Video Lectures: Making the Classroom Portable

This past Sunday, SVG produced a video lecture for Vardit Ringwald, Professor of Hebrew and Director of the Hebrew and Arabic Languages program at Brandies University. Multimedia is nothing new to Professor Ringwald, who has been recording video lectures for a few years now. Allowing students to not have to be in a physical class room allows for very flexible learning. Students can start and stop lectures at their convenience to further their knowledge of Hebrew studies, or any type of study for that matter.

Video can never replace the one-on-one interaction that comes from being in a class room nor should it, but it can be a tremendous help to people that would have to otherwise commute great distances or simply cannot afford to attain the knowledge that they seek. With the astronomical price of higher education, spreading free knowledge is somewhat of a rarity. However schools including MIT and Yale offer many classes online and free to anyone with an Internet connection. Some might say that video lectures are a cheap substitute for “real” education, they’re probably the same people that charge college students forty to fifty thousand dollars a year. In a time when America struggles to keep its place as the most influential country in the world, every little bit of knowledge helps.

SVG Produces Live Event Video for Abram Little-Gill Lobrefeld PC Conference and Newton Marriott

On Tuesday, Abram Little-Gill Loberfeld PC held a conference at the Boston Marriott Newton Hotel. Skillman Video Group was in attendance to capture the event. The event was not exclusive to Abram Little-Gill Loberfeld employees as many of their local partners were in attendance from business associates to bankers. The topic of the day was tax law. Multiple speakers shed light on the intricacies of the codes and regulations.

A very interesting point that was raised had to do with bank closings. During the recent financial crisis, only one bank in all of Massachusetts had to close its doors. This was due to a conservative community that did not invest in a lot of the toxic assets that lead to so many banks going under. Sometimes sticking with what works is the most innovative thing a person or organization can do. Skillman Video Group understands this and knows that quality video production is a tried and true method of spreading your message, be it tax law or anything else you care to share.  Have a live event coming up?  Call Skillman Video Group today to see how quickly and affordably you can video tape & edit your presentations, lectures or meetings!

Skillman Video Shoots Safety and Training Videos for Feeney Brothers Excavation Company

Last week, Skillman Video Group did a shoot for Feeney Brothers Excavation Corporation, located in Dorchester, Massachusetts.  FBEC is a contractor for the gas, electric, water and telecommunications industries. Skillman Video Group shot several types of videos, including truck safety, on-site procedures, and several instructional videos on the operation of various pieces of equipment. The shoot was done over two days, both on location and at the Feeney Brother’s headquarters. We used two cameras and the knowledgeable FBEC employees to walk us through the precise and often complicated steps of operating hydraulic machinery.

Feeney Brothers Excavation Company is dedicated to the safety of its employee’s, partners, and customers, and so their use of training videos will be helpful in the future success of their company. A Safety and Training video can be a great way to introduce new employees to the equipment and procedures of your company, or can give other members of your team a refresher course whenever they need it. While instructing your employees one-on-one can be tedious and somewhat overwhelming, a video insures that all of the information is covered in a succinct, understandable way. When working with dangerous or hazardous materials, it is very important for everyone in your company to be up to date and informed, and by having a safety and training video available as a resource, they can access this information at any point and keep your business running smoothly.

For several years, I worked at a company that built packaging for microwave and RF components that went to aerospace. Because we worked with such delicate, sensitive parts, every year we went through Electrostatic safety training, where we learned about the various equipment and procedures used to keep the parts safe from any errant electrostatic. Every year, my coworkers and I sat through a laughably out-dated PowerPoint slideshow, complete with corny sound effects and horrible clip art. The layout was hard to follow and the information was not easy to decipher, so at the end of the presentation every year, people had lots of questions.  I think if there was an updated video that had the same information but delivered it in a way that was easy to follow, it would have been much more effective, and the training could’ve been half as long.

Time is money, but making safety and training a priority should never be sacrificed.  By delivering all safety and training information in simple, understandable videos, you can be sure that everyone is informed and your company continues to work efficiently.

