5 Things You Need to Know About Live Stream Production

Paul Bouley July 07, 2015 Video Marketing, Creativity, Social Television Blog, Tips & Tricks, Content Marketing, live stream Leave a Comment

Live stream production is a powerful tool to get your message to the world. And it's something we love to do at MediaBoss.

Whether it's a presentation for your national offices or a product demo across the world, a well produced live stream can be an excellent communication tool.

That's why today, I'm going to share 5 things you need to know about Live Stream Production.

[Check out the video above or jump down to read the transcription]

1. Connection is Everything.

Beautifully shot, HD video means nothing if you don't have the bandwidth to properly send it out or keep a consistent stream. The last thing you want is for your feed to drop in the middle of your broadcast. Make sure you have a good connection to keep your stream up and uninterrupted!

Beautifully shot, HD video means nothing w/o proper bandwidth or a consistent stream.

2. Preparation is Key.

Yes, we can integrate your old commercial. Sure, we can manipulate your slide deck. Of course we can create and run custom graphics. But everything takes time and last minute changes can compromise a broadcast.

3. Remember, this is Live TV.

Think about your live webcast like the news. There is a show clock. Things need to happen at a certain time. If your production team doesn't have all the information something is bound to go wrong. Share the details with your production team and your broadcast will go off without a hitch.

4. Your event is more than just the Live Stream.

Think about your live stream as a series of stand alone segments. Everything we do is recorded to High Res files on solid state drives that can be edited down to individual videos however you'd like. Content creation is the name of the game and a live stream has legs well beyond the live event.

5. Why Have 1, When You Can Have 5?

Filming a single camera stream can be efficient, but it is likely to bore your viewers. Think about how many cameras a typical news program has. Now think about an NFL game. You want a one shot? Done. Back to a wide? Sure thing. Product close up? We've got that.

The additional costs for extra cameras won't break the bank. But a poor broadcast may cost you even more.

Those are the top 5 tips. If you have any questions about live streaming an event, we'd love to talk to you. Feel free to email me anytime: paul@mediabosstv.com

Video Marketing Creativity Social Television Blog Tips & Tricks Content Marketing live stream

5 Reasons to Run a 5K with your Coworkers

EricaLeBlanc June 30, 2015 Creativity, Tips & Tricks Leave a Comment

Looking to strengthen employee relationships? Convince them to do something they don't want to do on their day off! These are the 5 Reasons to Run a 5K with your Coworkers.

5. A company that runs together…runs together.

Bonding outside the workplace can strengthen relationships inside the workplace, leading to better communication and efficiency.

4. A post-5K with coworkers typically includes beer.

Beer is a staple in a constructive business environment.

3. Winning means you can finally be better than your, admittedly, exceedingly impressive boss at something.

2. Letting your employees win can make them feel like they’re better than you at something.

This builds their motivation for better productivity in the workplace.

1. Some of you may end up falling in love with running and move on to 10Ks together!

[starbox]

Creativity Tips & Tricks

5 Filmmaking Blogs to Follow

Erin Hayes June 18, 2015 Production, Tips & Tricks Leave a Comment

In this post, we've rounded up our top 5 filmmaking blogs to follow. We catch up with a lot of content throughout the day but it's the following 5 filmmaking blogs that we wouldn't want to live without!

Philip Bloom

"Philip Bloom is a British DP, Director and Filmmaker known for his DSLR filmmaking, blog and workshops."
If you pride yourself on being up-to-date on the latest and greatest in film equipment, Philip Bloom's blog is a must-read.

The world-renowned filmmaker also shares in-depth tutorials. His education section includes how-to videos covering subjects from Lighting to Editing to Workflow.

We love the accessibility of Bloom's blog. It's a fantastic trouble-shooting resource and a must-read for gear inspiration.

No Film School

"We post the latest tutorials, interviews, short films, and gear news to help all of us become better filmmakers — “no film school" required."

