Frame Rate

Everyone has their own system of filing and archiving, but whatever that system is, be sure to adhere to it. Otherwise things could get messy down the road, because you never know when a previous client will call you up and ask for a file on a job that’s at least five years old. That’s when your filing system is put to the test.

This morning I came in to the office and checked email (as I always do). There in my inbox was a message from a one-time client, needing files for a job I did back in 2005. I immediately thought, “There’s no way I have a copy of that. I gave everything to her.” So I went and checked the job file, and sure enough, I had filed away an extra copy for my own records. Let that be lesson #1 - Always keep duplicate copies for yourself. Don’t give everything to the client.

Here’s a quick run-down of how I store and archive client projects:

• Once the job is complete, I leave all elements on my hard drive for 45-60 days.
• When I get approval from the client and I see that no more work is needed for that particular project, I do two things: 1) Make a master copy of the project onto both tape and DVD, and 2) move all raw elements to an external hard drive for archiving.
• Over the next several months, I wait and see if the client will use any of these elements for various projects. If there are no repeat jobs for this client, I usually remove all the raw footage from the hard drive to free up space for new jobs. However, I still retain all the project files from my editing system. That way, if I need to revisit this project again, all I have to do is reload all the old footage. My logs, edit points, effects, titles, etc. remain intact because I saved the project files.

In video production it becomes very important to have an efficient and organized archiving system, because video files take up so much hard drive space. Your system is probably different from mine. Some people put everything from a single project onto an external hard drive, then label the drive and store it on a shelf. Some people use big rubber maid tubs to store everything from a particular client. Me? I use a CD/DVD tower to organize my clients’ master DVDs, tape racks for all raw footage and master tapes, and file folders for all paperwork. It’s important to find a system that works for you.

I’d be interested to know what everyone else is doing to archive old projects.

In an earlier post I discussed the importance of conducting research before entering into development on any marketing/advertising effort. When dealing with a client, it’s important to set aside time for an initial creative interview. I have a graphic designer I work with who will never start any project without first sitting down with the client to discuss the needs of the business.

But how are these initial meetings conducted? What do you talk about? How do you know if you’re asking the right questions?

Ultimately, being able to conduct an effective initial interview will come with practice. And the questions you ask will depend on your particular discipline. I might not ask the same questions as a graphic designer would, because I deal with video production.

As you work with more clients, you will be able to refine your interview skills and quickly mine those nuggets of information that will aid you in your creative development. Here are some questions that I usually like to cover in my initial creative meeting:

1. How do you plan on using the video?
2. What’s the size and scope of the project, as you see it?
3. What’s your time frame for completion?
4. What are the objectives for this video?
5. Who is your audience, as you see it?
6. What do you feel are the main selling points of your business?
7. Does your business have a mission statement? What is it?
8. What objections might people have to buying from you, or using your service?
9. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
10. How do you want the public to perceive your business?

From this initial interview, you need to find the core PROBLEM that your efforts will SOLVE. These questions are by no means set in stone, and you don’t need to limit yourself to asking only 10 questions. Sometimes the client has thought about these things, but often they need you to prompt them into evaluating themselves and their brand. Be sure to take a lot of notes throughout the meeting and feel free to jot down a few ideas during the meeting as they come to you.

When a company looks at their existing marketing materials (logo, brochures, website, videos, etc.) they might wonder why they should invest the time and money to re-brand their image. After all, the existing brand has worked for several years now. Here are some things to consider regarding the need for an updated brand:

1.       Re-branding is a part of a company’s life cycle.Usually, existing marketing materials, logos, etc. are good for 5-10 years. After that time period, businesses evaluate existing materials and will re-brand…

·           to reflect current design themes

·           to embrace current marketing strategies

·           to announce the transition into a new phase of their company

·           to communicate the company’s vision for its future

 

Think of how quickly our world is advancing, especially in the technological realm. A computer you purchase today will be obsolete within the year. A corporate video produced with today’s technology will look a lot different from one produced in 1995. And so it’s important for businesses to assess their brand and its effectiveness every 5-10 years in an effort to remain competitive and current.

 

2.       Re-branding tells your audience that you are committed. A business that takes the time to update its marketing materials is a business committed to the long haul. You want your clients and potential clients to feel safe and secure, knowing that you will be around for years to come. When the public sees that a company has taken the time and invested the money to re-brand, they understand that this is a company that is looking to the future and plans to increase its strength and position in the marketplace.

 

3.       Re-branding is about looking your best. A company’s credibility among audiences depends on the image they put forth for public consumption. Presentation is everything.

a.       When a candidate walks in for a job interview, the way he/she looks is important.

b.       When your employees show up for work, how they present themselves is important.

c.       When company representatives go out for sales or service calls, the way they look and act is important.

d.       When customers, clients, or potential clients come into your office building, how it looks is important.

