Content Marketing & Film Resource (4)

5 TERRIBLE WAYS TO SPEND YOUR VIDEO MARKETING BUDGET

Erin Hayes April 07, 2016 Video Marketing, video marketing budget, video budget, marketing budget Leave a Comment

INTRODUCTION:

Are you in charge of a video marketing budget?

Before you commit to a storyboard or begin the search for a video production partner, let us give you a few tips on how not to spend your money.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by what's possible in video production. Everyday there's a new shiny toy to capture footage or a new best way to produce a video.

Let us help you avoid some common pitfalls.

Here are 5 terrible ways to spend your money.

1. Insist on Specialty Camera Equipment

Is the Red Epic Dragon a kickass camera? Uh, yeah. Yeah, it is. Could any production company you hire get a Red Epic Dragon for your production if asked for it?

Yes.

And if the production company didn’t have experience operating it? Then they’d be able to find and hire a suitable operator.

Easy.

But let’s talk about what this choice could do to your perceived budget:

Let’s say you have $10K to spend on this video. If you demand a Red Epic Dragon, then you just told the production company that half of the budget will go to this effort.

They’ll need to take some profit for the deal. After all, they are a business, too. So at best this leaves you with $3K for lighting, audio, additional crew, editing, graphics, music, sound effects and actors.

Chances are this means that the rest of these must-haves will need to be tightly managed.

Read: These must-haves will get skimped on.

Don’t waste your budget on a specialty camera unless you have shots that need that camera. Any professional camera will be HD.

2. Ask Your Co-Workers to Act Instead of Hiring Actors:

"Wait. But my co-workers won’t cost me money and actors will. How is this a terrible way to spend my money?"

Chances are, your coworkers aren’t professional actors.

This means that no matter how tight the script, no matter how professional the production partner and no matter how awesome the filmmaking gear, your video will be subpar.

And spending money on a subpar video is a tremendous waste of your budget.

We’ve been here before. When we were young and learning how to say ‘No’ to clients, we said ‘Yes’ to letting them hire their coworkers as talent.

They'd book us for a half day shoot, but that half day would quickly become a full day. Then, that full day would turn into overtime because the actors were not professionals and had a tough time delivering their lines.

We all know that more production time means longer post-production time. Deadlines for delivery will get pushed when a shoot goes much longer than planned.

We commit to flat-rate pricing with our clients. But we've learned to write a contingency clause in our contracts for these situations.

Read: We have to charge extra for the extra time and extra work. Everyone does.

Now we just avoid this particular mess all together and say 'No'. And everyone is happier.

Acting isn’t easy, folks. Add a bit more to your budget and make sure you hire professionals.

A little more will go a long way. Trust us.

3. REnt Locations

Location rental can cost anywhere from $500 to $100,000 or more a day.

Unless the location is necessary for the storytelling, we suggest sticking to locations you control.

Ask your production partner if they have an in-house studio. Or maybe your office can look the part. And who knows. Maybe your in-laws will let you use their gorgeous atrium for the shoot.

When you avoid adding location fees to your shoot you can be confident that your budget will go to other extras.

Your production partner will be able to put more into production and post-production. Think specialty equipment; special effects; custom graphics; better music and sound effects. The list goes on.

In short, they will work hard to make sure your video is the best possible video your budget can buy.

4. Licensing Music

Sure, Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind is the perfect sound track to your video. But if you insist on using his track then you’re looking at costs that will far exceed the cost of your video.

There are many independent musicians who can custom score your video for a reasonable price. Ask your production partner what their thoughts are on music. They’ll have many options for you, from a custom score to stock music.

Together, you can decide the best sound for your video - and you won't break your budget.

5. Hiring the Cheapest Video Production Partner (or Hiring the Most Expensive Production Parter)

Let’s go back to your hypothetical $10K budget. Say you ask for quotes from three companies. One company comes in at $9,999; another comes in at $8,000 and the third quotes $6,500.

Don’t just choose one based on their price. Take your time and do your research.

Look at their reel; check out their portfolio; ask them about their typical process. And their fee structure.

The most expensive option may only be the most expensive because they have a high overhead. Not because they are the most qualified.

Read: They’re one-man/one-woman shows and have to rent all the equipment and hire freelance crew.

The least expensive option may seem like a great get, but make sure you ask about additional fees.

We recently had a client come to us to redo a video they’d already paid to have produced by a different company. This company originally quoted below the client's budget. But by the time the video was complete, they’d incurred an additional $12,000 in fees and the video still wasn’t what they had asked for.

In short, before you hire a company make sure you know what you are signing up for.