No Film School is an online resource for amateur and professional filmmakers alike. Their blog covers work-flow hacks for all stages of production and provides tutorials on a wide variety of software platforms.

The scribes at NFS also cover the latest news in film gear technology. It's a great place to look if you're hoping to hear about a sale or limited-time deal. And best of all, they feature long-format interview pieces from Hollywood heavy-weights.

Their feed is our morning paper.

Hurlblog

"Create. Innovate. Educate. A trusted and innovative learning authority for experienced and aspiring filmmakers globally. "

Hurlblog is the brainchild of cinematographer and passionate storyteller, Shane Hurlbut. He and his team of experts share an incredible amount of knowledge on his blog.

His tutorial videos cover the How-Tos of filmmaking in detailed but consumable packages.

You can expect to learn anything from lighting tips to DIY options and efficiency hacks to camera tricks.

This is a go-to resource for new filmmakers and seasoned veterans of the industry, alike.

MakingOf

“A gathering place and resource for filmmakers and fans of filmmakers alike.”

MakingOf is a YouTube treasure trove for filmophiles. It features behind-the-scenes b-roll packages from Hollywood’s biggest productions and intimate sit-down interviews.

The interview segments feature conversations with big names like Ron Howard, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Natalie Portman.

And the b-roll packages are really fun to watch. They give you a fly-on-the-wall look at the production of films like “3 Days to Kill” and “Lego Movie.”
Definitely binge-worthy content.

The Black and Blue

The Black and Blue’s tagline says it all:
The site includes a blog and camera guide section. The Black and Blue boasts access to 30 camera pocket guides. Their intention is to help their readers shoot with whatever camera their production chooses. The fee to buy all 30 is quite affordable.

But it’s their blog that keeps us checking in for more. Posts include a hilarious GIF-ticle post titled “The Life as a Camera Assistant As Told Through GIFs” and “How to Prep a Camera Package with David Elkins."

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
– John Wooden

We're passionate about our craft. If you looking for a video production partner, we'd love to talk to you about your project. Contact us here. :)

Production Tips & Tricks

Where to share Video: 4 Tips

Erin Hayes June 10, 2015 Video Marketing, Tips & Tricks, Content Marketing Leave a Comment

Now that you've invested in Video Marketing, it's time to take the steps to get the best ROI for your completed, perfect video.

How do you do this? You publish it and promote it!

Not sure where to start? Here are 4 quick tips on where to share video.

1. Landing Pages

In previous posts we’ve discussed setting clear goals for your video before you start production. Creating a landing page to help focus your goal is a good idea.

In fact, according to a recent study by webDAM, landing page conversions increased by 86% when a video was included in the content.
If you aren’t sure how to create an effective landing page, check out this resource:

The Ultimate Guide to Creating Effective Landing Pages

2. Email

Did you know that the ROI on email marketing averages $1 to $44.25?
Email marketing is also 40 times more likely to snag customers than Twitter and Facebook.

Now, combine email’s strength with the engaging power of video and you’ve got yourself a great way to reach out to your prospects and to stay top of mind with your customers.

In fact, a report by Eloqua found that including video in an introductory email reduced the number of subscriber opt-outs by 75%.

Here are a couple more fun statistics:

Tip: It’s important to note that your emails need to be mobile friendly. If they aren’t mobile friendly you’re leaving a lot up to chance. According to comScore, just as many people read emails on desktop as they do on mobile. If your emails aren’t responsive then a large segment of your subscribers won’t be able to read your message.

3. Social Media

Video and social media are a match made in heaven. Video sees 12 times more shares on social media than their text and link counterparts!
Social media is an opportunity to create a few custom, shorter videos to lead to a larger video and broader campaign. Think about posting a 7 second teaser to twitter with a link to your landing page or a 15 second teaser in Instagram.

And if that’s not enough to convince you that you should share your videos on social media, check this out:

Shares of Facebook videos increased by 43% in the first three months this year.

4. Blog

There’s no question that your business should make blogging a priority.

