Reader Asks: SD or HD?

This is a HOT topic for a lot of people in, or entering, the video business. I shared my understanding, experience and opinions based on that criteria in responding to this reader's questions. Your mileage, and opinions, may vary. There are a thousand ways of looking at it, and even more ways to make money - either way, standard definition, or high definition video production. Portions of the reader's letter follows:

Hi Earl,

You obviously really know your stuff. And you seem to enjoy helping people, so I was hoping I could possibly come to you for a bit of advice.

First of all, I'm not a complete novice. I worked in news, from working in the studio as production, into print reporting, then back into news as a photographer. All that took about six years. When I moved to NYC I found myself an office job and have slowly been going insane.

I want to make the dive into freelance production: Weddings, birthdays, corporate stuff, depositions, whatever, anything to get out of the office! I really enjoyed your articles regarding money-making strategies. And am currently in search of equipment.

Although there are some great 3ccd cameras now available for CHEAP, It seems that to invest in anything other than (high definition) would be to deny the future and some lucrative money making opportunities.

I was strongly considering the HVX-200a, and started pricing them. At around $6K it seems to fit into my price range. I was planning on taking out out a small business loan for about $15,000.

Then I saw them listed for under $3K on (some) websites, maybe even cheaper. That got me thinking maybe I could actually afford a shoulder mounted HD camera, which led me to JVC. The new GY-HM700 looks sweet and GY-HD110U seems to fit the bill nicely as a backup camera - which seems a necessity if I'm going to be doing weddings and such.

Thing is, I want to bring in the most amount of money for the least investment. If I don't have to spend $7K on a camera then I'd rather not, but at the same time I want to be taken seriously. Do you think buying a couple of 110s will do me fine? They seem to have everything I want at a very reasonable price tag. And I love that they look like news cams, which I'm used to working with. Am I missing something?

Any advice you can give would be GREATLY appreciated!

(Used with permission from L.) My reply follows:

Glad to hear you're headed into the independent ozone layer. It can certainly beat working at a desk, though you'll likely spend a lot of time in front of an editing system. Been there (desk jobs), done that, for years as a newspaper journalist, editor, and owner. The news, however, can get you out of the office a lot. You mention places in Texas where I have lived and worked - very few of them non-journalistic or news positions. I have worked for newspapers in Houston, Abilene, Sweetwater and several other Texas cities. Small world, huh?

There are certainly a number of ways, IMHO, to approach your new direction, equipment and perception (the client's) being not the least of your concerns. In spite of my absolute knowledge that it should not be, appearance or the impression that your equipment is top drawer and professional does play a major role in how you are perceived/received by those using you. But...

...you can also market yourself, and your demo reel without most clients ever asking about your equipment, so long as you deliver a quality/compatibility they require. Using quality equipment that does not necessarily meet the visual standards some clients have (often based on what they hear, read or see, rather than what they know), can make you plenty of money and get you plenty of business. And, without having to impress upon your potential market the "professional" level of your acquisition equipment.

There are a wide range of smaller units that can and do beat the socks off many of the lesser-priced shoulder-mount units. And, the habit of using sticks or a monopod for increased stability (not always the norm) of your shooting will do you well. That being said...

...having read some, or all, of my blog articles and posts on various forums - www.videomaker.com www.dvprofessionals.com www.wedvidpro.com www.videouniversity.com to name a few...you certainly must see how pretty much any day, with pretty much any decent quality system can make you money.

So, you wonder, how much do I HAVE to spend to be a professional in the full range of potential business - ENG to wedding, to school event, private events, etc.? I have been making money doing practically all the above, and more, using my standard definition Canon XL1 and GL2 cameras, Mac G4 and Final Cut Pro, even a LOT of editing performed on my old trusty Casablanca Classic. In fact, I am STILL using this system setup and bringing in a decent annual income. No, I still have not become rich. :-)

I do realize that high def is the direction things are taking, and that a number of my clients are equipped for and will soon be asking (if not demanding) that I provide them with wide screen HD. A mass delivery system using Bluray hasn't yet manifested itself, but sooner or later an affordable, less protection/rights hassle, formula for delivery of HD on disk will prevail. Until then there are numerous workarounds and acceptable levels of HD delivery out there - though requiring a degree of research and investment of time and money to determine what delivery system might work best for any individual in his/her respective market.

Keep in mind, too, that with the plentiful and affordable supply of up-rez capable playback systems, many people are either unaware of the difference while watching SD, or totally satisfied to do so. That is, perhaps, why a lot of our otherwise HD oriented, wide-screen using clients are not bugging us about how we deliver their product.

Even knowing what I know now, if I had it all to do over again, I'd like to start off with the best I could for the most money I could afford right off the bat - money/budget being no object. That isn't and wasn't the case with me, (money being no object) and it apparently isn't with you. We have to find an acceptable mid-point between investment, ROI (return on investment), and the ability to jump in NOW with marketing, production and making money (profit?)

That doesn't always mandate having the latest, best or even current level, to the degree rapid advances in technology will let us, of leading edge, front-running equipment. It is impossible, IMHO, to a great degree to "futurize" our investment in equipment much beyond a year-at-a-time. Things move, like I said, too fast, and it would cost you/me a fortune just trying to keep up.

I am in the process of "upgrading" if that is a true term of what I am going to do, to high def production using the current iteration of Mac Pro 8 core with the current iteration of FCP, along with two new HD model cameras, either the Panasonic AG-HMC150, or JVP GY-HM100, both shooting on SDHC cards instead of tape or portable hard disk drives. My total re-investment will be in the area of $12K.

Can I afford it? Not really. Do I HAVE to? Not really. But it is time, market-wise, for me to do some catching up, especially in light of the type of clients I have and want to retain in the foreseeable future. But I also have NO DOUBT that I will continue producing a boatload of SD project, editing and delivering on non-HD DVDs, or electronically. The irony here, also, is that I don't perceive being able to charge more for what I do, or making any serious upswings in my level clientele, or their production budgets - not in the areas of video I prefer to work.

Research and determine for yourself what area you will concentrate the most in pursuing independent video production. Base your equipment needs on THAT level of need, then when you CAN and WANT TO, move to a higher level of equipment in pursuit of a more demanding client base.

Do you HAVE to go in debt for $15,000 to get started? I really don't think so. I know you want to have the look, perception and potential of professional, visually, and with a bunch of the accompanying add-ons you think will convey that - expensive offices/studios, multi-line business phones, Mercedes or Jaguar transportation or, if you want to flaunt it in the faces of the eco-friendlies, a Hummer - gotta have a way to move that equipment, right?, high-end laptop, or portable studio system, etc. All that is well and good. He/She with the most toys...
...well, sad to say, doesn't ALWAYS win.

The first big mistake of my career in newspaper publishing was thinking I needed the office, the phones, and a bunch of other stuff that conveyed the image, but put a serious cost load on my business. I spent most of my time fighting to stay afloat and maintaining the image, instead of doing the stuff I think I am good at, like marketing, pressing the flesh, and producing news that set me apart from my competitor and former boss. Oops.

Subsequent independent business efforts became better, more productive, dare I say "profitable" as I learned that appearances can be expensive to maintain, and up until today when I realize that the most effective "appearance" I can work for is developing a quality product for a reasonable price that appeals to a broad spectrum of potential clients. For me, for now, and for several years to come, if I decided to do so, that would be exactly what I am producing on NOW - standard def with my Canons and Mac G4-FCP/Casablanca systems.

Ironically, that particular setup would put a person in a very lucrative position to start making money instantly using the various and many marketing concepts I have blogged about, selling "Video for All Celebrations of Life!" (© Earl Chessher, 1990-2009), and saving money for the full-blown, decadent high dollar equipment and setup when you want to, or because your client base demands it.

HD will open some market areas for you that SD will not, but not many. Not really, not when a lot of HD producing people are bumping their final delivery back down to SD because of various HD delivery issues. However, if broadcast, entertainment, major commercial/corporate and similar markets, (read, heavy competition here) are not your immediate focus, and can wait for establishment of yourself and your work as viable and desirable (or affordable), a future upgrade easily made because you are profitable and have been setting aside money for it, then there's a LOT to be made by using SD production.

You're right about some "great" equipment being available "for cheap" - for example, I am probably going to let my G4/FCP, ScreenPlay editing box backup, a Glidecam V8 full support system, Canon XL1 and Canon GL2 go for somewhere in the neighborhood of $6K, give or take. That equipment has done well by me, and will offer somebody looking for entry level ability a lot of bang for the buck - cheap! This is about half of what my upgrade costs will be, and less than half of your small business loan target.

I highly recommend too, that you work in a small office, home office SOHO environment, use your cell phone for communications and forget, for now, the "looks" and go for the bucks. No, I am not actually trying to sell you my equipment, though I would if you wanted. I believe advice I'm giving either way.

Yes, you actually can afford a shoulder-mounted HD cam. THE JVC IS sweet, but I agree with you that you could certainly get where you want by using two "matched" (a loosely applied term for two of the same model) JVC HD110U models. Two HD110s will do you fine, and if you are missing something, so am I. There will ALWAYS be trade-offs between models and makes, and somebody somewhere might pipe in and say we are both all wet in our understanding of this model as opposed to other options. Opinions are like dreams, everybody has one - and the other, more familiar asset that everybody also has.

I have written a lot here. Some of it might be what you want to hear, some of it not, but all of it is my best attempt to give you information, ideas and opinions that I hope might be useful in your decisions. Keep me posted.

Word to the wise. Be wary of places offering equipment for pricing that is well below what you have noted as the norm. I'd suggest B&H Photo Video, not exclusively, but certainly, if you can get past that initial N.Y. "attitudeness" a great company in which to place your trust. There are others, but start there. They have pricing that is often a bit better than usual, but usually more than the jerks trying to rip you off. I'd be cautious about really low price postings, also with on-line bidding purchases. Trust is a hard thing to share, or confirm though there are a LOT of good, honest people with high levels of integrity "out there."

