride and creative Video production skills.
We filmed them on HD 2.5k Cinema Cameras with Carl Zeiss, Canon and Rokinon Set focal length Cinema Lenses. This insured that the quality of the video is fit for any Video Marketing platform in San Diego, Southern California and Carlsbad Locations.
The Process:
We collaborated with the marketing team at linear corporation to provide the most detailed and desirable Training Video for there enormous product line. Linear is a world wide company and has over 1000 products just with their company. To release a product on these platforms, you are required to have specilized and generic Traingin videos for these products before they are released to the marketing platforms. FourTen does it all.
Here is one of 17 Videos done for this Corporate video production Training Videos Carlsbad series for lowes, home depot, amazona and ebay!
Photos of the shoot, set and set building:
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Best Video Services in San Diego and North County
Four Ten Digital Media
(Cinematic Video Productions)
Carlsbad California
Website: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
Make this your first and last search for a Video company!
We Do any kind of HD (Cinematic Look) Videos:
Videography, Video Editing (post production), Motion Graphics, 4D Animation, (Pre Production) SCRIPTING/STORYBOARDING...for low rates.
"Any Budget, any sized project, any turn around time"
WEBSITE: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
Portfolio Site: http://carlsbadvideoservices.com/video-production_portfolio
VIDEO SERVICES: (FULL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, VIDEO EDITING, VIDEOGRAPHY)
*WEB VIDEO* *TV COMMERCIALS* *TESTIMONIALS**REAL ESTATE/PROPERTY*
*EVENTS/CORPORATE TRAINING VIDEO* *VIRAL VIDEOS**SEMINARS*
*REALITY PILOTS* *BLOG VIDEO* *SPORTS VIDEO**EVENTS/WEDDINGS*
*YOUTUBE VIDEOS**KICK STARTER**INDEPENDENT FILMS**DOCUMENTARIES*
...............AND MUCH MORE!
Fastest Turnaround Times in San Diego/North County (we have checked)
High quality HD Cinematic Video/Low Rates
We Cater To any size project or budget
Professional HD (Cinema/Movie Look) Video, Audio, Broadcast
What is Cinema look? Its a Video that looks like it belongs on a high end Tv Station or on a Big Screen Movie. We do NOT charge extra. this is just how we make video!
CONTACT US TODAY! (CALL OR EMAIL THROUGH WEBSITE)
We will answer all your questions in less then 15 min.
WEBSITE: http://www.carlsbadvideoservices.com
Contact Tim: 760-529-6576
or
Business line: 760-450-2665
EMAIL: CLICK HERE
(Cinematic Video Productions)
Carlsbad California
Website: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
Make this your first and last search for a Video company!
We Do any kind of HD (Cinematic Look) Videos:
Videography, Video Editing (post production), Motion Graphics, 4D Animation, (Pre Production) SCRIPTING/STORYBOARDING...for low rates.
"Any Budget, any sized project, any turn around time"
WEBSITE: http://www.fourtenvideo.com
Portfolio Site: http://carlsbadvideoservices.com/video-production_portfolio
VIDEO SERVICES: (FULL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, VIDEO EDITING, VIDEOGRAPHY)
*WEB VIDEO* *TV COMMERCIALS* *TESTIMONIALS**REAL ESTATE/PROPERTY*
*EVENTS/CORPORATE TRAINING VIDEO* *VIRAL VIDEOS**SEMINARS*
*REALITY PILOTS* *BLOG VIDEO* *SPORTS VIDEO**EVENTS/WEDDINGS*
*YOUTUBE VIDEOS**KICK STARTER**INDEPENDENT FILMS**DOCUMENTARIES*
...............AND MUCH MORE!
Fastest Turnaround Times in San Diego/North County (we have checked)
High quality HD Cinematic Video/Low Rates
We Cater To any size project or budget
Professional HD (Cinema/Movie Look) Video, Audio, Broadcast
What is Cinema look? Its a Video that looks like it belongs on a high end Tv Station or on a Big Screen Movie. We do NOT charge extra. this is just how we make video!
