Investing in a Video - Marketing Trends with Brian Hunt (Expert Series)

Marketing trends for video are only looking up! People are no longer strictly using Google to research information, some are going straight to YouTube. Studies show that video is the media of choice and will continue to be the way people prefer to consume information online (more to come in episode: "What Consumers Prefer").

Marketing Trends

What Consumers Prefer

Advertising on Facebook

Lifespan

Boost you SEO

Get the Most out of your Production

Next Steps: Talking to a Production Company

About the Expert

Working in the world of video and film for the past 12 years, Brian Hunt got his feet wet shooting action sports films in his early 20’s. He quickly matured into a sought after Director and DOP. His understanding of storytelling at the post production level is a major influence in his shooting. Brian’s technical and creative expertise make him a valuable resource in today’s media landscape. Brian Hunt is a personal mentor of mine since the beginning so it is fitting to have him as my first guest in this series. 

Investing in a Video - What Consumers Prefer with Brian Hunt (Expert Series)

Ever notice that when you mention the word "video" in your email subject line that you have a higher open rate? Or that people spend a little more time on your website when there is a video to watch? It's no mystery that consumers prefer video and "see it" as a better use of their time - no pun intended!

Marketing Trends

What Consumers Prefer

Advertising on Facebook

Lifespan

Boost you SEO

Get the Most out of your Production

Next Steps: Talking to a Production Company

About the Expert

Working in the world of video and film for the past 12 years, Brian Hunt got his feet wet shooting action sports films in his early 20’s. He quickly matured into a sought after Director and DOP. His understanding of storytelling at the post production level is a major influence in his shooting. Brian’s technical and creative expertise make him a valuable resource in today’s media landscape. Brian Hunt is a personal mentor of mine since the beginning so it is fitting to have him as my first guest in this series. 

Your Business Benefits from a Video | #1 Doing a Video Makes You More Approachable

If you are the face of the business then video is a way to introduce yourself to future customers. Chances are, you're in a type of business where it is really important that you engage with your customers and have a degree of openness with them. Well, this is a great way for people to see you and get a sense of your personality. It also helps a person gain a sense of trust in you and the products you sell if they can see you and create a ‘virtual’ connection. You’ll be able to connect more effectively with your potential customer by explaining what your business can do for them and why they should choose you over other competing businesses. Watching you on video will make you seem like a real person and that instantly makes you more approachable.

4 Reason Why

#1 Doing a video makes you more approachable

#2 Your business thrives off of word-of-mouth

#3 Work smarter not harder

#4 Grow your business in the right way

TIP #12 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - THE LAST QUESTION

At the end of going through all of our questions it's good to ask the talent if there is anything else they’d like to add. Was there anything we missed? The talent’s answers feel much more natural because they are speaking from the heart. It also gives them the opportunity to say anything that’s been burning on their chest. Usually the talent takes this opportunity to say something here.

Tip: Don't be in a rush to stop rolling once you are finished going through your questions. Sometimes the talent adds a great sound bite at the end that you won't want to miss. 

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #11 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - CONCISE IS KEY

We are usually looking for short, concise answers. When time allows, we’ll go through the questions at least twice. The first time we let the talent go nuts with the answers, even if it is a bit on the longer side. This way they also feel like they've had the opportunity to say everything on their chest and we didn’t rush them. For the second round, we'll ask them the same question but get them to give a concise answer. For instance, “What would your answer be if you had to say it in 20 seconds?”. 

Tip: Going through the questions twice also gives the editor options during the edit and can even cut from both answers.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #10 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - USING A HOST

On a skeleton crew the DOP might direct the interview. Other times there will be someone else asking the questions off-camera. Another option is having a host guide the interview. With the host it creates a different feel to the show - more of a conversation between 2 people.

Tip: Frame your shots over the shoulder of the host so there is still a reference to them even though the camera is focusing on the talent.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #9 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

Either you will edit the project or you’ll pass the footage on to someone else to cut it. If you have the luxury of having your editor on location during the interview then they can begin to have a sense of how they will want to cut it. They will hear all of the best takes as well which will speed up the time in the editing room as they make mental notes. 

Tip: Your editor can act as DMT on set and make sure all the footage is organized and backed up.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #8 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

If possible, have at least 2 cameras rolling with different framing during the interview so you are able to cut to the other camera in the edit. You don't need to go crazy with having different framing. You can simply set 2 cameras on top of each other - one capturing a wide shot and the other framed tighter.