The next time your team is stuck for topic ideas, look through your video library. Publish your videos on your blog with written context.
You could write a quick synopsis of the video; include the transcription; or you could write an engaging behind the scenes break down of how the video was shot. After all, 1 minute of video is worth 1.8 million words!

Here’s a good read:

The Why: 12 Distinct Goals for Business Blogging

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Know you want a video but aren't sure where to start? Check out our Guide to the 7 Must-Have Videos for any content marketing strategy.

Video Marketing Tips & Tricks Content Marketing

7 Dos and Don'ts of Video Marketing

Erin Hayes June 04, 2015 Tips & Tricks Leave a Comment

The question is no longer if you should invest in Video Marketing. The question is when. Cisco's latest reports indicate that video will account for 69% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2017.

We've put together a list of Dos and Don'ts for marketing your products and services through video.

Do Hire a Professional

There are some good arguments for learning a new skill on the fly. But would you apply these arguments to a case that saw you rewiring your home?

While there is an initial cost to hiring professionals, in the end you save money and your time by getting it done right the first time.

A video is a sum of its parts and if one part is wrong, the entire video misses its mark. When it comes to getting your message out there you want it to look good. Your viewers want it to good look too. Your investment in great video will show your investment in your company and in them.

Don't Hire the Cheapest...or the Most Expensive

Hire the company that shows they can be your creative partner and deliver you the best quality video on message and on time.

We understand that video may cost more than you typically spend. But many times hiring your cheapest option isn't better than doing it yourself. You may find you'll have to redo the video because the footage doesn't look great or the audio is off or the lighting is terrible.

But that said, the most expensive option isn't always the best either. Big agencies have all the right equipment and the right people working for them. They also have A, B and C crews to help them manage their time and their clients' varying production budgets. If you meet with a bigger agency and love them, make sure to ask who will be producing your video. If it isn't the people you met with and felt really understood your message, you should ask why.

Do Have a Goal

Like most things in life, you will be more successful if you identify a goal and make the work focused on attaining this goal.

Once you identify the buyer persona you are targeting, decide what action you want the video to compel them to take.

(I mention the buyer persona because if your video attracts the wrong people no one wins.)

Are you driving them to download a product? Would you like them to sign up for a webinar? Are you hoping to grow your email list, your social media following or your blog subscribers?

Whatever your goal is, make sure your video's message, tone and visuals all support it.

Don't Focus on Views

Your video could get 10,000 hits but if only 5 viewers watch to its completion and just 1 person followed your Call to Action, would you consider the video a success? Probably not.
If you only concentrate only on the number of views your video receives you miss out on measuring another important metric: viewer engagement.

Viewer engagement is the buzz phrase that identifies how people interact with your perfectly crafted piece of content marketing.

So, how do you measure engagement with video?

1. Check the analytics on your hosting site.
Most hosts have analytics available to show completion rates.

2. Use Custom URLs for your CTAs.
If your goal is email sign-ups, put tracking in place so you can see who signed up from your video.

3. Pay attention to the comment field.
Are people asking for more information about your product before they take action? Are conversations between leads and customers happening organically?

If you want to dig deeper in this direction, check out this recent post by Marketing Land. They interviewed CMOs on what video marketing metrics they measure to determine the success of their video. (And please, watch the Baby Mudder video. You won't regret it.)

Do Promote Your Video

Congratulations! You've invested in video and you're now ready to share your company's carefully crafted visual message with the world! But your work's not done. Now you need to promote it.

How? Well, we'll tell you how not to first.

Don't Publish it Once

This is akin to printing out a flyer for an event and only posting it only at your favorite coffee shop. You know, the place that never gets too crowded but makes a fantastic latte?

In other words, not stop your publishing strategy at your website.

Your website is fantastic. Your product or service is the best. But chances are not everyone in your target audience frequents your website often enough to notice your shiny new video.

