Capture Video Blog
Sometimes we’ll hear about the ‘rough cut’ of a movie that might include footage that doesn’t make it on screen until they someday release a director’s cut of the film. Ever wonder what they mean by that?
The rough cut is like a preview version. Everything is more or less in place, but it still needs some final touches. A Capture Video client often has one or more review sessions specified in the contract. These review sessions are that last check to see that all the important highlights or critical information was included, or that any inaccurate or undesirable content has been removed. It is the time to double check the spelling of titles. Now is also a good time to confirm that the title design meets corporate standards, or are, at the very least, graphically pleasing.
Some things left to the videographer’s discretion need to be approved. Stock photos or video may have been used as B-Roll. Were they appropriate choices? Is the information presented in the order that will make the most sense to your customers? Are the stylistic details what you were expecting? The rough cut will likely be the first time you’ll see the footage organized and cut to highlight the message. This is your chance to add your input as to how the project is progressing.
Once the video is locked, an expression which means the content is now what and where it should be, audio adjustments can be made. Background music can be added, and audio throughout the video can be leveled. Finally, any number of small finishing touches can be completed, like adjusting color on each shot so there is a consistent look throughout.
Capture Video works on projects that vary widely from very simple to extremely complex, but now you’ll understand what you’ll be seeing if you have a rough cut to review, and what you’ll be looking for.
Tags: brand strategy, capture video, corporate video, dc, Director's cut, editor, Graphics, High definition, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, production company, Quality, Rough cut, va, video, video for SEO, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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The video production business is a profession like any other. A videographer is a professional and the work of producing professional videos is serious work.
Professionalism is being a company clients can trust to deliver a quality product, but it’s more than that. It’s being a company that clients can trust to participate in job design, to talk through the needs of the project and bring professional expertise to a process that the client may not completely understand. It should never be about what process is the most billable, it should always be what processes deliver a quality project that fulfills the real needs of the client.
Professionalism is about knowing your business. That doesn’t only mean how to create the thing that you create. It is about understanding what equipment is required for each kind of job, and making the investment in quality. It is about making sure that every employee has the correct training, the correct documentation, and the correct attitude, so your company is positively represented even when you personally aren’t there. It means taking the time to work through a stressful situation with an employee or a customer to resolve the issue to the best of your ability. It is knowing the advantages and pitfalls of your profession and how to work within each to provide the best service to your customers.
Professionalism is about taking pride in your skill to deliver your product at the highest standard. It means reading industry journals, investing in continuing education, talking to peers and staying on top of the latest techniques and equipment possibilities. It means taking the time to do things correctly, without shortcuts that could cause problems in the future. It means researching problems that come up to figure out if there might be a better way to solve it. It means recognizing and owning any mistakes made by you, or on your behalf by an employee, and doing what it takes to make it right.
At Capture Video, we started with a love of storytelling through film paired with a thorough understanding of how to make that happen with quality results. We added quality equipment that meets the standards required by our contracts, and we work with contractors who embrace and uphold our standards of quality and service. Professionalism doesn’t just happen, it comes with time, and care, and Capture Video takes it very seriously.
Tags: capture video, dc, High definition, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, production company, Professionalism, Quality, va, video, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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Have you ever watched a training or informational video that you are certain was shot in 1978 and hasn’t been updated since? It’s almost embarrassing to watch them. They can be very difficult to concentrate on and take seriously with outdated clothing and production values that just don’t look right even if you don’t know exactly why. There are a number of types of videos that should be updated every year, oreven more frequently.
Video is a wonderful way to present the annual report to the board or shareholders. It presents the highlights relatively quickly, and can allow the inclusion of key employees as presenters, or highlights of events of interest that wouldn’t have a place in a more traditional written report. Add in some animation of graphs and charts and dry facts become more interesting to absorb. Information videos are also a great way to present interesting or important events to clients and customers.
How important to your business is SEO? With the connection between Google and YouTube video can be a great tool to attract attention, but search engines are always looking for new content. Keep the video you offer fresh and up to date. You can include things like company holiday parties or events where major announcements are made, or create montages of business as usual throughout the year. The important thing, as far as SEO goes, is to keep creating new content. And the best part is, you can even create all the content at one time but post and share it spread over the course of the year.
And, of course, there’s that training video from 1978. You might not mind the retro look, but how up to date is the content? Laws are constantly changing – not to mention technology! Keep your training videos relevant, at least, to the current decade.
Video can be a very important tool for informing customers and staff alike, but it is important that the content be and look up to date and professional. Contact Capture Video to update your training video, inform your board, or help you keep your SEO videos up to date.
Tags: capture video, corporate video, dc, Google, High definition, jessica piscitelli robinson, marketing, northern virginia, nova, Online Marketing, production company, Quality, SEO, va, video, video for SEO, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com, YouTube
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There is a very big industry geared towards making certain that those you do business with know they are appreciated. Gift baskets are everywhere. Calendars have been quite popular. I think the most fun thing I ever received was a lovely box of chocolate covered strawberries. While they were very enjoyable for me personally, they didn’t actually do anything for my business.
I have seen it posted on wedding websites that the most valuable way to thank the wedding vendor is to put a positive review online. I think this is good advice, not just for those in the highly competitive wedding industry, but for any business. The Internet is, without a doubt, the clearing house for information and reviews. Testimonials do the most good where they can be seen by the most people.
