Jennifer Aniston Biography

The Video Editor had the opportunity to videotape an interview for A & E Network television for Markmark Productions in New York for an upcoming Biography on Jennifer Aniston.

We shot in Hi-Definition with Q & A direct from New York City via Newport Beach. Isn't technology great. We shot location photos got approval and conducted Q & A via cell phone speakerphone. Look for this episode in December or early 2011.

Repurposing older videos

Recently The Video Editor had the opportunity to work with a Power Generating Company with multiple plants throughout California. AES Southland needed their safety video updated with newer images/video and to make the narration also available in Spanish. The Video Editor went on-location to several plants and picked up shots of newer equipment and videotaped the company president giving a welcoming message. These new shots replaced older outdated video. Creative video editing and new graphics also gave this tired video new life. We re-voiced the video with English and Spanish narration.

So with very little money and time The Video Editor was able to gave that safety video a much needed face-lift. Sometimes video production is really just a simple update. What about your older media assets that you paid dearly for a few years ago, could they use a few cosmetic updates?

Simple Low cost changes can give years of new life to those safety, training and marketing videos.

Why video on the web must be SHORT.

As a people we have been programmed to watch television and the cost of admission to the entertainment or news program was commercials. Advertisers know that they only have seconds to grab your attention and inform, educate, entertain and give a call to action message. We have come to tolerated 30 seconds and expect all our interruptions to be that short or less. You are the new advertiser: we are expecting (inviting) our viewers to watch our video among other things so we need to be respectful of their time or they are going elsewhere in a heartbeat.

During my time with major U.S. networks we learned that the viewer is the boss - and the boss wants to know what's in it for them, they want us to get to the point and to be quick about it.

See my homepage video as an example.

http://www.thevideoeditor.com/

I can't tell you the number of people that have echoed my exact sentiments about marketing and being respectful of viewers time and attention.

Keep your videos short and sweet and leave the viewer wanting more.

Get To Know The Video Editor

Don't know much about us? Get to know The Video Editor and what services we provide. The Video Editor is an award-winning video production, video editing, videotape transfer, and CD & DVD duplication company. We can help you tell your story through video. Our experienced staff uses the latest in digital broadcasting quality video and promise timely and high-quality. Whether we are taping a five minute sales or marketing video, or a one hour complete training tape, our crew has done it all and we will deliver the best results.

Here are just a few examples of the corporate video communication solutions we offer:
Corporate Video. Every company needs a corporate overview DVD. It communicates effectively who you are, your purpose in business and your competitive advantage. Give a company tour; tell your history, show the audience why you are a forward thinking company.

Training Videos. Your company can reduce effort and expense of employee orientation and training by using video to do the job. Not only does video perform the task perfectly, everytime, it's available 24/7 on your secure website.

Live Events. Attract attention and traffic to your trade show booth with a company or product promotional video playing on a big screen monitor. Corporate Meetings or seminars, we video tape the event for multiple uses later.

Advertising. We produce commercials that cut through the clutter. We work with you to create professional advertising pieces from 15 seconds to full 30 minutes infomercials. We also produce short welcoming messages or product overviews that are available for viewing on your website.

Sales Presentations. We can create video that can be integrated into PowerPoint presentations, CD's or DVD's and even placed on your website that can raise the bar and electrify the crowd.

Non Profits. We have worked with a variety of charities to produce low budget emotional appeal videos that are designed to enlist volunteers, solicit donations and challenge the viewer to get involved.

Public Relations Video. If you need to promote a campaign, convey a concept, build a brand, or media train a client we have your solution. We have produced Video News Releases and have experience training management how to speak to media.

We produce videos that support your need and we look forward to helping you with your next video project.

The Typical Production Process

Today is it possible to shoot a high quality video at nearly half the price you would pay just 10 years ago. This allows clients to get more bang for their buck! While each video production is significantly different, the following guidelines are the basic production steps in creating a successful project with The Video Editor. Call us concerning your particular project; we will set up a meeting and carefully construct a solution that fits your exact needs and expectations. Until then, take a look at the typical production steps of the video creating process.

1. Client consultation, we discuss intended audience and how to best convey the message points. You or we will begin writing the script.

2. Pre-production planning. This is one of the most important steps in the production process. The shooting schedule is planned; we discuss how the shoot day will happen and when. This pre-planning is where potential pitfalls are averted. Proper planning is were we save customers times and money.

3. Production day-we efficiently shoot all the elements of the production.

4. Post production begins. First we edit a rough cut of the production to show the client how the video is coming together. After approval is given we proceed to the final edit where we polish the project up with the addition of music, titles and other special effects if necessary.

5. We deliver you the final product in the format of your choice. DVD, CD, Web, videotapes or other formats, you name it! Typical completion cycle takes from 14-30 days.


