What is User Generated Content (UGC) & How Can Businesses Get Involved

Erin Hayes September 05, 2023 Strategy, Video, Content Marketing Leave a Comment

User-generated content (UGC), also known as the stuff regular people create, is like a breath of fresh air in the marketing world. It's not your typical content that comes straight from the company, but rather the real deal from consumers themselves. We're talking product reviews, social media posts, video testimonials, blog articles, and even podcasts. UGC gives consumers a chance to speak up, share their experiences, and make their voices heard.

In this digital age, people rely heavily on the opinions and experiences of others before making a purchase. That's where UGC comes in. It's a platform for consumers to express their thoughts, whether they're praising a brand or calling them out. And because it comes straight from the people who have actually used the product or interacted with the brand, it's seen as more genuine and trustworthy.

Product reviews are a prime example of UGC. They're the go-to resource for potential customers who want unbiased opinions and insights before opening their wallets. You can find these reviews on all sorts of websites, social media platforms, and even dedicated review sites. It's like a treasure trove of information for anyone looking to make an informed decision.

But wait, there's more! Social media platforms have become a playground for UGC. Consumers can share their experiences, thoughts, and even get creative with posts, photos, videos, and memes. Brands can encourage users to use specific hashtags or tags to track and engage with this content, making it a real community affair.

And let's not forget about video testimonials. These bad boys add a personal touch to a brand's marketing efforts. Imagine real people, just like you and me, talking about their positive experiences with a product or service. These videos can be shared on the brand's website, social media channels, or even used in advertising campaigns. It's like getting a virtual high-five from someone who really knows what they're talking about.

Blog articles and podcasts have also become platforms for consumers to share their experiences and opinions. Bloggers and podcasters can dive deep into reviews, tutorials, or discussions about a specific product or brand. It's like having a conversation with a friend who knows all the ins and outs of what you're interested in.

So, you see, user-generated content is a big deal. It gives consumers a voice, allows them to share their experiences, and helps others make informed decisions. Brands that embrace and promote UGC build trust, engage with their audience, and ultimately drive sales. It's a win-win for everyone involved.

Cool, you say. So how do we get involved?

1. Create a Hashtag: Encourage users to share their experiences with your brand by creating a unique hashtag that they can use when posting on social media. This not only helps to organize and track user-generated content but also creates a sense of community among your customers. When users see others using the hashtag, they feel connected to a larger group of people who share similar experiences and interests. It also makes it easier for your brand to discover and engage with UGC, as all the content associated with the hashtag is in one place. Additionally, you can consider offering incentives or rewards for using the hashtag, such as featuring the best posts on your website or giving away exclusive discounts or merchandise to those who participate.

2. Run Contests: Run contests that encourage users to create content related to your brand. This can be anything from writing a review to creating a short video. Contests are a fun and interactive way to engage with your audience and encourage them to become brand advocates. You can ask users to share their favorite product usage tips, create a funny meme related to your brand, or even showcase their artistic skills by designing a logo or artwork. By offering exciting prizes or exclusive experiences as rewards, you can motivate users to participate and generate high-quality UGC. Make sure to promote the contest through various channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and your website, to maximize participation and reach.

3. Feature UGC on Your Website: Display user-generated content on your website, such as product reviews or testimonials. This can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers. When visitors see positive reviews and testimonials from real people, they are more likely to perceive your brand as trustworthy and reliable. Consider creating a dedicated section on your website to showcase UGC, where visitors can easily browse through authentic experiences and opinions. You can also use UGC to enhance your product pages, by including customer photos or videos demonstrating the use and benefits of your products. This not only adds a personal touch but also provides social proof, which can influence purchasing decisions.

4. Respond to UGC: When users create content about your brand, make sure to respond to their posts and show your appreciation for their support. This can encourage other users to create content as well. Engaging with UGC demonstrates that you value your customers and their opinions. Take the time to like, comment, or share UGC that aligns with your brand values and resonates with your audience. By acknowledging and responding to UGC, you foster a sense of community and encourage others to share their experiences. This can also lead to valuable conversations and feedback, providing insights into what your customers love about your brand and areas for improvement.

5. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers and encourage them to create content related to your brand. This can help to expand your reach and tap into new audiences. Influencers have established credibility and a loyal following, making their endorsement of your brand highly influential. Collaborating with influencers allows you to leverage their creativity and influence to create authentic and engaging UGC. Whether it's through sponsored posts, product reviews, or takeover campaigns, influencers can help amplify your brand message and generate buzz around your products or services. When working with influencers, make sure to choose those whose values align with your brand and whose audience aligns with your target market. This ensures that the UGC generated by influencers resonates with your intended audience and drives meaningful engagement.

Make you have permission from these content creators to reuse their content. If they've posted on Social Media and allow reposting (or stitching) then you'll be able to download their video and reuse it. We've run many successful campaigns for our clients by taking the best of their UGC and creating compilations or reaction videos for them.

If you're interested in maximizing your UGC, get in touch! We'd love to collaborate.

Strategy Video Content Marketing

Looking for some creative video production inspiration to improve your video marketing strategy?

You've come to the right place!

With January firmly under our belt, let's discuss the Top 5 Video Trends for 2023.

1. Pre-recorded Live streaming: The last three years have seen an explosion in Live Streaming content. The COVID-19 Pandemic created a need to communicate safely with customers, prospects, and leads, and live-streaming content was a highly effective solution for that need. In 2023, significant budget cuts and staffing shortages have created new challenges to communicating business messages. Again, companies are turning to Live Streaming as a solution to this challenge. We've seen a significant uptick in inquiries about partnering with a creative video production team to produce a high-quality pre-produced live stream video to engage with their audiences. Live streaming video lets businesses connect with their audience in real time and create a sense of urgency. And the value doesn't end with the conclusion of the event. Companies can repurpose the assets made for the live stream video in their other marketing communication efforts. Think web, email marketing, social media, fundraising, knowledge base, etc.

2. Short-for Video is an exciting way to connect and engage with customers and leads. The success of TikTok and YouTube Shorts mean that businesses can reach their target audience where they are, when they’re most receptive to their message. And businesses can take advantage of these platform’s built-in analytics and advertising capabilities. TikTok and YouTube have a massive user base. YouTube has over 2 billion active users while TikTok’s user-base is 800 million. Both platforms offer creative flexibility within their platform. Tiktok offers businesses the ability to get creative and innovative with their marketing campaigns. The platform supports a wide range of content formats, from lip-sync videos to dance challenges and more, allowing businesses to showcase their brand in a fun and engaging way. YouTube’s ability to add text, music, and other creative elements, allows businesses to easily create custom and engaging content that resonates with their target audience. And YouTube Shorts is a trending content type. The company reports that more and more of its users are coming to its platform to consume this powerful short-form content.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC) is the more authentic version of Influencer Marketing. Businesses are seeing this and are encouraging and repurposing more user-generated videos to create more relatable content. We’re seeing requests to consult on ideas that will engage their audience in an on-brand way. These include examples from contest pieces and challenges to customer testimonials and product reviews. UGC helps businesses tap into the power of word-of-mouth marketing and leverage the expertise, experiences, and perspectives of their customers.

4. Vertical Video: With the rise of mobile device usage, videos filmed in a vertical aspect ratio are becoming more common and are better suited for mobile viewing. Most people hold their phones vertically, meaning a vertical video will take up the full screen, providing a better viewing experience. Horizontal videos often have black bars on the top and bottom, reducing the amount of screen real estate used, which can detract from the viewing experience. Additionally, vertical video is more suitable for platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which are designed for vertically-oriented content. On these platforms, vertical videos tend to receive more engagement and have higher completion rates compared to horizontal videos. However, it's worth noting that the suitability of a particular video format will also depend on the type of content being shared and the target audience. For example, horizontal video may be better suited for certain types of content, such as films or sporting events, where a wider aspect ratio is desired. Ultimately, businesses should consider the goals and objectives of their video content and choose the format that best serves those needs. Hiring a professional production company can provide a way to get the best of both worlds. A good production company will have cameras that can film one video that will work in both a vertical and a horizontal format.

5. Interactive video: Videos that allow audiences to interact with the content, such as choosing their own paths or making decisions, are becoming more popular. Interactive video can be used for various purposes, including marketing and advertising, training and education, entertainment, and more. By allowing viewers to interact with the video, businesses, and content creators can gain valuable insights into their audience and gather data on how they engage with their content. Examples of interactive videos include choose-your-own-adventure style videos, product demos with interactive features, and videos with embedded quizzes or surveys. Interactive video can be created using various tools and platforms, including video production software, HTML5, and specialized interactive video platforms. It's an increasingly popular format for online video content, as it offers a way for businesses and content creators to stand out in a crowded online environment and deliver a more engaging and memorable experience for their audience.

