Houston Harvey Hurricane With the exception of one fast food worker in Fort Worth, most people have heard about what the hurricane Harvey has done to Houston. We’re reporting today from Houston where we’ve spent the last few days doing some filming and lending some helping hands. Driving Down The drive from Fort Worth Dallas was pretty much a non-event. On Thursday morning when we left, there were some gas stations in the DFW area that were closed. So we drove with the philosophy of refilling when we got down to 3/4’s of a tank. But we never had any issues. As we neared Houston, we still couldn’t see any of the devastation we were seeing on the news. And fuel was fine and actually cheaper than DFW prices. As we headed to our clients headquarters near the NRG Stadium,…
Video Tradeshows One of the calls we get a lot, is to see if we can shoot video at tradeshows. Because companies and corporations drop a serious investment in tradeshows. The cost of attending, with travel. The exhibitor fees. And the booth construction. With all this investment, businesses want to make sure the marketing pays off. And that’s the bottom line: Sales. So video at the tradeshow extends the reach of that investment. Whether video is used to grab the attention of potential customers walking by or used as a broadcaster on social media, video at the tradeshow can magnify the marketing and multiply the results. Tradeshow Video’s 4 Components Usually this has four components: Pre-shot and edited content to be displayed at tradeshow Video coverage of the tradeshow, both the booth and the tradeshow itself Interviews and testimonials with clients…
Here in the DFW area, many of us have friends, family, clients, loved ones in the Houston and South Texas area. While it’s good to donate to national organizations, I like to see help at the local level… where the rubber meets the road. If you live here in DFW, one of our partners Encore Live, is actively taking steps to help. Here’s what they write: Encore Live will be headed to Houston later this week to help with the cleanup from #Harvey – we will be taking donated goods to various Houston based charities seeking help. If you have supplies listed below you would like to donate, please drop them by our office at 1635 Rogers Road Fort Worth, Texas 76107 between now and Wednesday at the close of business. The supplies they list include: • Canned goods • Non-perishable food…
The Corporate Video Documentary There are many different styles to use when crafting a corporate video. Some might be news-style– a “reporter” or spokesperson talking directly to camera. Others might be conceptual– recreating scenes out in the sales environment or such. But out of all the video styles in use in corporate America, the documentary is probably the most common. The Documentary Style This is the video that is interview driven, what people call talking heads. Some might view this style as boring or flat. But it all depends on how you approach it. The talking head, documentary-style video can be highly effective. There’s a reason it’s the most common style of corporate video out there. The Power of BRoll To make it more engaging, the key is to cover the interviews with footage about what they’re talking about. This…
We are often asked by our clients for aerial video. And with the latest technologies for drones, this has made aerial photography much more accessible and led to higher production values. But what are the different methods for aerial video? A lot of people are purchasing drones now a days, I found the best 3dr solo review. I have decided to get myself one for events. Helicopters and Airplanes Today, it’s easy to point at the drone. But an important tool in the aerial arsenal, is the helicopter or fixed wing platform. For many years, this was the only way to get the aerial shot. And when you shoot from a helicopter or airplane, there are several different methods. At the top of the production value is the remote controlled, enclosed gimbal camera. This is inside a housing hanging off…
Corporate Conference Video All the sales people from all around the country are gathering at a hotel in the big city. An agenda is set– you’re going to hear from the president and CEO. VP of Sales. The marketing team might present their plan for the new fiscal year. A motivational keynote speaker inspires the troops. The national team goes into the city for a dinner cruise on the river. And the top producers in the company get awarded. Your Story Why are they gathered? To hear your STORY. The company STORY. And if you don’t tell the story, someone else will. Your competitors. Or your colleagues. Or someone who doesn’t tell your story accurately. Your story your way. Your STORY can live longer than the moment it was told by using video. You spend all this time, resources and money on…
The Top 4 things every Freelancer needs to know about Video Production History of the Freelancer The word freelancer comes from medieval times– when a fiefdom needed an extra lance or two for the defense of their city or for the attack on someone else’s city, the would hire an extra knight or two to bring their sword and lance along. A “free lancer” did not belong to anyone or any fiefdom. Today, a freelancer is usually not employed, but works job to job, gig to gig. And they usually make more money for working less days than someone employed. And it’s easy to start a freelancing career in corporate video. You can begin at the entry level– a production assistant. And this goes all the way up to directors and producers. How you set yourself apart will determine how…
Viral Video– We all watched Charlie bite his finger. We’ve seen cute cats and dogs and squirrels doing cute things. We’ve watched, laughed and cried at what we’re seeing on the internet through youtube, vimeo and facebook. But what is the key to making a hit viral video? How can you make a video that will go viral? What we’ll talk about here is the viral video for corporate marketing– not just the everyday guy that wants his fifteen minutes. Viral Video Defined First off, let’s define what a viral video is. To be “viral,” a video must be passed around. Someone sees the video and then posts it on their page, or tweets it to their followers. And the numbers must be high. YouTube monetization doesn’t really make a difference until you’ve got over 25,000 followers or a million…
The Industrial Video shoot comes with it’s own unique challenges. And by industrial, I’m referring to a corporate video that is manufacturing/construction based. As with any job, having the right tools can make the job significantly easier while increasing quality. Try painting the outside of your house with a tiny brush. Or no brush at all. But have the right brush– or step up to a sprayer or power roller, and the job is completely faster and with better quality. Tools are everything. Industrial Video Tools The tool box for the industrial video begins with the camera. Most video professionals will use the camera and the tripod, and use it for most of their shooting. It’s like the screwdriver. Whether the job calls for big screws, or little screws, they might try to make the single screwdriver work for everything….
Corporate filming in the summer! And down here in Dallas, Texas, that means things are heating up this time of year. For the corporate film set, this can have some major impact. So in today’s blog, let’s talk about temperature and it’s effect on shooting industrial and corporate video. Hot Corporate Filming When shooting in a hot environment (July in Texas certainly qualifies), you can expect production to slow down. If you’re shooting indoors, it’s not as big a deal. But if you’re shoot is taking place outdoors, this can lead to a huge time delay. With the heat, the crew starts to move slower. People need more breaks. When you schedule the shoot, make sure you allow for these delays. Logistically, try to avoid parking the base camp in unprotected hot areas. Look for shade and areas that people can take…
