Website Video Length

A couple of weeks ago I showed up at a business to shoot a video for there website. They had e-mailed me the script and a link to a video they had scene and liked. The script was typed out 3 pages. I explained the video was to long. "Why?" they ask, and continued "It is full of good information the public will need." So let me explain in this post. A consumer will shut down between 2 and 3 minutes. Advertising online is a new medium but video advertising is not.

There is a reason a television commercials are 30 seconds or 1 minute and no it's not just because that's what TV stations want to sell. The fact is the consumer wants to know about your product or service, but the time they are willing to stay interested in it is limited. They are not interested in your industry history or your family life. Unless of course your name is Tiger.

So plan well and don't be redundant when you are working on a script make strong points about the benefit they will get from your product, why it is better than what they will get elsewhere and do it in under 3 minutes. I think I am getting close to my time limit with you so...Gotta go.

Viral Video

A viral video is one that is one that touches an emotion for the viewer to the point they send it out to their friends and family or perhaps post it on their facebook page. It must hit your sense of humanity, stir up political anger, bring a tear to your eye or just make you laugh. Looking at this idea is becoming a new way to advertise a product. To produce a video that will be sent from place to place email group to email group at no cost other than producing the video. What could make more sense?

Last week we were asked to produce a video for a very talented marketing team. They were so busy working for their clients they had no real time to set down and think out what they wanted in their production just that they wanted to introduce themselves to a possible future client. This team is so good at what they do they sat down and scripted the video in a matter of minutes. After that I told them to just work and they went right back to there jobs. We Ran cameras on them doing what they do, One of the founders did take a minute to introduce himself. We only had a day to edit and get it back to them, but we got it done.

WEBSITE Videos

The internet is such a great vehicle for a business to get a message out, So why do they build websites like a newspaper ads. They should all contain a video that will explain what you are trying to say, and have some action keep it moving. Who wants to read page after page about what an attorney does. When they do ad video it is a stationary camera recording a business owner at there desk. WOW!

Here is an example of a website video I created for my own website.

Actors with a reel

I shot 4 commercials in the last week. In order to find actors fast I posted an ad on Craigslist. I received a ton of responses as I said on my last post. Some just sent me head shots and we did phone interviews, but one stood out she had sent me head shots, links to her websites and on it a very nice reel. Her name was Laura and she had only 1 day to study her script. I worked with 7 actors that day who had 1 line to say. Laura had 4 pages of script and she nailed it in less takes than 5 of the 7 I directed.

I give a great review to Laura and recommend her highly. If you are producing a video shoot for a client and are looking for talent, make sure they have a reel. See Laura's reel at http://www.laurakobar.com/

Actors looking for gigs

This past couple of weeks I have posted ads on line for actors to take a pert in a commercial I am shooting, and have had a lot of response to the ad I ran on craigslist. In a lot of cases the actors have blown the opportunity to be considered.

In some cases they simply sent me an e-mail through craigslist saying they would like to star in the commercial I am shooting. No head shots were attached or links to there website on the email. In order to attach a photo to a craigslist response it must be a small enough file. So if you have that trouble just reduce the size of the file. Without a headshot or a link to see the actor I will never respond to your e-mail. The more experienced actors (at least thats a logical assumption) sent me both head shots and a link to a website were I was able to watch them in video clips on there reel. Oh, and don't forget a phone number.

A producer is not going to take the time to respond to the unknown when so many took the time to provide the needed information. That is my tip to actors looking for work.

Create a reel

Creating a reel is an important step for an actor or a video production company. It should show creativity and show the diversity you or your company is capable of. Up beat music helps the movement of the reel and also to entertain the viewer. Think of a reel like a resume it's job is to create an interest in you or your organization.

Motion Imaging productions is a newly formed production company owned by Hi-Def Marketing. The new organization was formed to produce teams that match the project. The individuals who collaborate on this team are award winning and diversified in experience Producers/Directors. They include backgrounds in broadcast commercials, live sports, television news and documentary work.

It is good to see competitors come together and form a synergy willing to collaborate for the finest results. It is something when the right tools are put in the right hands.

Website Videos

Putting a video on a website helps raise its ranking when the embed code is coming from a source like youtube. More importantly it makes a website do some work for the company or service that the site represents. Just think about what experience a potential customer is having when they are on your website. Are they just reading text and looking at pictures of where you work? Are they looking at a video of you setting behind a desk giving your philosophy of your career?

There are not very many opportunities that you have like this one, you have a potential customer captured and wanting information about what you do or sell. So make sure you make the best of it. Produce a video television style commercial and put it on the front page of your website.

Make your website an employee that sells for you.

Keeping Video Production Cost Down

When a business owner wants to create a television commercial for broadcast TV or just a commercial to bring life to their website there are a few steps they should take to achieve the quality of product they desire at a budget they can meet.

1) Find a video company that is experienced at creating commercial spots including directing and editing. Having a producer/director with an understanding of not only videography but also marketing to direct you is critical.

2) Share your ideas or vision of what you want to not only see with your video project but also accomplish with it.

3) Send your producer the shot list you are thinking of as well as script ideas or drafts before the shoot. If a crew shows up at your door and you start the discussion around the goals at that time you will ad both time and money to the shoot. Almost all crews work by the day so the more days you ad by not being ready the more it cost you in the end.

4) Don't save money by cutting on the creative end. You should almost always want to have a 2 camera shoot professional lighting is a must as well and if you want it to be great spend a little extra to have an audio engineer on the team, the end product will always be better and editing time shorter. 

5) Listen to the advice of your producer and director, they should have a vested interest in the outcome of the project and the experience to guide you on camera.

So remember when you want to start your project to be ready, ask for the producers help to get ready. Have a great shoot.