There you have it! Overall, the trend in video marketing in 2023 is to create more engaging, personalized, and interactive content that can be shared easily across multiple platforms. Do you have an idea you’d like to discuss with a team of passionate video producers? We’d love to collaborate with you. We'd love to start a conversation.

Marketing Video Marketing Video Content Marketing Video production marketing strategy

Video: Why You Need It and How to Get Started

Erin Hayes March 28, 2017 Video Marketing, Video, Content Marketing, video marketing budget, video budget Leave a Comment

You’ve heard it before: You need video to market your business. But the prospect of producing a video can seem like an overwhelming task. Especially if you’ve never gone through the process before.

Moreover, will video really have a positive impact on your business?

In short, yes. Yes, video will have a positive impact on your business. And in the next few paragraphs we’ll tell you how.

(or you could watch our short Facebook Live video we produced to go with this blog:)

First, look where the money is for proof. Every social media platform out there has invested in video features. This would not be the case if videos were a passing fad. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat all have their own video features and favor video in their algorithms. Video on social media generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.

What’s more, YouTube sees 5 billion views daily and Snapchat and Facebook each see more than 8 billion views per day.

In the most recent earnings call, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg described video as a “megatrend on the same order as mobile.”

In fact, according to the KPCB Partners report, 74% of all Internet traffic will be video this year. And Cisco projects that global internet traffic from videos will make up 80% of all Internet traffic in 2019, just a year a half from now.

These statistics point to two crucial take-aways:

1) Your potential customers are watching more video than ever before. Millennials are not the only group devouring video (though it’s crucial not to ignore this audience because by 2020 they will make up 50% of the U.S. workforce). Video resonates across all age groups. Facebook is the most popular social network across generations and YouTube is a close second. Did you know that Baby Boomers actually consume more content than Gen X or Millenials? More than 25% of Baby Boomers consume 20 or more hours of content a week.

What's more is Livestream’s 2016 survey found that 80% of their respondents would rather watch a live video from a brand than read their blog. According to Forbes, 59% of executives would rather watch a video than read text. And 75% of executives watch work-related videos on business websites at least once a week.

And then there’s this: A 2016 survey by the Web Marketing Video Council found that 61% of business are using video as a marketing tool.

But here’s the real kicker:

In the previous year, 66% of those businesses were not using video at all.

That leads us to the second crucial take-away:

2) Your competitors are already using video to reach your potential customers. Now is the moment you need to decide if you will jump on board or get left behind.

Here are some quick stats that show the benefits of using video:

Companies using video enjoy 41% more web traffic from search then non-users.
Retail sites with video increase conversion by 30%.
Including a video on your homepage can increase conversion rates by 20 percent or more, according to Unbound.
Businesses using video grow company revenue 49 percent faster year-over-year than organizations without video.
72% of businesses who use video believe it has improved that conversion rate of their website. ‘
An introductory email that includes a video improves an increased click-through rate by 96%.
Email open rates with video in the subject line have a 19% higher open rate and click through rate of 65%.
According to Forrester Research, One minute of video is equal to 1.8 million words
92 percent of mobile video consumers share videos with others, according to Invodo

OK, so how do you get started?

First, decide on the goal for you video. Is the goal to drive awareness? Drive leads? Reduce consumer confusion or reduce support queries?

Second, decide on a look and feel. e.i. interview driven; b-roll driven with a voice over; a mix of both; etc.

Third, decide on a video production partner to produce your video for you.

"Well, wait a second," you say. “I could easily get Jennifer from marketing to film a video using her iPhone / prosumer camera and it wouldn’t cost us anything.”

Before you go down that route, let us tell you why you should hire a professional to produce your video.

First, these statistics:

23% of people who have been presented with a poor quality video experience would hesitate to buy from that brand.

62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative perception of a brand that publishes poor-quality video.

And then there’s this: Filming a video may seem easy (it isn't, btw). But editing a video is decidedly not an easy task. The time it takes to edit a video versus filming a video is 5-to-1, and that’s if you are a pro. While you may feel that you’ve saved money by having an internal employee produce your video, in reality, you have not.

You’ve taken them away from their regular tasks - the tasks you hired them to complete for you. And you’ve put them on a project that could take months to finish. In the end, you may not be satisfied with the video and need to re-film it anyway.

