Reading this article, reminds me that all video production companies go back and forth on the value of a demo reel. We all still need one, as there are potential clients who ask to see it. Our demo reel offers a glimpse into our world – who our clients are, that we can edit and what types of production we do. We’ve also trended to having specific demo reels for target audiences such as event staging and resort amenities. But in the end, as this article points out, clients do want to see the steak not just the sizzle, which is why we direct potential customers to our website Spectrum Video & Film where they can view full, completed projects.

I’d love to hear from buyers of video production on whether they were driven to hire a production company on the strength of their demo reel.

With TV news stations often stretched thin and unable to send a camera crew to cover a story or event, it’s a good idea to have your own footage available to provide to them.

Providing professionally produced B-roll to a news organization is invaluable when pitching your story to the assignment desk. It is priceless to have footage to show what your business does in case a story opportunity is presented to you. With footage of the manufacturing process, employees providing a service or exterior building shots with company signage on hand, you are immediately able to provide the file to a news station.

B-roll isn’t just for timeless footage. For companies with events that are time sensitive, footage often needs to be shot and delivered to the stations on the same day.

Many businesses make the mistake of providing amateur footage that never gets on air. When you hire a professional video production company to gather B-roll they have the equipment and the knowledge of what the station needs to increase the odds of it airing.

• Footage needs to be shot in HD and the shots must be fluid and steady.
• Shaky camera work is unacceptable. When shooting using pans or tilts, the camera operator should let the motion end before cutting to another shot.
• If you’re including soundbites, a good camera operator will know how much pre-roll to include and will make sure the audio is crisp.
• Remember exterior shots matter if you are with a national company trying to localize the story to make it more relevant. If you are pitching a local story to a New York station, don’t send video of your Phoenix office with saguaro cactus in the background.

The footage not only needs to be photographed professionally, but it must also be edited to provide the best shots in a concise package. A professional editor will know to include the ambient sound and know the safe area for graphics on the screen. The editor will create the dubs or digitally send the footage to the station.

As a corporation it’s important to have professional video so your company can best highlight the organization. Whether for airing on TV or other corporate use, brand is the most important asset a company has and by shooting profession B-roll and having it ready, you control how your brand is presented.

For assistance on producing your B-roll footage or soundbite clips, visit us at Spectrum Video & Film.

Article by Ken Liljegren, owner and president of Spectrum Video & Film. Spectrum Video & Film is a professional video production company in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona specializing in corporate, commercial and online social media videos, as well as projection, lighting and sound. To find out more about how we can help with your next video or event, visit us at spectrumvideoandfilm.com.

Professional video production can be expensive, but it provides a great return on investment (ROI). However, the rise of 2D animation has offered an affordable alternative while still offering a great ROI. As quality and streamlined usability of animation software improves, it is becoming a more popular tool for use in corporate videos. From training sessions to explainer videos to advertising messaging, the use of 2D animation is ideal for getting the message out in a unique and exciting way. Here are three reasons to use animation for your next corporate video.

Cost Efficiency

• By using 2D animation for an entire video, there are no live production costs or on-camera talent fees. Your costs are contained to editing, voiceover talent and music. The video can also be revisited indefinitely to accommodate changes in your company without reshoots.

Flexibility

• With millions of images, characters and backgrounds to choose from, you have flexibility in design. Assets are all interchangeable to suit your needs. Characters can be highly customized. You can show any scenario you want, going beyond what can be photographed. Plus, you can import your logo and branding wherever needed.

Universal Use

• Animation comes in especially handy if your project is international in scope. By implementing a universal design and using voiceovers in multiple languages, the video can be used around the world. I’ve shared a sample link that we produced to illustrate this.
• For the Best Western Rewards Loyalty Program message, we used GoAnimate and Adobe Premiere. We created the animation in 19 languages. Visually, the video had to be coherent in multiple countries. This meant there could be no words on screen. The icons and graphics had to represent ideas and objects that all markets would recognize. We used Premiere for timing support on the varying lengths of languages.