Tip: If you only have 1 camera then you can go through the questions twice and adjust the framing accordingly during the second round of the questions.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #7 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - CLEAR THE ROOM

It is a good practice to clear the room of any unessential personnel during the interview. There is nothing more distracting for the talent than to have people moving and making noise in the background while they are speaking on camera. If certain crew are needed to be in the room then you should introduce each of them to the talent and briefly mention their role during the interview. Your talent will feel more comfortable and understand why they need to be there.

Tip: If non-essential personnel insist on seeing the interview while it is being recorded then consider setting up a client monitor in another room for them to watch from there. 

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #6 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - ATTACHING THE MIC

Put the mic on the talent after you've made all the camera/lighting adjustments and are ready to shoot. Most times it feels like a long time for the talent to be waiting while you make those adjustments. So when I say “lets put the mic on” it’s a sign that the interview is finally ready to begin. Most people know how to put on a mic themselves so you can let them do 90% of the work. You’ll need just jump in and place the mic where you want it. I’ll give them the cable unattached from the pack so they have the choice to either feed the cord up or down their shirt. If the talent is female then you might want to have one of your female assistants help with placing the mic.

Tip: If the talent is going to face one way predominately during the interview then i’ll put the mic on that side of their clothes. 

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #5 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

If the client is on set make sure to get their approval of the framing before you begin the interview. This is one of those opportunities to allow them to chime in creative input which makes them feel like their opinion matters. 

Tip: Go a step further and set up a client monitor so they can see the interview while it is being shot and if anything needs to be re-done you can make it happen right there and then.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #4 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

Adjust the the camera lens to be at the same height as the talent’s eye. More importantly make sure whoever is asking the questions off-camera is on the same level as the camera lens. It looks strange when the talent is looking above or below the eye line. Whoever is asking the questions needs to adjust their height to be at the same level as the lens. 

Tip: Its uncomfortable to crouch for a long interview while asking the questions so find a chair and adjust your height before you start.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #3 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

It’s important to keep your talent feeling relaxed and fresh for their interview. If you need to do camera and lighting tests then use someone else for that part, if possible. You can do 90% of the adjustments with a "stand in". Don’t call your talent to sit in until you are almost ready to shoot. 

Tip: Use someone that is close to the same height as your talent.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

TIP #2 FOR FILMING INTERVIEWS - SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

Most times we’re not interviewing professional actors. We’re interviewing experts in their particular field - most of which do not have on-camera experience. It's best not to give them the questions ahead of time because they will try and memorize their answers word for word. I'd much rather answers that are not premeditated answers, so that the subject will appear relaxed and natural on camera. 

Tip: It’s appropriate to give them an idea of the questions you’ll be asking, but not your list.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

Tip #1 for Filming Interviews - DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

Do the interview at the beginning of the shoot, when the talent is most fresh. Chances are you’ll also need to get other shots with them like B-roll but it's good to get the interview out of the way first. The interview is usually somewhat stressful for him or her and demands the most focus. Also the talent looks the best and their thoughts are most organized at the beginning of the filming session, so shoot the interview first. 

Tip: Shooting B-roll can almost feel like a reward after the interview.

#1 DO THE INTERVIEW FIRST

#2 SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW

#3 PRESERVE YOUR TALENT

#4 NAIL YOUR EYE LEVEL

#5 GET THE CLIENT’S APPROVAL

#6 ATTACHING THE MIC

#7 CLEAR THE ROOM

#8 MULTI-CAMERA SETUP

#9 HAVE YOUR EDITOR HANDY

#10 USING A HOST

#11 CONCISE IS KEY

#12 THE LAST QUESTION

Show Don't Tell - Essential Elements for your Promotional Video

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

Customer testimonials are one of the most powerful trust signals you can use in your videos. When approaching customers to be in the video, make sure you're upfront with the amount of time it's going to take out of their day. It's better to under promise and over deliver, so if it's going to take an 1/2 hour then tell them it will take 1 hour. Testimonials always take a little longer than expected because of the factors involved with video (ie. mic check, lighting adjustments, etc).

Tips: Give your talent/customer a gift card or bottle of wine after to show your appreciation of their time and helping you with your video project.

Avoid making a commercial

People are expecting your promotional video to just be another commercial. Be different in your approach and provide professional advice and/or tips instead.  

Tip: Share helpful information and you will position yourself as being an authority in the industry because of your thought leadership.

SET UP YOUR INTERVIEWS

If you can shoot the interview on the location of the business and have an interesting background then it will help with storytelling.

Tip: Shoot the interview before or after business operating hours so it isn't noisy or busy. 

CONSISTENT BRANDING

If the company already has other promotional material produced (ie. brochure, website, etc) then its a good idea to consider using the same font type and colour scheme in the video to be consistent across the board. 