CONTACT US TODAY! (CALL OR EMAIL THROUGH WEBSITE)
We will answer all your questions in less then 15 min.
WEBSITE: http://www.carlsbadvideoservices.com
Contact Tim: 760-529-6576
or
Business line: 760-450-2665
EMAIL: CLICK HERE
 |
| Contact us Today. We book up fast. |
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Video Production Process San Diego Clients
The Video Production Process
THE VIDEO PRODUCTION PROCESS FROM START TO END
We wanted to make a page designed to inform clients or just general people who would like to know more about what really goes into making a Video and a Full Video Production. Whether its a web video, TV commercial or longer informercial style...the process is generally the same. We are a Video production Company Based in the Carlsbad and San Diego California area, so we are right at the heart of the industry's most talented teams.
We hope this will help anyone who would like to understand more about what video production companies actually do.
You need a video commercial or TV program but you don't want something amateurish. You know you need a professional video product, but the complex video production process and all the technology that is involved can seem overwhelming or even intimidating. Where do you start and what do you watch out for?
At Fourten Digital Media Cinematic Video production company in San Diego, we deal with all the steps of production from start to finish, and I thought it might be helpful to outline these steps and talk about them just a bit. That way, you can become familiar with them and know what to watch for and ask for from your video professional. Just be sure your person or crew ARE professionals!
Your project may require all these steps, or only one or two of them. This shows the entire process, parts of which may be already created or not necessary for various reasons.
Here’s the order in which production things generally occur:
1. Concepting
2. Scriptwriting
3. Production Planning (Pre-production)
4. Videography (Shoot)
5. Graphics Design & Creation
6. Voice Talent Recording
7. Original Music or Library Music tracks
8. Video Editing
9. Motion Graphics & Special Effects
10. Animation
11. Final Edit, Mix, and Master
12. Dubs (Copies) or other Distribution
That's a lot of stuff, and it takes a long article (actually, two!) to explain each step of the process, but this is what WE do as your video professionals. Our goal is to make this process as easy, enjoyable, and fruitful for you as possible, regardless of your level of knowledge about production.
CONCEPTING
When you hire a video service crew, they should ask a lot of questions. They will be discovering where the starting point of this production is and what your goals and budget are for it.
You may already have an idea or concept for your spot, program, or other production. It may be solid and developed, or it may just be a rough idea. You may have no concept at all, yet.
In any case, they can help you develop a concept from scratch, flesh a rough idea into a practical approach, or take your solid approach and move on into the next phase of production.
SCRIPTWRITING
The same flexibility applies to the script. If you have a script, we can proceed into production. Most professionals can write a script for you or advise you about an existing script that may need work. Scripts for television commercials, in particular, can be tricky and there is a fine art to making them work within the typical thirty second time frame.
The script forms the backbone of the production and becomes the official reference for all that follows.
PRE-PRODUCTION (PRODUCTION PLANNING)
The pre-production meeting is very important to this process. This is where specific production approaches are discussed and decided on, along with determining what resources (shoots, talent, animations, etc.) are going to be needed.
Pre-production meetings should not have a charge or fee. This should be a no-pressure, open, brain-storming event. Ideas can be shared and critiqued without consequence, and decisions about budget and approach can be locked in.
VIDEOGRAPHY (SHOOT)
A camera shoot may or may not be necessary for a specific project, or you may already have “raw footage” on tape or disc, ready to be edited. Keep in mind that consumer grade video is usually not high enough quality for most broadcast products.
If a shoot is necessary either on a location or in a studio, be sure to hire a highly experienced crew that has professional camera and lighting equipment and who know how to use it.
GRAPHICS DESIGN & CREATION
Almost every production will need a graphic look or design along with various graphic elements like a company logo or art elements to coordinate with other media. Much of this may already exist, but certain graphics will probably need to be designed and created for use in post-production.