Everything reflects back onto your business, either positively or negatively. It’s easy to overlook the current status of your brand with other daily tasks filling your calendar, but it’s important to take the time to review that brand on an annual basis. Updating that brand communicates two things…

·        Your company is growing, and

·        You are concerned for its reputation.

 

An updated brand can positively affect public perception about your company encourage them to do business with you.

More and more people, businesses, organizations, etc. are using Twitter to communicate with the world. Using a maximum of 140 characters, users answer one simple question, “What are you doing right now?” It’s another form of social networking, but many are now using it in their own marketing efforts. I currently have a Twitter account, and although I’m fairly new to the Twitter-verse, I’m hoping that it can be another way of getting my company’s name out to the public.

Type in “Using Twitter for Marketing and PR” in your search engine and you will find a number of web pages giving out advice on how to use Twitter to market your business. Of course you will also find a number of people who feel that Twitter should be used as a social outlet only, not a selling platform. Just look at the advice from the site HowToUseTwitterForMarketingAndPR.com

Regardless of where you fall in the debate, it’s obvious that some business owners have seen tangible results from utilizing Twitter. A coffee shop owner in Houston, Texas credits Twitter with doubling his clientele. News outlets use Twitter for keeping the public up to speed on the latest headlines. Job sites around the world are now using Twitter to help people find the job they’re looking for.

The bottom line is that social networking is still in its infancy and there are no hard and fast rules for what you can and cannot do with a utility like Twitter. However, social etiquette that we use everyday in our face-to-face conversations should certainly carry over to a portal like Twitter, if you hope to gain a following and expand your network. Consider these Twitter Do’s and Don’ts.

The panelists of Freelance Radio frequently discuss social networking sites on their podcast, and they have some great insights into what you should and shouldn’t do with these tools. Bottom line is that if you want to be listened to, you have to contribute something to the conversation. Don’t simply set up a blog, Twitter account, Facebook page, etc. and sit back and wonder why you have no readers. Get out there and write comments on other blogs. Contribute. Become a part of the conversation.

When the original iPhone first launched, I thought to myself, This thing is incredible, but I’ll never get one because it’s too expensive. Then, last summer the iPhone 3g launched at $200. At that point my interest in this little gadget went up quite a bit. Still, I waited. And for people who know me, that’s a difficult task to achieve. I’m always drawn to the latest gadget. I finally jumped on the bandwagon in December and I’m glad I did. Not for its entertainment value, per se, but for its marketing value.

In my line of work, it’s much better if you can SHOW people what you do, rather than just TELLING them. So, I loaded my phone with some of my demo reel samples. Now, when I’m out networking or meeting with potential clients, I’m able to instantly show them the latest thing I’ve been working on. Not only are they impressed with the work, but they’re impressed that I can show it to them on my phone. Plus, when you’re in a large group, the iPhone gets attention. That’s another plus for me. People will come over to see what we’re watching and I have an opportunity to market my business even further. Use tools that are available to you and you can market your services in new and unique ways. And remember, video will always grab someone’s attention.

I finally got around to updating my YouTube channel yesterday. Since my new website will be launching soon, I’ve been updating a lot of my marketing materials to reflect the new look. My YouTube channel had been horribly neglected, so I wanted to get it up to speed. It wouldn’t look good for someone in my business to ignore the power of YouTube.

While I was updating my account, I went through a lot of old friend requests that I hadn’t read and came across Triune Films, a group out of South Florida. I wanted to pass along a link to their channel, because they offer up some great tips on how to achieve good-looking special effects for little to no cost. If you are a low-budget filmmaker and are looking for cheap resources, you might want to check out their site. Here’s their most recent video dealing with Perspective.

Discouragement and anxiety prevail during a slow economy. News headlines proclaim that companies are making additional cutbacks. Hundreds, if not thousands of employees have been laid off. It’s during these tough economic times that your company’s brand and your marketing strategy become increasingly important.

When the economy is bad, one of the first things on the chopping block is marketing. Pulling back marketing efforts, however, only encourages competitors to step up and fill the void that you left behind. Consider a recent article in the Birmingham Business Journal by Lydia Wilbanks, of Wilbanks-Elam Marketing & Public Relations (unfortunately you have to be a paid subscriber to see the full article, but you will at least get her point). She encourages readers to think of their company long-term. Decreasing marketing efforts is a quick fix, but may prove to have lasting effects once the market turns around.

Or consider Staples, who recently has used news of Office Depot closings to ramp up their marketing campaign. Staples blitzed the market with emails re-printing a Dec. 10th article from Boca Raton, FL in which the reporter states that in 2009 Office Depot will close 112 North American stores. Above the article is the headline, “You can always count on Staples.” This is a great example of how one business is filling the gap left by a competitor, who is seen as unstable and temporary.

