Corporate Viral Video Of The Week: SVG’s Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium
Welcome to Skillman Video Group’s Corporate Viral Video of the Week. This week’s video is…. us. Skillman Video Group recently produced it’s own viral style video, “Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium”. When producing this video we focused on two key attributes, i.e. relevance and mass appeal. As a corporate video production company, it is important for us to set a standard for clean, professional video that can be taken seriously. Everyday, we see other video that does not meet our standards. If you own a television, chances are you’ve seen hundreds of cheap local furniture ads that are poorly produced and awkwardly scripted. It is something that everyone knows and universally mocks. Our video provides a familiar setting that has mass appeal, while clearly juxtaposing our services to the other guys. These are two of the most important tasks when making a viral video. You need to find a subject that is recognizable to a large number of people; if its not pertinent to them, they won’t watch it. It is also necessary for the video to relate back to you and your services. A video can be very funny, but if it’s not clear that you made it and why, you won’t see any of the benefits.
We had a lot of fun making the video. We shot in front of a green screen and super imposed the ridiculous backgrounds to give it that extra “cheesy” feel. We used goofy neon graphics to really sell the tacky style and even took a cheap shot at Ralph Macchio, but I think that’s fair game at this point. We wrote the original script and found a devilishly handsome young actor to capture to true essence of Gerry (hey if you write the blog post – you get to toot your own horn!). Pass the video on to your friends to help us reach viral status! “Do you want a wicked awesome viral video for your company? Then come on down to Skillman Video Group today!!”
How can a testimonial video help you?
As we stated in earlier posts testimonial videos are a great way to market your products, services or live event to potential customers. Video is simple, powerful tool to build trust and rapport with viewers before they pick up the phone to call! What a better way to communicate how good you are then to have your audience see AND hear why you are so good from your previous (happy) clients.
Networked Events recently used Skillman Video Group to produce a series of testimonial videos for their web page and e-mail marketing campaign. The videos were both posted to their web site as well as incorporated in their monthly e-newsletters. The participants were all asked the same three questions and there answers were later edited and compressed for the web. Simple “talking head” or interview style videos are extremely cost effective yet powerful in their delivery. Here is an example of a testimonial video we produced for Networked Events in November 2009. It was shot at the Liberty Hotel (in Alibi) in downtown Boston.
A simple “hot shoe” light was mounted to the top of the camera (similar to what you might see used by a news crew) and attached to a battery pack to help boost the image . “Hot shoe” lights are are fantastic for live events because they are extremely portable and don’t need to be attached to a electrical outlet (which frees the camera person to roam around if needed). Incorporating light is very important in professional video production because it allows the camera to record a high quality image….even in dark settings (such as a restaurant or bar). Another important component to professional video production (of all kinds) is the audio. What good is a testimonial video if the audio is muffled, garbled or too low to be useful? By attaching a professional wireless microphone to the speaker, we were able to record high quality audio despite the fact that we were in a crowded, noisy room.
Utilizing such professional production equipment is what allows Skillman Video Group to produce high quality videos regardless of the environment we find ourselves in while shooting. As we have stated many times it is very important to look and sound your best in any marketing endeavor your pursue and customer testimonials are no exception. Contact us today to see how we can produce professional testimonial videos for your web site
Remember the holidays with a professional live event video!
‘Tis the season to be jolly!… and to give gifts, throw cocktail parties, and ring in the new year! Being able to look back at those special moments with a professionally created video is invaluable. Relax with your co-workers, friends, and family while the professional videographers at Skillman Video Group come and capture those moments of joy, laughter, and friendship for all time. Whether it’s 15, 50, or 150 people, a business cocktail party, a family gathering, or full-out New Year’s fiesta, a professional video from Skillman Video Group can make those holiday moments really shine and be remembered for years to come!
Skillman Video Group is fully equipped for any live event (for the holidays, or for the other 11 months of the year!). The producers have both professional quality Standard Definition cameras and state-of-the-art HD cameras to fully capture the brilliant and festive atmosphere of your holiday party. We have lighting equipment that attaches to the cameras capable of lighting up any environment, and portable enough to get right in the middle of the action without disturbing the socializing! Our audio equipment will capture full-quality sound from the laughter to the speeches to the dancing or the “remember when”s…. and everything in between. And when it’s all over, Skillman Video Group will cut the raw footage together in editing – adding graphics, music, photos, transitions – into a powerful, moving, engaging documentary of the event.