This step is often underestimated in terms of the time it takes to do and the importance of it in the final product. Graphics and a specific graphic look or identity can have a huge impact on the final video. It gives it an emotional feel and a psychological branding for the message or the product.
VOICE TALENT RECORDING
Your project may need a voice talent (or more than one). Finding the right talent can be tricky for low budget productions, as standard union rates for one talent can easily exceed the entire budget of a low dollar commercial production.
Check with your provider to see if they offer in-house talent and access to other talent resources that can be cleared for your production without residuals or high union-based fees.
ORIGINAL MUSIC or LIBRARY MUSIC TRACKS
There is almost never a production where music should not be used. Music is a fundamental element that provides an emotional identity and an emotional impact to your production. The choice of a particular music track, then, is very important to most productions.
There are two approaches to acquiring production music. The ideal way is to have an original track created for or scored to your video. A custom track will literally be made to work and fit your specific production. This can be prohibitively expensive unless the company you work with offers in-house virtual instrument music production, and a composer who knows production.
If you decide not to use a custom track, the next step is to turn to “library music” tracks, which are rights-cleared and produced for production. This was once a second-rate quality solution, but today’s top libraries are wonderfully produced and vast in scope. Often, name-famous performers and composers are contracted to create various collections of music – music that you can use in your production, available in any imaginable style.
VIDEO EDITING
The heart of video post production is editing. Generally speaking, “post production” is anything after the shoot and voice recording sessions. All the elements have been acquired, and now the puzzle must be assembled. Unlike a pre-set puzzle, though, this one is always freeform and requires an artist to bring the various elements together in a way that not only works logically and emotionally, but also serves to deliver your important message in the most efficient way.
Editing is much more than just sticking bits of video and audio together in a line. A great editor can bring footage to life in a manner that an average competent editor just cannot do. This is because editing is an intuitive art form that has to be learned over years of handling footage and making the right decisions by learning from past mistakes. An artful, excellent edit can bring average or even sub-par raw footage to life and rescue an otherwise dull program.
The first stage of the edit process will be for the editor to go through the various raw footage sources and “digitize” them into the computer memory, making them available as virtual “clips” to choose from. Then, an initial or rough edit will be made with just the raw video set against the voice track and music. This is important because the audio establishes the timing of everything and many video edit decisions are based closely on the audio elements.
Once done, this initial edit will be taken into another stage where graphics, special effects, and other design elements are added.
MOTION GRAPHICS & SPECIAL EFFECTS
A wonderful edit is magic in and of itself, but It is in this next stage of post production where a more obvious and exciting kind of magic happens.
Motion Graphics – In modern video production, almost everything moves and develops visually throughout a spot or program. Logos fly and morph into other graphics, video appears in windows that superimpose over other backgrounds, and colorful borders and shapes make an emotional impact and catch the viewer’s eye and hold their attention. Even the simple “name matte” in the lower screen over a speaker is rarely static text, but is animated, glowing, and evolving in and out of existence.
This technique and approach is generically referred to as “motion graphics” and this is what makes today’s television “look” have that polished, animated, and interesting feel. Without it, a production looks boring and “amateur” – exhibiting the dreaded “Cheap Local Look.”
As an artist, I love to put the graphic “polish” on a spot or program, and sometimes the graphics are the only elements we have to work with. Many excellent spots and programs or segments of them have no actual video resources, but are graphics, photos, or other design elements ONLY. These are presented in an animated and interesting manner using the techniques of motion graphics!
Special Effects – Motion graphics are a special effect, of course, but here we refer specifically to what most people think of by that term – special visual effects like explosions, keys and mattes (like green-screen shoots of people that are superimposed over other backgrounds), star trails, smoke, glints and gleams off objects or logos, image tiling, morphing and bending of objects, and so on.
