Archive for December, 2013

Shooting Good Home Video

Monday, December 23rd, 2013

You might think that as a professional videographer I wouldn’t be all that interested in taking home video in my off hours. I have discovered, however, that as a new mother, I’m as prone as anyone to taking endless footage of my baby girl. I’ve learned that while quality is one of my most important considerations when working professionally, friends and family are just as entranced by a quick shot taken off my cell phone camera. This is a very good thing. My little one does not like the large professional camera, but I can often sneak in some videotaping from my cell phone without her noticing. Whatever inspires you to take your own video at home, here are some things to think about so you get the result you’re looking for.

How are you going to use your video? Are you going to post it to Facebook, or watch it from your phone? Cell phone quality is just fine for this and picture orientation (vertical vs. horizontal) doesn’t matter very much for those platforms. If you’re going to watch it through a larger screen, like a TV, you may want to orient your camera so it’s shooting the picture horizontally, the way video is designed to be viewed on a TV screen. If it’s something you’re going to give as a gift or share at a live event like an anniversary party, you may want to shoot it with a video camera (rather than a cell phone) for a higher quality image. (more…)

Are You Getting What You Paid For?

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

You just might be. Every professional walks the line between finding a price the client can reasonably afford, and charging a fee that reflects our experiences and expenses.We are not the cheapest video production company out there, but that might not be such a bad thing.

The lowest bid isn’t necessarily going to get you what you hoped for in terms of quality and experience. Based on true stories related to me by customers who hired us after deciding their original choice wouldn’t suit, I can promise that when you work with Capture Video, you will not have any of the following experiences.

When you contract Capture Video to produce a video for your gala anniversary event, you will not receive a video that is grainy and badly edited.  The sound track will not feature a loud hum as background throughout.

Capture Video will not arrive at your site an hour late. We will then not proceed to fall asleep while recording your training. We will not sleep so deeply that the trainer can reorient the camera to record the camera operator asleep rather than the training at hand.

Capture Video crews will not arrive at your site intoxicated or under the influence of substances stronger than high octane coffee. We will also not arrive at your professional training location dressed for a day at the beach or in something even less appropriate to your location.

These examples are pretty funny when you read them online. They were significantly less amusing when they interfered with production, budgeting, and important deadlines, which is why the clients referenced above have subsequently become Capture Video clients.

When choosing your videographer, or any professional, be certain that you have considered things like professionalism, quality equipment, and years of experience, along with price. While it is always possible that the lowest bidder will be a prodigy with exceptional talent, just not a lot of experience yet, that probably isn’t what you’ll get. Capture Video brings a professional experience to every video production.

Construction Videos

Thursday, December 5th, 2013

Experience makes the difference for construction videos.

One of the many kinds of videos that we here at Capture Video create is owner training videos. When a new building goes up, the government and other clients often require that the construction company document everything that the future maintenance staff will need to know about the mechanical and electrical equipment behind the scenes. This includes things like HVAC, fans, pumps, and lighting controls. We’ve worked with companies such as J.E. Richards, Johnson Controls, Pierce Associates, Siemens Industries, Clark Construction, and Truland Systems.  We’ve worked onsite at some of the area’s biggest construction jobs including BRAC, NCE, Constitution Center, National Air and Space Museum, and INOVA Fairfax Hospital, to name a few.

Capture Video brings some really critical advantages to a construction video. Both our people and our equipment can meet government requirements for secure sites. We have things like wired microphones so that none of the audio will be transmitted wirelessly. All of our crew has the correct documentation for working in the US, and specifically to work on secure sites; everyone is willing to sign the appropriate paperwork for background checks and any other requirements that may be necessary for a secure site. Here in the Northern Virginia/DC area, this can be a very important consideration. The crew also brings their own PPE (personal protective equipment) and is generally experienced in behavior and safety for a construction site.

Capture Video also brings years of experience specifically on construction videos. While they aren’t certified experts, they have a very good understanding of how each piece of equipment works. This allows them to focus the recording on the most critical aspects of each piece of equipment to insure clarity for the eventual audience of the training video. Capture Video is also experienced in reading the spec documents and can help insure that all the site specific criteria are met, acting as the on-site director when necessary. If the spec requires that all instructors repeat all questions, or that the instructor narrating state their name and the company name before each segment, the crew will make sure those critical details are included. If the spec requires that each training be no longer than 15 minutes, the professionals at Capture Video will help you determine how to break that 4 hour long process into reasonable 15 minute segments.

Great audio and excellent production values aren’t very helpful when the video doesn’t show the correct details and doesn’t meet the owner specifications. Capture Video has the experience to help you get it done correctly the first time.