Capture Video Blog

Getting the Most Out of Your Video Production

When given the opportunity, I try to advise my clients on tricks for maximizing their budget. Often, I get hired to do one thing and there’s no wiggle room about that one thing. However, when a client comes to me and asks about producing a video that we have time to plan out, I can sometimes find ways for them to use that video in multiple ways. As always, it is best to be able to plan for that in advance.

Here’s an example of what I mean. Anne Loehr is a business coach out of Reston, VA. You can learn more about her at www.AnneLoehr.com. She hired me to videotape her giving an approximately 1 minute speech about current business trends related to her clientele.
Here’s the video:

Anne had this to say about working with us:
“Capture Video not only produced some fantastic web videos for me, Jessica offered a lot of guidance on ways to maximize the video production. We spent about an hour shooting, but I ended up with 15 different video clips from that one session. Not only was this efficient, but it’s been great for driving traffic to my website and expanding my social media presence. And, of course, I love the videos.”

Since we set up lights and got out some cameras, and had time to spare, we decided to shoot multiple “speeches” in which she explained different facets of her business. In total, that 1 half day shoot yielded 15 separate videos.

More isn’t always better, however, producing 15 videos gives Anne more opportunities to promote her business.

Here are some of those advantages:
1. Anne now has a reason to send 15 different emails, whether in newsletter format or in direct email. Each of those videos is an excuse to say – have you seen our latest video?
2. Anne now has 15 different videos to post to her website, each one increasing SEO. If done properly, videos posted to your website increase the chance of people finding your site under search terms that you dictate. Each video is another opportunity to generate tags.
3. Anne now has 15 different videos to post to her YouTube channel. Youtube is the second largest search engine in the world, and 15 videos tagged the same way helps increase your chances of being found on YouTube much more than 1 video.
4. Even if people don’t watch all 15 videos, there are now 15 different videos that make Anne look like an expert. She is shown speaking confidently about her given field, 15 times over. That reinforces the idea that she knows what she’s talking about, more than if there was just one video.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: anne loehr, corporate video, reston, va, video production, video shoot, videos, web video, YouTube
No Comments »

Tapping Concrete Pressure Pipe Under Pressure

Yes, that’s a thing. At Capture Video, we spend a lot of time on construction sites and at manufacturing facilities. Towards the end of 2016, we completed our third video production for the Concrete Pressure Pipe Association called “Tapping Concrete Pipe Under Pressure.” I could spend a lot of time explaining what that means, or, to make things easier, I can show you. Ain’t video great?

I asked Richard Mueller, President and CEO of the American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association why he wanted to make this video. He said, “Concrete Pressure Pipe is a composite water pipe made of steel sheet, steel rods or wire, and concrete, so it is not immediately obvious how to connect to the pipe under pressure and not cause a serious leak or break. The members of the American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association, fittings fabricator JCM Industries, and valve supplier J&S Valve, Inc. decided to support a video that shows connecting to concrete pressure pipe is not difficult once you know the sequence.”

For those of us not in the pipe business, or distribution of large quantities of water around the country business, the translation is this – sometimes you need to tap, ie put a big hole in and connect a new section to, concrete pipe while it’s in use. Guess what? It’s not that hard so don’t worry about it! Rest assured, I did not write the script for this video!

Richard had this to add about working with Capture Video. “Our association has now completed three “info-videos” with Capture Video. Jessica at Capture Video has been helpful throughout the production process, she is great with the camera and computer, and delivers an excellent product at a reasonable price.”

I think, from now on, whenever any prospective clients ask why they should hire me, I will just say “I’m great with the camera and computer!” I’m liable to agree with that.

So, next time you need to produce a video about manufacturing, construction, or training on anything, call Jessica at Capture Video. I hear she’s great with a camera AND computer!

Tags: capture video, construction video, info video, manufacturing video, training video, video production
No Comments »

Award’s Video Production

Every year, since 2008, Capture Video has produced an award’s video for the Public Risk Management Association. PRIMA has an annual award called the PRIMY, and for their gala, we produce a video honoring the awardee and highlighting some of his or her strengths as a public risk manager.

This year’s video was shot in Broward County, Florida.

When creating a corporate video for an award’s gala, as always, the most important thing is to meet your client’s goals for their event video. I like to think that PRIMA continues to hire us each year because we have hopefully exceeded video production expectations year after year. In addition, however, I also try to make sure the award winner both enjoys the process of being made the subject of a mini documentary and enjoys watching and sharing the end product.