Breaking the Fifth Wall: What Dunder Mifflin Teaches Us About Marketing and the Human Psyche

If you haven’t seen an episode of NBC’s long-running comedic hit, The Office, you’ve probably at least heard of it. While telling the tale of a paper company locked in a constant battle against, one: the shrinking demand for paper, and two, the bottom barrel prices of its bigger competitors, The Office is actually quite funny. Originally conceived by British comedian Ricky Gervais, it became a hit in the UK before the US adaptation made Michael Scott (Steve Carrel) and Dunder Mifflin household names. While the show is funny, what made it unique was it’s constant “breaking of the fourth wall,” a technique thought too taboo for primetime TV, or at least prime-time fiction. Reality shows had done a version of this, but that’s how they’re formatted. Fiction is different, it is supposed to be observed, and not interacted with.

On The Office, characters send quick glances directly to the camera and subsequently to the viewer. They also speak directly to the camera, “confessional” style. Something that all people share is a need to be “on the inside.” They want to be included, sit at the cool kids’ table, get VIP access; they want the inside track. Having characters speak directly to viewers gave them that sense, and now tons of shows do the exact same thing. Another great TV comedy is Community, which in a recent episode discussed how Hearts of Darkness, the documentary about the making of Francis Ford Copolla’s epic Apocalypse Now, was actually a better movie than Apocalypse Now. What Community was trying to say is that while people like the end product, be it a movie or a pencil, they like to know who made the pencil and what they went through to make it.

So where does a fictional company like Dunder Mifflin go once its show has broken the fourth wall? Well, it breaks the fifth wall and becomes a real paper company. Ironically, the fictional company’s biggest competitor, Staples, has now, in real life, bought the rights to the Dunder Mifflin name to help sell paper on their Quill.com website. In a race to the bottom of paper prices, they intend on selling paper of the same quality as their competitors for higher prices, simply because it has the name of a fictional paper company on it. However, Dunder Mifflin is no longer a fictional company. No it does not have Michael Scott and his antics, but it does have real employees with a real product. Folks can take care of their paper needs with boxes labeled with all the best catch phrases from the show.

What does this reverse product placement tell us about ourselves? That’s another topic for another blog post, but in short, it tells us that people will spend more on a product that means something to them. This type of sentiment is hard to put a number value on, but is nothing to be scoffed at. If you let your customers in, and provide them with something that they feel they have ownership over, great things can happen. Something else to take away is to not let fear stop you. Doing what is taboo and doing what could “never work” is exactly what needs to be done to innovate and stand out. Breaking the 4^th wall was a risky move but it paid off in spades, and most importantly, The Office was first to do it.

Reverse product placement is nothing new; many brands have tried this before with mixed success. What the real life paper company should have learned from the fictional one is not to wait. The Office has been on a decline for the past few seasons and no longer has its centerpiece, Steve Carrel. This move probably would have been timelier years ago when the show was at its peak of popularity. Whether you’re creating paper or a corporate video, don’t be afraid to do it with style and to stand outside of the norm. Skillman Video Group provides innovation for all of its clients. We will happily help you tackle taboos, break down walls, or at the very least, make a great video.

The Viral Video Virus

Picture a time before YouTube; too difficult to remember that far back? Born in 2005, the video giant is only 6 years old. It grew up quickly and was bought for a cool $1.65 billion barely a year after its inception by a little company called Google. More video content is uploaded to YouTube in any given sixty day period than all 3 major US TV networks have created in 60 years. Large and small companies alike realize the importance for quality video content. Not only is the Web already saturated with video, it is equally saturated with articles about why video content is important.

Better search optimization, more intimate fan/customer engagement, and the ease of viewing vs. reading are only some of video’s selling points. These days, everybody wants a viral video. Is going viral the only thing that matters though, and more importantly, is YouTube the only destination? Not every video is going to go viral; by definition it is impossible. Viral videos are great, but they’re the junk food of the video world. Everyone loves them, they’re easy to consume, and often times they don’t have much substance behind them.

