You have all seen videos that have made these mistakes and have driven viewers away.  Here are some other common mistakes.

• Slow fade in
• Introduction with lots of opening graphics and titles, like a 1980’s tv show.  It might have worked for the Dukes of Hazzard, but unless you have an orange car and a cousin named Daisy, it is best to lay off the opening graphics.
• Screen cast that starts with the computer screen and doesn’t introduce us to the host

Tips for a better first 15 seconds

• If you must put your logo in the beginning, do what in TV is called a ‘soft opening’.  It gives the viewer an idea of what they are going to see and then show your logo after that.  This is very common in TV shows today.
• Start with a compelling story.  Draw your audience into your video.  This isn’t as hard as it sounds.  Just tell them how you went above and beyond for a client.  Another option is to tell about a funny thing that happened.  For example, once we had a girl drop our wireless mic in the toilet by mistake.  Now that you know this story, when you call to schedule your video remember to make sure to request the ‘non toilet’ microphone.  But seriously, humor is a good thing.

YouTube has committed $100 million to 96 new video channels and has recruited Hollywood talent to produce content.  This isn’t a passing fad for them.  YouTube’s design changes mean that getting on the most-viewed list isn’t the best way to get people to view your content like it once was.  Now it’s all about getting people to subscribe to your videos. That means fans will know when you post a new video, which often translates to more views.  Many successful YouTube channel operators time their videos to hit the Web in the same  way that a show airs on regular television.  The best time to post is Thursday before noon and the second best is Monday before noon or when your target audience is expecting it.  Friday and the weekend is the worst time to post new content.   So if you target audience works all night and sleeps all day it would probably be best to launch your video just as they are wrapping up their work day.

1 Make People Aware of Your Brand
The first step to getting more business is letting people know that you’re there. Video is all about visibility. Creating a video that engages your audience and builds brand awareness helps move them through your sales process. It will also keep them on your website longer.

2 Build Trust
People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Video helps people get to know you, trust you, and like you. This can be done with an introduction video. Once they know you and trust you, they are more likely to buy from you.

3 Training
People learn faster with video. Train your customers and clients on how to use your product and service making your support team more available for other issues.
Train your staff, make them better sales people, and keep them up to date with the latest information and techniques.

4 Increase Product Sales
Amazon has seen an increase in sales with products that have video. Having a video on your website shows that you care enough to bring the best user experience and makes your customer more confident. It also shows that you have nothing to hide because you show all sides of your product.

5 Be in more places at one time
Send your sales people to there next big meeting with a message from the CEO. Send all your executives to a conference trade show and they never have to leave the home office by creating videos. Save travel and free them up work on other projects plus the message will always be on target and with video they will never go over there aloted time.

Video is a proven and effective tool for increasing conversion rates. However bad video may have a detrimental effect on your site.lity. Creating a video that engages your audience, will keep them on your web-site longer. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Video helps people get to know you, trust you, and like you. Once they know you, you need to stay in front of them. *People buy emotionally. With video, you can Train your sales people, Give helpful information, and Present yourself as an expert in your area of business, And let your customers know how and why your products are superior.longer. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Video helps people get to know you, trust you, and like you. Once they know you, you need to stay in front of them. *People buy emotionally. With video, you can Train your sales people, Give helpful information, and Present yourself as an expert in your area of business, And let your customers know how and why your products are superior.

Hollywood films cost alot of money because it takes a lot of work and people to make a picture look good.    A good script is one of the first steps and a good script writer is worth every penny.  Unfortunately, this is the one of the main places that people often try to save money.  They think that, since they can write an email, a script shouldn’t be too hard.

Next, you have to look at who will deliver this script.  Having an actor who is experienced and who will represent your brand well is very important.  There are times when it is appropriate to use someone from your company to give your company a face.  These videos are best done in an interview style.  An interview is great way to hide a person’s acting inexperienced on camera.

The next step is the camera.  To rent a good camera, the starting cost of this is hundreds of dollars  per day, and that doesn’t include an operator.  After that, there are lights, microphones and all of the other things that go into a video.  Each of these things takes crew to run.  Crew and talent both charge by either the half day or the full day, not by the hour.  Then you have to think about where you are going to record your video, on a location or in the studio.  Once your video is completed, the next step is the editing process.  One minute of video, takes one minute to load into the computer.  Every video is different in how long it will take to edit.  It depends on how many cameras you used for the shoot.  Something questions to ask that will increase the cost of your video: Does the audio need to sync with the video?  How many titles or graphics will I need?

If your text or graphics need to be animated, that will also take extra time.  Once that is all determined and taken care of,  the audio will need to be leveled  and the video color corrected.  Finally, the video has to be exported to the format required to be delivered to the client.

Orange County Soccer Leagues chief game maker, Tony Everrett, says that when he played soccer as a child in England he would show up at the field and play. The only parent involvement was when his mother would show up to call him in for dinner.  Today life can be a bit more challenging for both the kids and the parents, especially for high risk kids living in foster homes or in inner city areas.  The Pure Game is for everyone, but its heart is really to touch those who need hope the most. Life lessons are being taught while the kids are having fun just being kids. Getting to see these kids play and have fun in a carefree environment is fantastic!

Using 6 week soccer leagues- where after 5 minute games, the teams are switched up so that all of the kids get a chance to interact with each other- combined with a proven curriculum called S.T.A.R. (Stop Think Act Review), The Pure Game teaches kids of all skill levels and backgrounds to have fun while learning to overcome limitations and excel in life.  To learn more about how you can become involved with The Pure Game, visit their website: thepuregame.com.

For this specific class, we are going to use [amazon_link id="B002HOPUPC" target="_blank" ]the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black)[/amazon_link] or the [amazon_link id="B003VTZE4Y" target="_blank" ]Kodak PlayTouch Video Camera (Black)[/amazon_link] these are not the best cameras out there, but for around $100 it creates a great picture. More important than good video is good audio and for this we recommend [amazon_link id="B002HJ9PTO" target="_blank" ] the Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone[/amazon_link] You will also need to have a Windows laptop. Your laptop must be running Windows Vista or better. Attendees will learn how to plan their video shoot, record it, edit it, and how to upload it to YouTube. Each attendee will leave the workshop with a completed business video.  Contact us for the date of our next work shop.  For more details or to enroll visit http://millerfarmmedia.eventbrite.com/

Our video workshop will include the following:

• One 8 hour workshop (lunch not included in the price)
• Participants will learn basic video creation, recording, and editing skills to create short videos for use on their business’ website.
• Each participant will then shoot his/her own video
• Each participant will edit his/her own video
• Each participant will upload his/her own video
• Seminar will use Kodak Zi8 or Kodak PlayTouch to record video a wired lav mic for audio and a tripod.  Attendees may supply their own Kodak Zi8 camera and other equipment or borrow one from Miller Farm Media.
• Workshop is built around the Kodak Zi8 not because it is the best camera but because it is a good starting point this is the only camera we will be using for the workshop.
• Workshop participants must supply their own Windows laptop, using Windows Live Movie Maker; which is a free download from Microsoft.  If you are a Mac user, please contact us for the date of our next Mac seminar

Each attendee must be full a time employee of  the business they represent and must present proof that you are connected with the company you claim to represent and be over the age of 18.

You don’t need to find millions of people to watch your video.  You just need your target audience, and if you can make videos with great content and show the right people, you don’t need a viral video.  What you need is a social video.  Something that is targeted to the viewers that you want to see your video.

The first thing to think about is keep it simple and keep it short.  You need a compelling message that will help the viewer take buying action.  This task can seem daunting, but we are here to help. Contact us and we can show you ideas that will work for any budget.