Final food for thought: wedding video production is probably the MOST hours of work for the LEAST return of any other potential market for the independent professional video service provider.

Good luck, and my regards.

Bad News is Good News!

BAD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS and
good news is bad news, generally speaking, if you want to break into the life of a news stringer.* (See Nation Master) Essentially you are working "on spec"* (doing work for free, hoping to get paid) with the thought that something you videotaped, photographed, wrote or reported got past the local broadcast television, cable, or web news channels, or newspaper, news magazine desks and staff.

And, that your information (news) is unique, hopefully a "scoop", "first in", or "exclusive"* (you are the ONLY person on the planet who has it; you are the FIRST person on the planet to report it; or, you have something HOT that you are offering ONLY to one news outlet - the "badder" the better!)

While personality profiles, human interest, interviews (unless you have an exclusive on-camera interview, and signed release, with, say, President B.O. regarding a 12-year-old affair with a waitress at Denny's), are solid "filler"* (in print, the articles filling the space remaining after the ads; on television/web video, the audio/video/print elements giving the station/site content and substance) material for most news outlets. These are routinely planned content assigned to staff, and based on the news outlet's general political position, philosophy and approach.

This leaves you with a few decisions to make regarding your efforts to establish yourself as a reliable, valuable, professional news resource who works outside normal channels,* (See TruTV) and maintains a high level of accuracy and integrity. I know, I know, doesn't sound much like many of the news people you know about. On the other hand, this would still be the direction I suggest you take to get yourself inside most news rooms. Initially.

DECISIONS SUCH AS
• Do I purchase a powerful mobile and home scanner with all the bands necessary to chase ambulances, fire engines and police cars?
• Or, do I simply run the roads, prowl the neighborhoods and case the capitalists, looking for that event, situation or happening based on being in the right place at the right time?
• Or, do I focus on a specific area - hang out on Hollywood Boulevard, California, for example; or the state capitol, provided I live in the right city?
• Or, do I roam the bad areas of East L.A. at night, my camera my only concealed weapon, confident that I can handle myself in life-threatening situations and get another side of the story - whatever "the story" may be?
• Or, do I focus on area industry, keeping constant vigil on the local brewery, manufacturing plant, or strip mall odd-ball, looking for an EPA violation, or unethical business operation?

While murder, rape, armed robbery, multiple alarm fires, major accidents with death, cop/suspect beatings, as well as airplane crashes ending in death for all certainly crowd the prime time airspace for broadcast, cable and often web news video, as well as the front pages and covers of printed news, there are certainly elements of good news that can make you a dollar - first video footage of a plane landing safely in the Hudson River, for example. (See Stringer)

STARTING OUT YOU
would want to research your potential area news outlets. A good place to start might be HERE and do a local search for WHAT? news televisions, WHERE? your city, state, but a simple Google search should get you more than enough lists/resources to approach, even offering other articles related to this area of work. You will have options, or not, depending on the size of your coverage area and the dominance/size of stations available to you. Some larger stations have a special department or agency that fields stringer inquiries/offerings. (Check out Know It All Video. and Kick Apps)

You will also need equipment that meets your news outlet's quality requirements. While a Second Coming headliner might make your footage valuable (remember the Zapruder film?) no matter what format you shot it on, the lighting or audio quality, or lack thereof, you will want to get something that proves generally acceptable, quality-wise. Ask the stations for whom you wish to work what their minimum requirements are.

The more "depth" your report has: getting releases where possible, getting officials/eye-witnesses to state their name and spell it before doing interviews (yes, interviews with clear audio, where possible can enhance the "sell-ability" of your news. Make notes regarding time, location, circumstances, etc. Be accurate and when you contact your preferred news outlet tell your contact what you have without blowing it up out of proportion. Experienced news persons will have a high sense of perception, or can often judge the BS level, for what you are telling them.

PREPARE TO PUT IN
primarily hours outside regular daytime shifts. Evenings, all "nighters", weekends and often holidays are your best bet for running into something the news people have not covered. If you are a night owl, workaholic, freaky zealous news hound, aggressive, bold and determined, your efforts will pay off over the long haul.

It isn't going to work for you if you attempt to compete with the regulars, or even alienate yourself with them by stepping on their toes during a major news event. While you can work these events it is not very likely you will get something they missed, especially if you were not first at the scene. Get in and get out, unless you do establish some contacts with the local officials or first-on-the-scene witnesses, people willing to talk on camera and where possible, sign a standard release. I know it's news, but still you want to get all the CYA backup you can, even to the extent of getting a verbal release on camera during the process of getting their names and proper spelling. And, for goodness sake, if you were successful in getting an official to contribute, get the official's job position - officer, sergeant, fire chief, city commissioner...

YOU WILL MAKE MONEY
occasionally, lose to somebody first on the scene, come in second and waste your time, and on exceptional days even get something that will bring you a few thousand dollars. The range of payment is from zero to several thousand, but a significant portion of your checks will be well under $100 as a rule.

It all depends on your business acumen, your production savvy, your boldness and determination, your competitiveness and the quality, consistency and accuracy of your work. I am repeating myself but, in time your attention to these qualities will begin to pay off. You could even, if you wish, wind up being offered a full time position with your favorite news station, news publisher or working for a salary with a web news group.

Generally, stringing for television, radio, publication or web doesn't pay much. But the opportunities for stringers are better now that many news outlets are also experiencing budgetary/income difficulties, even laying off regular staff. If these organizations want to survive they will need to develop news gathering resources somewhere. This is where independent professional capable and consistent you, the stringer, comea in. Stringers, while even detested by some, whether or not the "big guys" like it, are essential to today's social craving for instant news.

KEEP THINGS SAFE
by realizing you are likely new to this arena. Just as it is suggested that you read and lurk a bit on various forums before joining in and offering your two-cents, do the same when approaching news event coverage opportunities.

There is, of course, room for belligerent, aggressive, obstinate and physically/mentally dominating individuals who are willing to step on any and everybody to get there first, steal the scoop or demean the competition - but room only because they are professionally challenged. You will be resented, black-balled and even aggressively put into your place by other experienced alpha-types if you elect to go this route.

Practice deference as well, and respect the emergency rescue, fire fighters and law enforcement officials present who are there to do a job. Even if you perceive they are NOT doing their jobs, or are unnecessarily restricting your access to the event, there are ways to work around this without chest- (or head-) butting with them. You will absolutely, positively get nowhere fast otherwise.

How you approach major news events such as multiple-alarm fires, airport bomb-threats, major vehicular accidents, train wrecks, hostage situations and more will mean the difference not only in becoming a productive and successful stringer. It also will affect your life, health, personal safety and legal risks. Keep safety and common sense right up there with determination and professionalism when working this kind of opportunity.

COMPLETE AND DEFINITIVE INFORMATION
regarding development of a successful stringer career is huge, and well beyond the scope of this blog article. In my humble opinion the single, most effective learning resource in preparation for pursuing a career as a stringer is to watch, read and listen to every news source you can, every available minute you can; research every resource you can find through the web search engines regarding news stringer jobs/positions; and prepare yourself mentally for a potentially dangerous, exciting and rewarding gig.

Other information links include this site, and ehow. Also, while at local dot com, do filter searches there for cable TV Companies, Television (TV) broadcasting companies & stations, satellite television, etc. You can also go to Writer's Market, if you prefer to check out news publication markets for submitting written news articles. There's a bounty of other options, check out Sell My Video for starters.

DVD "Letters" for Cash Flow

If you're not afraid to work, market and try something low-budget that will keep you busy, generate exposure and referrals, and bring on some cash flow, take a shot at offering DVD Video Letters. If you haven't been living in a cave, and your friends and associates list isn't totally blank, and there's actually someone in your family who still loves you, you should have enough resources to get something going with this simple service.

Over the years I have generated personal DVD letters, most recently sharing them once a week with my Dad. Mom left this world on the morning of January 27, 2009. Dad, having been married to Mom for 62 years, 65 years including their courtship, is having a really tough time of it. While most of the family is near enough to visit, I am more than 1,800 miles away. Phone calls are nice, so are letters, but I've been sending Dad DVD video letters of 15 to 30 minutes in length, the first one an hour, sharing our mutual memories, grieving, smiles, inside jokes, laughter and tears up close and personal. Dad, and the rest of the family, loves receiving them, their intimacy.

It's nothing new, nor that difficult, but most people, even amateurs/consumers, do not take the time to do this. It is either too much trouble, technically challenging, or they simply cannot focus on developing content, setting up the equipment, packaging it nicely, then getting it off in the mail. Like written letters that more often than not wind up becoming wads of paper tossed into the trash, or otherwise never mailed. Cards, postcards are simpler, short, sweet and to the point.

But, if you really want to "reach" someone you care about, or propose to them, or generate something warm, personal and special, a "card" that will likely never see the trashcan, will be watched time and again, generate anticipation for more to come - send a DVD Video Letter. These "letters" offer another value, they represent serious historical archiving for the years ahead and generations to come.

Being a professional independent video services provider, you know how to do this simple and quick. Camera, tripod, natural lighting, on-camera mic (or other more direct recording if you are comfortable with it), a nice, quiet location and less than an hour of time for you and your client. There are a number of ways to deliver - to tape then bumping over to DVD, direct to hard drive then bumping over, direct to DVD recorder. If you have one of those affordable Video-to-DVD transfer boxes, set up the connections and you can record directly to DVD and hand it over at the end of the session.

Price it any way you want, but I find that by making these relatively affordable, quick and simple productions, I can expect to do as many a month as I desire - or none at all if I get busy with something bigger. The availability of this service is always there, and there will be people receptive to paying you for doing this if you market to them. I charge $50, up to $75, for one hour, plus two copies of the resulting DVD. I have charged as little as $35 for a half-hour straight shoot, handing over the tape/DVD. Your mileage may vary.

As I have written before, great ideas don't work unless you do. It is easy to "poof" at something that actually calls for a bit of effort, like marketing and producing DVD Letters, but there's a lot to be said for the small things - even pennies add up. If "lazy" isn't your problem, try this simple service that is easy to market and can generate instant cash flow.