Trust us. We’ve received calls with this exact scenario.

We strongly suggest hiring a production partner. If budget is a major concern, consider starting small.

Consider having the business owner or someone from the C-Level suite speak to camera rather than hiring an actor or actress. Or decide on a b-roll package of your product with a voice over. Talk to your potential production partners about what it may cost to have single camera coverage rather than multi-camera coverage. And make sure you and your team are prepared for the production day to avoid extra charges, like additional filming days / editing days.

Good luck! And if you're currently shopping for a video partner, check out our Spring Offer below. We call it the Content Marketing Tool Kit. It includes a video and limited photography.

Video Marketing Video Content Marketing video marketing budget video budget

Trending: "Come Together" Music Video

Erin Hayes February 28, 2017 Video, Filmmaking, Video production, music video, godsmack Leave a Comment

Five years ago we produced a music video for Godsmack’s cover of The Beatles "Come Together." At the time, they were in Boston recording their release, "Live and Inspired".

MEDIABOSS Creative Director Ian Barrett was tapped to direct the video. Ian has along history with the band, having worked with them from their early days in and around New England. Ian had the unique experience of watching the band record multiple times and felt strongly that Godsmack’s fans would enjoy an intimate look into this unique process. He pitched capturing the music video for Come Together while the band recorded the song, during the actual live album takes.

The style of the video was meant to emulate Ian's older style of capturing bands on film.

A lot of work into producing this video because every single frame of video is a genuine recording of the song. The final video showcases these takes and behind the scenes footage of the recording process, including playback, effects and overdubs.

Months later, the band decided to release “Rocky Mountain Way” as the first single and the “Come Together” was temporarily shelved and later on July 30, 2012 saw its debut on YouTube and Vevo . The video racked up about a million views shortly after.

Fast forward to this weekend - nearly 5 years after the video’s release date - and our iPhones were sounding off with alerts that our video was trending nationwide again. We were getting excited tweets as fans began to discover the music video for the first time. Ian and I were a little floored. How did this happen? Why now?

Well it turns out Society of Rock decided to write a nice article about the music video late last week and the blogger’s active followers promptly started to share it.

The video’s now seen 3.7 million views on Youtube (and 7K on our Vimeo page which we only use for client review).

Whether Godsmack’s style of music is your jam or not, we think you’ll enjoy watching the intimacy of their recording process. Let us know what you think of the video in the comments below!

Video Filmmaking Video production music video godsmack

Video: What the Oxford Dictionary Doesn't Tell You

Erin Hayes May 19, 2016 Video Leave a Comment

According to the Oxford Dictionary the definition of Video is:

The recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images.

While technically accurate, this definition is void of any nuance. Video is indeed the recording, reproducing or broadcasting of moving visual images. Yet, anyone familiar with video – from a creator to a viewer – knows there’s much more to it than that.

Video is the fastest growing content market. Video is the go-to marketing strategy. It’s the go-to advertising strategy. It’s the go-to communication strategy.

Don’t believe me? Just last month Mashable laid off 30 staff as part of a Strategic shift toward video.That’s a considerable number of writers to let go to focus on the shift to visual storytelling. And they aren't alone in making this strategic shift.

In short, video is a big deal. And I think the Oxford Dictionary definition could use some updating to reflect this change.

Here are three aspects of Video that I'd like to see included in the definition.

1. Creativity:

Today, anyone can take a smartphone and record moving visual images. My three-year-old is quite adept at touching the record button.

While the threshold to press record is low, the threshold to employ creativity is not. And in order to create compelling video content you've got to access creativity.

2. Sweat:

Hold any device stationary for a period of time and it becomes heavy. Even an iPhone becomes cumbersome after several hours. I’m being a smart-ass, but really, production equipment is heavy and being on set is a physical job.

If a video is good, you can guarantee that behind the lens was a sweaty camera operator, accompanied by a sweaty director, producers, gaffers, audio technicians, DPs, etc.

3. Investment:

Yes, professional production equipment is pricey so I am – in part – referring to the monetary investment of owning/renting and operating.

But I’m also talking about a personal investment. The investment of your most precious commodity – time.

Like any craft, producing/creating video is something at which one must work – really work – to become great.

Every great director, producer, DP, camera operator, etc., has given a tremendous investment of their time. There are years of 20+ hour work days. There are decades of missed dinners and sleepless nights.

