Orange County Videographer

First of all, if you need to enlist outside help to produce video content for your business, you need to be sure to find the right fit for your company, because their efficiency will largely dictate how much time and money you save. As a Single Person Crew (“SPC”) I make it a point to make your project economically feasible, but even for more complex projects, I know how to bring them in on time and at or under budget!

I’ve been doing video production in Southern California for a while now, so take it from me, by following a few tips, you can save precious resources in the planning and execution of your next video project.

Don’t ignore or overlook the essentials.

There are many reasons to make a corporate video and there are many different ways to save time and money depending on the reason. Are you creating a customer testimonial to showcase your customer service and products’ effectiveness or are you attempting to recruit new employees?

Perhaps you’re creating a how-to video to showcase your expertise. The point is, you need to decide, first and foremost, if you’re selling, promoting, or raising brand awareness, among other things.

But no matter what kind of video you’re creating, if you neglect the basics, which include having a firm understanding of your audience and their interests, preferences, questions, concerns, etc., it can turn into a waste of time (read: $$$).

You will want to decide, early on, where you intend to post your videos to connect with that audience. Will it be on your website or on social media? Both? It does make a difference, both in terms of compatibility and tone.

Give yourself a thought starter or two…watch other corporate videos to see if there are any particular elements you like or dislike and then share that information so I’ll have a few visual references. It’ll speed up the process and the same goes for any brand assets like logos, fonts, and specific colors that you may want woven into the video. But here’s a hint: Don’t try to create a $5,000 video with a $1,000 budget. Be honest with your video production company, and yourself, and you’ll be able to create something you’ll both be proud of.

Start scheduling…NOW!

Corporate video shoots often entail shooting at the workplace or using employees as subjects, which makes scheduling a critical component. If shooting testimonials or interviews of your customers or outside personnel in general, taking their logistics into consideration makes this point even more compelling!

Getting everyone in the right place at the right time can be like herding cats, so the best bet is to schedule the production as far in advance as possible.

Trust me as a longtime video production expert, if you can start scheduling the shoot before the script is even finished, do it. The sooner, the better.

Appearing on camera can be difficult for some people and some simply won’t be comfortable with it, so you need to make sure to lock down the key members of your company that need to be a part of the video as quickly as you can to avoid unexpected issues slowing things down later on in the process.

Carefully consider sight and sound.

As mentioned earlier, corporate video production often requires the use of the actual workplace, especially if part of it involves showcasing your company culture or giving viewers a look “behind-the-scenes.”

Nothing is more awkward than showing up for the project, only to discover that the space you’ve chosen to shoot in won’t work. Size will matter! You’ll need space to accommodate equipment, the crew, etc., and an attractive background, of course.

You also must think about the sound environment of the space. You’ll need peace and quiet to shoot because the last thing you want is to capture some incredible shots only to find out later on in the editing room that the sound quality is terrible. Pay particular attention to flooring as wood and/or tile surfaces can be particularly meddlesome, and windows are not necessarily effective sound buffers!

Talk to your space’s maintenance department to ensure they’re aware of the situation, just in case they need turn off the air conditioning or something of that nature. Make sure no major construction is going on in the area. And if the filming location is near an airport, you may find yourself juggling the shoot between aircraft coming and going! John Wayne Airport is near lots of places where I shoot, so I am keenly aware of this one!

Having said that, if the shoot is taking place in an industrial environment, some of that sound is relevant to the workplace involved and should, thoughtfully, be included.

The point is, you don’t want to waste time (remember…$$$) trying to find a new space on the first day of shooting, nor waste post-production time by making your editors have to cut out unwanted noise later. The best way to avoid most—if not all—of these challenges is to schedule a “location audit” so a full evaluation can be done.

Keep communication channels open.

Needless to say, it’s important to share any and all information that could help me better understand how you envision the project beforehand. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say anything once production gets rolling. I encourage asking questions, voicing concerns, and making suggestions.

Here is where I want to advise caution. Nothing will spin a budget out of control faster than making large scale changes once I arrive to shoot. Remember, you enlisted help for a reason and it’s important to allow for creative freedom, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to catch a problem before it leads to tons of wasted time during production or afterwards.