The possibilities are truly endless, and many will be surprised to learn that the effects that can be achieved at a single computer, boutique level are every bit equivalent to Hollywood feature films, and often are used for such films. That means that you can have an effect that is truly Hollywood quality without that big L.A. price tag.
One important note about motion graphics and especially special effects. It is the sign of an artful and experienced editor or digital artist that he or she is reserved in the use of effects. "Effects for effects sake" can ruin a project and place it immediately in the “amateur” category for viewers because the effects distract from the message. That said, a judicious and artistic use of just the right effects can bring an otherwise plain piece to life and propel the viewer’s interest and involvement with your program or spot.
Once the effects and motion graphics are added to the base video edit, the combination of it all is “rendered” into a separate piece of video (a movie file) and is sent back to the edit system for finalizing and mastering.
ANIMATION
A word here about the most special of special effects. Animation can be an effective technique for many productions, but it is a complex area that can be time consuming and therefore expensive.
Animation is a broad term, however, and there are some techniques that are quite fast and easy to accomplish. Don’t dismiss animation as an option just because it sounds expensive or intimidating. Have your production experts advise you on the different approaches and help you decide if animation is practical or if it is right for your project. Animation is generally broken down into two major areas: 2D and 3D.
2D flat style drawings, like classic cartoons, are rarely done manually these days, but are accomplished with the help of the computer. This makes things much easier and faster. Flat style imagery can be very effective and less expensive to accomplish. Sometimes, just an animated graphic element is all that is needed (perhaps a gas pump with a moving meter or a face that smiles).
True 3D animation is more complex. Character animation is the most complicated to achieve, as characters must be designed, structurally boned, skinned with textures, and animated as a collection of joined parts, often into a separately designed background world. While time consuming and expensive, this also can give a production a totally unique look and identity. At my company, we have accomplished several 3D character animation projects using Lightwave3D software, the same program used to create animation elements for such features as Star Trek and Men In Black.
Some 3D animation elements are easier and more often employed, such as dimensional flying logos or other text elements. These can be very effective in either a complex or straightforward production.
FINAL EDIT, MIX, and MASTER
The movie of the final render (base edit with any motion graphics and special effects) is taken back to the edit system and a final version of the spot or program is made, adding any last minute graphics or audio elements. It is optimized for technical levels and standards, and it is given any slate ID’s needed for the final mastering process.
A final audio mix is done, as needed, to make sure the program is complete in every detail. The last production stage is to make the final “Master” of the program onto any of a variety of formats, either videotape or digital files, depending on the intended destination.
DUBS (COPIES) or other DISTRIBUTION
Copies or dubs are often needed for distribution to television stations, directly to clients, or other end-users. These can be in any of a variety of formats and media, from BetaSP (for broadcast), DVCam, MiniDV, DVD’s, or any of a wide selection of digital file formats, including formats for the Web.
Well, that seems like a lot, and it is, but a professional team's goal is to make this production process as easy and worry-free for you as possible. At my company, we’ve been doing this for so long, that this long list is truly second-nature to us!
The only thing we will rely on you, our client, for is comprehensive input and involvement at the beginning of the process, where the decisions are being made on approach, budget, and content. Once that is settled, we can basically take it from there. You will always be a part of the process along the way, with feedback and examples where needed, and your satisfaction is always the final goal.
I hope this outline has been informative and helpful. I am always available if you need further information or have questions.
THE VIDEO PRODUCTION PROCESS FROM START TO END
We wanted to make a page designed to inform clients or just general people who would like to know more about what really goes into making a Video and a Full Video Production. Whether its a web video, TV commercial or longer informercial style...the process is generally the same. We are a Video production Company Based in the Carlsbad and San Diego California area, so we are right at the heart of the industry's most talented teams.
We hope this will help anyone who would like to understand more about what video production companies actually do.
You need a video commercial or TV program but you don't want something amateurish. You know you need a professional video product, but the complex video production process and all the technology that is involved can seem overwhelming or even intimidating. Where do you start and what do you watch out for?