No matter what event you’re hosting, holiday or everyday, you want the memories from that night to be captured professionally by people who know their craft. All around, video done by professionals will look and sound better than if it is done by a novice using consumer equipment. Skillman Video Group has a history of creating quality videos that our clients rave about ! Relax, join the party, and start 2010 by remembering 2009 in a special way: a professional holiday party video from Skillman Video Group. Contact us today!
Capturing Clean Audio in a Professional Video
Ok so we here at Skillman Video Group are always preaching that in any corporate marketing or promotional video should always look and sound good. No matter what platform you chose to embed your videos on, such as your web site, or on Social Media sites like YouTube.com or Facebook.com – your viewers will appreciate quality!
SVG camera crew testing auio levels at a recent shoot
We’ve talked a lot about how video should look good (see previous posts!), but a very important component of professional video production is the audio. The best lit video in the world is useless if the audio comes out fuzzy, muffled, too “hot” or otherwise inconsistent. Audio in professional corporate video production needs to be clean, crisp, and clear so your audience is never distracted from your message.
What’s the difference between “professional” vs “amateur” audio you ask? First, it’s the equipment. Skillman Video Group uses only top-of-the-line audio equipment which insures the best sound recording at any shoot. We only use industry-standard professional XLR cables and microphones. We may utilize three different types of microphones depending on the type of shoot. Each has its own unique use and function and the audio specialists at Skillman Video Group know what equipment to use in any given situation to capture clean, clear audio.
- Shotgun Mic: A “shotgun mic” is a highly directional microphone that may be hand-held or mounted on a boom. It is best suited for capturing “natural” or “environmental” sounds like at a party, the sounds in nature (bird chirping etc), or the excited chattering of a group of children – and these are just a few examples. It picks up the nuances of the shoot’s environment and gives a realistic feel for how the voices and sounds naturally echo. Marketing videos looking to showcase the environment of a working location is an example where a shotgun mic would be used.
- Wireless Lavaliere Mic: A “lav” mic is a portable microphone that hooks around neck or is clipped to clothing. Also known as a necklace, lapel, or pendant microphone. It has a wireless transmitter that is placed either on a belt or in a pocket of the speaker, and is transmitted to a receiver connected to the camera. These are most popular in television and video production when it is important to get clean and crisp audio from the person or persons speaking on camera. It is best suited when the focus is on the speaker and not on surrounding sounds. A “talking head” video is an example where a lav mic is best suited.
- Wireless Handheld Mic Similar to the wireless lavaliere, the wireless handheld is perfect for the “Man on the street” type of interviews commonly used on the news broadcasts. While the audio will sound the same as a wireless lavaliere (when held towards the mouth), it is an entirely different visual.
The 2nd component of capturing great audio is the actual shoot location. The location of the shoot is just as important as the type of microphone being used. If capturing clean audio is the top priority (and remember every video is different), then the location of the shoot must be relatively sound-proof and distraction free. Doors opening and closing in the background and/or phones ringing will all be distractions from the speaker’s words and can potentially ruin the “take” (which trust us when we say if it is going to happen, it will be right in the middle of your best take and we will have to start over). The video producers and audio technicians at Skillman Video Group are all highly skilled in minimizing and removing such distraction from even the busiest office space. We’ve seen (or shall we say heard) it all!
The third component of capturing great audio is the actual content (or words being spoken). It is important to practice beforehand what you are going to say in order to speak fluently and clearly without the regular “ums” and “ahs”. It is NOT as easy as it looks! The producers at Skillman Video Group will offer coaching during the shoot but practicing before will help the shoot to go more smoothly – which ultimately will save you time and money in the long run.
What separates video from other mediums out there is that your audience will be able to see AND hear you. While the nature of video is what makes it the most effective format for building trust and rapore with potential customers, it can be disastrous to your brand and message if not handled correctly. All these various options also highlights the point that pre-production planning is very important to the success at any shoot. The video producers at Skillman Video Group work with our clients to discuss shoot locations, lighting AND audio options all before the camera crews arrive. Call today to find out how Skillman Video Group can help your business!