Don’t spend time and money on anything that’s not absolutely necessary.

There are plenty of other ways to conserve time and money spent during a corporate video production. You just need to think carefully about what your production truly requires. Ask yourself how many actors and locations you really need, and how much equipment?

The bottom line is, every little thing adds up, so be sure to invest all resources on elements that will help give your video the greatest possible impact!

Action in 5…4…3…2…1!

As of this writing, it has been sixty days since the Coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. Needless to say, commerce, as we know it, came to a near-screeching halt! And now, here we are two months later, just barely starting to kick-start the economy. Despite our best desires, we can’t just flip a switch and be back to full stride; this is going to take some time.

Hopefully, your business hasn’t taken too much of a beating and if you’re in a category deemed “essential,” you may be doing OK. That being said, no matter your current status, you will want to communicate an effective message to your customers and video can help!

For example, one of my clients provides carpet, upholstery, and tile cleaning services. We’ve shot several videos together and a couple of weeks ago, I created a “COVID-19 tag” for one of them that alerts his customers that the business is an essential service, delivering their services consistent with CDC and EPA guidelines. Their customers can feel confident that when the need arises, this company is on top of the situation.

Another client has two fitness equipment outlets: one a large warehouse and the second more of a retail-type location. His business has literally exploded when the pandemic hit, and folks couldn’t go to their local gym or fitness center. Suddenly his business was flourishing, in part because we had recently placed 32 equipment demonstration videos on his YouTube channel!

The pandemic has had another impact. People are dealing with a lot of anxiety these days and seeking support through traditional channels (therapy, counseling, etc.) can be prohibitively expensive – especially right now! This client took a unique approach by providing online training sessions that offer specific tools to help deal with the debilitating effects of anxiety. We produced 72 sessions together and we wrapped them and placed them online, just as the Coronavirus was grabbing hold of the US population. This was a very timely endeavor! The name of the course? “Overcoming Anxiety!”

The point is that you could produce a comprehensive series of videos, or just shoot one that talks about how you are prepared to help your customers while in the midst of the pandemic, while doing so in a safe manner. Or, you could have me create either a graphic that informs, or use a voice-over to do it, or both! However it’s accomplished, make sure your audience knows what you’re doing and how you can help them…now and going forward!

I hear that question a lot. Unfortunately, there are a number of elements that affect the price of a video. No, that’s not a dodge, it’s the truth. What would you say if someone asked you this question:

How much does an airplane cost?

In thinking about the variables in play to answer this question, you begin to get the idea there are a lot of things to consider! I know my way around aircraft and there are easily thousands of questions, like, “are we talking about fixed wing or rotary wing (helicopter)?” So let’s dump the airplane metaphor and get back to video. Let’s start by posing a few questions that should be addressed before we answer “that other question.”

Rate. Often described as hourly, half-day and day rate. Many videographers don’t price by the hour and some only price on a full day-rate basis. Hourly averages range between $25 an hour from that film school grad you know to $250 an hour for a top-flight video veteran. My hourly average hits just under the center: around eighty-five bucks an hour. Which lends me to…
Equipment. Sure you could whip out your smartphone and shoot away, but is that really the look you’re going for? If so, stop reading! Otherwise, continue. There are $20,000 cameras out there (don’t forget lenses!), $2,000 microphones, and lights that weigh as much as a Volkswagen, but is that really necessary? Is there a line item charge in the project budget for equipment? I have professional level gear that you may not see Spielberg using, but it will produce corporate video that will resonate with your audience and you won’t need stockholder approval to shoot! Oh, and my rate includes the aforementioned pro-level gear! Cameras, mics, lights, sliders, tripods, gimbals…oh my! Only if I have to create a specific effect might extra equipment fees enter the equation. I don’t have a drone, though I have access to one through an industry colleague, and this is considered specialized equipment.
Personnel. I started my business as a single person crew (“SPC”) to be able to deliver quality work at an affordable rate. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be multiple cameras, mics and lights…it does mean that I know how to be efficient in the deployment of this hardware (including setup and take down) by myself. And in those instances where it just makes sense to have a grip, 2^nd camera op or sound person along, I have a rolodex full of these folks that can be called in. Also in the category of personnel: talent. Does the project require professional acting talent or will we be shooting personnel from the company being filmed?
Time. How comprehensive is the project? Can we do it in a day? A few hours? What will be required to edit the acquired footage? When is the project due? And by the way, just because the finished deliverable is “only” 5 minutes long doesn’t mean that hours, and sometimes days of production didn’t go into what is ultimately seen on screen.
Post-production. Because this is a future article all by itself, I’ll be brief here. Post-production includes the components that help make the video “pop.” Editing, music selection, titles, graphics, animations, voice-overs, special effects. A word of caution here: less is often more.