I have so far had the pleasure of being thanked in the award winner’s acceptance speech, in being thanked countless times for creating the video and even been told by one who shall remain anonymous that the video was more meaningful to him than the award itself. So, so far, keeping everyone happy seems to be going well.

Generally, making sure the men and woman who have been honored to receive the award and the association who gives out the award are all happy with the video simply means being professional and producing the best corporate video possible. Luckily, I have a lot of experience with professional behavior and corporate video production. Let’s just hope the job never calls for me to bake a cake, because then I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be hired back!

For more information on corporate video production – whether that’s a live event video, an award’s video, training video or marketing video – contact Capture Video today.

Tags: award's video, corporate video, dc, Event Video, fairfax, va, video production, virginia
No Comments »

Big Business: Manufacturing and Construction Videos

In addition to producing videos for marketing, training, and education, construction videos are another specialty of Capture Video. Some of our more memorable construction video projects include:

1. Fluor-Lane hired Capture Video to videotape the overnight construction of an overpass on I-495. The purpose of the shoot was to capture this infrequent construction process. We provided the footage to the client so they could edit it as desired for future marketing needs. My rough cut is below.

2. We produced a video for HITT Contracting documenting another unusual construction project: building a pedestrian tunnel (that would enable more extensive construction) inside INOVA Fairfax Hospital with minimal impact to the hospital staff and patients. The resulting time lapse video was shot over three nights with two cameras to capture the installation of the tunnel.

“It was a pleasure working with Jessica and her team. Capture Video was responsive to our project needs and provided a much needed level of expertise in every aspect of their work. We were happy with the experience and very pleased with the results.” -Chris Stotlar, Project Manager, HITT Contracting

Another example of our time lapse work is this video we produced for mechanical contractor W.E. Bowers. The video shows the construction and rooftop installation of a building condenser unit.

3. Our project for the American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association (ACPPA) was to produce a video showing the manufacturing process of and uses for concrete pressure pipes. For this production, I traveled to three locations, one in the US and two in Canada. This video educates municipal decision makers and stakeholders, serving as marketing for the association’s members.

Another video produced by Capture Video for ACPPA was created to educate viewers on the standards to which ACPPA members adhere and the quality assurance and audit process for manufacturing facilities.

Other construction videos undertaken by Capture Video provide documentation for insurance and risk management needs and owner training, in which the construction company provides instruction to the owners, building management, and facilities and maintenance staff on how to care for the new building and its mechanical and electrical equipment and systems; this also provides reference material for future staff transitions.

Capture Video brings years of experience in the production of construction videos (typically, training, production line, and pre-qualification videos) and has worked onsite at some of the DC area’s biggest construction projects. Our people and our equipment can meet government requirements for secure sites. And the Capture Video crew brings its own personal protective equipment and experience in behavior and safety for a construction site.

“Capture Video has done a wonderful job filming all of our mechanical training sessions since 2009. It is great to find a company who will always give us good quality work for a fair price. They understand the importance of the job specifications and adhere to them without any flaws. They come prepared to every shoot on time, with their PPE, and ready to work. I would recommend them for any type of construction video shoot that needs to be performed to include training, safety, or recording daily videos of your job progress.” –Tom Croce, Project Manager, Pierce Associates, Inc.

For information about how Capture Video can produce for your manufacturing or construction videos, contact us.

Read our next post to see the conclusion of our countdown of memorable corporate video projects.

Tags: construction video, corporate video, dc, time lapse, va, video production
No Comments »

Back to School: Educational and Training Videos

I’m continuing my list of memorable video projects today by highlighting the types of projects for which we are most frequently hired: educational and training videos.

1. During my first two years in business, I produced a series of youth education videos for the Jewish Institute for Youth and Family. The four videos are key elements to a program of workshops on Jewish values for teenagers, “Becoming a Mentsh”. You can view clips from the series on Mentsh.com.

2. The Superior Court of the District of Columbia hired Capture Video to produce an educational video to assist people who are interacting with the courts following intervention by the Child & Family Services Agency. The video helps teach people their rights, understand the process, and know what to expect as they work with the court and agency to create a safe and stable environment for their family.