OK, the economy is down, phone doesn't ring much anymore, you are tired of investing in and working bridal fairs for no immediate returns, and have revised your web site(s) and worked every strategy you know to get Google's, or other search engine's attention. Wedding referrals still come, but have slowed down and you've even caught up with last year's editing backlog. To make things even tougher cash flow has dried up, or slowed to a trickle.

Elton John sang, "time on my hands could be time spent with you," but that isn't paying the bills, or making you feel all that worthwhile, and your marketing drive has shriveled to a raisin, from what was once a prune - I know, plums make prunes, grapes make raisins, but you get my drift.

One thing you have of value that you might not be using to full potential is that list of clients you've delivered product to over the years. Or, maybe you haven't been in business long enough to have such a list. Or, you have names and addresses, even e-mails, but business has been so slow for so long that your client contact list is probably not the most accurate ruler of your success.

If you don't have a good list to market to, there are ways to generate one. Take a trip around the block, check out the area market bulletin boards, collect names and addresses anywhere you can, white pages listings? Just about everybody has an e-mail list. While I'm not particularly fond of marketing via e-mail because I have found it relatively ineffective, and I don't want to be perceived as a spammer or blast mailer, I do use this method to contact people in my inner circle.

As much as I have tried to discourage my family and friends from sending me forwarded e-mail consisting of pyramid schemes, dried up jokes, weird web site listings, etc., they continue to do so. Initially I just trashed them. If you are willing to take the risk, however, you'll notice a huge e-mail list of all the people your family member or friend included in that frustrating e-mail to you. A few you will know, a lot of them you will not. But you can name drop the sender, and open some doors without coming off as a total spammer. A lot of them will read your offer because they know somebody you know. Some will respond - positively, not with an all capital letters attack.

School Spring Events Kick Off

You can find some great marketing pointers by checking out marketeer Steve Yankee's "12 Ways to Market When the Economy Sucks" - this music/band lover's ongoing blog Marketing Mojo is worth visiting from time-to-time.

Jay Michael's In the Viewfinder will keep you informed, entertained and aware of "things video" from marketing and resources, to what Jay is currently focused on in his own video production efforts.

But, before you go off checking those links, take a moment to continue reading and kick off your marketing efforts with spring school events that are scheduled, planned and kicking off as well. The time to get in touch is RIGHT NOW!

Design a colorful postcard or develop a one-page marketing letter and let the schools in your service area know you are ready to do business making affordable video DVDs of their spring productions available.

Tell them that YOUR COMPANY is the "go to" producer in their area for professionally videotaped, edited and packaged quality DVDs of their spring events in dance, drama, band concert and choral. Spring is also when flag teams, drill teams and other groups hold competition as well, opening up a whole range of business possibilities.

In my last post I noted that working on spec isn't necessarily a bad thing, and this approach could open a lot of doors in the spring school events kickoff. Another approach is to establish the minimum sales you can live with and offer to produce at no cost to the organization or school, instead offering direct sales to individuals at a reasonable price per copy.

What is a "reasonable" price? Well, if you've read any of my articles you'll know that I am content to produce video of events two hours, or less, in length, for a minimum of 20 copies at $25. Your mileage may vary, and you might have to go the "spec" route at first, but the business is certainly out there and just waiting for you to let them know you exist, and that you want their business.

DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST
Check if the school has a web site. If so the school will likely post an events calendar, and you will be able to find out who your contact person(s) is/are. It is always better, in my humble opinion, to get the promotion materials into the right hands - band director/instructor, choral director, dance director, glee club or parent support group president, school activities director, etc.

Find out their names and use them. Believe me, it can make all the difference.

What if the school does not have a web site? Make the call. The young lady, usually, who works the front desk will often gladly take the time to provide you the information you need, or mail you a directory, or even forward you to the right person for that information.

Some of you in the video business are not particularly comfortable in direct marketing calls/contact, but believe me a friendly, unassuming voice (smile when you are talking, it works) saying something like, "I have some information about my services that you will find interesting and compelling. I would like to send it to you directly, or send you an e-mail today. I know you might have choices in video service providers but you will find my approach can result in a high quality production with significant savings. It never hurts to check out your options, right?"

DESIGN YOUR DIRECT MAIL PIECE
Postcards can be simple, affordable, easy and quick. Use an actual photo depicting the event you are targeting - choral group singing, dancers dancing, bands playing, or an instrument, or even a picture of a school, or a modernistic illustration compiling stylized images of these events, even an abstract. The desire here is to make the front of that card colorful and simple - eye catching. Use few words.

"Professional Video Production at NO Cost to Your School!" or, if you want to go the "spec" route, "Get to know us - professional event video! NO cost to You!"

A short paragraph on the back, followed by CALL NOW TO BOOK, and your contact information. Simple and quick, and unless a video company has been doing a slam-bang job for this group for years at giveaway prices, you will get a shot. They will inquire.

Virtually any video, photography or trade publication - MacWorld magazine, Website Magazine, Videography magazine, for examples - will have a number of ads, usually on the back pages, of print companies vying for your business. I have had a good experience with a number of them. America's Printer is one; also PrintRunner. If time is too short for designing, printing and mailing postcards this season, use a one-page letter.

WHAT SHOULD MY LETTER SAY?
Obviously you should have professional looking letterhead with your company name and contact information. But if you are simply an independent individual, then take a shot at setting something up on your computer/word processor with a nice, clean font for your name/contact information.

I might send body copy that says:
"Dear (activity director's name)
I specialize in affordable professional video production services and want to produce your (Spring Fling, Spring Concert, etc.) this year at absolutely no cost to your group, organization or school. How?

APPROACH A
I realize you may have choices in a professional video services provider. As an opportunity to get to know me, my company and the quality of our productions, I will videotape, edit, produce and package video DVDs of your (event name) in a professional manner and quality.

I provide copies of performances of two hours or less for $25 each. If even one person, parent or student purchases a copy, I will not only deliver theirs, but will also provide you with a complimentary copy at no charge.

Call me today to arrange for this unique, one-time "get acquainted" special offer, and place your event on our production calendar.

APPROACH B
Direct sales to parents helps defray production costs, and I will provide the order forms for advance sales.

Simply distribute the forms and accept cash/check payment for a minimum of 20 DVDs at $25 each, and (company name) will provide complete professional video production services at no additional costs.

You may, if you wish, deposit order payments and issue one check to (company name), or we will gladly accept direct checks/cash payments and provide you with a list of each person who orders, the number ordered and total receipts.

We will deliver all orders received, prior to and following, (event name) within 4-6 weeks, direct to you for distribution. Other delivery arrangements are available subject to additional costs.

Call today to schedule (event name) on our production calendar. I (we) look forward to hearing from you soon.

THEN...
If you have any further questions or concerns do not hesitate to call or e-mail. We would LOVE to work with you!

Regards,
Name and signature

I DO IT THIS WAY
Keep it simple.

I believe in event video production we sometimes go overboard with production efforts that might result in a high-end style production with lots of camera angles, moves and booms, cranes, stabilizer, multiple mic placement and some seriously complex editing.

These productions might include complex graphics, composite sequences and special effects, plush graphic inserts, library cases and more.

It is my professional opinion that while such productions are certainly (or can be) awe inspiring, get us (maybe) into the big time, whatever that is, and make us very proud of our capabilities - all those people watching us work this complex production magic during the event. Oops, they're watching US, and not the event? That's fine, they'll get to see it when they purchase a copy at $55, $65 or $75.

I hope these producers DO get that kind of money, and a significant number of sales, because all the trouble they've gone to is certainly worth the purchase price. But, in the real world, especially these tight economic times, they are over producing with no hope of recouping production costs, much less making a profit.

It is my experience that people want quality imaging and audio with a minimum of whizbang POVs, special effects and creative embellishment - meat and potatoes. And, they want it at a reasonable price. I have found the meaning of "reasonable" to be somewhere between $18 and $25, depending on a number of factors such as length of performance or total numbers ordered, guaranteed high sales volume (100 or more), etc.

We shoot two-camera, two-operator, side-by-side (stereo, if you will). One camera follows with close up shots, medium shots. The other shoots primarily full stage, occasionally tightening up for small groups, or split-mic vocals, etc. The full shot is used as a base, with the follow camera shots inserted where needed, and/or where possible to enhance the production with a minimum of editing effort.

I usually use the live audio from our on-camera mics (they're relatively decent sound quality, and having the audio from both allows me options to build up, or enhance by sometimes doubling from both). I also usually distribute at least two, sometimes four Zoom H2 digital recorders where I think they will be most effective. I use this audio when and where needed for clarity, or to boost, or ambient sound, whatever. It is my personal preference, after many a sad experience and audio circuitry damage/repairs, to not utilize audio directly from any existing sound board/system.

IT'S A WRAP!
So, just as you would include a call to action on your mailings (CALL NOW! CALL TODAY!) start planning, research, development and mailing NOW! TODAY! and get your share of this lucrative market while it is hot!

Working "On Spec" Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

If you don't mind gambling, and still believe in the inherent goodness of humankind, working a production "on spec" is not necessarily a bad thing. In my early days of video production, and even today, I have used this approach to open doors to new business.

Not once in more than 15 years have I failed to get the return I expected, and often more than I anticipated, by offering a group, organization or school this approach to getting to know me and my production company, opening doors for lucrative emergency business and future repeat clients.

Just for your information, I often have run into photographers, some of them members of a huge operation/company, whose only approach to business is to cover events on spec. If you aren't familiar with the term - on spec generally means you are willing to shoot, edit and produce a video product with no promise or guarantee of sales, payment or income. You are "speculating" that enough people will see you in action, and want a copy of what you are producing, or will visit your website for a taste of a clip sample and then want what you are producing, that the effort to do this will pay off in some way.

I have an introductory special for paid minimum sales gigs where I offer to shoot up to a two-hour performance, edit and produce DVDs for a minimum of 20 units at $25. I rarely ever have to offer on spec productions anymore, but it is a way to open doors if the economy has slowed things down in your area. It is also a way to develop long-lasting new business relationships where second season and beyond clients return for a more lucrative agreement, or the minimums I mentioned above.

