Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week: Life in a Day

Welcome to Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week Series. This week, the focus is not on a video but rather a video event. On July 24^th, YouTube is sponsoring a global event: Life in a Day. Various directors and producers are asking everyone and anyone, not just current YouTube users, to film their day and submit it online.

YouTube has already established itself as one of the most popular and interactive user generated websites. Many YouTube users most likely already record their lives and post it online. Nonetheless, this is an extremely clever marketing concept.

The key is that YouTube is focusing on one idea, self-documentation, and taking it as far as possible. They are blasting this simple campaign all over their website and other outlets. They are extending the campaign to every possible person. If you do not wish to film your day, no sweat—YouTube will take a recording of you clapping your hands or singing a note.

Another important element of this marketing campaign is that it is engaging and interactive. YouTube takes engaging the audience to a whole new level. Their concept only works with people’s participation. Furthermore, YouTube is offering a superb prize: the best footage will be used in a film which will premiere at Sundance Film Festival and the people who submitted it will be credited as co-director.

While your company may not be able to offer a spot in Sundance, you can still use some of YouTube’s techniques. They focused on one concept thus making the message more powerful and less forgettable. They involve the audience and demand their interaction and input. Requesting your audience to film their lives may not work for you, but reaching out to them and constructing a campaign around their interests could. If you are considering marketing your company or organization through video like YouTube, contact Skillman Video Group today!

Video Press Release on Social Video Marketing

Recently Skillman Video Group developed an exciting new service, Social Video Marketing, which SVG applied to their own website with much success. Skillman Video Group released a case study explaining and analyzing Social Video Marketing. This case study is available on SVG’s website by clicking HERE!

To properly announce their innovative service, Skillman Video Group produced a video press release showcasing SVM. This video press release is in itself social video marketing. A video press release is searchable through SEO and can be used on social media or business websites. Most importantly, it transforms a basic press release into exciting content that engages the viewer. A video press release takes full advantage of the power of media.

Skillman Video Group’s own video press release is currently also viewable on SVG’s homepage, YouTube channel and Facebook page For more information about SVM, please view the video press release, read the case study or contact Skillman Video group.

Demonstration Videos for ProWindows

Skillman Video Group completed two days of filming for ProWindows, a window and door replacement (as well as home renovation) company located in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Thursday and Friday July 8-9. Skillman Video Group has previously worked with ProWindows; SVG began filming a series of instructional videos on window maintenance and an online marketing video last week.

The goal of this shoot was to create demonstration videos to market ProWindows’ unique installation process to potential customers.  The majority of footage shot consisted of two window installations: one outside (for newer homes) and one outside (older homes). In addition, Skillman Video Group also filmed some additional b-roll to be used in a marketing video which recently has gone into post-production (editing).

Skillman Video Group and ProWindows will be working together again in the near future to complete more instructional videos. Like with all our videos, Skillman Video Group carefully planned and prepared for the day so as to make filming as smooth as possible. Scripts and shot lists were provided and as the camera rolled the talent was directed and coached. If you are interested in discovering the many way video can be used to market or sell your product or service, contact Skillman Video Group today.

Marketing and How To Videos for ProWindows

This week Skillman Video Group begin filming a series of videos for ProWindows, a replacement window and door company located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The first video Skillman Video Group filmed was an Internet marketing video featuring the owner of ProWindows.

Next, Skillman Video Group recorded three instructional videos. These videos focus on care and maintenance of ProWindow’s products and will be placed on their website for customers. In addition, ProWindows will also use their instructional videos on social media websites such as YouTube. Shortly, SVG will work again with ProWindows to film more instructional videos.

Skillman Video Group worked with the client to script every video prior to filming. SVG used high-end video technology and extensive lighting to produce an extremely sharp image. All filming was done at ProWindows’ Waltham location. If you are interested in having Skillman Video Group produce a video for your company, contact us today.

Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week

Welcome to Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week, which has returned after a short hiatus. The purpose of the series is to examine what helps to make a successful marketing campaign. This week’s video is a commercial from Apple showcasing their recently launched iPad. For those who are unfamiliar with the product, the iPad is a large touch screen that allows users to surf the Internet, read books and listen to music.