Contact The Video Editor today to get started on your next video project.

Off the Charts!

Youtube has recently announced their addition of the Youtube Chart feature to rank and organize top videos. This feature was designed to keep viewers updated on the trending videos of the day as well as surface "interesting and timely content" from the site. The video are listed several different ways; you can choose from the top 100 viewed videos, most liked videos, or most subscribed videos of that day. This list of around 900 videos will keep you up to date on which videos you should be watching and how they stack up with the competition. Youtube is also looking for suggestions from viewers on what other categories they would like to see on their charts. The most subscribed comedy channel this week or the most liked music video today? You decide. Take a look at The Video Editor's Youtube Channel and subscribe and help us climb those rankings!



Resources:
19 August 2010. O'Dell, Jolie. http://mashable.com/2010/08/19/youtube-charts/

Video Planning

Planning for a video is the best investment of your time you can make. If you are appointed to produce a video, ask questions! Ask management, what do they want from a video? Some may want the video to accomplish a specific goal and others may want to accomplish something on a totally different side of the spectrum. Form a consensus of opinion and stick with one objective. Trying to achieve several goals from one video will end up not achieving any clear goal or message.

Next consider what is the best way visually to achieve your objective. What do you want to show, or more importantly what does your customer, client, or viewer want to see? What's in it for them? Answer that question as you design the video and you'll have an effective structure to build on.

I am a big fan of comparing other videos and competitor brochures to see how they approached presenting their video. I might find myself integrating an idea or two from several others. Remember it's all about the client and what they want, so tailor the video towards them.

Actors or Real People?

Bottom line when you are looking to create a corporate video, you are investing in a video that you want to work. The best location, camera work, lighting, and scripting can all be lost if an amateur is not believable or has some funny mannerisms that distract the audience from the message you are trying to convey. The audience will either be quietly chuckling to themselves or already thinking about something else causing you to lose the sales opportunity. Real people will work successfully in a video if they are company management or workers explaining their job or talking to other employees but a video to be watched by customers has the goal of effectively communicating and often real people cannot deliver. Remember, your customers are used to watching television and they will rate their video by that standard.

Using real people can be useful as background actors or as people that might only have one line to say but professionals can deliver a smooth and believable presentation. They deliver the message without "getting in the way". They work quicker, having already memorized their lines, or they use a teleprompter or ear prompter. If the scripts changes on location a professional will be able to adapt quickly. In short, the investment in actors pays high dividends in a believable video with a faster production time.

The Three Types of Online Videos and Their Uses:Educational Video

The last type of online video is educational video. Unlike the previous types this video doesn't have to be focused as tightly on a specific goal to be successful. These videos don't usually appear on your homepage but instead are placed beyond the landing page for those viewers looking for more information. Educational video exists to educate but can also establish trust in your company brand and a sense of leadership. When users begin to go deeper into everything your site has to offer, educational video can give the information they are searching for while differentiating you from competing businesses.

Educational video can also act as a helper to your customer service team. The visitors can use to these videos to learn everything they need to know about your product or company and will mostly likely come back to you when they are ready to purchase. Using videos as part of your online support can help answer the frequently asked questions your customers might have in a format they are comfortable with. These videos can make a difficult process easy for your viewers by showing a step by step process and at the same time can build a relationship between your site and you visitors.

Unlike the other types of videos, educational videos guidelines for duration and content are pretty lax. It is harder to measure the success of these videos because it will not be based on the number of views like a viral or conversion video. The more important metrics to pay attention to are how many chapters of the video were viewed and how many time does the average viewer watch the video.

Here is an example of an educational video posted on the help section of the Twitter's website. It shows customers how to use the new Tweet button on their websites. Check it out.




References: Sevitt, Daniel "Online Video for Business" ReelSEO. http://www.reelseo.com/types-online-video-business.

The Three Types of Online Videos and Their Uses:Conversion Video

A safer and more easily managed type of video for business owners is conversion video. Usually placed on the homepage, these videos are created to reach a specific goal business owners have. They are used to engage users so they will spend more time on the business homepage and eventually make more money for the company. A good conversion video clearly works towards driving viewers towards a specific goal such as downloading a certain file or buying a product. These videos contains a call of action that is inline with the goal so there is a clear path the user can follow.

Once an effective conversion video has been produced you must make sure there is a big enough audience to promote your video. Conversion video on your homepage should be easily visible and accessible especially if it is a integral part of the conversion strategy on your website. Often times business owners put the video on auto-play and start it automatically when users reach their website to grab their attention the first moment they can. Strategies depend on the individual but when the percentage of conversions rises after placing a video on your homepage, it can have a very positive impact on your revenue and success.

References: Sevitt, Daniel "Online Video for Business" ReelSEO. http://www.reelseo.com/types-online-video-business.