So there you have just a few of the key elements of a video. Truthfully, anyone who would just throw out a “ballpark” quote without reasonable consideration of the variables I’ve shared here is asking for trouble. I would much rather take a modest amount of time to talk about those elements so I could provide a quote that would be meaningful for all parties involved. I may miss out on a few jobs taking this approach but I’m as professional in my business methodology as I presume you are in yours. Consultations are free, and the result will be a production that achieves its desired results at a rate everyone finds acceptable.

**REBROADCAST** 3/14/19

So the last few months have been a blur, but I’ve been crazy busy. And that’s a good thing! Questions that do continually come up have to do with how to go about hiring a video production company (now we’re being called “content creators”!). So I am sending this out again as it’s never a bad idea to have these questions answered. And if these comments are of any help, please give me a call. Remember: Great video doesn’t have to break the bank!

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So you wanna make a video… but where do you start? Well, one of the first things you’ll likely do is hire a video production company or videographer, and that can be a mind-bending task. How do you know who to hire? What can you expect to pay? To get you started, here are a few things to consider.

**1. When preparing your job description, please be specific.**

The sky is the limit when it comes to producing a video. There are so many variables that the possibilities are endless. Understanding your vision and what you’re trying to achieve will be critical in requesting a quote. Provide as much detail as you can about the services you need. Some of those questions would include:

How long should the video be?
Do I need more than one cut? (60 second, 30 second, 15 second)
Do I need more than one video? (i.e. Think “episodic” TV)
Where will the video(s) be used? (website, on-air, social, etc.)
Is there a specific date this needs to be shot? What is the final deadline?
Other than shooting, what production elements need to be considered? (editing, scripting, voice-over, location, casting, etc.)?

Answering these questions will help me to fully understand what you want and can, therefore, provide a more accurate quote. When possible, it’s a good idea to provide a few reference videos that illustrate the type of video you’re looking for. This is an easy way to set expectations and provide a target result. Explain what you like about them and why.

2. When reviewing portfolios, find someone who has produced work at the level you want for your own video.

A person’s portfolio and work samples will give you the best indication of what your video will look like. If you want something you don’t see, refer to point #1 and be specific what you want. First Impressions Video has shot a wide array of projects, so there should be no problem meeting and exceeding your objectives.

3. In general, you’ll get what you pay for.

As you start to get quotes back for your project, you may be tempted to go with the cheapest option. After all, everybody likes to save money, right? My advice is to take an honest assessment of the project and ask yourself what is the result you want for your video. If you’re happy with the look and feel of the cheapest option, great! But what you’ll generally see, is that the more money you’re willing to spend, the better the end result. Pick an option that satisfies both your budget constraints and your expectation for quality. The last thing you want, is to pay for the cheapest option, then not be satisfied with the result and have to do the whole thing over again with someone who can produce at a higher level.

Unfortunately, too many times—especially with first-timers, I’ve observed something like this:

What the client has in mind…

but what the budget says is this…

As I have shared, there is a lot more that goes in to making a quality video than meets the eye. What First Impressions Video will do is offer options so that you can determine which are best for you, given your budget and time constraints.

Parting thoughts.