Apple is known for having simple advertisements and this trend continues with their iPad commercial. The 30-second ad is a montage of various people using the iPad. Except for perhaps two seconds, the product is the focal point of the screen. The purpose of the advertisement is for viewers to see this new product, so Apple wastes little time on other visuals. The short and repeated use of the phrase “the iPad is…”  ingrains the idea that the iPad is indeed a lot of spectacular things—take your pick, one is bound to suit you. The repetitive phrase is an age-old practice and is still used for a reason—it drives the message into the viewer’s head. Fortunately for you, this technique can be used in almost any marketing video.

This commercial really works though because it shows the product in use. We can visualize what it would be like to own the product for a short period of time. The face of a user is never revealed. Doing so forces our attention to the product, which is central to this video and should be done in others by keeping the product the focus of the frame. Throughout the clip we see flashes of what the iPad has to offer: users reading The New York Times, playing games, watching a movie. This is a wonderful technique that could be applied to other product videos: show don’t tell. Take advantage of powerful medium that is video and bring your viewer into the world of your product.

Interested in developing a video to market your company? Contact Skillman Video Group to get started.

The Uses of Live Event Videography

At Skillman Video Group, live event videography has advanced to a whole new level. We have professionally filmed a number of events for a wide range of clients, from Boston University School of Law to Springboard Enterprises. These various institutions and companies have used our live event videography services for a bevy of reasons, some of which may aid you when considering why live event video could benefit your company.

In the past, Boston University School of Law has hired Skillman Video Group to film a lecture series. The video was posted on their website. The school desired such a video so that those who were unable to attend could later view the lecture or for those who wished to re-visit a one-time event.

Springboard Enterprises used Skillman Video Group videography for similar reasons. Earlier this month the organization hosted a dinner and a discussion panel the following day. At the dinner, Besty Myers, former COO of President Obama’s 2008 Presidential Campaign, and others spoke. The discussion panel brought together members of the organization as they talked about their past, present and future. Not all invited guests could attend; a live event video ensured that all members could remain involved and be kept up to date. Furthermore, Springboard wished to capture these events partially for marketing purposes. In the future, the organization can use these videos to market events or the organization itself.

Later this week, Skillman Video Group will once again be working with the Yamaha School of Boston to produce a video of their year-end concert. In the past, this live event video has been edited by Skillman Video Group then used by Yamaha to market the school, in addition to being distributed to parents.

Live event videography helps serve many needs. Whether you wish to use an event for marketing, flaunt a prominent speaker, keep employees and members informed or more, live event videography can be the right business decision for your company or organization. Contact Skillman Video Group for more information.

Skillman Video Group’s Method for Successful Videos

One of the most key components of any type of marketing is knowing what appeals to your audience. This is also the most difficult because it requires you to isolate what you like from what you know your audience will like.  For example, if your target age group is 10 years old, chances are a simple video showing a man sitting in an office will not hold their attention. Part of our job in video production and marketing at Skillman Video Group is to help you discover what will best engage your desired client and then design a production plan around that desired result.

In correlation with this task, we employ our simple but successful method for video production and Internet marketing. Throughout our process, we strive to be professional. “Professional” for us merely means that extensive thought and a custom strategy to engage your audience have gone into each and every step of producing your video.  Whether you are going for the “flip cam self-produced” look or “super slick and polished” (or anywhere in between) it is important to have a well planned and thought out strategy behind it.  Taking the time to understand what your audience will appreciate, ensures a successful video project.  “Professional” means creating a video that will best work for you, and give you the highest return on investment possible.

Once we determine the story we will be telling in your video, we begin the filming process with the visuals. We construct a well-framed shot with an appropriate backdrop and good lighting in order to create the most visually pleasing video possible. Next, we insure those acting within the frame are well coached and directed so their actions match the mood of the video, whether it be direct, aggressive, outrageous etc. Our final step in creating a video is the high-quality editing, where we make sure only the best remains and that it comes together as a professional video tailored to your needs. Any video produced at Skillman Video Group will go through this same system and thought process. And the result will always be a professional video that was created to appeal directly to your audience.

Internet & Video Marketing Internship at Skillman Video Group

This week concludes my time at Skillman Video Group. Three months ago, I signed on as a Internet & Video Marketing  Intern with the company. In the beginning I was not sure what to expect, however, I am happy to report that it could not have been better. Like all young people pursuing internships, I was looking to gain real-world experience and at Skillman Video Group I got experience, real experience. At no point was I relegated to busy work; I did not make one photocopy or get a single cup of coffee. Instead, I was given the chance to explore many different avenues, both creative and professional.