What if you were to take that one step further? Consider giving video testimonials to your best business partners, vendors or clients. Many people are more likely to watch a short video rather than read a page of text. Putting together a few minutes of positive feedback for a business that you’ve worked with could serve a dual purpose. As a customer appreciation option, it is unique and proves that you invested time and thought into giving them something with real value. Once your customer has it, it will generally go on their website, and potentially into other marketing materials. By clearly stating your name and company, or perhaps adding them in a graphic with your logo on the bottom of the screen while you give your glowing review, you’re adding a little of your own advertising to theirs, making your time and dollar investment go just a little further.
On the flip side, if you have booked a day with a videographer to record client testimonials, and your clients have taken the time to come and share their thoughts about how wonderful you are, consider thanking them by letting them make a quick statement video for their own website while the videographer is already onsite, set up and paid for. This way, you get a great testimonial for your website, and your client feels appreciated because they get to put a short video on their own website that will help boost their SEO!
Consider taking the time to pass along your thanks and appreciation in a very personalized and lasting way. Capture Video is always on hand to help with your next video production.
Tags: Advertising, capture video, dc, High definition, jessica piscitelli robinson, marketing, northern virginia, nova, Online Marketing, promos, Quality, va, video, Video Ad, videographer, videotaped testimonials, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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The first quarter of the year always seems particularly busy for businesses implementing or developing new strategies. If one of the items in this year’s business plan is a new or improved video, here are some things to consider so you’re ready for a productive discussion with the videographer you choose.
Budget
There are can be many reasons for not sharing the budget for your piece, but keeping it back may be interfering with you getting exactly the final product you really need. There are a wide variety of options and possibilities for every project. With a clear understanding of the true budget, your videographer will be able to streamline the options she presents for your particular project and help you understand exactly what you are getting for your money.
Purpose
What is the planned end use for this video? Will it be shown at the corporate annual meeting on a big screen? It might be destined for YouTube to inform clients about a new offering. Perhaps it is the latest in a series of well received training videos. How you plan to use your video will affect how it is created in many ways. For example, graphics that will be seen online are created differently than those that will be shown on a big screen. It can also affect the number of people in a shot and how much detail will be seen. What message will your content convey? Some purposes are well served with a single person talking or demonstrating, while others might require some extensive graphics or additional photos. Understand the full scope of your project so your videographer can help you make it a success.
Time Frame
This includes not only when you want the professional to come shoot your footage, but also when you will be available for edits and other questions from your videographer. You won’t want your project held up by not understanding the full scope of your time commitment. How long a project takes is extremely variable, but you can assume a minimum of 2 weeks to edit the raw footage after it is shot. Jobs can be rushed to meet a deadline, but that should be part of the schedule, not a surprise. Consider things like major holidays and personnel availability when creating the production schedule. December 10th, for example, is not really a good start date for a project that needs to be done by the end of the year. Even if a month would normally be sufficient, it’s a safe bet that many of your participants aren’t going to be available at some point during the month. Be sure your schedule includes dates to review the video, as well as a date for final delivery.
Having a clear understanding of each of these facets is particularly important if you are looking for a quote that will be built into a larger project. Capture Video is happy to work with you on determining the requirements of your project and to provide quotes on speculative projects.
Tags: Budget, capture video, corporate video, dc, editor, High definition, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, Planning, production company, Purpose, Quality, Time, va, video, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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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. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: camera operator, capture video, dc, Home video, jessica piscitelli robinson, Lighting, Noise levels, northern virginia, nova, production company, Quality, va, video, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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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.
Tags: camera operator, capture video, corporate video, dc, Event Video, Investment, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, production company, Quality, va, video, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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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.
Tags: capture video, construction video, dc, Details, Equipment knowledge, High definition, High level training, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, Owner specifications, production company, Quality, Training materials, training videos, va, video, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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Jessica Piscitelli, Capture Video, was recently quoted in this Groupon article on hiring a professional videographer:
Professional Videography Article
Read it to learn more about professional video services.
Tags: capture video, professional, video services, videographer, videography
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Digital technology enables us to be very flexible with how we use our original content. Coverage of a live event can become a training video, a marketing reel and social media posts on YouTube. In order to get the most flexibility, you’re going to want your masters.
The original raw footage off the camera is the master footage. The video and audio are recorded as separate tracks and are the basis of the finished product you’ll receive. In order to be burned to a DVD or uploaded online, a lot happens to that footage. When all the pieces are laid out to create a great final product, the file is exported onto a DVD, a Blu Ray, or as a web video. However you have requested the file, you will receive it – but there’s a catch. That file is no longer made of separate components. It has been compressed.
Have you ever built a very complicated puzzle and then glued it on a board so that you could hang it as artwork? The compression process effectively glues together all the different pieces that have come together to make a video. The graphics, the audio, the video, they all become solidified into one piece of data.
In the future, you may want to add one new title, or remove one employee interview and add a different interview. You may decide that you want to take just part of the video for a presentation, but without the background music. With the original footage, each of these changes can be made without complications. Every piece of the puzzle is still independent and easily reordered. Making changes to a video that has been compressed, all the pieces glued together, so to speak, can be a little more difficult – especially if you are hoping to make clean cuts.
One solution is to ask for your masters up front, before your video company closes out the project. With the original electronic files, you’ll be keeping your options open to use your digital footage in as many ways as you can think of. Please realize, of course, that creating copies of the master files can be a time consuming project, so make sure to ask about costs involved as well.
Capture Video is dedicated to ensuring their customers get the most out of their investment in video production.
Tags: capture video, corporate video, dc, editor, High definition, Investment, jessica piscitelli robinson, marketing, Master footage, northern virginia, nova, Online Marketing, producer, production company, promos, Quality, Social media, training videos, va, video, video for SEO, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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