At Fourten Digital Media Cinematic Video production company in San Diego, we deal with all the steps of production from start to finish, and I thought it might be helpful to outline these steps and talk about them just a bit. That way, you can become familiar with them and know what to watch for and ask for from your video professional. Just be sure your person or crew ARE professionals!
Your project may require all these steps, or only one or two of them. This shows the entire process, parts of which may be already created or not necessary for various reasons.
Here’s the order in which production things generally occur:
1. Concepting
2. Scriptwriting
3. Production Planning (Pre-production)
4. Videography (Shoot)
5. Graphics Design & Creation
6. Voice Talent Recording
7. Original Music or Library Music tracks
8. Video Editing
9. Motion Graphics & Special Effects
10. Animation
11. Final Edit, Mix, and Master
12. Dubs (Copies) or other Distribution
That's a lot of stuff, and it takes a long article (actually, two!) to explain each step of the process, but this is what WE do as your video professionals. Our goal is to make this process as easy, enjoyable, and fruitful for you as possible, regardless of your level of knowledge about production.
CONCEPTING
When you hire a video service crew, they should ask a lot of questions. They will be discovering where the starting point of this production is and what your goals and budget are for it.
You may already have an idea or concept for your spot, program, or other production. It may be solid and developed, or it may just be a rough idea. You may have no concept at all, yet.
In any case, they can help you develop a concept from scratch, flesh a rough idea into a practical approach, or take your solid approach and move on into the next phase of production.
SCRIPTWRITING
The same flexibility applies to the script. If you have a script, we can proceed into production. Most professionals can write a script for you or advise you about an existing script that may need work. Scripts for television commercials, in particular, can be tricky and there is a fine art to making them work within the typical thirty second time frame.
The script forms the backbone of the production and becomes the official reference for all that follows.
PRE-PRODUCTION (PRODUCTION PLANNING)
The pre-production meeting is very important to this process. This is where specific production approaches are discussed and decided on, along with determining what resources (shoots, talent, animations, etc.) are going to be needed.
Pre-production meetings should not have a charge or fee. This should be a no-pressure, open, brain-storming event. Ideas can be shared and critiqued without consequence, and decisions about budget and approach can be locked in.
VIDEOGRAPHY (SHOOT)
A camera shoot may or may not be necessary for a specific project, or you may already have “raw footage” on tape or disc, ready to be edited. Keep in mind that consumer grade video is usually not high enough quality for most broadcast products.
If a shoot is necessary either on a location or in a studio, be sure to hire a highly experienced crew that has professional camera and lighting equipment and who know how to use it.
GRAPHICS DESIGN & CREATION
Almost every production will need a graphic look or design along with various graphic elements like a company logo or art elements to coordinate with other media. Much of this may already exist, but certain graphics will probably need to be designed and created for use in post-production.
This step is often underestimated in terms of the time it takes to do and the importance of it in the final product. Graphics and a specific graphic look or identity can have a huge impact on the final video. It gives it an emotional feel and a psychological branding for the message or the product.
VOICE TALENT RECORDING
Your project may need a voice talent (or more than one). Finding the right talent can be tricky for low budget productions, as standard union rates for one talent can easily exceed the entire budget of a low dollar commercial production.
Check with your provider to see if they offer in-house talent and access to other talent resources that can be cleared for your production without residuals or high union-based fees.
ORIGINAL MUSIC or LIBRARY MUSIC TRACKS
There is almost never a production where music should not be used. Music is a fundamental element that provides an emotional identity and an emotional impact to your production. The choice of a particular music track, then, is very important to most productions.
There are two approaches to acquiring production music. The ideal way is to have an original track created for or scored to your video. A custom track will literally be made to work and fit your specific production. This can be prohibitively expensive unless the company you work with offers in-house virtual instrument music production, and a composer who knows production.