Whether it’s your first venture into video or you’ve done a few, the process of finding and hiring the right video pro can be a bit tricky. The goal of this essay is to provide solid insights, so that businesses small and big can feel like video is for everyone—not just those with big budgets and lots of experience! And if you have a question, First Impressions Video is but a phone call or email away!

terry@firstimpressionsvideo.com
714-979-3850 – Office
714-608-4495 – Mobile

On many of my earlier blog posts, I’ve talked about the importance of video for any business, service or non-profit. Video continues to grow in importance and as represented by the second frame of the following infographic, by next year, EIGHTY PERCENT of online content will be video! If you’re not doing video, you are missing opportunities on an unimaginable level, if you’re doing videos and want to tap into a professional with decades in the genre, give me a call.

With thanks to WebpageFX for the creation of a terrific infographic!

Got video?

How much is a college scholarship worth to your family? If you’re reading this article, you’re probably thinking about that question. A highlight video may be the essential vehicle to secure an athletic scholarship, and for many, this may be the only way an athlete could ever aspire to attend college.

Coaches, scouts and recruiters don’t have the time or budget to visit with every potential recruit, so why not take the recruit to them – through a professionally produced highlight video. Coaches want to see the athlete’s skill, hear his or her speaking abilities, and observe his or her work ethic in the gym or practice field. One key factor is how to bundle those highlights to make the athlete stand out from all the others vying for scholarships. But the best packages require cost considerations that are—far too often—overlooked or ignored. This is NOT about whipping out your smartphone and shooting away…there is purpose and process to the capture of a compelling sports video.

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I get several requests a year from parents looking for video for their aspiring young athletes. I shoot high-school sports for Fox Sports PrepZone, plus I played a game or two in my youth, so I have a bit of an understanding how to do it. That being said, when it comes to capturing the kind of video that would make a compelling “recruiting reel,” there are several things to consider.

Let’s start with equipment. You need good quality cameras capable of adjusting to wide ranges of light (from very bright sunlight, to dark, with the field illuminated). All the major camera manufacturers have gear that will get the job done. Personally, I favor Sony. Audio capture should be a shotgun mic capable of picking up the field announcer.

Next, you need access to the field. This may require permission from the home school’s athletic director, who will also authorize credentials for the stands (and sidelines, if that’s part of the arrangement). Also, check with the AD to see if releases are required. And don’t even think about showing up for a professional (paid) assignment without business insurance. If a parent trips over a tripod or cable and falls, and you’re NOT insured…..well, you just don’t even want to go there!!

So you’ve made it into the stadium! Now you need a vantage point. Depending on the arrangement, you will want to be as high as possible to capture the action. Back to equipment, the camera must have a good zoom range to be able to move in on the action as the play develops—and keep in focus! You need to get to the stadium early…repeat, EARLY, to get that spot. Parents, family and boosters will be there, and they have NO obligation to give you space to shoot. If you’re lucky enough to get in or on top of the press box, consider yourself fortunate…that’s usually where you’ll find me, with my Fox Sports camera!

High school football games typically last 2 – 3 hours, plus halftime, plus the aforementioned early arrival, and strike (tear down) time. So, the total time on property can be 5 to 7 hours. And then, there’s post-production. This entails reviewing ALL the game footage, looking for those “gems” to go into the finished product. Then time has to be allotted for editing, including game “isolations” (called “ISOS”), graphics, personal statistics and any other desired elements.

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So, taking all of this into consideration, what does a recruiting video cost? Prices, complete with stats panels, isolations of the athlete, slow-motion “snippets” of plays and contact information can range from $500 to $1,500 and higher, often per game. There are several national companies that do this and some use networks of videographers to capture the video footage, with post production done at a headquarters location.

These videos, done at the professional level, aren’t cheap. But go back to the first question in this essay and ask it again. A four-year scholarship to UCLA, Alabama, or Ohio State could save a family a six-figure investment, so even at the high end for a recruiting video, that’s a pretty solid return on investment!

I would be happy to speak with you regarding your sports video needs and the initial consultation is free. Call or email me for more information!