Our biggest mistake starting out was not establishing clear expectations at the beginning of a project. It's just as important for us to understand our clients' expectations as it is for our clients to understand ours.

Establishing these expectations makes creative process fun. Each party leaves the project happy.

Download the Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Video Production Parter:

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, to make sure you get the best video for your budget:

Avoid unnecessary expenses like high end camera equipment
Don't try to cut corners that shouldn't be cut
Work with what you can control when it comes to location
Avoid paying music licenseing fees
And do your due dillegence. Set expectations and make that you and your video partner are on the same page before beginning a project.

We hope you found this post helpful! Here are few other resources you might like:

Additional Resources

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Data Unknown: A Web Series

Erin Hayes March 24, 2016 Video, Web series, branded content, Data Leave a Comment

Data is a word that gets thrown around a lot. We have "data plans." Our have data to upload, data to download. We know that big data is a big thing and we know that social networks like Facebook and Instagram prize their users personal data above all else.

But what does data really mean to us? This is a question our good friend and client, Steve Kenniston, wants to explore.

Kenniston came to us this fall and asked if we'd produce a web series idea he had called Data Unknown. Then he asked our Creative Director, Ian Barrett, if he'd be his first guest of the series.

We shot the pilot episode in a day and a half - one full day of locations and interviews and a half day of pick ups.

Barrett took Kenniston to some of his favorite haunts in the greater Boston area, including F1 Racing and Jack's Abby Craft Lagers Beer Hall & Kitchen.

The pair discussed how data has evolved in Barrett's business - Media Production - and how data makes Barrett's passions for film production, beer and racing possible.

We hope you enjoy the show and that this starts a conversation about data.

Additional Resources:

Video Web series branded content Data

Video Production Explained in 14 instagram photos

Erin Hayes March 15, 2016 Instagram, Filmmaking Leave a Comment

A picture's worth a thousand words. So, rather than write 14,000 words about the filmmaking process (cause that'd be a bit boring, wouldn't it?), we pulled 14 photos from some talented people on Instagram to tell the story instead.

Luckily for us, pulling 14 photos that document the filmmaking process was no big deal. Because few people document their workflow as avidly - and beautifully - as filmmakers.

We hope you enjoy scrolling through the photos as much as we enjoyed scrolling through #Filmmaking search results!

The Storyboard

You should never shoot without a storyboard. A storyboard will help you save time on production day and during post-production. And, it sets clear expectations for the client and for your crew.

#OnSet vol. 5 #tv #commercial #storyboard #shootingboard #director #notes #work #ilovemyjob #filmset #shooting #behindthescenes #makingof #filmproduction #drawing #sketch #filmlife #instadaily #filmcrew #party

A photo posted by Filip Rudnicki (@phil.rudnicky) on Mar 5, 2016 at 10:13am PST

All the Gear

You need film gear to shoot a video. How much gear you need will depend on a few factors like budget, location size, time of day, etc. etc.

#setlife #newenglandstudios #filmmaking #filmgear #arrilighting #arri

A photo posted by NE Studios (@nestudios) on Mar 11, 2016 at 7:49am PST

#dslrgear #dslr #dslrfilmmaking #700D #canon #filmmaking #filmgear #justgettingstarted @mycamerabag

A photo posted by Rodrigo Senociaín Marzullo (@rsm_arch_films) on Mar 8, 2016 at 9:22pm PST

Take 1...or Take 101

What's more iconic of a filmmaking set than a production slate? Nearly nothing (well, maybe a director yelling 'Action'). A production slate helps the production crew stay on track on the day of the shoot. It also helps the post production team sync the footage from multiple cameras and audio sources.

A belated birthday present from my brother from another mother @brodier94 thanks cuz, should be using it in no time! #film #homemadefilm #clapboard #clapper #filmgear #filmequipment #movies #amatuerfilmmaker

A photo posted by Angus Strachan (@angoosemoose) on Mar 9, 2016 at 3:14am PST

The Crew

The crew is the most important part of filmmaking. You can have a killer script, all the latest and greatest in gear - but if you don't have a great crew you won't have a great product.

#OnSet vol. 6 #filmproduction #makingof #behindthescenes #dolly #RED #redepic #camera #actors #soundengineer #microphone #director #filmcrew #commercial #tv #igers #instadaily #work #filmlife #shop #shooting #filmmaking #filmmaker

A photo posted by Filip Rudnicki (@phil.rudnicky) on Mar 7, 2016 at 10:52am PST

@MoHeim and her trusty #Nepali assistants filming in #Kathmandu #onassignment for our upcoming #PBS series about citizen science. ---------------- #nepal #filmmaking #canon #edelkrone #redcross #openstreetmap @ilcp_photographers

A photo posted by Day's Edge Productions (@daysedge) on Mar 11, 2016 at 2:25pm PST

getTING the shots

Ready, set, Camera Speed! Now it's time for that incredible crew to come together and shoot the heck out of the project.