If you decide not to use a custom track, the next step is to turn to “library music” tracks, which are rights-cleared and produced for production. This was once a second-rate quality solution, but today’s top libraries are wonderfully produced and vast in scope. Often, name-famous performers and composers are contracted to create various collections of music – music that you can use in your production, available in any imaginable style.
VIDEO EDITING
The heart of video post production is editing. Generally speaking, “post production” is anything after the shoot and voice recording sessions. All the elements have been acquired, and now the puzzle must be assembled. Unlike a pre-set puzzle, though, this one is always freeform and requires an artist to bring the various elements together in a way that not only works logically and emotionally, but also serves to deliver your important message in the most efficient way.
Editing is much more than just sticking bits of video and audio together in a line. A great editor can bring footage to life in a manner that an average competent editor just cannot do. This is because editing is an intuitive art form that has to be learned over years of handling footage and making the right decisions by learning from past mistakes. An artful, excellent edit can bring average or even sub-par raw footage to life and rescue an otherwise dull program.
The first stage of the edit process will be for the editor to go through the various raw footage sources and “digitize” them into the computer memory, making them available as virtual “clips” to choose from. Then, an initial or rough edit will be made with just the raw video set against the voice track and music. This is important because the audio establishes the timing of everything and many video edit decisions are based closely on the audio elements.
Once done, this initial edit will be taken into another stage where graphics, special effects, and other design elements are added.
MOTION GRAPHICS & SPECIAL EFFECTS
A wonderful edit is magic in and of itself, but It is in this next stage of post production where a more obvious and exciting kind of magic happens.
Motion Graphics – In modern video production, almost everything moves and develops visually throughout a spot or program. Logos fly and morph into other graphics, video appears in windows that superimpose over other backgrounds, and colorful borders and shapes make an emotional impact and catch the viewer’s eye and hold their attention. Even the simple “name matte” in the lower screen over a speaker is rarely static text, but is animated, glowing, and evolving in and out of existence.
This technique and approach is generically referred to as “motion graphics” and this is what makes today’s television “look” have that polished, animated, and interesting feel. Without it, a production looks boring and “amateur” – exhibiting the dreaded “Cheap Local Look.”
As an artist, I love to put the graphic “polish” on a spot or program, and sometimes the graphics are the only elements we have to work with. Many excellent spots and programs or segments of them have no actual video resources, but are graphics, photos, or other design elements ONLY. These are presented in an animated and interesting manner using the techniques of motion graphics!
Special Effects – Motion graphics are a special effect, of course, but here we refer specifically to what most people think of by that term – special visual effects like explosions, keys and mattes (like green-screen shoots of people that are superimposed over other backgrounds), star trails, smoke, glints and gleams off objects or logos, image tiling, morphing and bending of objects, and so on.
The possibilities are truly endless, and many will be surprised to learn that the effects that can be achieved at a single computer, boutique level are every bit equivalent to Hollywood feature films, and often are used for such films. That means that you can have an effect that is truly Hollywood quality without that big L.A. price tag.
One important note about motion graphics and especially special effects. It is the sign of an artful and experienced editor or digital artist that he or she is reserved in the use of effects. "Effects for effects sake" can ruin a project and place it immediately in the “amateur” category for viewers because the effects distract from the message. That said, a judicious and artistic use of just the right effects can bring an otherwise plain piece to life and propel the viewer’s interest and involvement with your program or spot.
Once the effects and motion graphics are added to the base video edit, the combination of it all is “rendered” into a separate piece of video (a movie file) and is sent back to the edit system for finalizing and mastering.
ANIMATION
A word here about the most special of special effects. Animation can be an effective technique for many productions, but it is a complex area that can be time consuming and therefore expensive.
Animation is a broad term, however, and there are some techniques that are quite fast and easy to accomplish. Don’t dismiss animation as an option just because it sounds expensive or intimidating. Have your production experts advise you on the different approaches and help you decide if animation is practical or if it is right for your project. Animation is generally broken down into two major areas: 2D and 3D.