Only one client out of many, many clients past and present has steadfastly stuck with the minimum 20 at $25 offer. Mostly because this client only has an average of 18 dance students in her class, and mostly does the whole thing for a hobby. She has often paid for the additional two to meet my minimums. Since her productions are almost always barely one hour in length, I am content to maintain this arrangement with her, rather than lose her as a renewable income resource.

Also, I have obtained other business, referrals and even a wedding or three from her, her associates, class members or parents. The exposure has more than paid for sticking with a loyal client who returns year-after-year, and can be counted on for receipt of payment when I show up to shoot. It is an easy $500 gig.

As for the rest of my event clients, I have always averaged 50 units, or more, in sales. Some top the 100 mark, and I collect $25 for each and every sale. I will often comp a copy to the owner/director/organizer when sales top 40 or more. I provide advance sales order forms, or a copy they can duplicate and distribute.

Back to shooting on spec. Rarely will any martial arts group, youth sports group, school performance group, church activity, car show club, or any other event you can imagine pass up on the opportunity to receive "professional" quality production if it isn't going to cost the group a dime. Individual sales set at a price point with which you can live carries the weight of production costs, and will virtually always result in making $500 or more for a gig of two hours in length, or less.

Shooting on spec is a great way to fill empty production calendars, to expose you and your company to more people, develop branding and company awareness, and even drive clients to your website(s) if you post sample clips and provide ordering convenience from your website. I personally haven't established a clips and on-line sales element, but within the next few months I will be totally revamping all my business websites, and offering this avenue for people to order on line.

Give it some thought. Decide what you are willing to take a chance on, then go out there and find events that appeal to the gambler in you. It will almost always give much better odds than Vegas. Really.

My Mother is Dying

As I am writing this my mother, almost 80, is dying. In Texas, my Dad, sister Philda, and a host of family and friends is working with Hospice in an effort to make Mom's passing as comfortable as possible. In California I am back only a week after sitting up with Mom for hours while she struggled to take a breath, while we each took turns telling her how much we love her, and she, so wispy of breath told us the same.

Alzheimer's, diabetes, a weak heart, congestive heart failure and “Whatever that bug is that’s going around,” have taken their toll on a woman who fought long and hard to grow up, survive and keep her own family of a dozen (brothers, sisters, Mom and Dad) at one time, and that of her three sons and two daughters and a loving, dedicated and devoted husband well and well fed, healthy and happy, spiritually and morally strong.

I just recently completed the first edition of a book about Mom. Alzheimer’s: Stories Mom Forgot. It was my first draft, but knowing “things” might not go much longer I self-printed, published and delivered in time for the holidays (Mom's absolute favorite time of the year - Christmas Day is her’s and Dad’s anniversary, 62 years) enough copies for my brothers and sisters, my Dad and a few others in the family.

It was well received, and each said that amid the tears of laughter and pain they found renewed memories of their own forgotten stories. What a gift, I was told, keeping your mother’s memories alive, for you and all of us.

I have more stories to add, so the second edition is the one most likely to achieve some degree of mass publication. Sadly, now it will have an ending where no further memories or stories will be created. But it will contain much of what my mother was, who she is and always will be. The book also encourages others faced with Alzheimer’s - victim, family, friend or acquaintance - to find ways to preserve their own stories and memories.

It is my intent, and with the support of my circle of family, friends, acquaintances in my day-to-day world, and video industry universe entirely possible, to go beyond this initial preservation of Stories Mom Forgot. Alzheimer’s is well-past that thing about being, what is it, five removed? from virtually any other person on the planet? None of us is much more than one removed from someone touched by this damned disease. I hope to, like Steven Spielberg, establish a movement across the country (for now, the world, perhaps, eventually) that supports the use of video, audio and publication to establish an archive preserving these lost stories and memories.

I have no idea what I am doing, or where to start, but I will begin immediately, as I wait for that dreaded phone call from Texas, to research and reach out in an effort to find the means to do this.

As Nancy Gibbs wrote, in her essay Remember This, Time magazine, December 8, 2008, regarding why we save and collect things. Because, she wrote, they are ”...the memory of the moments that make us who we are.”

Speilberg launched the “Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation” in 1994 after filming Schindler’s List. Completing an archive containing testimony from 51,661 eyewitnesses was “a dream that became a remarkable reality,” he said.

Like Shoah there are other memories, stories all but forgotten, and perhaps in their own ways as educational and important to memory preservation via video, audio or publication - stories and memories of Alzheimer’s victims, their families, friends and acquaintances.

I will keep my readers and followers posted on where this leads.

EPILOG: Mom died at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2009; she was buried Thursday, January 29, 2009 in Timpson, Texas, Weaver Cemetery, our newly-acquired "immediate family" plot. During her final hours Mom, Margie, Margaret, the woman Dad has always called "My Sweetheart" was able to individually tell each of her children, and my Dad, "I love you with all my heart."

Until her very last cognizant moment Mom was able to spell "H-O-P-E-L-E-S-S." This is a special thing we shared when Mom was several years into Alzheimer's. She would ask, "Am I hopeless?" We would ask, "Can you spell hopeless, Mom?" Then, when she did, unerringly, we would respond, "Then you are not hopeless Mom." She would smile for awhile, then ask again, "Am I..."

I am expanding my book about Mom; "Alzheimer's: Stories Mom Forgot" and I will soon be further pursuing a way of honoring her memory through web site, publication and any other available means by advancing a program designed to help others affected or afflicted by this disease preserve their memories and stories.
E.C.

Why video?

Before you accuse me of preaching to the choir, consider that the quotes I am about to share below offer you yet another source for emphasis on what you do with your video services - preserve memories.

Later in this article I will briefly recap some of the marketing possibilities featured over the years in this blog as well, reminding you of the possibilities. My two primary marketing slogans: If you market you will make it; Somebody somewhere celebrates something every day! © 2000 - 2009, Earl Chessher.

First, a couple of truly remarkable quotes by non-video producers that support the "why" of video production.

“A photograph is just a little, teeny-weeny, small piece of life. I feel like I see so much more than what I can actually get. I believe strongly in the power of the still photograph; it can say so much, but it really is just a small piece of what actually is going on.”
— Annie Leibovitz, Time magazine, December 8, 2008 - 10 Questions.

(This renown photographer is perhaps most recently recognized for being behind the shutter of the Miley Cyrus photo.)

Key in on the words "...I see so much more than what I can actually get.” and “...it (the still photograph) really is just a small piece of what actually is going on.”

And,
“My own collection is personal, the table of contents of my life. ...rehearsal bouquet made from the ribbons from my bridal shower, and a shoebox full of key chains and charms...
“...Souvenir means ‘to remember’; I wonder why we tend to associate the word with the tacky and tasteless, rather than with the most precious collectible of all: the memory of the moments that make us who we are.”
— Nancy Gibbs, Time magazine essay titled Remember This. The rush for election souvenirs reminds us why we collect: to preserve our most moving memories, December 8, 2008.

Key in on the words “...the memory of the moments that make us who we are.” Although Ms. Gibbs is talking about collecting physical objects in her essay, she still could as well be talking about preserving “...the memory of the moments that make us who we are,” on video. Our many, many celebrations of life.

Two GREAT video resources!
You cannot go wrong, checking out these two great resources for video production and marketing information, as well as other product and resource information: In The Viewfinder by Jay Michaels, and Video Production Tips by Lorraine Grula, who Jay calls {...the Internet Video Gal.” and I concur.

Michaels joined me (beat me, actually) in outlining valid ways to make money, including the videotaping and production/marketing of holiday decorations. Though I might have said it differently, the end result of Michael’s blog is an informative and encouraging approach to yet another market - albeit seasonal, you can still plan for your 2009 holiday production season. Go to Christmas Footage and DVD Marketing and make your plans NOW!

About VPT, Michaels says: “Video Production Tips is a site dedicated to helping you gain the skills and knowledge necessary to produce your own web videos. All of the advice is free!”

According to Michaels, The Internet Video Gal has 30 years experience in video production and is a well-respected professional working primarily in the Nashville, Tennessee video and TV news market. She has spent her life in the field creating video stories on every subject imaginable. On her site she teaches quick, down-and-dirty video production that looks like it took forever and cost a fortune, but didn't.
Now she runs her web sites and offers her lifetime of experience to video producers worldwide. Check out her free newsletter!

These, and many others, are dedicated video professionals willing to take their time to educate and share production experiences. Take advantage of this knowledge, it is the best video tool you will ever own.

Portions of the above have been paraphrased or altered slightly from information originally posted on In the Viewfinder, Video Production Tips, and other video related web sites.

Earlier I said I was going to briefly recap some of the marketing possibilities featured in this blog over the years, reminding you of the possibilities. But this article took a life of its own, so the NEXT blog will do that.

If you market you will make it - © 2000-2009, Earl Chessher
Somebody somewhere celebrates something every day! - © 2000 - 2009, Earl Chessher.

This Blog - The Past Five Years

EC Come, EC Go is five years old. It started out being a totally off-the-wall compilation of blather based primarily on my original career skill set - writing. Having been a journalist, freelance writer of magazine articles, graphics designer, layout and publications designer, photojournalist, publisher and owner of newspapers for over 30 years, I figured writing was somewhere "in there."

But the blog was quickly becoming hodgepodge with no sense of direction to it, and I wanted it to be more than that. So, I started writing marketing articles - initially thinking I'd get as many, if not more, clients (brides) seeking affirmation/reason or justification for hiring a video producer, as I would video producers following my articles.

I underwent another change in focus, setting up a blog for publication and sharing of a very seriously screwed up project gone awry when I published a series of critiques from a volunteer group of "fellow" video producers (a total slaughter actually - all of them drawing blood). I included their comments, my responses, answers or rebuttals and the whole shebang was simply too HOT to handle - so I dumped it all.