We shot a fun project with some extraordinarily talented people this week. Here's a shot of one of our final scenes. #setlife

A photo posted by MediaBoss Television (@mediaboss) on Nov 15, 2015 at 4:26am PST

#OnSet vol. 4 🎬 #behindthescenes #makingof #filmset #filmcrew #filmlife #tvcommercial #tv #commercial #director #DOP #gaffer #light #arri #redepic #actors #work #lovemyjob #night #filmproduction #shooting #grip #crane

A photo posted by Filip Rudnicki (@phil.rudnicky) on Mar 3, 2016 at 11:20am PST

Getting the Pickups

Now it's time to get those closeups and specialty shots.

Creative Director @i.barrett and Production Manager @paulsummerlong (photo credit) on set at @jacksabbybrewing last week! #latergram #setlife #production #JacksAbby #behindthescenes

A photo posted by MediaBoss Television (@mediaboss) on Jun 17, 2015 at 9:44am PDT

All of the Pickups...

And just when you think you've captured all the pickups, you realize that if you took this and shot it that way then your video would 1000% more awesome.

Getting the closeup during a recent shoot with client, @jacksabbybrewing #setlife #beer @paulsummerlong @i.barrett

A photo posted by MediaBoss Television (@mediaboss) on Jul 13, 2015 at 9:18am PDT

Going through the footage. ALL of THE FOOTAGE

You've come back to the studio. You've loaded all of the footage. Now it's time to go through all of that footage.

Getting lots of dailies out of resolve. From RED Dragon 6K raw to 1080p for editing. #featurefilm #davinciresolve #editsuite #filmediting

A photo posted by Jelle Helwig (@jellehelwig) on Mar 7, 2016 at 11:50am PST

Wide Cut

Ok, you've edited a wide cut. Good for you! You're about 20% done. Time to get into Version 1, Version 2, etc.

Amazing what gets left on the cutting room floor. 95% through a really fun video for really fun client. #timeline #editing #video #videoproduction #postproduction #food

A photo posted by MediaBoss Television (@mediaboss) on Jan 29, 2016 at 10:46am PST

Picture Lock!

A big satisfied sigh of relief. Your video is complete. Everyone loves it and has signed off on it.

That's a wrap- locked picture and sound on ep 109 of @vinyl! Two onlines and three audio mixes. ✂️🎞🔒 #timelinetuesday #avid #filmediting #editingroom #sountrackf/t @hbo

A photo posted by Kate Sanford (@sanfordkate) on Mar 8, 2016 at 5:22am PST

Cheers!

Get your team together, grab a beverage and clink those glasses, cans, what-have-you.

And then, on to the next production!

#Repost @paulsummerlong with @repostapp. ・・・ Farm to table? More like tank to table. #15minutesorless @jacksabbycraftlagers

A photo posted by @erinehayes on Jan 22, 2016 at 10:45am PST

Additional Resources

Instagram Filmmaking

Guide to Hiring the right video production company

Erin Hayes March 03, 2016 Video production, hiring video production company, guide to hiring video production company Leave a Comment

Congrats! You’ve got the go ahead to produce an awesome video for your company! That’s great news. But now that the high from that win is wearing off you may be wondering, “OK. What now? How do I choose the right video production company?"

If you’re unfamiliar with the process of selecting a video production partner, then this guide is for you! We created this guide because our experience has brought us face to face with many clients who picked the wrong partner, only to seek us out in desperation. While we appreciate the business, it’s better for everyone when people can make informed decisions.

Google “Video Production Company” in any market and you’ll be inundated by a bunch of seemingly great matches, with highly produced sizzle reels. But…how can you know if they’re really the right partner for your company?

There’s a lot to consider when selecting a video production relationship.

Here are 5 things you should consider.

Audio/Visual Quality:

It might sound obvious, but is their quality of work up to your company’s standards? Does it reflect the type of production levels you see in your competitors work?

You should expect their sizzle or demo reel to look amazing, but it’s not really an indicator of their long form storytelling or consistency. Although a sizzle reel is a great way to show off work in a fun, creative way, it’s also a great way to hide mistakes that appear in the original videos. And, some companies make use of stock video footage in reels.