2D flat style drawings, like classic cartoons, are rarely done manually these days, but are accomplished with the help of the computer. This makes things much easier and faster. Flat style imagery can be very effective and less expensive to accomplish. Sometimes, just an animated graphic element is all that is needed (perhaps a gas pump with a moving meter or a face that smiles).
True 3D animation is more complex. Character animation is the most complicated to achieve, as characters must be designed, structurally boned, skinned with textures, and animated as a collection of joined parts, often into a separately designed background world. While time consuming and expensive, this also can give a production a totally unique look and identity. At my company, we have accomplished several 3D character animation projects using Lightwave3D software, the same program used to create animation elements for such features as Star Trek and Men In Black.
Some 3D animation elements are easier and more often employed, such as dimensional flying logos or other text elements. These can be very effective in either a complex or straightforward production.
FINAL EDIT, MIX, and MASTER
The movie of the final render (base edit with any motion graphics and special effects) is taken back to the edit system and a final version of the spot or program is made, adding any last minute graphics or audio elements. It is optimized for technical levels and standards, and it is given any slate ID’s needed for the final mastering process.
A final audio mix is done, as needed, to make sure the program is complete in every detail. The last production stage is to make the final “Master” of the program onto any of a variety of formats, either videotape or digital files, depending on the intended destination.
DUBS (COPIES) or other DISTRIBUTION
Copies or dubs are often needed for distribution to television stations, directly to clients, or other end-users. These can be in any of a variety of formats and media, from BetaSP (for broadcast), DVCam, MiniDV, DVD’s, or any of a wide selection of digital file formats, including formats for the Web.
Well, that seems like a lot, and it is, but a professional team's goal is to make this production process as easy and worry-free for you as possible. At my company, we’ve been doing this for so long, that this long list is truly second-nature to us!
The only thing we will rely on you, our client, for is comprehensive input and involvement at the beginning of the process, where the decisions are being made on approach, budget, and content. Once that is settled, we can basically take it from there. You will always be a part of the process along the way, with feedback and examples where needed, and your satisfaction is always the final goal.
I hope this outline has been informative and helpful. I am always available if you need further information or have questions.
Make a Company "About Video" San Diego
-Over 85% of the country’s Internet users viewed online video content in September 2013 alone. But it’s not just that video is big right now – it’s that it’s getting bigger. Earlier this year, Social Media Examiner reported that video was the number one area where marketers planned to increase their investments for 2013-2014.
This Video Production was created for HBS Salon in Vista California. The Salon is an amazing company with an upbeat "cutting edge" feel to it. There hook is, that they have the Hollywood Model/Actress makeup and hair feel to their business. This Video was Filmed with 2 Video Production Cameras and a DSLR with some Early Make Cine Lenses and Vintage Lenses as well and was one of our first Company "About Video" production back in 2006ish. We used Final Cut Pro at the Time, but since then have changed to a Very high end Video Editing and special effects program used in all hollywood Cinema productions now days.
The STAFF/Actors: Usually in Company "About Videos" you really want to get the Owners or people who run the company involved. Try not to use "ACTORS" mainly because its just not the "Truth" In this case it was the 2 owners. We try not to script anything and let them speak from the heart. This is where you are going to get your best reaction from them. If you have to use a Teleprompter, make sure that at least the scripting is memorized. This set of owners for HBS Salon were amazing, and did not need a script at all. And if you direct them correctly, you can end up getting much more out of them then needed for the video.
Filming the Business: This can sometimes be the most challenging part. Be sure before you start your pre production, that you have something to film. If its just an office, your going to have to build and intriguing set, or even get some stock footage. But anytime you cutback to a shot, make sure that shot has something to do with what they are saying. This is a big thing, and if you dont, you could lose the view immediatly.
1: “Funny company story” video: No one ever experiences the same thing the same way. Pick a few employees to tell the story of the funniest thing that happened in the office. It could also possibly be a customer story. Sequester three people and have them tell the same story. Pepper them with questions that will lead to other interviewees, such as, “What do you think Steve would say about this incident?” If your culture allows it, create a dramatization of the incident to include in the video.