The same thing for when I perceived that a blog focusing on critiques on the web sites of people in the independent professional video services provider business (by request or not) would be viable, helpful and informative. I called upon my publication graphic design experience, marketing experience and editing experience to help others proof their copy, reduce the redundancy, enhance the impact and focus on the effective. That one pretty much "burned down the barn" with people in the industry - many of them fiercely independent, selfish and headstrong. Many of them unwilling to accept that they might be able to benefit, lashing out instead in overwhelmingly defensive posts and responses on a few video related forums in which I participated.

And now, I write articles about ideas, approaches and rehashed possibilities for business in the video marketing arena, hoping I am helping somebody somewhere. Judging by responses on two forum sites that seem for the most part to have a more well-rounded, less self-centered and egotistical, less abusively aggressive membership all more willing to share than slice and dice their fellow members. Those forums?

Check out www.dvprofessionals.com and www.videomaker.com - you might also go to the bottom of this blog and become a "follower" joining the impressive TWO that I now appreciate having aboard. Check out their sites as well. Jay is especially focused on quality information, resources and input in this business of video.

I have participated in facebook and Twitter, using those sites to post when I have fresh material on EC Come, EC Go. And, of course, I post notices on the above two forums as well. I don't know about the overall effectiveness of fb and T, but time will tell. For now these are mostly social/viral marketing experiments that seem to not have much sway.

EC Come, EC GO will eventually (this year perhaps) find its way back to my original intention - promotion of my fiction and non-fiction writing, writing in general and trying to develop a marketing environment for the sales of upcoming books I intend to get published.

I will not abandon my focus on marketing concepts, and ways to make money, sharing mine, and others, experiences in video production with the community-at-large in an effort to spread the word about the commercial viability of video production at the independent producer level. It will simply be under another name with links and re-directs, announcements, etc. regarding the same when all that comes to pass.

Meanwhile, I have a number of marketing web sites that are in serious need of revision, updating and streamlining - this is a must do for 2009. I will keep those of you who are interested posted regarding the changes, and my progress on the above plans, as well as new and improved web sites - if, in fact, anyone is interested and (anymore) has the time to check things out.

My next article coming sometime early January, 2009 (I hope) will offer a review of the many articles contained in this blog's current iteration, and the areas I plan to focus in the coming months. I will also, as has been strongly suggested by Jay - one of my TWO followers - be creating a book with support materials and samples on disk, as well as resources and marketing letters, forms, etc. that can be revised to meet the reader's needs. I will be adding visual content to the blog, more links to other definitive or interesting sites and resources that might prove helpful in the business of video production.

I write LONG, and people in general dislike reading, so my way of communicating is probably going the way of 8-track, audio cassette, VHS tape and even MiniDV tape and standard CD - sooner, rather than later. Until then...
...I will write. READ if you want, or not, but I have to tell you that reading will remain the number one avenue for self-education for a long time to come.

Happy New Year!

Make Money with Video Vignettes

Video vignettes are brief, live recordings of individuals reading from short personal bios/notes, or bios/notes of someone whose special story/memory they wish to preserve. The vast majority of video vignettes I have produced have averaged 20 minutes to a half-hour in length. Some have been as brief as 15 minutes, and others as long as an hour. Occasionally, but rarely, longer.

I have also produced video vignettes of clients speaking extemporaneously, as well as working from a script and a scrolling prompting system using an old Amiga computer and some rather antiquated software, poster board prompts, even sheets of typing paper with key words. Depending on the length of time spent, such productions can generate a couple hundred dollars income, sometimes but rarely thousands - it all depends on your fees, the complexity of the productions, and client budget, of course. The trick is to minimize your editing requirements.

How do you go about getting this kind of production work? Work, by the way, that offers a lot of scheduling flexibility, and provides income generating opportunities virtually any hour of any given day. This is an excellent way to get in some production time during those off days and slow weeks, adding to your bottom line. The preservation of personal memories and stories with professional quality production work can be especially lucrative during economic hard times. People tend to focus more on such things, and the family unit rather than expensive dinners, new cars or boats, or major trips.

Set up is quick and easy, videotaping and audio acquisition is (or can be) down and dirty still with excellent results, and virtually no editing. Planned properly, and with the right client, you can almost edit in-camera and hand it over at the end of the session. But, you probably wouldn’t want to. Why?

A little touch of added production quality: titles, brief opening/closing music score, closing credits and packaged in a nice DVD case with graphics printed on the disk as well as custom color inserts makes all the difference in the world. It takes very little time to spice up the production this way. Making the effort often results in additional sales of copies, referrals to others in the client’s social circles, and can generate even better paying gigs of interesting and varied commercial value. It’s (almost) all in the presentation and delivery.

GETTING THE GIGS
As with a lot of things you can do with video to make money, you need something to show. You will need to give a little to get a lot, and it doesn’t take much effort. Notwithstanding the family and friends you have around you (known, and excellent resources for practice or developing samples) there are also other avenues to pursue.

I started marketing this production service at retirement centers, convalescent centers, community senior and citizen centers, and most recently picked up a couple from a holiday party gig we booked Christmas week. Two clients there, encouraged by the telling of an old war story by the company owner’s 85-year-old father, have scheduled their own video vignettes for the end of January 2009.

Give a little to get a lot? Well, my first adventure was in a retirement community. I personally visited the facility director and offered to spend a day on location at one of the clubhouses. I proposed to set up a small interview area with 3-point lighting, camera on a tripod and wired mic. (I now use the Zoom H2 standalone digital recorder for virtually all such audio acquisition). I wore a suit and tie, had professional quality business cards and a brief 10-minute video of my Dad sharing one of his many “stories from the past” just to give an idea of what I was proposing.

I told the facility, and also the activities, directors if they had residents who were physically independent, could communicate and were active and interested in having a story or two of themselves on video that they could share with family, friends and others in their social circles, I would be willing to record their brief stories and make a quality production for each of them - no charge.

I explained that I would need them to distribute fliers giving the date, time and clubhouse/activities room location, advertising that the video interviews and one copy for each participant would be free of charge. I asked for permission to provide cookies and punch (if you feed them, they will come) and asked them to encourage family members to attend if they were curious or concerned. I handed out releases to be signed, noting that I would be using the resulting productions for further marketing.

The fliers were distributed and I videotaped and interviewed 18 individuals during an eight-hour day. Some brought hand-written notes on a tablet or notebook, one brought a laptop computer, and others had various and assorted note cards. A couple brought a friend or family member to interact with, telling them “the story” while I recorded. Those came off so natural and relaxed. A few brought photo albums or a representative photo of the story they wanted to record. The excitement level was high and there was a friendly, almost party atmosphere.

I did what I promised, and I sold several copies to most of the participants. Over time I received many other orders, and contact from friends and family members to provide similar services for them. The first year I did this I had all the bookings I could handle, and the scheduling was very flexible for most of them. Only a few had some kind of serious time line they wanted to meet - a reunion, milestone birthday or anniversary coming up.

The best part of that initial experience was being called back not once, but several times over the next two years by the facility to do it again, this time for “paid” gigs. I was also contacted by associated facilities, as well as people who worked with veterans, retired and active senior groups, with interesting stories they wanted to have recorded. They’d heard about, or watched one of the productions and were enthusiastic about doing the same thing.

Another way to get these gigs is to get addresses for community centers and senior/retirement facilities, even churches, in your service area. Develop a single-page letter with the basic information, and create a five-to-ten minute DVD demo to include. It doesn’t always generate interest or immediate response as well, however, as a personal face-to-face.

SHOOTING THE INTERVIEWS
This is fairly basic production work. Pretty much any kind of light source(s) will work. I have an NRG 3-point lighting system that I found reasonably affordable many years ago, but there are any number of ways to generate soft, pleasant lighting. Also, depending on the time of day, you can utilize available lighting resources as well - just be sure to white balance your camera for optimum results. Avoid harsh shadows. Soft, indirect lighting sources are best for a pleasing and flattering image quality. I also keep a box of tissues handy for blotting oily or shiny faces.

I have found that most community centers and activity rooms have pleasant, soft non-directional lighting, as well as comfortable chairs, and artificial plants, or a side table and lamp, to help in the prop department.

I do a sound check, of course, asking the participant to speak in their normal, conversational voice.

To get the best, most natural shoots, and to help (sometimes) prevent overloaded nerves, after setting up the camera on a tripod for either side, direct, or over-the-interviewer’s-shoulder perspective, checking the lighting on my monitor, I remove the headphones, abandon the camera (leaving it running - if you cannot turn off the blinking red light, put a piece of tape over it) and seat myself in a position that allows the subject to focus on me, telling me their story, rather than worrying about what the camera (or the person behind the camera) is doing.

I ask the subject a few general questions in a light, interested, conversational tone just to get him/her into it. When I see them relax a bit I encourage them to start reading, or telling me their story. This sounds like a long process, but it only takes a few minutes most of the time. Of course I adjust my approach when they have their own props, or have brought a friend to participate in the story-telling process. Be flexible. Don’t let yourself come off anxious or everyone around you will tighten up, making for some seriously tense footage, or even re-takes.

Before the subject leaves, check your footage and your audio to make sure, then call out “next!” Don’t make the mistake of allowing them to see or review the footage. If you are on a production time line, this will seriously screw up your ability to keep on schedule. I usually tell them (if it is so) “looks good, sounds good, you’re gonna love it. I will let you know as soon as your production is ready to delivery.”

They already know an estimated time line for delivery, and have usually given me a photo of themselves, or the story subject, along with their information sheet. So, “next!”

PRICING YOUR PRODUCTION
Pricing, of course, is whatever you want it to be, and what your particular market will bear. Set your own values, but first I’ll tell you what I started out charging, and what I charge now, and some variables that sometimes occur.

That first experiment was entirely on spec - meaning, of course, I was willing to shoot and deliver a product for free. I charged $20 per copy and averaged five copies per subject. Some bought 20, others a couple, one took the free copy and “bye-bye.”