“Jessica- I cannot thank you and the staff at Capture Video enough for doing such an amazing job on our video project. You were able to deliver exactly what we needed, when we needed it and within budget. During every stage of the production process – from conception to finalization, you were professional, knowledgeable, dependable, and solution-oriented, regardless of the obstacles we encountered. We are extremely proud and invariably delighted with the end results!” -Erayna Poles Grant, Family Court Division, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: corporate video, dc, educational video, fairfax, md, reston, training video, va, video production
No Comments »

In Good Company: Memorable Projects from 15 Years in Business

I have completed hundreds of professional video projects as the owner and producer of Capture Video, for clients near and far, representing a range of industries and professions – including trade associations and professional organizations, non-profits, schools and universities, media companies, marketing and advertising agencies, banks and financial institutions, municipalities and government agencies, and technology, construction, and engineering companies. Whether the goal was to engage, educate, or inspire employees, members, clients, prospects, donors, or volunteers, my team and I worked with each client to bring their story to life and capture the attention of their audience.

Looking back over the years, some of these projects stand out in my mind.

Since I started Capture Video, the marketing videos I’ve produced have always been among my favorites because they allow me to more fully flex my creativity.

1. Skybox, a satellite TV antenna for vehicles, developed by RaySat, was launched at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2005. Capture Video produced a promotional video highlighting RaySat’s technological innovations through interviews, graphics, and voiceovers.

We also created a video that made use of graphics to demonstrate the installation of Skybox.

2. We were hired by GTS Therapeutics to produce their Couples Massage video, an instructional video sold on Amazon.com. This excerpt shows how we skillfully edited and integrated footage of the instructors with graphics, music, and post-production effects to create a high-quality, professional product.

3. Cisco Systems engaged our services to produce a recruiting video to attract candidates for a highly specialized position on their Public Sector Advanced Services Team. Our work included interviewing members of this team to create a video that would generate buzz and enthusiasm among qualified jobseekers.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: capture video, corporate video, dc, md, va, video production, virginia
No Comments »

The Secret of My Success: 15 Ways Video Can Benefit Your Business

Why would your company use video?
To celebrate our 15 years in the business, here are 15 ways your organization can benefit from video production.

1. Market your company, and its products, services, and events to potential clients and partners.
2. Improve search engine rankings by including video on your website.
3. Communicate your mission and energize your current and future donors, volunteers, supporters, and employees.
4. Train your employees or volunteers.
5. Demonstrate how your product or service can help your prospective customers.
6. Tout your successes through client testimonials.
7. Educate your members through e-learning.
8. Create a presence on YouTube, the 2nd largest search engine.
9. Establish your expertise by creating a how-to video.
10. Upgrade your presentation with animation, music, and more and excite your audience.
11. Archive your accomplishments for posterity (and future marketing).
12. Document construction or property for insurance and risk management needs.
13. Honor your colleagues’ achievements.
14. Live stream or record your event – distance and timing are no problem!
15. Build brand and product awareness – use video on your website, in your email signature, on social media, at your tradeshow booth, sales presentations, live events, or in the lobby of your building.

With these and so many other possibilities, it seems like the better question is, why wouldn’t your company use video?

Capture Video is celebrating 15 years as a corporate video production company, serving Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland by helping businesses bring their stories to life. Contact Capture Video to get your project underway now.

Tags: capture video, corporate video, dc, Maryland, northern virginia, production company, video production
No Comments »

Now and Then: 5 Ways Video Technology Has Changed

When Capture Video launched 15 years ago, the work we produced for our clients was of the highest quality … at the time. Over the years, technological advances have transformed professional video production.

Now: HD
Then: SD

Today, we shoot our clients’ videos in High Definition (HD). While shooting a video in HD doesn’t change how it is made or how it can be used, the finished product is of higher quality: HD videos have a higher aspect ratio (typically, 16:9 compared to 4:3 for SD) and they support greater color depth (10 bit as opposed to 8 bit), resulting in a better viewing experience with images that are more true to life.

Now: DVDs, Blu-Rays, and Internet
Then: VHS tapes

When Capture Video first launched, many of our clients wanted their finished video delivered to them on VHS tapes, with multiple copies so they could send them by mail or courier to current or potential clients, colleagues, partners, or media. Occasionally, we would author CD-ROMs. Today, it is de rigueur that we deliver videos to our clients on DVDs or Blu-ray discs. We also deliver a lot of videos online – with no physical deliverable at all.

Now: YouTube
Then: Adam Films

Speaking of the Internet, you may not remember the website Adam Films, but it was, essentially, a precursor to YouTube that launched 15 or 16 years ago. The idea was that people could post their short films online for others to watch. I saw this as the wave of the future, but the site failed because the technology that existed at the time wasn’t good enough to support it. Do you remember how long it took to download a video in 2000?! So long that there was only one 4 MB video on the Capture Video website when we launched. Online videos were not practical then. Businesses were limited to using video in paid or earned media, or showing it live in a sales pitch, demonstration, or other event (and crossing their fingers that the on-site AV would work as expected). Today, businesses can use video on their websites to draw people in or for search engine optimization (SEO) or they can establish their own YouTube channels. And they can still show them live, via the Internet, anywhere, anytime, on their laptops, tablets, or smart phones, or share them instantly through live streaming or by sending a link via email.