You may not hit your goal with this approach. Instead, try this:

Do Publish it Across Platforms

Remember your buyer persona? The one for whom you created a targeted message? Where do they like to hang out on the Internet?

If your audience likes Instagram, post a 15 second teaser of your video that points them to the full piece. If it's Facebook, post the video there and allow them to comment on your video through their Facebook accounts. Are they twitter users? Create a Vine that leads them to your video. Are they heavy snapchat users? Take a page from Madonna's book and post the video there and direct your superusers to it.

There you have it. Our 7 Dos and Don'ts of Video Marketing. what would you add?

Oh, and if you're looking for ideas for what type of video you should produce, take a look at our 7 Must-Have Videos for inspiration.

Tips & Tricks

6 Helpful Interview Tips for Your Next Video

Erin Hayes June 02, 2015 Video Marketing, Video, Tips & Tricks Leave a Comment

It’s Not What You Do. It’s The Way You Do It.

Imagine you scored a 20 minute, 1-on-1 interview with one of the hottest talents in your industry. Now imagine they’ve said yes to having it filmed. This is an opportunity that could make or break your career.

How do you prepare?

A bit of background:
For five years in my 20s I had the opportunity to interview some of the most talented people in the world for a Boston newspaper. I had the chance to talk to big names from Former Vice President Al Gore to screenwriter/director Nora Ephron. Some of the interviews I’m proud of (Mr. Gore told me I was his most entertaining interview!). Others haunt me (Nora Ephron had me tongue-tied).

My mistakes helped me develop 6 interview tips to guarantee a great end product and a great experience for me and the interviewee.

Here are my 6 Interview Tips for Video:

1. Do Your Research

Spend an entire day pouring over every article, video, online resource you can find on your subject. But remember to fact check the sources you find against other articles.

Search TED Talks. Look up their LinkedIn, SlideShare, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Get to know the type of content they choose to share. This practice will open a window into their personality. It will give you insight into how they like see themselves and inspiration for what your portrayal of them could be.

i.e.
The Person Behind the Myth or The Person with No Myth.

Personal experience:
I interviewed Tommy Lee Jones for a film he directed in 2005, The Three Burials of Melquaides Estrada. I had done plenty of research on the production of the film, the casting and his personal impetus for taking on a project that dealt with border issues between Texas and Mexico. However, I missed one crucial piece of information: Tommy Lee Jones is bilingual. I don't remember exactly what I asked him in regards to speaking Spanish, but to be frank, he was not impressed. Lesson learned.

2. Know Your Goal (Story Arc)

Don’t skip this step. It’s the step that many people overlook, my former self included. Take the time to sit down and write your Interview Treatment. Think of it as your Show Bible.

Too many interviews are open ended ramblings. This awkward for you, awkward for them and confusing for your viewer.

Plot out your storyline by combining the research you’ve completed and your own spin on the insight you’d like to glean from them.

This. Is. Critical. When you have a clear goal you are more relaxed and when you are more relaxed, your subject is more relaxed.

This step serves as the scaffolding from which candid conversational points will grow. It will serve as the structure your end product will need for success. When you are in the editing room, you won’t have to back into the story. It will be neatly laid out for you (and your editor).

3. Get the Bite

Sound bites are key. They are important for written pieces but they are crucial for video. They make your video stand out and perhaps even more importantly, they make it repurpose-able. Think blog series, video series and 15 second social promos (videos 15 seconds and shorter are shared 37% more than their 30 second counterparts).

In your head, make a list of 5 simple phrases that you’d like to hear them say so you can get your video done.

"Working at Good Will has been the greatest satisfaction of my life."
"The single most important day of my life was the day I met Bill Gates."
"The most transformative book I've ever read was Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

You get the idea.

Now that you have a list of bytes you need, set your subject up to say them. Write pointed, passionately phrased questions. And this leads me right into Number 4.

4. Be Innovative

Don’t regurgitate interviews you’ve seen with this person. Don’t start listing off their achievements. They’ve lived through both, and you’re blowing an opportunity to create compelling content.

