Frame Rate

I heard an interesting comment this morning while listening to the Filmmaker Central podcast, hosted by Dave Basulto. His guest on this particular episode was Stephan Manpearl, a veteran in the area of film marketing and distribution. They discussed things that new, independent filmmakers should be aware of when trying to find distribution for their projects. One of the phrases Manpearl used was that filmmaking is called “Show Business,” not “Show Art.” That has two connotations. First, a filmmaker should not be so consumed with the creative process that he fails to learn anything about the business of filmmaking. Second, for a film to gain an audience, it needs to have some inherent marketability. I’ve seen too many films that are abstract, ambiguous, and art for art’s sake. However, the films that I like to make (and the films that I’m drawn to) are those with a strong core story.

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.

When I was in college I had dreams of hosting a top-notch radio show at the campus station. A good friend of mine (and roommate) worked up a concept for the show, but never could get our schedules coordinated. However, thanks to Al Gore and the internet, he and I now have the opportunity to fulfill those once lost dreams of radio stardom.

“Big C and the Beast” is available on iTunes and the weekly podcast will hit on a variety of topics, so there will be something for everyone. We’ll be discussing politics, offbeat news, sports, and entertainment news. Each week’s show will also feature “The Rock Poll,” a listing of the top 5 events, people, stories that “rocked.” You can email the show at bigcandthebeast@gmail.com. If you have show suggestions, email us, or tag interesting stories in Delicious with “bigcandthebeast.”

I found this YouTube page while surfing around the internet tonight. It’s called Penny Pranks and is a series of short films about a man who goes around NYC trying to pay for everything in pennies. At the end of each spot you realize that it’s an ad for an OfficeMax back-to-school sale. This is an example of viral video at its best. Any business can follow this example to get their message out there, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money doing it. The Duct Tape Marketing Blog has an interview on their podcast with Bob Thacker, the senior vice president for marketing & advertising at OfficeMax. He’s the brains behind the Penny Pranks campaign. Take a look.

I came across this juicy little website yesterday — FreshDV. If you work in DV, HDV, HD (anything video) either as a professional or a hobbyist, you will love this site. It has an RSS feed, so you can subscribe to their blog. They have tutorials on topics like calibrating a light meter, working with Adobe Production Studio, and how to find financing and distribution for your film projects. They also have reviews on the latest gear, videos from conferences like NAB, and a podcast. I’ve already started listening to one of their recent discussions on the Sony EX1. This is a great site with a wealth of information. If you’re in to video, you need to check it out.

So if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 18 months you probably haven’t noticed how YouTube has revolutionized the internet by providing users with a free forum to share videos around the world. An individual can waste a LOT of time watching videos on the sharing site - some worthwhile, others not so much. But for every user who uploads videos of a skateboarding dog, there are other users who truly see the benefit of YouTube. In steps Google who, reportedly, will soon offer a corporate version of the video sharing site, allowing companies to communicate in several new ways.

Webcams are nothing new and for a little over 10 years now, people have been using them to document little moments of their lives for the entire world to see. However, new technology has allowed some web entrepreneurs on the West Coast to break free from the confines of their homes and go about their daily lives, all of it documented on camera, much like the films The Truman Show or Edtv.

This site is called Justin.tv and chronicles the every day life of Justin Kan, a web guru with several startups to his name. It may not be that interesting to watch, but the entire thing is a way for them to market the technology for greater entertainment value. Soon, as Nick Gonzales reports on Tech Crunch, it won’t be uncommon to follow your favorite band or political figure or athlete as their lives are documented on the web 24/7. What this shows is a continuing shift toward quality online programming content with plenty of options to advertise and promote your business.

As the prevalence of internet video continues to rise, it seems that there is no end to the possibilities regarding content and distribution. Take for example the most recent video web portal, GodTube, a site molded not from the dust of the earth, but from the YouTube interface. Its purpose? To provide internet users with a safe, family-friendly web portal, while at the same time encouraging all Christians to use video as a means of evangelism.

Since GodTube appeared, there have been those people who debate whether the site should exist at all. One poster on Digital Journal writes, “Here is my question,why have God Tube? Why not just post the message on You Tube? To me it just seems like another way for Christians to separate themselves from the very people they are trying to save. Kinda like dining in the corner instead of with the ’sinners.’” Others feel that slapping the name “Christian” or “God” onto something is somehow blasphemous - that the individual assumes God approves.

The point of this post is not to question whether GodTube should exist, but I will say this:

1. Christians can certainly share their Biblical views via video on other sites like YouTube, but GodTube provides one central location for everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike to find Bible-related content, much like a specific cable channel that provides entertainment to a niche audience.  

2. It seems that despite the world’s lectures on acceptance and political correctness, Christians can’t enjoy the same level of tolerance. The only reason why GodTube has stirred up so much debate is the fact that “God” is in the title. If any other group created a niche website wherein people of like minds and like faiths could gather, that particular group would be lauded for their efforts in creating such a site. But it seems Christians aren’t allowed to do the same.

I got off track somewhat, but I did want to point out that video continues to drive the internet in this Web 2.0 generation. Every group, business, non-profit, and religion is now using video as a means to reach a wide audience and market their goods, services, and beliefs. It’s time you do the same.

This is a great commentary on the video revolution in today’s world wide web and how it’s opening the doors of distribution to a generation of independent filmmakers.

In a previous post we looked at how churches can implement video in order to market themselves to the surrounding community. In this article, let’s look at how video can help realtors achieve better sales results.

1. PODCAST - One of the most popular methods of getting your video message out to a wide audience is through the internet. Weekly or monthly podcasts will constantly keep your name in front of your audience, so hopefully they will think of you first when buying or selling a home. The purpose of a podcast isn’t to make a hard sell, but to give the viewer useful information. When you provide value first, people will see you as a resource, not a salesman. Here are a few topic ideas for your real estate podcast:

- Tips on home inspection
- What’s new in the marketplace
- Community news that impacts property values
- Pitfalls to avoid when purchasing a home
- Selecting a home right for you and your family

2. VIDEO E-MAILS - Do a quick Google search on video e-mails and you will find a number of resources available to help you create a video e-mail message. Use these messages as follow-ups with potential buyers, or with people new to the area, or with those who have just purchased a home from you. Embedding a video within your e-mail will certainly make your message stand out from other realtors in your area.

3. INFORMATIVE DVD - Take the time and effort to create a brief 5-8 minute video highlighting your community. You will want to include information about the school system, local parks, youth athletic leagues, shopping malls, restaurants, and health care facilities. This DVD should tell the viewer why your community is a great place to live and raise a family. Carry a certain number of these informative DVDs with you and use them as a “leave behind” when you show a home or network with potential buyers.

4. DIGITAL BUSINESS CARDS - Realtors always put creative information on business cards, like a tip chart for when you go out to a restaurant, or schedules for the local football team. The purpose of putting this information on a business card is to ensure that the recipient will save the card and look at it repeatedly. What if you took this same idea a step further and created a digital business card? A digital business card is the same size as a regular card, but will play in any computer CD-ROM drive. On it you can put a brief video message about who you are and why people should use you when purchasing or selling a home.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are certainly not limited to these. Don’t be afraid to be creative and to think of new and better ways to market yourself and your business.