So, ‘looks’ are one thing, but how is the audio? Is it clear, present and mixed well?

How are the graphics? Are they custom made by a motion artist or do they appear overly simple and static?

The next thing to review is the music. Does it match the video? Does it sound outdated? Is it copyrighted? Some companies cut corners by using music from long outdated music catalogs and that can lower the impact of your video.

Check out their facility, meet the staff, take a tour and you will feel much more confident in your decision when you finally make it.

Creative Quality:

Beware of cookie cutter video production companies. When you look at their portfolio, do the videos look the same?

Do they use the same concepts, graphics, music and locations for every video? Style is one thing, limited resources are something else - especially when you are trying to create impact on a tight budget. Make sure you have a creative vision with your production company. And if they suggest a ‘parody’ of an existing commercial or video as a concept for your company, you might want to continue your search.

Passion:

You can pay people to work, but you can’t pay people to care. Every manager knows this. If your neck is on the line to make something great, make sure you are with people who care about your mission and make it their own. If they don’t’, no budget has the power to change that. Is your production partner creative? Do they suggest multiple solutions? Do they give you the sense that they will do whatever they can to make the product work for you?

Personality:

You’re probably scratching your head at this one, but trust us: It’s important to like the company you are doing business with.

Production is stressful, and creative work requires a unique blend of vision and trust. Depending on the complexity of the project, you may be working closely with them over the next few months, so getting along is more than just convenient: it makes good sense and could have a great impact on the quality of your product.

The relationship should have room for great creative discussions. You should feel comfortable knowing that your ideas will be listened to and you should trust that the people you are working with have your best interests in mind when they suggest ideas.

Ask for a testimonial or to speak to a current client to help gauge your comfort.

Budget:

We put this last because it’s not the first thing you should consider. If you are looking for cheap, you’ll find it. And the results will speak for themselves. Good production costs money (see items 1-4), but the value can continue for years after the video is created.

Simply stated, a good video is worth more than it costs and bad video cost too much.

However, pinching pennies on a video that’s meant to highlight your company isn’t a good idea. For instance, if you are making a video to market something that generates hundreds of thousands of dollars of income for your company and you don’t want to spend $10,000 on a video, you might be setting yourself up for disappointing results. Have a realistic expectation of the goal of the video to decide the budget, and if it meets those expectations, you should feel comfortable pushing for more video products.

We hope this helps you on your search. If you’re looking for a more nitty gritty list of points you should ask when interviewing potential partners, download the following checklist:

And as always, feel free to connect with us directly with any questions you might have.

Video production hiring video production company guide to hiring video production company

5 Video Production Trends for 2016 You Can't Ignore

Erin Hayes January 21, 2016 Video Leave a Comment

If you are not using video as part of your business marketing strategy you are missing one of the most powerful marketing trends in history.

Online video consumption has increased dramatically year-over-year and this year will not be an exception. In fact, video viewership is set to spike by 19.8 percent in 2016!

Even if you have been using video you're aware of the nuances of effective online video. Specifically, you must have a target for your video. The days of throwing something up online are ending. The competition is high with amazing quality videos and innovative production.

We predict that 2016 is the year of the Targeted Video, or more specifically Targeted Video Series.

This involves:

-Taking platforms into account when producing video

-Employing high quality graphics and images to engage viewers

-Producing suites of content rather than the one-off

Here are our Top 5 Video Production Trends for 2016

#1. More Short Form Content

The early adopters have been incorporating short form video into their content marketing strategy for a couple of years. And 2016 will see a spike in this adoption across the board. We predict that more marketers will request 15 and 30 second versions of their web video to reach their Instagram and Twitter audiences. And we predict that marketers will start to produce video that takes advantage of Facebook’s autoplay feature.

#2. The Video Series - No More Solo Videos

The early 10’s we saw marketers plan their videos as big, one-off launches, with all the energy built around a single product that 'did it all'. As Content Marketing has gained momentum we’ve seen more businesses plan suites of video, and we predict 2016 will be the year that even skeptical businesses will actively include video in their strategy. There are many upsides to planning a series of video rather than a one-off. The obvious benefit is a cohesive, targeted and sustained video strategy. The not-so-obvious upside is the cost. Creating a series of videos out of a well-planned single shoot can mean a budget savings.

#3. The Year of the Drone

Drone technology has become more accessible than ever and the FAA has allowed their operation (with a license). We predict we’ll see more businesses ask for this speciality footage in their video. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to add dynamic footage to a variety of products - from corporate video to commercials to episodic content. And, let’s be honest: drones are fun!