You’ve done your research, you know your goal, you’ve got this.

Imagine this talent has been the CEO of three successful startups. Imagine you know from reading the forward of his autobiography that he/she loved building with legos when he was a child. If it was important enough for him/her to share, there must be a story behind it.

Come to the interview with a lego set and present it to him or her.

'I read that you enjoy legos. Is there anything that you loved doing as a child that translates into your present career trajectory?'

I guarantee you that you'll get a smile and an answer you (and your viewers) haven't heard before.

Personal Experience:
I had the opportunity to speak with writer/director Robert Towne during his Ask the Dust film press junket tour. Ask the Dust is a book by John Fante that Towne adapted to film. Now, I'm a John Fante fan. A geeky, geeky John Fante fan. But somehow the fact that I had poet/novelist Charles Bukowski to thank for the knowledge of Fante eluded me until I sat down to do my research.
My first question was "How would you thank Charles Bukowski for giving you the opportunity to work Salma Hayek?"
He laughed and thanked me for not asking what it was like to work with Colin Farrell (who played the lead and Salma's love interest). We went on to have a great conversation about his friendship with Bukowski.

5. Make Eye Contact

Engage your guest. You are there to have a conversation with someone who has generously agreed to give you their time.

I know it’s tempting to check your questions while they’re talking. But while doing so may ground you, it disengages your subject. They were having a conversation and then suddenly, they are talking to the top of your head. Their entire demeanor will shift. At best they’ll follow your lead and look down at their feet or off-camera. At worst they'll sigh or roll their eyes in frustration.

It’s a great idea for any interviewer to engage their interviewee. To keep eye contact, to smile, to encourage their responses with facial expressions. But it is absolutely critical to do this for video. Your subject could say all the right things. They could hit every one of your must-have bytes, but if they aren’t engaged with you, they could gaze off camera. They could look around in the room or in the wrong direction and then it doesn’t work in the shot. You need to take an active role even if you are off camera.

Think of yourself as the host of a two-person party. Your job is to make your guest feel at home and appreciated. You wouldn’t welcome party goers into your home only to retreat into your bedroom to read a book; don’t invite someone to sit down and have a conversation with you and then not pay attention to their physical cues.

Personal Experience
I'm an Eye Contact Ninja and I've been one since I was a child. I'll tell you why: my auditory comprehension speed is sub-par, to be polite about it. If I'm not looking at you, I'll need seconds to figure out how I should react based on what you said. I'm terrible on the phone. If I am looking at you, my understanding is instantaneous. I'll be able to tell how you hoped I'd react to your statement and give you encouraging facial cues before my brain catches up to speed.

You don't want lag-time during an interview. Even a second of incomprehension can lead to visible frustration. These brief looks will render your footage unusable. Do not look at your notes mid-answer. Don't do it!

6. Keep Your Questions Short and Sweet

Think 10:1. For every 1 word you say, you should hear 10 words from your subject. In short, your questions need to be short.

When you sit down to compose your innovative questions, slap the writer and/or marketer in you on the wrist and remind them that writing and speaking are two very different mediums. You will not get points for complex thoughts and a large vocabulary in an interview setting.

Get to the point, and get there quickly, one, short question at a time.

The reason behind short and to the point questions is the same reason you put just one call-to-action on a landing page. If your questions are 2, 3 or 4 part-ers then you run the risk of confusing your interviewee about how you want them to respond and you get a convoluted answer that doesn’t effectively answer any of your points. And your editor will grumble about you under their breath.

Interview Tips In Summary:

Do your research and fact check
Know your story arc
Get the bite
Be innovative
Make eye contact
Keep your questions short and sweet

Bonus Interview Tip:

If you won't appear in the video with your guest and are asking the questions off-camera remember to ask them to repeat a part of your question in their reply.

Example: When did you know you wanted to become a submarine commander?