A fascinating lecture given by a brilliant astrophysicist probably won’t garner as many views as Lady Gaga’s latest hit, but does this mean that the lecture is of lesser value or quality? The two videos, simply put, contain different content with different intentions. As ostensibly easy as shooting and posting a video has become, it can be just as easy to forget that not all content is created equally, and that not all content serves the same purpose.

Anyone can shoot decent looking video on an iPhone, but can they add quality sound, smooth editing, and a concise story? Who is the audience? Is the video intended for the Web only or will it have internal purposes? Is its sole intention to make people laugh or to convey a serious message, or both? While it has become drastically easier to produce video content, it’s as hard as ever to make it good and worth watching, especially with all the competition. Skillman Video Group knows this, which is why we make sure everyone of our clients knows what they want and what their expectations are before any cameras start rolling. If viral is the goal, let’s make it, but if reaching a specific audience is the end game, we’ll make sure your video is worth their while, and more importantly, that they know it exists.

SVG Shoots Product Marketing Videos for the Smart Track Toolkit; Time to Take Notes!

On Wednesday, the 17^th of November, we shot a series of product marketing videos for Smart Track Toolkit. While we here at Skillman Video Group do our best to simplify video production for our clients, the folks at Smart Track work to make the incredibly laborious process of college applications not only easier, but more time and cost effective for both prospective students and their parents. From college funding to test prep, they aim to help all burgeoning high school students; they even have a dedicated student athlete marketing system.

Being a web-based product, Smart Track understands the need for Internet marketing, so they hired us to produce marketing and promotional content for their YouTube channel, DVD distribution and their web site. Filmed at Powderhouse Productions’ studio in Somerville, the subjects were shot on a simple white background with two cameras were rolling at all times. While participants had a teleprompter to read from, the main goal was to make sure that it didn’t seem as though they were, they needed to seem like they were having a conversation. Audiences don’t want to be talked at; they want to be talked to. Everyone from Smart Track passed with flying colors.  Please contact us today to see how marketing your product or service on the Internet can increase new business for your company!  To see pictures of our shoot with the Smart Track Tool Kit, please visit our Face Book page.

SVG Produces Promotional Video for NFC Cluster with the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge

On Monday November 7th, the NFC Cluster Group, a collection of Boston-Area supporters of the development and commercial success of Near Field Communication, held an event at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel with over four hundred attendees. We were among those in attendance. The MIT Enterprise Forum, a producer of educational events promoting entrepreneurship, put on the event. While similar to Bluetooth’s data transfer technology, NFC’s transfer rate is slower and its working distance is much shorter. Why then does the NFC Cluster Group exist?

Unlike Bluetooth devices that need manual configurations to identify each other, NFC connects devices automatically in less than a tenth of a second. It uses much less energy, can be paired to an unpowered device, and its shorter range reduces the likelihood of unwanted interception. Possible applications are vast, but (credit) card emulation, “tagging” the world around us, and instant connectivity are the big selling points.  The NFC Cluster Group, through the MIT Enterprise Forum is looking to partner the hardware (chip) developers with software (app) developers to help grow this  NFC technology.  To that end they hired Skillman Video Group to produce a high quality promotional video with interviews from board members, app and hard ware developers as well as some pretty heavy hitters such as PayPal and Verizon.

With proper optimization, data indicates that video content yields a 53% better chance of getting on Google’s front page.  However, at Skillman, we believe that video for video’s sake is dangerous as quality DOES matter to your audience. As video becomes more important and easier to shoot, organizations can’t afford NOT to have it.  Contact us today to see how high quality video content can help with your online marketing initiatives.

That’s a Wrap!

For the past four months I have been fortunate to hold an internship at Skillman Video Group. I came here after working as a professional in film, television, and commercial production for a number of years. I’m working on a career shift and SVG was the perfect place to combine my production experience with my social media hobby. What happened with me and SVG over the summer?