Today, I charge $100 per hour and spend, on average, two hours with most clients, including setup and break down. I require a two-hour minimum, unless the client is only going to read from five pages, or less, of copy usually taking about 10 minutes. I’ve done many one-hour gigs, including setup/tear down, but have almost always wound up with copy sales of a dozen or more offsetting the minimum fee.

The hours can add up when a video vignette client winds up being a documentary client or a “This is Your Life” subject with multiple interviews, additional resources and visual materials, extra locations, audio enhancement, etc. This is a whole other subject, and I try to keep my focus when promoting video vignettes as opposed to full scale documentary production work. It is, however, all in the hours and, of course, the amount of editing you wind up having to perform. I currently charge $100 (two-hour minimum) to shoot, and $75 an hour for editing for serious documentary work. I advise that editing can run about one hour per finished minute. Keeps everything in perspective - sometimes.

Video vignettes need to be simple and straightforward with little, if any, editing. Get your clean ins and clean outs, make sure your white balance and audio levels are proper going in, then whip that project out and collect your money. “Next!”

Money Maker: Day in the Life Videos!

Day in the Life video productions - so simple anybody can do them, but they don’t. And, neither do friends, parents and grandparents who have and use one of the millions of camcorders sold each year.

You can market these special productions, offering client families the opportunity to not only simply enjoy the event, but also get a professionally videotaped, edited, titled, produced and packaged DVD they can enjoy watching and sharing over the years. I know this from personal and professional experience. Many of our Day in the Life clients tell us their children watch these special productions over, and over again.

What child wouldn’t? After all these productions feature them doing something they enjoy, playing music they like, often featuring them as the sole focus in an active, colorful and enjoyable movie. Kids love to watch themselves doing stuff, especially if it looks like they’re having fun doing it! Moms and dads, grandparents and friends get a pretty good kick out of these productions as well.

Back in the VHS/VHS-C days I spent a long weekend with some out-of-state friends. They have four daughters, ranging in ages from two to ten at the time. This is where I realized the marketing potential for what became “Day in the Life” videos featuring children doing something “fun”.

Being a child at heart myself, and often mistaken for a grownup-sized toy for the children I chance to be around, me and the four girls started playing hide-and-seek, hiding and scaring, room chasing and bed bouncing throughout the family residence. We went through a couple hours of S-VHS-C tape while driving the parents nuts with our noise and antics. By the time we were threatened with being forced outside in the middle of a winter day by the folks, I had worked myself into a glorious sweat. The girls, however, were nowhere near ready to calm down.

Fast forward to a couple of months later. I had some time so I went through all the footage and captured the “good stuff” created special titles for each of the girls and generally made quite a production of it. The final video wound up being about a half-hour, give or take. I packaged it up with custom graphics and sent a copy to the girls. The immediate response was overwhelming.

Mainly, the parents offered to “buy” a backup copy for themselves, and one for each of the girls because they were fighting over who owned the original. So, I produced another general video, and four with graphics featuring the girls individually, naming a video for each of them, and sent them off.

A couple of years ago, while talking with my friends, the video came up. I was asked if I still had the original and could I convert it to a DVD for them. “No,” Mom said, “make it five.” Even though the oldest had finished college and the next-oldest was in college, mom said the girls “still” talked about that video. She knew even now they each would want a DVD of their own. Talk about an extended shelf life. I was told the girls had literally worn out the original tapes, watching them so much.

I have honed this process down, and do not necessarily spend that kind of time with client children, but still. I have produced montages with special music featuring digital shots I’ve taken during a couple of hours at the local playground. I have produced live programs featuring a child and her cute antics at a playground, saying the cute things kids are prone to say, making cute (sometimes ugly) faces while mugging for the camera man.

On average I have spent about two hours accumulating video/photo resources, depending on what the client parents hire me for, the type of event, or scenario - most wind up being a few hours at the local park, playground, a petting zoo, the local pier or duck pond, Chucky Cheese, or even a McDonalds play area.

Overall success, of course, depends on how outgoing the child is. I am fortunate in that I seem to have retained the “adult-sized kid’s toy” element and can often develop some good interaction even with kids who have only known me for a short while.

The challenges exist, and it will be up to you to get what you need to make your Day in the Life productions work. I have also had to reschedule due to some situations where the best I could get out of a particularly unhappy child was two hours of crying and screaming. These usually, eventually, work out. Bad takes happen.

Why would people pay someone to produce something they can? Because it is easier, and if you balance what you do for how much you charge, and still give them something unique and professional looking (to a greater or lesser degree - depending on your fees) many people simply do not have the incentive to personally move beyond the “home video” look with their own footage.

The vast majority of home video enthusiasts simply aim and shoot for the duration of the media their camcorder uses. They talk over, shoot down instead of on a kid’s level, zoom-zoom, cut heads off, chop off audio in mid-sentence, swish pan thoughtlessly, jerk into and out of focus, never worry about back light issues, framing, stability, clean ins and outs, POVs (point of view). They record an event or special moments, watch the video once, maybe, fast forwarding through the rough stuff, think about getting some home editing equipment, or having their footage "professionally edited" yikes!

Having samples sells Day in the Life video productions. Samples show potential clients the difference between shooting everything and never editing, and a production that is videotaped and edited using at least some degree of the same professional techniques you would use during any commercial gig.

Decide what you are willing to do for how much and include your shooting time, factor your editing time, and production length into a flat fee. For me a flat fee sells a bit easier than an hourly charge.

Do a couple of samples, say one of only photos for a music montage with titles and special graphics, the other with live footage. Maybe a third featuring narrative from parents/grandparents/family/friends, live shots and photos. The only thing is, if this production is intended to please the child, the closer you come to doing a documentary style video the more you’re going to lose the child’s interest in the final production.

Feature the children heavily, with appropriate music they know and love, antics they enjoy pulling, and you will not only win the day, make the money and set up a whole new service focus, but you could wind up with a seriously renewable business. Don’t be surprised when you get calls for christening, first communion, talent show, elementary, middle and high school graduation, senior montage, milestone birthday parties, and even mom and dad or the grandparents for their parties and celebrations.

Direct mail works well for this. Keep every good address you acquire and use it as your initial direct mail marketing strategy for sending out a one-page cover letter and your Day in the Life sample DVD. Hand them out to folks at community events, around the neighborhood, or along with your samples of special childrens performances at day care, private and public schools.

Make Money Videotaping AND Entertaining!

Take a walk on the wild side and get into the act while making money with what my company calls "Paparazzi Parties!"

See A Sample...
Click on the title to this article and go to our web site page where you will find a link to a QuickTime “Paparazzi Parties!” clip that gives you an idea of what I am talking about. Yeah, that's me in the ball cap, striped shirt and (unlighted) cigar. You will have to wait a few for the clip to play, but it could be worth your time. Also, if you like some of what you read here you can click on "follow this blog" by scrolling to the bottom and be an ec reader.

Pumping You Up!
Like the requirements of some of my previous articles, this is not for the faint of heart, shy or bashful Independent Professional Video Services Providers who prefer to hide and shoot. You will need to have a personality that compels you to perform. But I have to say if you are an outgoing, gregarious, former school/family clown, or just love to have some fun, you are going to enjoy doing your own version of Paparazzi Parties!

Develop your character (or characters) and costume(s) and get into it! Video can and often should be entertaining. While there are certainly serious/educational focus requirements for video productions, entertainment is the key word for our Paparazzi Parties! With this service listed in your marketing materials, and development of a couple of short skits or concepts you do not have to remain always behind the camera, or hidden away in your cave while editing to make entertaining video.

Don’t always be like the frog in that cartoon where he sits and croaks, only talking, singing and even dancing when nobody is watching. Or, in your case, in the shower where (hopefully) nobody is watching or listening.

Those of you who yearn for a chance to be in front of the lens and have a go at letting your entertainment talents take front stage can not only release your alter egos, but make money doing it. And, you don’t even need to be a SAG member.

Make Some Money!
Get paid for 15-to-20 minutes of work (not counting your travel time, or the time you spend “getting into character” and dressing for the part). Put in an hour, or so, of work doing some clean-up editing, putting about 20 digital images on a disk, mail the package and get ready for a stream of referrals throughout the year!

The 2008 holiday season, and current bookings of my Paparazzi Parties! for a few parties in November and December, brought to mind that I should write this article now. I have to say, however, that when we kicked off Paparazzi Parties! several years ago, I used the holiday season to promote it, but we now get bookings spread out over the year. The first few were daunting, even for me/us, but after that? Piece of cake.

What I now hear when answering an inquiry is: "Do you guys still do that paparazzi thing? I hope so! We were at one you did for our friends and loved it! My husband’s birthday is April...” They don’t ask "how much does it cost?” They say, “I want to book you!” Yeah, OK, then they ask how much it costs.

How much does it cost? Our prices “start” at $350 for about 15 minutes of entertainment. The client gets on site entertainment that usually works very well (They want their guests, and the celebrant to have fun, right?), a 10-to-15 minute DVD video, and about two-dozen digital “snaps” of the interaction on a photo jpeg CD.

Depending on the event, the length of time they want you to spend on site and in character, your travel time, preparation, you can adjust that “starts at” to whatever you want, and whatever your market area will bear. We try to hit surprising, shocking, hard - fast in and out. "Gone in Sixty Seconds" comes to mind, but this take a bit longer.

And, the great thing about our Paparazzi Parties! is that they are not always on the weekend. While a good number of inquiries are for Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, we also get plenty of events happening during the week. It just depends. Like my marketing mantra: “Somebody somewhere celebrates something every day!”

Our Technique/Approach
I have a number of ideas for characters and approaches to "paparazzi-ing" the client, victim, celebrant. But being in the "old fart" category, I mostly opt for a character who wears a ball cap, chews on an unlighted cigar, wears a black-and-green Grinch Who Stole Christmas necktie, a brown checkered vest, blue striped shirt and baggy blue pants with a pair of roughed up, work out tennis shoes.