Remember that your company’s brand is much more than what’s on the letterhead or the brochures. Your brand helps your company establish and develop relationships. It communicates core company values. It encompasses your mission statement and reflects the vision you have for the future of your business. Now is the perfect time to invest in your marketing efforts because, chances are, your competition isn’t.

Yes you can waste a lot of time on YouTube watching videos with little to no commercial appeal. However, many filmmakers, cinematographers, etc. are using YouTube and other online hosting sites to promote themselves and their work. The goal is to get as many views as possible and to drive people to your site. Now you have the option to embed a link directly into the video. You can do this through a site called Linked Tube. Here’s how it works: When you go to Linked In, you will see a sample YouTube clip on the left and a series of blank fields on the right. Here’s what you need to do to embed a link into your own YouTube clip:

1. Open up your YouTube video and grab the designated YouTube ID. Enter that series of letters and numbers into the first field.
2. Enter the text for the link into the second field.
3. Enter the URL of the website to which the video should link.
4. Enter the “hover title.” This is a brief description of the website that will appear when a user’s mouse hovers over the link.
5. Click “Save & Get Code.”
6. Copy and paste this code into the video when you embed the video onto other sites.

The great thing about this widget is that whenever someone embeds the video to their site and shares it with others, the link you have embedded goes with it.

In my previous post I mentioned that I recently had the opportunity to work as a consultant with a new client, teaching her the basics of the video production process. Training others in my profession is fairly new to me, and this was the first time I had done it in a formal setting. In retrospect I think everything went very well. Allow me to run down a few of the things I learned. The lessons gained might help you with similar projects, or with client relations in general.

1. BE PREPARED - Two days before my client was to arrive I sat down with a co-worker and we went over all the things we needed to cover in our two day session. Not only did we discuss the important topics, but we also discussed how we would apply the technical skills to the practicality of producing a video. This is a lot better than waiting until the client shows up and saying something like, “Um… let’s see… where would you like to start?”
2. PROVIDE AN OUTLINE - Much like a syllabus from Algebra 101, the outline will allow the client to know exactly what will be covered and will give him or her space to take notes when necessary.
3. KEEP THINGS FLUID - My client came in with certain expectations and a certain knowledge before we even got started. There may be things your client already understands. Give them the opportunity to tell you what they’re looking for. This may take you off topic a little, but don’t worry. Listen to their thoughts and questions. Address them if a simple answer is required. If more groundwork needs to be laid first, then gradually come back to your outline and lay the foundation.
4. ALLOW THE CONCEPTS TO SINK IN - This is where I made one of my mistakes. While discussing the topic “Depth of Field” I moved too quickly into the next subject before giving my client time to absorb the information. Plus, I had neglected to let her handle the camera herself. Don’t move too quickly. Give the client time to go over the material another time if need be. And definitely let him or her get their hands dirty by using the equipment.
5. DON’T JUST TELL, DEMONSTRATE - It’s one thing to listen to someone talk about working with cameras, lighting, or grip equipment. It’s another thing entirely to listen as you watch them work with that equipment. If you find yourself training someone in any skill, whether it be cinematography, drawing, painting, photography, sculpting, etc. show your client by demonstrating techniques yourself. This is where it may be helpful to have an assistant with you. My co-worker and I worked in tandem during our two-day training sessions - I would instruct while he demonstrated. I would instruct while he set up equipment for the next lesson. Or he would instruct while I sat in during a lighting demonstration.

When we concluded, I felt that the training was a success, but did feel that we fell short in certain areas. However, the main goal here is to give your client, student, etc. the information he/she needs to go out and start developing his/her own craft.

In these tough economic times, there’s a fine line that businesses walk. They must continue to market themselves or watch as competitors gain a stronger footing. Tough decisions have to be made when income is on the decline. So what should be done? In my experiences many people try to pull all video production work in-house. Most feel that all they need is a decent camera and some editing software, but they neglect to learn the video production basics. The result is a flat, uninteresting piece that fails to convey the message adequately. If you feel that you need to move more production work in-house, allow me to make some suggestions:

1. Make a slow transition. Don’t hand over a consumer grade camera to your intern and say, “Good luck.” Take the time to equip your department with everything it needs to produce a high-quality video.
2. Hire a production company to serve as a consultant. I was recently approached by a potential client who needed to produce some projects in-house. My company was hired to provide training sessions to a company representative so that she could be better prepared to produce her own videos. We will also serve as on-going consultants for future projects.
3. Allow the production company to produce the first piece. This will give you an opportunity to view first-hand how everything works, so that you will feel more secure about handling everything yourself in subsequent projects.
4. Continue to educate yourself. Take the time to learn your gear. Get out and practice. Look at demo reels to get an idea of what others are doing. Read about the production process.

These suggestions will serve as a good starting point, but remember that mastering the production business takes a lot of time and requires great expense. Sometimes, in the long-run, it’s more cost-effective to hire a production company than to invest the time, effort, and money to train your staff and to accumulate everything you will need to make it happen.