A word of warning, make sure the company you hire can present you with a valid FAA license for both the drone and the operator. Make sure the operator is very experienced and has a reel of footage to share with you. Finally, make sure the drone operator and production company are insured for drone operation.

#4. The Corporate Studio - Your Own TV Channel

We’ve encouraged our clients to think of their businesses and brands like television channels for years. It’s not enough to simply create an incredible video. If your incredible video was a television show, what would go into the promotion of that show? A series of trailers - each targeted for the time frame and channel on which its to be shown - online graphic ads, short ad overlays, etc. And how would you package your series to compel people to watch not just the first episode, but the entire series?

This year we’ll start to see more brands thinking about this as they head into production.

#5. Live Streaming/Live Event Production

And speaking of Corporate Studio, live streaming platforms will grow again in 2016. Innovations like Periscope have altered the game by incorporating an easy to use and share ad-hoc platform with a built-in audience. Go big and create a 'TedTalk-style' world-wide livestream or go local with Periscope. The point is to share.

If you're looking for inspiration for what types of content you should share, download our Guide to the 7 Must-Have Videos.

We give you 7 ideas for video content, practical tips about how to promote each piece of content and real stats about the success rates of each type of video.

Additional Resources:

Video

The Future of Episodic Television: A Working Producer’s Perspective

Ian Barrett January 14, 2016 Video, web series production, pilot production, television production Leave a Comment

Originally published on Production Hub.

Everything changes and television is no exception.

Online is the new episodic television. The amount of time people spent consuming only video each day jumped 23.3% in 2015 and is set to increase by a further 19.8% in 2016. Advances in technology only boosted this trend with increases in mobile video performance and storage capacities.

Our viewing habits have affected the way production is done today, too. Everyone has a mobile video production facility in their pocket.

This isn’t news. The shift from what we think of as traditional television – and traditional production – has been happening for well over a decade. I’ve been producing television through these evolutions and I’m still here to talk about it.

In 1996 I started a television show that ran through 2003. I was ahead of the DIY curve because I had to be! I jumped in with both feet and embraced any technology that could help me do my job quickly and affordably. I bought a Sony V5000 Hi8 camera and went non-linear for post-production with an AVID system. Over the years I went multi-cam with DV, DVCam, and HDV formats - affordable increases in production quality that my audience appreciated. At the time this was breaking all the rules of TV production, now no one gives it a second thought.

The series was a weekly, 30-minute music-based program that featured exclusive live performances and interviews all captured on location. I made 257 original episodes over the course of 8 seasons.

When I started the show, I only worked with small bands. But by the time the series had come to an end, I had shot some of the biggest bands in the world, including Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen.

In the meantime, some of those small bands I had worked with in the beginning grew up to become multi-platinum powerhouses like Kid Rock, Creed, 3 Doors Down, Matchbox 20 and Limp Bizkit. I wound up Directing and Producing videos and television shows for Godsmack, Sevendust, and Down.

I loved my show, and more importantly so did the fans. They would watch the show, buy CDs and go out to concerts. But the span of those years saw those days disappear. The music industry completely changed. The mp3 had killed their business model and distribution. Kids no longer wanted to pay for their music. This made record companies change the way they promoted their music. Suddenly, putting bands on TV for exposure seemed like a financial loss for them. As a result, we moved on and found a different focus.

In 2009, we started production on an 88-episode run of an entertainment and lifestyles show. We raised our own capital for the two-year series and made deals directly with television station (CBS affiliate) and our own sponsors. MediaBoss TV was in the studio business, creating our own programming and putting it on the air. It wasn’t an ideal business. It was labor and financially intensive with a low profit reward.

Even then MediaBoss integrated social media very effectively into our program, but it was becoming very clear to us that the tail was beginning to wag the dog and the web was becoming the place to air creative content. It was clear the climate had changed yet again - this time for broadcast television itself. Financially, the country was in the midst of an economic crisis and the market was correcting itself.

Here’s what we learned:

Television airtime was expensive and budgets were shrinking.
Sponsors were becoming increasingly concerned about how to leverage social media.
Production partners were still over charging for web site creation and online video integration.
Finally, 2009 marked the beginning of Millennials’ effect on broadcast media.

They watched their ‘television’ on their laptops using Netflix and Hulu, while downloading torrents of their favorite shows and movies.

Guess what happened? We learned how to make websites, started our own social media business and started generating our own content. We created a comedy pilot called ‘Broad Strokes’. Although it got to Comedy Central and Lionsgate, we were frustrated by the lack of results. Then, we created another series of pilots for a reality show called ‘Women Interrupted’ intended for WE. Which got canned when they ‘changed direction.’