This past December, I posted an article titled, “Independent Contractor vs Employee,” actually a re-release from August, in which I pointed out the advantages of hiring a contractor to do your video instead of using employees to do it. This continues to be an excellent strategy, as pointed out by a number of clients that have become repeat customers. You can see the article here.

Angela Wolf Quaintance wrote an outstanding article in May that appeared on LinkedIn and offers 5 reasons why hiring a professional is better than doing it yourself. You can read her full story here. It is very well outlined, and I would only add a couple of my own thoughts:

Regarding equipment, just as important as having invested five-figures’ worth on professional cameras, microphones, lights, audio and related gear (I have!), is having the skills necessary to use it properly. I’ve studied both still photography and video production, and asking a marketing person to take on this task (video production often falls under a marketing department/budget) may be beyond their skill set.

And before you ask that colleague’s spouse, son or daughter (or any family member, for that matter) to let the camera roll, you might consider whether (or not) that person has business insurance. AFTER an unfortunate incident is the WRONG TIME to be thinking about that. When I arrive at your location, you can feel confident that I am fully insured for any eventuality!

I like Angela’s take on ‘unbiased perspective.’ I believe that despite the passion that you have for your product or service, an independent set of eyes, ears and perceptions can likely see things that you may be too close to see, which can result in a finished product that hits all objectives!

Good luck on your next video project–whoever you select to do it!

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you create a video marketing strategy that will connect, resonate, and engage with your target audience. This will increase traffic to your website and improve sales.

1. Excessive “hard selling”

When you apply the “hard sell,” it is much like asking your first date to marry you. There is a very remote possibility, but you increase chances by building a relationship step by step. By creating teaser videos, you will intrigue potential clients and establish a continued relationship.

2. Videos are not part of a campaign

You may only get one chance to make a first impression, and as a result, many companies tend to overload their customer base with info. Pace your message and leave something to the imagination without exhausting the rather short attention span of your viewer.

Campaigns are the way to go. Rather than creating a single five-minute video, entrepreneurs should focus on a multi-faceted approach to creating a two-minute video in concert with six 30-second segments. That still adds up to a total of five minutes. The attention span of viewers is now so short, that short, informative, entertaining, and to-the-point videos are required.

3. Poor title and SEO

Interesting titles and effective tagging are essential in maximizing your SEO and harnessing your views. Having a great video no one can find renders all production efforts useless.

4. Disharmonized content

Video marketing is not just about visual images. Effective videos all harmonize the images with the best use of voice and text. Take these components into consideration when producing your video. Everything needs to be deliberate and intentionally planned.

5. Focus on products, not people

If facts tell and stories sell, then do not make your video a list of facts about your products. Focus on telling stories about people using your products and the benefits that they derive from using them. If your story is well told, people will seek out more information.

6. Not harnessing the power of video

If a picture paints a thousand words, just imagine how much a well-crafted video can communicate. Just make sure that your videos portray the right content and in the right essence. Videos are all about style, and style is actually more important than content. The style needs to be authentic to your brand, elevate your message, and make it resonate with your target audience.

7. Under-using available social media platforms

YouTube is great, but it is not the only game in town, as shown above. Maximize both your reach and your SEO by publishing your videos on all platforms. This does not mean pasting a YouTube link on the other platforms. When you load your video into platforms natively, you get twice as many views. In addition, do not forget email. As the infographic above showed, including a video in your emails will increase click-through rates by 200 to 300 percent. If you want to know how to do that, either ask Sean Sloan (our resident SEO/SEM expert) or me.

8. Videos are too long

We live in a world of immediate gratification and societal ADD. Therein lies the magic formula to capture your audience in a comprehensive, entertaining, yet limited stage. As you can see in the descriptions above, sometimes 10 seconds are all you have, and even TV commercials are being produced as 15 second spots!

So get out there and create! Just know what the critical success factors are, and you can be wildly successful. And if you need any help, just give First Impressions Video a call!