My character is acerbic, sarcastic, caustic, stares openly at the "babes" and occasionally (very occasionally) gives the guy celebrants a smack on the cheek (face) when he least expects it. I "tone it" up or down, depending on the occasion, but not much. People like raunchy and it can, believe me or not, be done tastefully. Maybe.

NOTE: When I book with the client I ask about the celebrant's personality, his or her likes/dislikes, phobias, and assorted idiosyncrasies or personal "quirks." This gives me things to focus on that often cause the guests to break out in riotous laughter.

One of my favorite skits is I have a bag full of rolls of film that are absolutely no good. After the initial shock and fun, or irritation, of our entry dissipates I then circle around, handing rolls of film to various guests, breaking into conversations, interrupting them between bites of food or drinks (hey, paparazzi are supposed to be irritating and obnoxious, right) and asking loudly and rudely for them to roll the film back up so I can "re-use" it. I do not sound educated, nor do I enunciate clearly or carefully when I am in character.

"I have this new recycling program going so's I can save money on film." I say. "Roll this up for me so's I can use it when I come back. You do know how, don'tcha?" Depending on the response/reactions (many of the guests really get into it with the interaction) I may or may not linger. I often show the "dimwit" how by grasping the nipple of the roll and cranking a few turns. Sometimes I will pull out the film from the canister, shocking the group. Whatever it takes. I may also ask for help in loading the film into my camera. Duh.

My associate is also in character. She videotapes the interaction, guests and celebrant's reactions, and occasionally yells out that someone looks just like (name the star, or beautiful people member, or politician, etc. here) making sure everybody hears it, and we both scramble to get in that person's face. She videotapes while I snap pictures, the flash going off in their faces, interact, then we move on. It's fast-paced and often a total shock. We try to leave before things get bogged down.

However, we have developed a bit of a "rep" around here, and some of our gigs call for us to be THE PROGRAM or THE ENTERTAINMENT and we remain for a couple of hours. Yeah, we make more for those. Our highest paying gig under Paparazzi Parties! has been $3K, and we were the greeters, attacking people as they arrived, interacted with guests during the social time, disrupted dancing, roasted the roasters during the main toasts, and took off after desperately departing guests, getting that last shot on my camera and/or the camcorder. The final production was under an hour and required no sophisticated editing techniques, simple cuts from one "moment" to another, opening/closing titles, and about a hundred jpeg images - all candids.

Marketing This Fun Service!
PartyPop.com is a great place to list with this. There are other web sites that focus on things other than weddings, offering DJs and more under entertainment. This is a whole new listing for you if all you have done previously is focus on being a wedding video producer.

I have a direct mail letter that pretty much regurgitates what is on the web site page, and I usually include a full version of the sample clip on DVD. I mail these periodically to every good address I have on file. (you've read my direct mail article, right) I distribute these at other events we book, and make sure to have plenty of cards for the parties we "disrupt."

Go ahead and "paparazzi" somebody. Act up! Have fun! Make money!

Be True to Your Schools

There is money to be made, and business galore in school band, and other events, production services. I know a lot of video producers are going after this market, and aggressively, but that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a piece for yourself.
Before I get to the elements of what has worked for me in this market, I want to say a few things about what you will be facing - primarily “The Competition.” Believe me, it’s out there, and if you don’t have enough gumption to take on your competition toe-to-toe, you will be wishing you could get into school band and event business for the rest of your independent business career.
Get a jump on the competition and have activity directors, event sponsors, coaches and band directors swinging the doors open wide for your unique, affordable and quality video production services. Every day creates a new opportunity for squeezing through doors that once appeared closed to your knocks. Be persistent. If you simply give up and go away, they will forget you - just at the moment when a reminder might have come at the right time.
I have to go again with my way of doing this, using simplicity, economy of effort and affordability. There are certainly more complex and profit generating ways to approach school event, band and sports productions, but you can earn appreciation, loyalty and money by making things easy for your clients, and for yourself.
Later in this article I will give you a link to reasonably priced materials, resources and information from one of the most successful event production professionals I know. But first I will share my way, using simplicity, economy of effort and affordability.
I have had the pleasure of producing flag drill competitions, cheer leading competitions, football games, homecoming week events, marching band, school orchestra and swing band events, choral presentations and more just by simplifying the production, sales and delivery process.
There are many in our services community who ask for, and receive top dollar for high perceived quality of service and productions. They may, or not, have little competition, great client loyalty and enjoy an ongoing seasonal connection with their area schools. This has a lot to do not only with loyalty from the band director, coach or activities director, even leaders of the various support groups behind funding and activities for all these school events, but with the persistence of quality, or not, by their video services provider.
I have to tell you that loyalty does not count in the reality of this business. You might even thing that is BS, and have apparent client loyalty in some respect, but do not trip, or become overconfident because there’s always someone waiting and watching.
It is my experience that all but the most firmly entrenched area school events video service providers can be dislodged from their comfort zones. How is that? Because after a couple of years working for a group, independent professional video service providers tend to become complacent, or downright lazy, even too greedy, reducing the initial personal service, fast turnarounds and bumping up prices year after year. These people, I am sorry to say, are ripe for knocking out of the equation.
A bad attitude to have about your fellow video producer, right? Well, not really. I mean this is a competitive, aggressive (if you want to survive) and dynamic business environment. All business is this way. The strong survive by being aggressive: there are ethical and non-ethical ways of doing this.
Some focus on cutting the competition off at the knees by any hook or crook. Others actually do the same thing, but maybe sleep a bit better at night, because they perform cutthroat operations via pricing, quality service and products, strong marketing skills and developing inside connections.
It is one thing to say negative things about your competition in an effort to denigrate them, tell stories that may, or not, be absolutely true, or even do work for another production company as its representative, then operating from your new “prospective” client list, go behind your former resource’s back in an attempt to “steal” from their client list.
Whatever it takes, is not always a valid response. But, if you do have a quality product, if you do have the tools and experience for creating these videos, if you can provide reasonably fast turnaround (even instant gratification, using the Bob Anderson approach - link coming up soon), if you are attentive to your current, and new, or prospective clients, listen to their needs, their complaints, often put up with a bit of their BS, then you have the right to do “whatever it takes” to gain that business.
I have won, and lost, serious band production business simply because of massive equipment failure. Although I managed to generate an “acceptable” product, delivered the number of ordered copies at “no charge” wrote apology letters to each and every parent/student, and let the band department keep the proceeds, they went with someone else the next season.
Another producer was on the spot, making promises and guarantees based on what I failed to deliver, based on my bad luck, and talked my clients away. It happens. More power to him.
Two years later I asked the same band director for another shot, saying I was willing to shoot the event for free, if he was not obligated by contract to restrict access, and provide him with a fully produced copy. I told him I was willing to put my production up against the competitions, and if the director thought mine was better quality, I’d provide copies for all customers purchasing the other guy’s video, at no charge. His people were going to get “twofers!”
I got the go, took second choice positions (only fair to the other guy) and we stopped paying attention to them and started doing our own thing. Maybe I shook up the competition. Sorry, I was willing to commit in order to make a comeback, and if he couldn’t stand the heat. The band director made his choice, subjective I am sure, but it was for me. Two years after catching me in a bad set of circumstances, I returned the favor and got my client back.

GETTING THE BUSINESS
Ok, how do you get in those doors in the first place. If you have read any of my other articles you know how strongly I believe in direct mail marketing, aggressive followup strategies, and maintaining connections.
Getting area school band business is no different. I do my research and get current names, correct addresses and phone numbers. In Southern California it is as simple as doing a Google search - most schools and districts in my service area now have web sites, and if not, there are a number of general listings compiled by others who make this information available on the web.
You should be able to do the same thing no matter where you live and operate your video business.
After I do my research, make calls to the school office to verify the name, and spelling, of the people I want to contact - the band director, activities director and booster club president, if possible. I prepare my letter - one page, to the point. I also have, or can develop, any number of sample DVDs representing some or all of the school events my company has produced over the years. I am in the process of creating a fresh, new sample now, portions soon to be posted on my web sites. All that is currently a work in progress, targeting completion during January 2009.

THE MARKET LETTER
Dear (name goes here)

Have your next (name of school band performance) professionally videotaped, edited and produced with current digital technology, delivered in less than four weeks, at NO CHARGE to your school or booster club.
My company has more than 15 year’s experience in producing high school events. See the enclosed sample DVD, and go the chapter on (marching, orchestra, ensemble band, drum corp) productions. I am willing to give you a get acquainted opportunity that will create a win-win situation. You, your school, your band students and their parents and friends will receive a professionally packaged and produced performance production and pay not one dime for its production.
How?
Our regular production agreement for a band performance or event of up to two hours is that presales are held, offering copies of this professionally produced keepsake at $25. The regular production agreement only requires a minimum of 20 sales to guarantee production and delivery of the product. We can certainly deliver more, but they only have to presale 20 to get the production.
As a “Get Acquainted” special, my company will provide the same services and no minimum. Yes, invite us to attend and we will videotape, edit and produce your band performance of up to two hours, resulting in a DVD of two hours or less. We will do this if we sell one, none or a hundred. There will be no further obligation.
Give me a call, or e-mail today to arrange for this special get acquainted offer. Even if you currently have a qualified video services provider, you deserve an affordable opportunity to discover the alternatives.
Call today!
We would LOVE to work with you!
Regards,
NAME GOES HERE

You might want to make a different approach, but I have to tell you that in my service area this letter has generated virtually 99 percent response. We win a few, lose a few, and nearly always hear from them all sooner or later.
Wby?
Because I follow up with another letter(s), email(s) and phone calls a few times each school year. I research and keep my contact list of names current and accurate. I remain aggressive, and whenever I create a new DVD, I start the process all over again for new school bands, and those who have not taken advantage of the offer. YET!