Both experiences were very expensive and frustrating. And they were a clear demonstration of how the committee process of TV production has become its own albatross.

We changed gears again and decided to share our own original content on the web. Enter ‘Partners (2012)’ our very first web series. We co-created it with a talented actor/writer Matty Blake. We financed it ourselves and built a custom website.

We saw results almost immediately. It worked, and we could monitor its progress ourselves. Its success was based three simple observations:

Content needs to be cut into short, mobile-friendly episodes.
It needs to have an edge.
Viewers need to be able to share it easily.

Partners was all of these things and we shot it quickly (2 days), affordably and were able to share it quickly. Best of all, the entire team - including talent - could sit at a single conference table. Partners was something we made for ourselves and lots of people liked it - including producers, agents and cable outlets. Although we don’t have a deal for the show yet, every member of the Partners cast has done network programming in the last year.

This reality is not lost on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. They’ve all signed talent directly from the web to create original programming for their paid internet/broadband subscription services. The cable networks jumped into the game quickly as well because the benefits became clear. They needed compelling content and they didn’t have the resources or time to develop it themselves. Web metrics and YouTube hits have become a clear statement of potential success vs the pilot/development model. Broad City is a great example of the power of the internet. It began as a simple YouTube series (2009-2011), written and created by two talented actresses, Ilanna Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. Over time it created its own audience and caught the eye of Amy Poehler who took it directly to Comedy Central.

I’m going to be honest, there is no way Comedy Central would have had the foresight or initiative to put two unknown twenty-something females as co-leads in a network comedy show. In February, Broad City will begin Season 3.

The game has changed and the web is still cranking out hits daily. The major networks are struggling to keep up, TV viewership is aging and appointment viewership is a dying model. It’s all about 'Netflix and Chill’ and ‘binging’.

And here we are now, heading into 2016, and the game is well established. It’s DIY, you don’t need to know somebody at the network anymore. You need to take the time, make the investment and create the content yourself. If the fans like it, you’ll get hits, if you get the hits, the networks will come looking for you.

I’m not over simplifying this: the Future of Episodic Television is on the web. Just get out there and make it. There has never been a better time to create content and there have never been more places to share it. My guess is, if you have read this far you already have an idea of what you want to make and you are ready to do it. I’ve been doing TV for a long time and this is what I’m doing now. MediaBoss’ new web series is in pre-production now and making its début on the web in the fall of 2016.

See you on the Internet.

Additional Resources:

Video web series production pilot production television production

3 Big Mistakes to Avoid in Explainer Videos

Erin Hayes January 05, 2016 Marketing, Animation, Strategy, Video Leave a Comment

When done right, an animated explainer video can help explain your product or service, drive engagement with viewers and increase conversion rates 20%.

But when done improperly, they can end up confusing your viewer and costing you money.

In this post we’ll walk you through the three most common mistakes we see people make with explainer videos. And we'll give you practical pointers to avoid making them.

no 1: focused on features instead of benefits

In 2015 the average attention span was 8.25 seconds. You have 8.25 seconds to grab your viewers' attention and compel them to watch the rest of your video. You won’t do that by talking about yourself. You need to talk about them.

We understand; you love your product and all of its shiny parts. You want to share it with the people whom you know could benefit from it’s amazing features. But instead of explaining the why, you get hung up on explaining the what.

You have between 150 and 300 words (roughly 1-2 minutes) to get your Why across. A good rule of thumb is for every 1 word you write about your product, write 3 about the benefit it delivers to customers (this is a good tip for interviews, too).

If your target video length is 2:00 then you should limit your What to 75 words and your Why to 225. And if the ratio is 50/250, that’s fine too. Just don’t let is skew lower than 1:4.

no. 2: No call to action

You’ve just invested in a video. Your team has worked diligently to boil your message down to 150-300 words; you worked with your production partner to get the video’s look just right. But have you clearly communicated the action you want your viewers to take after watching your amazing video?

If the answer is ’no' then you should stop everything right now and...

Ask yourself this question:

What is the one - and only one - action you want your viewer to take after watching your video?

If you’re not sure then reference the goal of producing this video. (If you hadn't documented a clear goal for you video, consider downloading our 5-Point Checklist at the end of this blog.)

Was it to increase awareness? Increase demo registrations? Webinar registrations?

Now, go back to the script and tell your viewers to take that action.

Don’t leave this to chance - even if you think that action is obvious (it’s a video about your webinar series. Of course you want them to sign up for it!). Include a link to a landing page where they can complete the action you want them to take.