I worked as a production assistant on many video shoots, working with a crew,  setting up lights, moving equipment, and learning the intricacies of professional video production. I was able to produce a  “behind the scenes ” video press release and edit it myself for the company website.  At the same time, I was given the chance to write for this blog and learn SEO and online marketing techniques. Perhaps most noteworthy, was my opportunity to create my own original viral video from start to finish. The Producers at  Skillman Video Group gave me the leeway to be creative and funny and I wrote and produced our  first ever viral style video Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium. Making this video was a great experience and a lot of fun. I was given the chance to explore new styles of shooting & editing, like utilizing a green screen, in a safe and educational environment.  This internship was a wonderful opportunity. It gave me the chance to work on the professional level in video production, writing, and marketing. I would recommend working for or with Skillman Video Group to anyone.  I can’t believe my time is over already and would like to thank everyone at SVG for making this experience so positive.

Mike McGuinness

Online Marketing Videos

At Skillman Video Group we believe, when used correctly, online marketing videos are of the most successful and cost effective way to market your company on-line. We will soon be releasing a case study on our new service, Social Video Marketing. Social Video Marketing combines the use of high quality video marketing with Internet marketing technology to convert web visitors into new leads.  As we have mentioned before, Internet Marketing works in two ways.  1) getting people to first come to your site through SEO and social media and then 2) once on your site, the content must be engaging enough to compel the casual visitors into a valuable lead.  This is what we call at Skillman Video Group the “video conversion point” .  Combining the power of the video medium with the power of the Internet gets our clients the best return on investment possible!   We focus not just on producing the highest quality video, but also  on the importance of routing as many viewers as possible to that video thereby expanding your presence in the marketplace. By using the right keywords and tags, we make sure your videos can be found on the web. Also, by incorporating a  blog posts and web announcements on your site, you can keep your content fresh and Google relevant.

We started implementing these techniques ourselves in October 2009. Google ranks website traffic and searches on a scale of zero to ten, with nines and tens being the Facebooks of the world. When our new site launched in October 2009, our website was ranked a zero by Google. Our old html site was static and we weren’t generating leads from the web. In October 2009 we started an agressive Internet marketing plan using the services outlined in our soon to be published Case Study.  By the time our case study had concluded, we were coming up as #1 in 9 targeted key words.  Within 6 months of us launching our new program, our paged jumped to a number four ranking on Google, a very impressive feat for a company of our size. The results of this online marketing effort is that our traffic is up, our content is fresh, and it’s helping our business grow. For example, our recent blog post on Video Legal Depositions was the direct source for Duane Morris LLP locating our services (please read about that job below) though a Google search and booking us just a day later. Our Social Video Marketing program is the most efficient way to market on the web. Our online efficiency techniques direct maximum traffic to your site, and our quality videos tell your story in the most effective and dynamic way possible. Call us today about your Online Marketing Video!

Legal Marketing Video Shoot at Duane Morris

Skillman Video Group recently went on a video shoot at the national law firm, Duane Morris LLP. Duane Morris hired SVG to shoot a Legal Marketing Video of their Boston office for their web site. SVG shot a series of interviews with the firm’s partners discussing their practice areas and experience for both internal….and external marketing purposes. Duane Morris will be using the videos to market their attorneys to potential clients, as well as to use for recruitment of new hires.     The partners discussed both personal and professional topics and we concentrated on their areas of expertise, their goals for the firm, and even personal interests and hobbies.

Marketing for any law firm begins and ends with their attorneys.  If your lawyers are essentially your product, then video allows a law firm  to showcase those lawyers in a personal, intimate way.  By allowing potential clients to see and hear your attorneys speak about their experience and goals  – you are allowing them to build trust and repore with a client before they pick up a phone to call!  In the legal field, where personal relationships are crucial, video marketing is the only medium that can clearly and accurately represent your services.

It is also important that your legal marketing videos look and sound professional.  Lighting and audio are key components to any video shoot.  If your attorneys look or sound unprofessional, it will do a poor job marketing their skills and abilities to the public!  Producers at Skillman Video Group are adept and not just lighting and audio, but also directing the on-screen talent.  Speaking on camera is sometimes very difficult for those who are not used to doing so in their every-day job.  Our producers will work with the on-screen talent to make them feel comfortable and help them look and feel their best.  Call today to learn more our Legal Marketing Videography and Video Production services!

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