PRODUCING THE VIDEO
Always two cameras and two operators, be it marching band, or other orchestra or band event. Always. We arrange to shoot live performances of dress rehearsals when held, giving us an opportunity to freely move about the various routines, getting close up shots, and unique perspectives not always possible during competition or half-time performances.
We set up two cameras on tripod, sometimes with the closer unit hand-held for other unique POVs. The other camera is usually always either on the director’s platform, or a good placement in the bleachers. We alternate angles and shots with the closer camera doing closeups and medium shots, the distant camera shooting wide and medium. Both follow the action.
Halftime performances are almost always shot with one camera in the stands and the other on the director’s platform. I have a video shooter’s ladder I use in cases where I can be along the sideline, but cannot access the platform.
We use the wide-to-medium shots from the stands as our base, and cut the secondary camera closeups, etc. into the mix. I place several Zoom H2 recorders where I think they will best provide backup auxiliary audio. I haven’t always done this, and I don’t always use these recordings, going instead with audio collected through the on-camera mics. Whatever it takes to get the best depth of audio, and control crowd noise/ambient if any, sound.
The DVDs are packaged in clear plastic library cases with custom color graphic inserts, DVDs printed with same, and contain chaptered (where needed) selections of the performance(s).
We almost always deliver in four weeks or less.
Bob Anderson, on the other hand, offers not only finished full productions at a premium price, but individual performance DVDs on location during a highly involved production process that he has honed to a fine edge.
Get the best information possible on how to increase sales by offering more complext productions and instant onsite sales by going to http://www.videouniversity.com/eventvid.shtml Start a More Profitable Event Video Business Today - Oak Tree Press, $77.00 plus $4.50 S&H.

Dance Recital Video Production

Dance Recitals - you’ve heard of them. You have even perhaps produced one, or tried to, and were not all that pleased with the outcome. Money can absolutely be made videotaping and producing dance recitals but the financial success, or lack of it, has as much to do with your expectations as it does with those of the school, its owners/instructors, the students and their parents, friends and relatives.
My approach to production of dance recital video is based on simplicity and economy of effort, as well as affordability for the clients. My approach to marketing this vast community of video potential is the same: simplicity, economy of effort and affordability.
Though I have not had extreme levels of expectation income wise, not one of my experiences has been an economic disappointment. I am sure this hinges primarily on my personal expectations.
What do I mean by simplicity, economy, affordability?
I mean that you can market to and gain a multitude of gigs from this wide open aspect of the Independent Professional Video Services Provider potential. It might seem so at first glance, but the dance recital market is not as saturated as is the wedding market - at least the 22 percent wedge of wedding video pie everyone with a camera is fighting over.
I will soon focus on what needs to be done to carve out a serious wedge of the remaining 80+ percent of the wedding video market nobody wants to go after. But for now...
...dance recital video for fun, profits and referrals.
My quandary in the telling is this: Do I first tell you how to get some, more or virtually all of this business in your service area; or, do I first tell you how I approach these productions technically? I think, to justify my marketing approach I must first tell you how I shoot, edit and produce the productions. And, perhaps why.
It has been my experience and I feel obligated to first point out that the first and foremost person you will have to convince, and please, is the dance instructor. The omnipotent and all-knowing choreographer who is immensely proud of his/her stage designs, blocking and movements, and who expects a wide enough angle on the video to show stage impact- lighting and special effects, backgrounds, group and individual movements head-to-foot.
If you so much as leave more than a few seconds of the feet out of your coverage you will not be asked to return, no matter the artistic flair, timely delivery or cheapness of your services and per DVD sales price.
Trust me on this.
Initially I got past this expectation of the choreographers by doing two things: One, we always shoot a minimum (and usually only) two cameras, stereo (meaning side-by-side) with two operators. One operator shoots primarily full stage, or at least shoots and follows head-to-foot of the solos or smaller ensembles, using solid lead framing, and never (as much as is possible without attending a rehearsal and becoming familiar with the numbers) allowing the dancer(s) to leap or move out of frame. Trust me, even if you are familiar with the production you will occasionally be caught by surprise.
Some of these dancers can sunfish faster than a rodeo bull, reversing direction 180 degrees, and leaping out of frame in a split second of movement. Oops.
The other camera keeps full frame, but with the occasional CU or ECU (close up, or extreme close up) follow shot of full cast, ensemble or solo performances. These movements are smooth and steady, moving from either left to right, or right to left, or both in a double sweep, before pulling back out to a full frame shot - usually a medium shot unless the cast is spread all over the stage or even the floor directly in front of the stage.
Two: Doing this, we are able to offer the dance instructor/owner/choreographer a “full stage cut” that provides that person with the visual perspective they want for study, fine tuning, and later critique for the students. I still offer this, but we have simplified our shooting to the point now that 90 percent of the follow camera footage is utilized, only reverting to the full stage “save” shot when absolutely necessary, or to enhance the perceived production quality of two-camera coverage.
Over the years our dance instructors/choreographers have become comfortable with our shooting and editing techniques and have not requested or demanded the raw, basic-cuts full stage shot. It is there when needed, though.
This has provided us time and again with a means for satisfying not only the teacher, but the parents, and students to a degree (those less technically inclined than their choreographer), who want to see a few close up shots of the action. Yeah, the solos and small ensembles are easiest, but other than the wide establishing shot of the opening, special standout performers in the larger casts, and the often dramatic close and pose-on-the-beat at the end, some tighter angles and sweeps during each performance usually become welcomed and accepted by all.
I never adjust the gain. I lock and load on very little or no gain (we still use Canon XL1 and GL2 models), often use the spotlight settings, and do not attempt to compensate during or in post, for extremely dark, dramatic or high red spot/background productions. Our cameras come close enough to providing an acceptable image quality that is close, if not always spot on, to what the stage lighting and mood truly was.
I also rarely shoot for audio from the boards, or place microphones focused on the “sweet spot” from the speakers. I do use auxiliary and backup audio acquisition, but mostly for another “save” element if needed in post. I have lately changed this approach somewhat.
I continue to use the on-camera mics for audio acquisition - most auditorium and stage environments offer excellent acoustics, and the volume is certainly usually adequate for all but the inevitable narratives.
In addition I have now added four (and eventually, possibly more) Zoom H2 digital recorders, usually placing two in some perspective on the house speaker “sweet spots”; one near front center stage, and the other side-by-side with the front center stage Zoom, but using both sides, and lowering the recording levels to use for ambient sound, spoken narrative from on-stage, and the applause, cheers, and whistles that emit from the audience.
Audio is where I do most of my post production work, sweetening and adjusting levels to give balance to the whole production. This approach has earned many positive comments from the clients (teachers, students and parents) who have long since accepted, supported and voiced their appreciation for how we cover the visuals.
I don’t do “house sound” ever! Anywhere! The professionals jack around with their boards too much, and the amateurs or those “professionals” without a lot of experience (tongue-in-cheek comment intended) forget, overcompensate or overload at the the wrong moments, often sitting back to text message on their cell phones and not riding the levels as any conscientious audio person would do - paying strict attention to the levels from the stage.
I have replaced no less than three times the audio circuits in our two XL1 Canons due to depending on preset and pretested board levels prior to production, only to have everything go to hell in a hand basket once the show gets under way.
A two-hour show takes four hours or less of our acquisition time due to the simple, cable free, set up of camcorders and the Zoom H2 recorders which are usually preset for direction and levels desired.
Currently, before we head into solid state recording high definition tools next year, it takes less than three hours to ingest (digitize) the footage and assess the audio sweetening needs. Then, perhaps a couple hours to ingest audio from the Zoom H2s, and sync the audio, layer the levels, etc.
Another three, maybe four hours to essentially “clean up” edit the footage, create opening/closing titles and credits, and set up the DVD for chapters and burn the master. Having a DVD duplicator tower with a hard drive helps speed up the duplication process. In fifteen hours or less I have usually videotaped, edited, produced, generated graphics and mass duplicated my dance recital. And in every instance I have made more on an income-per-hour basis than my highest paying wedding gig ever.

Simple approach to production, right? Now for marketing. Keeping with the simplicity, economy of effort and affordability concept, I start off with simplicity of expectations - mine. I expect every dance studio, high school dance class or community dance venue to accept my initial “get acquainted” offer. I do not expect to get rich and retire on the next new dance recital gig. I do expect positive growth in sales and continued loyalty through the years a venue is on board.
I direct mail a one-page letter, including a sample production DVD of snippets and perhaps a full number or two from past productions. The letter offers, at no risk to school, owner or board of directors, full professional coverage as reflected in the sample DVD, with two cameras and two operators for performances of two hours or less, and professionally edited and produced DVD for the “get acquainted” price of 20 copies at $25.
Buy the service outright by ordering and paying for all 20. Pay for them from a video production budget, if any. Or sell direct to parents, collecting the money and presenting us with individual checks or a single check for the minimum production agreement (the minimum presented upon our arrival to shoot), and we will deliver quality DVDs with custom graphics, and plastic library cases with custom color inserts within four weeks.
We have never sold less than double the minimum with only one exception, and that dance school only usually has about fifteen students, but purchases 20 copies without hesitation. It is a small organization located in a very low income area. Most of its students are admitted by the instructor free of charge, or even subsidized by the owner/instructor for costumes, etc., who is in the business more as a labor of love than a for profit commercial enterprise.
We have, over the years, sent out at least 400 direct mail pieces such as described above. We have a response level of 375. Many are still with us, and have been for more than ten years. Others come and go, depending on the fluctuation of the economy. Several have left to allow a volunteer parent to flex their production wings, only to return the next year begging us, virtually at any price, to forgive and return.
On average, our dance recitals sell 75 units at $35 each. We also get other gigs, individual jobs and side-productions, personal editing for individual show-and-tell students who seek to ad some of our footage to their video resumes, and more. We have recitals selling well over 400 units, and a couple that hit the 500+ mark.
Very few of the really large operations leave us. They are pleased with the production levels, with the packaging and delivery, and with the professional quality of our interactions, as well as the occasional production meetings we attend at their request. Some of them react and respond positively to our suggestions regarding a compromise on video related issues such as audio quality and levels, lighting (those horrible reds) and a time or two even venues for their annual productions.
There are a lot of other ways to approach this market, and the production thereof, but by focusing on simplicity, economy of effort and affordability, you can acquire a lot of this kind of business available in your service area demographic.