The easier you make it for your viewers, the higher return on investment you’ll see for you video.

Step 3: too many topics in 1 video

What’s worse than not having a Call to Action? Having too many calls to action - for more than one buyer persona. That’s exactly what happens when you try to make one video do the work of two or three or four.

We’ve had clients tell us they want to get the most out their video and that’s why they’ve included all the information anyone could need about their product or service. But including all the information will have the exact opposite effect for these reasons:

The video will be too long (remember, you only have 8.25 seconds to get their attention!).
The video isn't target for a specific buyer persona.
You’ll confuse your viewer about next steps.

Each of these points will lower your conversion rate - and your ROI.

When you try to cram too many topics into one video you confuse your viewers. You're not being clear about whom the video targets.

Think about your buyer personas. Target one buyer persona and speak directly to them in your video. Only cover the points you and your team have identified as important to this persona.

Now, chose one action you'd like them to make after watching the video. Don't give choices.

"Sign up for a demo or register for this webinar or give our sales team a call!”

Choices lead to indecision and indecision leads inaction.

CONCLUSION:

We hope you found these three tips helpful. Animated explainer videos are a fun - and effective - way to educate and engage your audience when done properly.

In summary:

Explainer videos should focus on the benefits your target audience will reap from your product or service
It should have a clear Call to Action
It should clearly communicate just one topic for one buyer persona. Then, it should clearly communicate the one - and only one - action you want your targeted viewer to take after watching the video.

We hope you found these tips helpful! If you're looking for additional, practical help to plan an explainer video, then please download our 5-Point Animated Explainer Checklist:

This checklist will guide you through the 5 planning stages of producing an animated explainer.

It includes suggested questions to ask yourself and your team to ensure you produce the most effective video for your business or brand.

Additional Resources:

Ultimate Guide to Producing an Animated Video

4-Steps to Create an Animated Music Video

7 Stats About Video Marketing to Make You Look Smarter

Our Production Process

Marketing Animation Strategy Video

4 STEPS TO MAKING AN ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO

Nick Clarke December 21, 2015 Animation, Strategy, Video, Tips & Tricks Leave a Comment

Johnny A.'s "Sleigh Ride"

Well it’s that time of year again, and Christmas is upon us once more!

Whenever the holiday season rolls around, I'm reminded of the year I created an animated music video.

In 2012 guitar virtuoso, Johnny A., asked MediaBoss to produce an animated music video for his rendition of “Sleigh Ride.” I was the animator on the project.

I was still a fresh face around MediaBoss and only had a few animations with them under my belt. It was my first long format animation and I was extremely excited to take a shot at animating the entire song.

In this post I'm going to share the 4 part process I used to create "Sleigh Ride" - and share the one part I’d change.

1) Reference & Research

The first step in the process is creating and finding reference footage. This allows you to see how the subjects you’re creating will look and move.

We took footage of Johnny A. playing the song in our studio so we knew the positioning of his hand and fingers on the neck of his guitar.

Throughout the song Johnny flies around the world - from city to city and country to country. I pulled reference photos of the different locations I wanted to show Johnny flying by.

2) Sketching

Before I create the characters digitally I sketch them out on paper. This lets me design the characters more freely and creatively than doing them straight to Photoshop or Illustrator.

I did this for Johnny’s character, Santa and Doug The Christmas Moose.

3) Digital Drawing

I took the sketches I’d created on paper and scanned them into my computer. Then, I brought those sketches into Illustrator to complete the line work. Once the line work was done, I brought them into Photoshop. Then I applied color, shading and texture.

When creating the backgrounds, I skipped the step of going into Illustrator. I drew the line work, color and shading all in Photoshop.

For this style of animation it’s important to separate the different body parts into individual layers. This way you can animate them independently.

4) Animation

The final, and most important step (duh,) is animating what I created. I set anchor points on all the individual body parts and parented them accordingly so his motion mimics that of a Real Life person.

It’s the, “Elbow’s connected to the… wrist bone” song. Or how I more commonly refer to it, "the paper puppet".

Remember when you were in Kindergarten and you made puppets? You cut out different parts of a body and stick pins through them so you can move them around on your paper person. Same principle.

Along with animating the characters, I placed a camera in the scene so I could go from a wide establishing shot to a close up of Johnny and Doug.

Finally, I composited clouds and snow and completed color grading and color correction. And there you have it - the animation is complete!

What I’d Change:

There are changes I’d make in all the animations I create. But, due to approaching deadlines and more projects coming in the door, you have to learn to let it go and let the project be finished.