Big things:

When I took the internship I wanted to make a marketing video for SVG that was more ambitious and cinematic than their previous videos. I brought my skills as a set designer, contacts with actors, and access to cinematographers and wardrobe stylists together for the Old Timey Marketing project. I’m quite proud of what I did, and it is helping us find new clients. I think it shows that SVG can make movie-like videomercials for clients that want to stand out.

I had the privilege of attending a Muslim Ramadan service in Chelsea when SVG shot a fundraising video for a community center. I’m not a religious person, but it was still a powerful, moving experience. And we shot some amazing footage. I doubt I’ll ever have another opportunity to go. You can read all about it here.

Social Media does work for SEO. Our page rank has risen, which is good. Getting people to follow you and comment is tricky, no matter how good the content is. I looped in a few new subscribers and I think it’s paying off. Read all my posts here.

Small things:

Managing a multi-platform social media campaign is not that difficult. A few hours a week. More businesses should do it.

I discovered many interesting social media and viral video campaigns and got to blog my analysis of why they work. Some interesting and inspiring ideas.

Anchor links, micro sites, pingbacks, landing pages, etc.

I got a much needed brush-up on Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack.

I hadn’t used a Lowell lighting kit since college, so I got a valuable refresher course on lighting from Andrew, our usual Videographer.

Now that I’ve attended client meetings I can add actual “agency experience” to my resumé.

Until you ask, the answer is always “No.” Most people are really happy to help you out with locations, props, wardrobe, camera, etc.

I’m excited that I’ve got these new skills that will propel me into new career choices. Thanks SVG!

The Next Step in Social Video is Google+ Hangouts

As you might already know, Google bought YouTube back in 2006, and the company has been working on integrating the two sites ever since.  One of the latest features allows users to watch YouTube videos with up to 10 friends via Google+. This is accomplished through Google+’s “Hangout” feature, so it all happens in real-time. Imagine being in Boston and watching your friends in San Francisco reacting to your favorite funny video!

Here at Skillman Video Group, we know that word of mouth is one of the primary means through which people receive information about new products. Generally, consumers trust the opinions of their friends, family, and co-workers. If your friend strongly recommends a certain restaurant, you’re probably more likely to dine there in the future. Similarly, if your friend recommends that you watch a particular online video, you’ll likely check it out.

With the increased emphasis on sharing content, creating an excellent video that will keep viewers entertained is now more important than ever. It can be a daunting task to produce a video that people will want to share with their friends, but fortunately for you, Skillman Video Group is up to the task! Whether you’d like your video to be humorous and informative, or formal in nature, our team of experts will ensure that you are completely satisfied with the finished product.

FutureM and SVG: Video at the Speed of Twitter

What is FutureM?

A looking glass into the future of marketing.

Who’s at Future M?

Skilllman Video Group.

Shopximity invited SVG to tape their presentation at Future M, a marketing conference held in Boston focusing on the impact of technology on marketing. They asked us to shoot, edit, and upload a video of their presentation in 24 hours. They wanted to get the video up while the conference was still going on. It’s like a well-produced video tweet from Shopximity. For us it felt like a 24 hour race made possible by technology and our experience in fast production.

The SVG produced video should be up today. The idea of video at the speed of twitter is especially interesting to us. Instant video production might be perfect for clients who want to post while traveling or at events or any situation where time is crucial. With the world becoming more instantaneous, more 24/7, getting the word out about your company or event with near-instant professional video from anywhere will be expected. And it has to look better than the usual talk-into-the-webcam stuff you see on YouTube.

We’re going to stay ahead of this trend and keep providing fast, high-quality content.

This conference was the perfect event for us to tape. SVG believes strongly in pushing the boundaries of marketing. That’s why we embrace an integrated approach to video, social media, SEO, web design, and so on. Shopximity presented ideas about mobile technology as the new frontier of marketing. They have plans for integrating video content and interactive shopping on mobile devices. We’ll have to keep an eye on where this interactive mobile video marketing goes too.

Stay tuned to SVG’s blog for more insights into the future of video marketing.

UPDATE: Watch the video on our channel.

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