**AUTHOR’S NOTE** I first wrote this article in September, 2014. Having now done hundreds of interview videos since then, the 6 points I detailed in 2014 take on even greater meaning, so I thought I’d “rebroadcast” the post. I would also add a seventh point: When speaking in front of a camera, it isn’t necessary to try to remember a long passage or thought! When you get to a point where you’re not sure what you want to say next, just pause–while still looking at the same spot–collect your thoughts, and continue. Seasoned pros know this neat little trick and now, you do too! Your editor will love you because editing your session will be much simpler when there are pauses that can be easily put together, creating a nice, cohesive interview!

About a year ago, I wrote on my blog about giving a great interview, in which I tapped into my friend Steve Cooper’s article (hitchedmag.com) for some terrific insights. Recently, I shot interview-type videos for a number of corporate and non-profit clients and it sparked a few new thoughts that are worth sharing, for the next time you are asked to be interviewed on camera.

Get comfortable! Make sure that—while attractive to the camera (viewing audience)—your clothing is comfortable. If it’s too tight or binding, it can contribute to your voice sounding constrained. If you’re nervous in front of a camera, an overly snug outfit will only compound the nervousness.
Know your subject material. Create a list of talking points. Notes (as opposed to a script) will allow the conversation to flow smoothly and sound more “normal.” Unless you have expertise working with a teleprompter, I recommend not using one. Also, this is NOT a “gotcha” interview, so I want my subject to be well informed.
I typically recommend the “off camera” style, as if you were talking with someone you know. You’re just “having a conversation.” Plus, off camera interviews pull the subject’s attention away from the camera equipment.
Practice starting your responses. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to coach subjects to NOT start every response with ‘um,’ ‘uh,’ ‘like,’ and the dreaded ‘so.’
Shoot with multiple angles and perspectives. Often, I shoot with two cameras to accomplish this. A single medium close-up shot can be a bit monotonous, unless you are going for a very specific look! Even if you only have one camera, you can (should) vary the angles and perspectives of the interview. It will be far more interesting. “60 Minutes” set the standard for this approach.
Shoot “cutaways” (sometimes called “b-roll”) of other interesting areas that support the interview that can be edited into the final product. Again, this helps keep the interest level up and boredom to a minimum.

And finally, start with the end in mind. Even a short interview has a “story arc,” and by knowing where you want the interview to finish, it will simplify the presentation from beginning to end!

My 100th Post! Thanks, and Happy New Year!

Posted by Terry Wall on December 31, 2016

Posted in: Advertising, Corporate Videography, Event Videography, Funeral Video, Heritage Videography, Interview Video, Legal Videography, Life Story Video, Real Estate Video, Sports Video, Video for Health & Wellness, Video for Non-Profits, Video Resume, Videography, Wedding Videography. Tagged: advertising, biographical video, business marketing, corporate videography, Costa Mesa Videographer, Costa Mesa Videography, Costa Mesa Wedding Videographer, event video, event videography, family video, funeral video, heritage video, marketing video, marketing videography, Orange County Videographer, Orange County Videography, Orange County Wedding Videography, presentation video, video production, videography, wedding video. Leave a comment

As we close out the crazy year known as 2016, I would be remiss if I didn’t say a sincere THANK YOU to all the clients I served. And as we head into 2017, there is only one question: GOT VIDEO?

Let’s do something together in this next year and you can see what other clients have learned: Great video does NOT have to break the bank!

Cheers!

First Impressions Video

"…because you never get a second chance…"

All posts tagged Orange County Videographer

Save Time and Money on Your Next Corporate Video Production!

What to do about video during a pandemic?

“Can you give me a ‘ballpark’ quote?”

3 Considerations When Hiring a Videographer

**1. When preparing your job description, please be specific.**

2. When reviewing portfolios, find someone who has produced work at the level you want for your own video.

3. In general, you’ll get what you pay for.

Parting thoughts.

Why Video Matters to Marketing

Sports Video: “Does your son or daughter need a recruiting video?”

Reasons NOT to do your own video

8 Video Marketing Mistakes

Capture a killer interview! — An update

My 100th Post! Thanks, and Happy New Year!

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**1. When preparing your job description, please be specific.**