Now: 3 TB
Then: 30 GB

Over the last 15 years, storage capacity for hard drives has soared while price and size have shrunk. Take a look at this article from 1999 predicting the availability of a 30 GB hard drive for about $200 in 1999. Right now, you could buy a 3 TB external hard drive that will easily fit in your briefcase or laptop bag – that’s 300 times as much storage as that 30 GB hard drive – for $109 on Amazon. This gives clients the flexibility to have big projects, such as extensive training, delivered on one storage device instead of multiple DVDs or videotapes. Of course, HD footage is a lot bigger than SD was (where file sizes are concerned) so we video production companies REALLY need those 3 (or in our case 12) TB drives!

Now: Final Cut Pro, Adobe Creative Suite
Then: Avid, Media 100

While Capture Video was using non-linear editing in 2000, the development and improvement of software like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere have made the post-production process quicker and more affordable. We no longer have to spend $15,000 for one editing computer, and can get a lot more power for a lot less money. For example, we can render a complex 2D animation done in After Effects in less than a day, whereas we once had an AE project render for 6 days back in 2000. Thanks to software advancements, we are also able to incorporate more diverse and sophisticated graphics and animation, including 3D modeling and augmented reality, in our clients’ video productions.

Capture Video combines its knowledge of the latest technology and trends, more than 15 years of experience, and a creative perspective to deliver videos that engage, educate, and inspire viewers. Can we help you capture the attention of your audience?

Tags: capture video, corporate video, dc, va, video production, virginia
No Comments »

The Anniversary Party: Capture Video Celebrates 15 Years in Business

Earlier this year, a reminder popped up on LinkedIn: I was celebrating 15 years as the Owner, and Head Producer, of Capture Video. Just like if I were giving an acceptance speech for winning an Academy Award – and, one day, I will – there’s so much I’d like to say.

Thank you to my current and former clients! It is my honor to bring your stories to life, whether the videos tout your successes, market your products and services to prospective clients or partners, train your employees, educate your members, or honor your colleagues.

I’d also like to thank my team and my network. I hope you will join me in celebrating this milestone, as I couldn’t have done it without you.

All my life, I’ve loved creating stories. I began writing as a child and I started producing videos in high school. After receiving my BFA in Film and TV Production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and then going on to work in the feature film industry, I chose to apply my creativity and professional experience to the corporate world and launch Capture Video.

I serve as the manager for every project that comes through our doors, and, for every project, I think about script writing, videotaping, and editing – even when the scope of the work is more narrow – to ensure the success of the finished video. My passion for helping businesses use video production to achieve their goals is just as great today as it was 15 years ago.

Thank you, and I look forward to working together in the future!

Capture Video was launched in 2000, in Reston, VA. We currently run our corporate video production team in Fairfax, VA and serve business in the Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC Metro areas.

Tags: capture video, corporate video, editing, fairfax, producer, producing, reston, video production, videotaping, virginia
No Comments »

Construction Site Time Lapse Video

Capture Video produces a lot of videos for construction companies and contractors working on construction projects. Usually, we are producing training videos, production line videos, or pre-qualification videos, but we recently got to spend three nights capturing the installation of a pedestrian corridor at Inova Fairfax Hospital producing a time lapse video for HITT Contracting.

Here’s what approximately 36 hours of time lapse looks like after editing.

Capture Video shot this time lapse video with two cameras. In some cases, during the editing, we incorporated two angles on one segment of construction. In other cases, we selected just the best angle. We also videotaped one of the project manager’s describing the importance of keeping the construction of this pedestrian tunnel from interfering with doctor and patient egress. In the video, he explains how HITT Contracting succeeded in building a pedestrian tunnel with minimal impact.

Here’s what our client had to say about working with Capture Video on this project:

“It was a pleasure working with Jessica and her team. Capture Video was responsive to our project needs and provided a much needed

level of expertise in every aspect of their work. We were happy with the experience and very pleased with the results.”

– Chris Stotlar, Project Manager, HITT Contracting

Capture Video can help provide you with video production solutions, whether it’s three nights of time lapse or one half day of videotaped training. Contact Capture Video for all your training, marketing, and event video needs.

Tags: construction video, fairfax, time lapse, timelapse, training videos, va, video production
No Comments »

Capture Video Blog

Archives