Tip: A simple animation to the company logo in the video will go a long way.

Include a CALL TO ACTION

Guide the viewer on how to respond after watching the video. Keep the call to action message simple and you will have a higher likelihood of response. For example, "Contact us now to arrange a free consultation!".

Tip: leverage annotations on YouTube by adding a clickable link to appear on the video.

Preempt your viewers questions

If you have already identified the main misconceptions your customers have when deciding to purchase your product or service then create a video preempting those issues.

Hot Tub Company Example

Customer Misconception: 1. it's expensive, 2. it will tear up my back yard, 3. my wife will say NO.

Make your video about: 1. promoting your payment plans, 2. your company takes care of the installation and clean up, 3. health tips for women to use hot tubs. 

Sound is just as critical as picture

When speaking on camera make sure you are using a lapel or boom to capture good audio. Consider including professional voice over (V/O) can make the difference of your video standing above the rest. Consider using V/O in the introduction of video and for giving the call to action at the end. The audio is so clean and professional it really will draw your viewer in to the video and also leave them with a clear message when you finish.

Tip: Online services like VOX offer voice overs for as little as $200.

LESS IS truly MORE

Don't try and pack too much in to the video. According to Visible Measures, 45% of viewers will stop watching after 1 minute and 60% by 2 minutes.

Tip: If you can effectively accomplish your message in less time then do it. 

Starting your own video production company - set yourself up for success in 6 steps

Brian Hunt & Marc Landry, Collingwood

1 DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB

Like any new business, it will take time before your production company becomes profitable. Realistically, you might need to develop your business on the side while having a regular job with a paycheque. As you get busier with PAID video work you can throttle back on your other job. 

Tip: It can easily take 2 years to get your business off the ground.

2 FREELANCE FOR OTHER COMPANIES

Freelancing gives you real-life experience working with clients with less risk to yourself. It's generally easier too since you just need to show up at a particular time to shoot. There are lots of emails and phone calls that happen during pre and post production which you won't have to deal with. 

Tip: Taking low or no pay jobs at the start is OK assuming you are getting rich in experience.

Shooting BTS, Toronto

3 PLAN FOR THE FAMINE

In this industry there are times when you will have an overflow of work and other times there is none. Being able to survive through the feast or famine is critical. As you get more seasoned, you'll begin to anticipate these seasons and stay busy investing in your business in other ways during the shoulder seasons. Build your social media, write blog posts, work on a passion project, take a crash course on business, travel, etc. 

Tip: For many video production companies in Canada, Spring/Fall/Winter are OK months but the busiest will be in the Summer.

4 YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY

You will need to purchase equipment to get started obviously (ie. camera, lenses, computer, etc).  But more than just equipment, invest in yourself as a business skills by attending marketing events or trade shows. Business skills are intangible assets which are hard to quantify at first but ultimately will help you get more work in the long run.

Tip: Hire a business coach on a bi-weekly basis to help you think big.

5 Be Helpful

Maintaining a good reputation in the industry is paramount. It only takes one bad experience and that news will travel around quickly. However, if you are known as being a helpful company people will call you again. 

Tip: Be brave and ask your clients at the end of the project to provide feedback on working with you. 

6 STAY CUTTING EDGE

Volunteer on larger scale productions to see what the pros are doing. By placing yourself in these situations you'll also shoulders with industry professionals and get to play with equipment you normally wouldn't have access to.

Tip: Watch online tutorials like Lynda.com to learn new shooting and editing techniques.

Planning For a Promotional Video - 7 Steps From Start to Finish

Video marketing is, arguably, the most effective form of online mass communication that you can do. It may or may not come as a shock to you, but all businesses, small and large, need to start using video – consumers demand it! 

1 Meet your production company

Start off strong and take the time to establish a relationship with the person producing your video. You're going to spend significant time together for the next while over email, phone calls, and shooting days, so you might as well start this relationship off on a good note. If it isn't possible to meet face-to-face during the pre-production stage, then plan to meet over video chat.

Tip: this is also an opportunity to learn if you even want to proceed with working with this particular company and, in all fairness, they are wondering the same about you. 

“Using the word “Video” in an email subject line boosts open rates 19%, click-through rates by 65% and reduces unsubscribes by 26%.”

— Marketing Tech Blog

2 Use a reference video

When you approach a production company, inevitably the question of "What type of video do you want?" is going to come up. It's helpful to have a reference video on hand to show them. A picture says a thousand words and also goes beyond language barriers (terminology professionals use in the production industry can feel like a foreign language sometimes). From that reference video they will be able to give you some feedback right away and tell you what is possible and what isn't on their end. This is also an excellent opportunity for the company to bow out if they realize they aren't confident producing material at the level you require. However, they might also be able to tell you the approximate cost for a producing a video at that level, which might force you to ground your expectations. 