And if they truly are great, there’s never a point at which they'll stop investing in their craft. There are equipment upgrades to pick up and software upgrades to learn.

But for most creatives the biggest motivator for continuing to invest in their craft is that nagging drive of never wanting their last piece of work to be their best.

Video

From Around the Web: 4 Fab 2016 Video Marketing Infographics

Erin Hayes April 22, 2016 Video Marketing, Video, Video production Leave a Comment

When we’re looking for inspiration, we do what everyone does: we turn to Google.

The other day I was looking for some new statistics about video marketing to use in a pitch. I had some great stats that I used in this Production Trends blog from January. But I wanted fresh information.

However, when I googled “Video Marketing Infographics” results from 2011 and 2012 showed first!

Now, this could be because 2011 and 2012 were the infographic's heyday.

But in Video terms, 4 or 5 years ago might as well be twenty years ago. The video production and video marketing landscape changes dramatically year to year. Thank new breakthroughs in technology and adoption rates for new technology for this trend.

Let's look at Mobile video plays as an example. Midway through 2015, mobile video viewing was 844% from 2012! Staggering, right? Statistics from 2012 just will not do.

So, I Googled again and added “2016” to my search. I found some pretty interesting stats from late last year and early this year.

The overwhelmingly popular statistics were that:

Facebook video - and social video in general - is not to be ignored.
If you’re not thinking about your mobile audience, you are missing an enormous opportunity
Traditional Television viewing is a thing of the past. Digital advertising is the place to put your money.

I'm going to circle back to what I was saying about the Infographic's heyday for a minute. A major reason for this visual content's fall was that its original purpose - to inform - was lost in its sudden rise in popularity.

I'm sure you can think of more than a few confusing infographics. Well, while new infographics may be a rarer find, the quality of what I found was great (and according to this paper, we'll see more great infographics in 2016).

Here are the four coolest 2016 Video Marketing Infographics I found:

1. ADvertising BUdgets 2016

Advertising Budgets 2016: 4 Trends You Need To Know [Infographic]
Infographic by MDG Advertising

2. 6 Game-Changing Video Marketing Trends in 2016

6 Game-Changing Video Marketing Trends in 2016 – an infographic by Wideo.co

3. Top 10 Digital Branding & Marketing Trends for 2016

By Business2Community.com:

4. The Top Video Marketing Trends for 2016

By Visualistan

In short, video is a must-have in today's marketing mix. We hope you found the stats in this post helpful. We'll leave you with more astounding statistic about video:

Syndacast predicts 74% of all internet traffic will be video by 2017!

Looking for a video production partner to produce video marketing content? We'd love to talk.

Not quite ready to talk? Check out our Downloadable guide to choosing the right video production partner here:

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3 Common Video Marketing Pitfalls (And How To Avoid Them)

Erin Hayes April 14, 2016 Video Marketing, Video, Video production Leave a Comment

est. read time- 2:28

We’ve heard it before: “No one watches our videos. Videos just don’t work for our business. Our customers don’t watch video.”

But invariably - when we start asking questions to dive deeper into the issue - we find out that the prospect made one (or more) of the three most common video marketing pitfalls we see.

The good news is that these pitfalls, as common as they are, are completely avoidable with a little prep.

In this post we’ll outline these three trouble areas and explain simple methods to avoid them.

1. You’re not sure who you are trying to attract.

Do you and your team have documented Buyer Personas? Because maybe you think you know who are trying to attract, but the rest of your team thinks your ideal customer is someone else.

Make sure you're all on the same page before you begin pre-production. Sit down in a room with the core people of your team and discuss your ideal customer.

Do you have a happy customer who would agree to an interview? Take them up on it! Draft a list of questions. If you aren't sure where to start, check out this downloadable template.

2. The video length/content isn't relevant to your ideal customer

Now that you know who your ideal customer is, let’s talk about what type of content they prefer.

What do we mean? Well, we could mean any number of things, but let's start with video length.

Recently The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) partnered with Millward Brown Digital and Tremor Video and released a comprehensive PDF called “Multiscreen Video Best Practices.” This report holds some great pieces of data you and your team may find helpful.

For example, did you know Millenials prefer 10 second videos while Gen-Xers prefer the standard 30 second video?

So go back to your target audience. Cater to their preferences and you’ll have a much better chance at success.

You’ve only embedded it on your website (and shared it once)

You’ve done all hard pre-production work until this point.