Let me know how Spectrum Video can help you incorporate 2D animation into your communication plan.

Article by Ken Liljegren, owner and president of Spectrum Video & Film. Spectrum Video & Film is a professional video production company in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona specializing in corporate, commercial and online social media videos, as well as projection, lighting and sound. To find out more about how we can help with your next video or event, visit us at spectrumvideoandfilm.com.

After directing corporate videos for the last 25 years, I’ve found the most challenging aspect is dealing with amateur talent. Whether they are presidents of companies, department heads or just regular employees, it’s my responsibility to make them look good. Most of these people are busy and don’t really want to be in front of a camera, plus they aren’t even getting paid. They know the importance of video in todays market but they would rather be back at their office. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way to get the best out of my talent and make it a positive experience for them as well.

Discuss the script with your talent

• If there is a set script, go over it with your talent and put it in their own words. Most corporate writers tend to be to formal. What looks good in print doesn’t necessarily come off well on camera. When using a teleprompter, keep the text large and not too many words on one line. Watch for wandering eyes. Let them know that the camera is a PERSON they are speaking to. If it is an interview, give the talent the questions a couple of days before the shoot so they are comfortable with the subject matter. Be attentive to your talent when they are answering your questions. Keep eye contact and be interested in what they are saying.

Be prepared

• If your shoot is in the studio, set up early, make it neat and uncluttered. Don’t be lighting and scrambling at the last minute. Depending on the message it’s often better to go to their office or home so they are more comfortable. The goal is to put them at ease. Talk to them about things they are interested in before you start shooting. Have drinks and snacks available and if there is no makeup artist in the budget, bring your own powder. No one wants to see shiny talent.

Be patient

• Don’t rush your talent. Encourage them constantly. Don’t linger too long on one section, you can always come back later after they have had more of a positive experience.

Record while they rehearse

• A rehearsal will help your talent become more familiar with the material and more comfortable in front of the camera. When you do rehearse, it’s not a bad idea to record. Spectrum has found some of the best takes may come when the talent is relaxed and not “on” for the official shoot.

Give ’em a break

• Sometimes it’s good to let your talent get up and move around a little if things aren’t going very well. Keep encouraging them and make sure they keep their energy up. If they feel they are over preforming, that’s probably just right for the camera.

Be personable

• Call each person by name and make sure you’re genuinely friendly. This will help your talent feel more comfortable and at ease. They will respond to your coaching better if they think of you as a caring friend. Respect their time. They have interrupted their busy schedule to do something most of them don’t want to do. Make it enjoyable and they will keep coming back.

Let them see themselves on the monitor

• Before you record tell them how good they look and how great the set looks. Some directors don’t do this, but I find it puts the talent at ease.

It’s ok to talk with their hands.

• As long as they don’t over do it, it gives them a more natural look and gives more energy to the shot.

Eliminate distractions

• Usually, the fewer people in attendance at the shoot, the better. Your job is to help them concentrate on their role and the topic at hand. Too many people milling around can make your subject uneasy.

Keep takes short

• If the subject is not teleprompted, encourage your subject to speak in sound bites, keeping answers to less than one minute each.

Be flexible

• What works for one person may not work for the next. The situation largely depends on the individual involved. Some people improve with practice while others get worse. Some accept coaching easily and others become more irritable. Be prepared to tailor your coaching technique to each person you tape. You don’t to beat a dead horse.

Your talent is the star

• Great camerawork, lighting and editing are wasted if the on-camera talent is not up to snuff. It is up to us to get the best we can out of our talent. After all they are paying us to make them look good. If you have any comments or tips to share, please let us know.

Article by Ken Liljegren, owner and president of Spectrum Video & Film. Spectrum Video & Film is a professional video production company in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona specializing in corporate, commercial and online social media videos, as well as projection, lighting and sound. To find out more about how we can help with your next video or event, visit us at spectrumvideoandfilm.com.