If I could do it again (with more time), I would add more scenes on the ground. I'd love to show different people from all over the world celebrating Christmas with their own traditions. This would give the animation a great dynamic that would make it even more interesting and fun to watch.

But, due to the tight turnaround time of this animation these edits weren't able to make it to the final cut. But who knows, maybe we'll run into Johnny A. and Doug the Christmas Moose again soon!

CONCLUSION:

Like many parts of production, the process we use to produced animated video depends on the project. The step that doesn't change is the high quality end result we deliver to our clients.

Additional Resources:

Animation Strategy Video Tips & Tricks

Our 6 Must-See Holiday Movies

Erin Hayes December 17, 2015 Fun, Video Leave a Comment

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at MediaBoss so Nick Clarke and I sat down to discuss our favorite holiday movies.

Originally, we agreed to list just the top two flicks that put us in the holiday spirit. But there's something you should know about Nick and me: We are the perpetual children of the studio and picking just two was too difficult.

(Full disclosure: The two of us commandeered the studio sound system the day after Thanksgiving and have been forcing Ian, Paul & Monica to listen to Christmas music 27/4.)

In this video we each share our top 3 holiday movies. I'll be honest: I thought I was a shoe-in for cheesiest-taste-in-movies until I heard Nick's No. 1. It's unlikely he'll ever live his pick down.

Amused by our picks? You might enjoy:

Our Top Favorite Halloween Movies of All Time

Fun Video

When Is It Wrong to Use Stock Photos?

Erin Hayes December 10, 2015 Tips & Tricks, Photography Leave a Comment

We all use stock photos. We do. You do.

It’s fast
It’s easy
And you can find great ones for cheap or even free

Then why is it wrong to use stock photography?
Because:

It’s fast
It’s easy
And everyone can find great ones for cheap or even free

…and that’s what’s wrong; the best stock photos are also the most frequently used.

This means the ‘perfect’ stock photo on the banner of your web page is the same photo that your competition is using.

We recently solved this problem for a client, who hired us to capture still images of his colleagues collaborating in the office.

He had run into issues using stock photos in his last campaign and he didn’t want to have the same issues with the new one.

Retain the rights (don’t have to worry about seeing these photos in a competitors campaign!).

and that would:

Accurately reflect his company’s culture.

The fact is, stock photos of people wearing pressed, grey suits with perfectly coiffed hair may not be true to your brand’s personality.

Yes, paying a professional will cost more than downloading free stock photography from the Internet. However:

You’ll get more photos than any free bundle, in which case it becomes less expensive.
They’ll reflect your imaging and color palette
They’ll be original to your brand and use case.
You’ll can retain all the rights to them*.
You’ll have a say in how the images are captured.
You can use them however, and wherever you’d like.

Are we suggesting you should forgo the use of stock photography all together?
No, there are plenty of great use cases (holiday cards), and even we use stock photography!

However, we never use stock photos to represent our equipment, staff or company activities, especially for social media.

When you are in a pinch and need an image for your next blog or social media post, then stock photos can be a great way to go.

In the meantime, start planning to capture a corporate activity that might be an ideal opportunity to gather images and hire a pro to get you the material you need.

Set aside one day once a quarter or twice a year and schedule a photo shoot.
Ask your colleagues if they’d mind participating and get a signed photo release.
Create a ‘shot sheet’ with your visual needs.
Review some portfolios and then hire a professional photographer.

If you need help you can always find us here. Good luck and happy snapping!

Tips & Tricks Photography

Johnny A.'s "Sleigh Ride"

1. Insist on Specialty Camera Equipment

2. Ask Your Co-Workers to Act Instead of Hiring Actors:

3. REnt Locations

4. Licensing Music

5. Hiring the Cheapest Video Production Partner (or Hiring the Most Expensive Production Parter)

Additional Resources

Additional Resources:

The Storyboard

All the Gear

Take 1...or Take 101

The Crew

getTING the shots

Getting the Pickups

All of the Pickups...

A photo posted by MediaBoss Television (@mediaboss) on Jul 13, 2015 at 9:18am PDT

Going through the footage. ALL of THE FOOTAGE

Wide Cut

Picture Lock!

Cheers!

Additional Resources

Audio/Visual Quality:

Creative Quality:

Passion:

Personality:

Budget:

Here are our Top 5 Video Production Trends for 2016

no 1: focused on features instead of benefits

no. 2: No call to action

Step 3: too many topics in 1 video

Johnny A.'s "Sleigh Ride"

1) Reference & Research

2) Sketching

3) Digital Drawing

4) Animation

What I’d Change:

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