Really tough, but satisfying work. Now it’s time to see how your content optimization plays out.

Please, don’t make all your good work obsolete and only share your video on one platform, once.

"We embedded on our website, but we didn't get many views." Is your website Facebook? Is it Instagram? How about Snapchat? No. Well...there's your answer to 'Why'.

Go back to your Buyer Persona and think about your ideal customer. Where do they hang out online?

Create a social campaign around your video. Share it multiple times across your target audience’s favorite watering holes. Play around with the title of your video; experiment with hashtags; share the video at different times of the day.

Now collect all that data over a period of time and put that new knowledge toward your next video!

(Looking for more Do's & Don'ts, check out this article.)

In short, the If You Produce It, They Will Come attitude just doesn’t work.

I’m not sure it ever really did, but I can tell you with certainty that it doesn’t work in 2016.

People are used to watching what they want to watch where they want to watch it. They’ll seek out your content if you prove to be a great content creator. But that takes time and does not happen over night.

So, take the time and do the work. Then measure and refine; measure and refine. You won’t be disappointed. And your audience won’t be either.

Looking for a starting place to brainstorm video ideas? Download our 7 Must Have Videos!

Additional Resources:

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What to Take When You Can't Take Everything: Travel Production

Erin Hayes April 12, 2016 Video, Travel, Travel Production, Gear Blog Leave a Comment

When we go out on a shoot we always like to be prepared for anything. That means good pre-production and bringing a lot of gear to the location. So it's not unusual to see a cart loaded like this:

We brought the little rig for a little 12 hour shoot, no big deal. :)

A photo posted by Ian Barrett (@i.barrett) on Oct 3, 2015 at 8:50am PDT

At MediaBoss we also fly internationally to produce shoots for our clients. That presents a unique challenge. How do we keep production values high, but travel efficiently? So, the goal is to take THIS gear and...

MediaBoss Flyaway Gear

...and fit it into THIS bag:

MediaBoss Gear Backpack

The first question might be: Why not hire someone in the market to shoot the video? And the answer is simple. Consistency.

Subtle aspects like composition, lighting, mic placement vary greatly from crew to crew. Unless you have a working relationship with a company, you can't guarantee a consistent result. It's too big a risk us to take, especially when we know we are only going to get one chance to capture the footage.

So, when that 'one shot' opportunity for a testimonial with a CEO halfway around the world presents itself, we need to come prepared.

Inside this small camera bag is 22 pounds of video production gear that we use to provide the highest quality shoot that we can fly with in the overhead bin of a jet. In a lot of ways, it's a back to basics approach using the most reliable gear, with the most consistent results. We'll provide a gear list of about 50 items that we always bring when we can't bring everything.

MediaBoss_Travel_BackPack

First off, we pack our compact and reliable Canon 5D Mark IIs with matching Zeiss 50mm prime lenses. These give us beautiful images and excellent low-light performance. With two cameras, we can do a standard 2 person interview or a A/B camera set-up on the subject. This latitude gives us the most options in post, especially with long interviews. We also bring a Canon 24-70mm and a Canon 22mm lens for additional shooting options.

Next up are the tripods. On a shoot like this one person has to run the entire rig, camera operator/producer/audio/director, without tripods we'd be sunk. Also to save space - and weight - we need lightweight aluminum ones. These usually go in our checked luggage while flying. On the ground we attach them to the camera bag so everything we need is in one compact space, easily portable and available on the day of the shoot. Generally speaking, fly away gigs include a lot of quick set-ups and strikes over a short period of time. We don't get the opportunity to tweak too many things. On any other local gig, we'd have a camera operator and audio/PA at a minimum for even a small shoot.

Audio is critical. In a situation where we have to mic more than a single person we need a separate multi-track recorder. This allows us to monitor and control both sources at the same time. Running primary audio directly into the cameras is not an option for us. Enter the reliable Zoom H4n, a mainstay of our location production since it was first introduced. We also use Sennheiser 100 G3 wireless lavs for audio because we need to mic both host and talent. We also need to be prepared to move quickly from location to location, which makes hardwired mics a no-go. Finally, as a fail-safe backup, we bring a Rode VideoMic Pro shotgun mic. We place it on the camera closest to the talent and send that audio directly to that camera.

MediaBoss Audio Gear

For lighting, we need to rely on a good light source for quality and consistency. So on the way to a shoot we always keep an eye out for a quiet corner with a good base of lighting. We augment what we have with a simple LitePanel LED and a small collapsable bounce (which is also great for single person stand ups in daylight).