Answer: I knew I wanted to become a submarine commander the first time I heard The Beatles song, Octopus's Garden.

Now, what would you add to this list? What tip(s) has/have helped in your interviewing process?

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Video Marketing Video Tips & Tricks

How to Avoid the Zombie Lead

Erin Hayes November 18, 2011 Marketing, Creativity, Tips & Tricks, Content Marketing, Sales Leave a Comment

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Your sales cycle is killing your leads.

Beware of the zombie lead.

Previously thought of as 'dead,' these leads are now known to come back.

Mediabistro recently published an article discussing what to do with 'dead' leads. They quoted research from Ed Gandia's "The Wealthy Freelancer."
According to Gandia's book, a large percentage of your 'dead' leads will hire someone to do what you do within 18 to 24 months of your contact.

In his example, a 'dead' lead qualifies as someone who responded to a pitch you gave, but did not return your follow-up call. Gandia says a common mistake sales people make is to follow up with only those leads who express either immediate interest or down-the-line interest. They drop the leads who do not respond to a follow-up call!

This baffled me.

In the five years I've done business for myself, I've never had a 'dead' lead. I've only had long sales cycles. I'm sure anyone entrepreneur understands what I'm saying.

2015 Update: 63% of people requesting information on your company today will not purchase for at least three months – and 20% will take more than 12 months to buy. -Marketing Donut

That has been our experience again and again. We'll have someone contact us and say, 'Yeah, so-and-so told me about your company a year ago but we just weren't ready to hire yet.' Or we'll have someone we went back and forth with six months ago come back to us and engage again.

Sales is as much about creating an experience for and building relationships with people as it is about turning a profit. I believe that once a project is over, both parties–the vendor and the client–come away with more than a payment and product. They come away with a relationship. And relationships last a heck of a lot longer than a client/customer project.

When a potential relationship doesn't return a phone call or an email, we don't take it to heart. We understand building relationships can take time. We're more than willing to put the time into that development. We'll shoot them an email down the line or give them a quick a call after awhile, but we make it more about them and less about us. Because let's face it, no one likes a one-sided relationship.

Our sales cycle is a long one. I can tell you that 75% of our sales this year came from conversations and pitches we gave in early 2010. I can also tell you, with a fair amount of confidence, that at least 30% of next year's profits will come from these same leads. They'll either come back to us or they'll refer us to someone in their network

If we had given up on these leads as dead after eight months - and if I had not checked in every few months with a friendly email - we 'd not be in the position we're in now.

The lead is dead, long live the lead. I certainly hope so.
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Marketing Creativity Tips & Tricks Content Marketing Sales

Tips & Tricks (2)

It’s Not What You Do. It’s The Way You Do It.

1. Connection is Everything.

hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(1712426, '440546a6-17c3-4384-8715-e2bef3d6f50c', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});

2. Preparation is Key.

3. Remember, this is Live TV.

4. Your event is more than just the Live Stream.

5. Why Have 1, When You Can Have 5?

5. A company that runs together…runs together.

4. A post-5K with coworkers typically includes beer.

3. Winning means you can finally be better than your, admittedly, exceedingly impressive boss at something.

2. Letting your employees win can make them feel like they’re better than you at something.

1. Some of you may end up falling in love with running and move on to 10Ks together!

[starbox]

1. Landing Pages

2. Email

3. Social Media

4. Blog

Do Hire a Professional

Don't Hire the Cheapest...or the Most Expensive

Do Have a Goal

Don't Focus on Views

Do Promote Your Video

Don't Publish it Once

Do Publish it Across Platforms

It’s Not What You Do. It’s The Way You Do It.

Here are my 6 Interview Tips for Video:

1. Do Your Research

2. Know Your Goal (Story Arc)

3. Get the Bite

4. Be Innovative

5. Make Eye Contact

6. Keep Your Questions Short and Sweet

Your sales cycle is killing your leads.

Beware of the zombie lead.

Previously thought of as 'dead,' these leads are now known to come back.

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