2: “Why we love our job” video: Do one-on-one interviews with employees talking about why they love their job. Try to get them to talk about specifics of their job and the work they do. Try to avoid a lot of “It’s the people” answers. Why are you proud to have this job? What makes your job fantastic?
3: “Day in the life” video: Pick your most interesting and camera friendly employee and do a day in the life of their job. Have them narrate their entire day and follow them everywhere. Be specific about what you’re working on and the challenge you’re trying to complete.
4: “Award-winning employee” video: Every time an employee wins an industry award, or even if its an employee of the month award, interview them about what they did to win that award. Interview others as to why they think that employee deserved that award. This has greater impact than just seeing a series of awards on a shelf.
5: “Tell me about your job” video: After someone has been at their job for at least six months, do a one-on-one interview with them describing all the details of their job. Have them be as realistic as possible talking about the good and parts of the job. This is a far simpler style video to shoot and produce than the more involved day-in-the-life video. Use it for future recruiting efforts. When that person leaves or an identical position opens up, post the job listing along with the companion video.
This Video Production was created for HBS Salon in Vista California. The Salon is an amazing company with an upbeat "cutting edge" feel to it. There hook is, that they have the Hollywood Model/Actress makeup and hair feel to their business. This Video was Filmed with 2 Video Production Cameras and a DSLR with some Early Make Cine Lenses and Vintage Lenses as well and was one of our first Company "About Video" production back in 2006ish. We used Final Cut Pro at the Time, but since then have changed to a Very high end Video Editing and special effects program used in all hollywood Cinema productions now days.
The STAFF/Actors: Usually in Company "About Videos" you really want to get the Owners or people who run the company involved. Try not to use "ACTORS" mainly because its just not the "Truth" In this case it was the 2 owners. We try not to script anything and let them speak from the heart. This is where you are going to get your best reaction from them. If you have to use a Teleprompter, make sure that at least the scripting is memorized. This set of owners for HBS Salon were amazing, and did not need a script at all. And if you direct them correctly, you can end up getting much more out of them then needed for the video.
Filming the Business: This can sometimes be the most challenging part. Be sure before you start your pre production, that you have something to film. If its just an office, your going to have to build and intriguing set, or even get some stock footage. But anytime you cutback to a shot, make sure that shot has something to do with what they are saying. This is a big thing, and if you dont, you could lose the view immediatly.
1: “Funny company story” video: No one ever experiences the same thing the same way. Pick a few employees to tell the story of the funniest thing that happened in the office. It could also possibly be a customer story. Sequester three people and have them tell the same story. Pepper them with questions that will lead to other interviewees, such as, “What do you think Steve would say about this incident?” If your culture allows it, create a dramatization of the incident to include in the video.
2: “Why we love our job” video: Do one-on-one interviews with employees talking about why they love their job. Try to get them to talk about specifics of their job and the work they do. Try to avoid a lot of “It’s the people” answers. Why are you proud to have this job? What makes your job fantastic?
3: “Day in the life” video: Pick your most interesting and camera friendly employee and do a day in the life of their job. Have them narrate their entire day and follow them everywhere. Be specific about what you’re working on and the challenge you’re trying to complete.
4: “Award-winning employee” video: Every time an employee wins an industry award, or even if its an employee of the month award, interview them about what they did to win that award. Interview others as to why they think that employee deserved that award. This has greater impact than just seeing a series of awards on a shelf.
5: “Tell me about your job” video: After someone has been at their job for at least six months, do a one-on-one interview with them describing all the details of their job. Have them be as realistic as possible talking about the good and parts of the job. This is a far simpler style video to shoot and produce than the more involved day-in-the-life video. Use it for future recruiting efforts. When that person leaves or an identical position opens up, post the job listing along with the companion video.
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