When it comes time to roll, we break out the iPad which has an excellent Production Slate with timecode and a TelePromter App for on camera reads. The Production Slate also allows us to take notes in the app and email them to the editor.

Those are the basic, must-haves. But most shoots require us to bring something else to the table. Because of this, we never leave without GoPros, time lapse gear, a mini-slider, Canon G-15 (for quick pick ups and production stills) and of course an iPhone. We also bring a host of clamps and a back-up lav and recorder. This saves us in the case of an emergency like the sudden addition of on-camera talent or the need to capture an additional audio source.

It's important to note that, everything we need to shoot is in the backpack on the plane as a carry-on. Even a lost luggage scenario would not stop a MediaBoss shoot. In that case we'd stop by any camera store and grab a pair of cheap tripods and we'd be good to go. This is critical and absolutely company policy on our very frequent, 'turn and burn' shoots. i.e. Boston to San Francisco and back in the same day or Boston to London and back in 30 hours. Yup, we do that. As our Creative Director, Ian Barrett, says, 'that's Rock and Roll'.

By the way, he's the guy we sent to India to do our latest shoot. Here he is directing somewhere a bit more local...

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

Our abbreviated gear list is attached. Hope you enjoyed reading this, feel free to ask questions or share your comments.

Gear List

Click Elite Backpack (discontinued):
Manfrotto 60' compact tripod
Manfrotto 60' compact tripod
Lasolite 18" reflector
Canon battery charger
Canon battery charger
Canon 5D Mark II "A"
Canon 5D Mark II "B"
Lens cloth
Canon 24-70mm
Zeiss 50mm "A"
Zeiss 50mm "B"
Rode VideoMic Pro
Seiko Chronograph
Leatherman "Tread" Multi-Tool
Rode lavalier mic
Zoom H1 Recorder
Edelkrone Slider One
Edelkrone Flex Tilt Head
GoPro with mounts
20. Zoom H4n Recorder
Camera bracket
(6) Canon Batteries
Business Cards
Camalapse 4 panoramic head
LitePanel Micro Pro w gels
J-Lab J5 ear buds
Vello V-Rig bracket
Friction Arm with clamp mount
Manfrotto ball head mount
Mini tripod
Canon 22mm "pancake" lens
32. Sony NP 970 Battery
Sennheiser 100 G3 Wireless Lav "A"
Sennheiser 100 G3 Wireless Lav "B"
(8) AA Batteries
(8) AAA Batteries
(2) 9v Batteries
iPad Air w/Apps
Asus Notebook Computer
Moleskine w/ mechanical pencil
Seagate 500 GB backup drive "A"
Seagate 500 GB backup drive "B"
(4) 32 GB SanDisk SD cards w/ case
iPhone 5s
(Not Pictured) Bose QC15 Headphones

Checked bag/Carry On

1. Accessory case

2. Canon G15 and Charger

3. Multi-Card reader

4. Power cables (assorted)

5. Anker 1300mAh Battery

6. Anker 40w 5 port Charger

7. 6' AC stinger

8. Rigid 5 outlet extension

9. Sony NP charger

10. iPod mini

11. Bluetooth speaker/charger

12. Laptop power supply

13. Insignia power adapter/converter

Additional Resources:

Guide to Hiring the Right Production Company
- The Future of Episodic Television: A Working Producer's Perspective
5 Reasons Why I'm Not Rushing to 4K Resolution
5 Video Production Trends for 2016
5 Terrible Ways to Spend Your Video Marketing Budget

Video Travel Travel Production Gear Blog

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

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

Video

Looking for some creative video production inspiration to improve your video marketing strategy?

Looking for some creative video production inspiration to improve your video marketing strategy?

1. Creativity:

2. Sweat:

3. Investment:

1. ADvertising BUdgets 2016

2. 6 Game-Changing Video Marketing Trends in 2016

3. Top 10 Digital Branding & Marketing Trends for 2016

4. The Top Video Marketing Trends for 2016

1. You’re not sure who you are trying to attract.

2. The video length/content isn't relevant to your ideal customer

You’ve only embedded it on your website (and shared it once)

Additional Resources:

Gear List

Checked bag/Carry On

Additional Resources:

Additional Resources:

Here are our Top 5 Video Production Trends for 2016

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