Tip: If you're not sure where to start, see what your competition is doing for video.

3 Ask the right questions

The most popular question always seems to circulate around cost but it shouldn't be what you lead with. First you want to make sure the production company is even capable of delivering up to your expectations: creative quality, turn around deadline, etc. Also, if you're asking the production company for creative ideas upfront it's common for them not to disclose their brilliant ideas until a deposit has been collected. That is simply to protect them from having their ideas taken to another company to produce the video.

Tip: Fast, Good or Cheap. You can only pick 2. http://www.sixside.com/fast_good_cheap.asp

4 Contingency planing a.k.a. set a rain date

If part of your production requires shooting outdoors you're going to want to set a rain date. If the shoot can reasonably fit indoors, and you can obtain a reservation for a back-up indoor location, that might be your best solution. 

Tip: Most production companies need at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule.

5 Shooting at your workplace

Usually, it's a good idea to shoot at your workplace for a couple of reasons. First, it cuts out location costs (ie. studio fees) and more importantly, it helps with the storytelling of the video.

Tip: If you're not sure if your workplace will work, then plan for a location scout. They will be able to tell if the space is suitable for setting up equipment, surrounding noise (ie. loud AC unit), power accessibility, lighting, etc. 

6 Keep your edit changes simple

Sometimes an editor will show you a rough draft giving you an opportunity to make any necessary changes before the final version. Usually, simple changes are possible without incurring additional costs. For instance, perhaps you would rather a different shot be used in the video and you know they already have it shot, then ask if it's possible to use it instead. Whenever possible, any special requests you have for the final piece should be brought up in the pre-production stage. 

Tip: If changes are necessary make sure you mention all of them in 1 note, which is simple and easy to understand.

7 Getting your video out there

Marketing distribution is a crucial step but probably the most over looked. Usually, when you finish production you've exhausted your budget. Research and plan ahead so you can promote your video on the appropriate channels when it is is complete.

Tip: Facebook ads are one of the best ways to market your video to a targeted audience.

Rethinking Your Time As A Entrepreneur - 3 Things You Need To Know

Entrepreneurs don't have to feel alone

As an entrepreneur you know there aren’t many books written to fit your exact situation - it can feel like you're alone on a long journey. We need mentors to speak into our lives - others who are a bit further ahead than us. I have a film mentor Brian Hunt, a whole life coach Mark Anderson, and other entrepreneurs pouring into my life. After having a conversation with a friend and Chief Experience Designer at GenesisXD I decided I needed to change the way I spent my time. Philip Yan suggested I split my time into 3 equal categories: shoot, edit and manage social media. I snuck the espresso part in myself. And if you're not in video production, insert your own practice in place of shooting and editing.

Embrace change

Maybe splitting your day into 3 equal parts is not realistic. Most of us shoot on location all day and other days we have nothing going on. Or maybe it's more like we have on/off seasons. That’s what life is like being self-employed - it's feast or famine. However, you can look at your day/week/month and plan to spend equal time shooting, editing, and managing online presence. Get out of your comfort zone and try changing the ways you've always done things. Don't worry, you're not committing to 'forever'.

A balanced approach

If you're like me you tend to be unbalanced and spend too much time in one area. For instance, if you spend most of your time shooting then you are going to have a backlog of editing to do. Or maybe you spend too much time in front of a computer screen and need to get out there and shoot. Either extreme is not healthy and is going to hurt your business in the long run because you'll fall behind in the other important areas.

Shoot - edit - manage social media

Remember, this variety is what attracted you to the job in the first place! Getting to shoot on location in a factory one day is interesting. If you had to shoot in a factory everyday then you might be looking to change careers. Chances are that's not the case and you'll be shooting somewhere different the next day. Other days you might be sitting in front of the computer editing videos to share with your network. If you had to sit in front of a computer and edit for 8 hours a day everyday then you might not be excited either. Same goes for managing your social media though. You might be excellent at video production but if you aren't communicating that to the world through social media then I'd argue there is lost potential. Learning how to share with your followers what you're doing will only remind them of your services when they think of video. Entrepreneurs thrive off the variety and that's why we get excited about what we do.

In my opinion, being a entrepreneur in a creative field is really the best job in the world. The problem is when we have an imbalance. As a freelancer in video production you need to have discipline to manage your time between shooting, editing and managing your social media because no one else is going to do it for you. 

Have suggestions for future topics? Let me know.