5 Ways To Beat Directors Block When Producing Online Videos

“Writers block.”  It’s an awful feeling that you’ve experienced at some point. Once writers block sets in, it’s “game over man, game over” as Bill Paxton said so eloquently in the 1986 science fiction blockbuster Aliens.  ”Directors block.”  It’s really no different when producing online videos.  Whether it’s creating a conference summary, product testimonial or vlogging, lacking inspiration is an awful feeling. You feel helpless especially when you have  a super awesome camera rig, eager subjects and Final Cut Pro at your disposal.  You peer through the viewfinder, but all you see is Bill Paxton.

5 Ways To Beat Directors Block When Producing Online Videos

1) Make it all about the music.  Creating great online videos is never a perfect science and sometimes conditions or background noise don’t allow for ideal interview situations.  With that in mind, sometimes going biteless (without the use of spoken footage) is the better option.  In other words, a perfectly paced music track matched with effective broll (“cover footage”) might be enough to create a compelling story. http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ and www.beatsuite.com/ are two tremendous royalty free sites worth visiting.

2) Collaborate with others.  Sometimes it does take two people to make things go right.  Whether it’s bouncing ideas off each other or utilizing each other’s strengths, collaboration when producing online videos is a healthy way jump start a project. It diminishes stress levels, maximizes equipment usage and you forge new relationships that might prove mutually beneficial in the future.

3) Just do it. It’s the old Nike saying but it’s a philosophy I truly believe in.  If you’re fortunate to have secured compelling footage and are not limited by a client deadline, just throw footage on a timeline, go organic and work without linear constraints.  The canvas is all yours to create compelling online videos.  Start on the ending first.  Better yet bulk up the middle.  Or maybe finalize your project by simply finishing the beginning last.  Make sense?  You literally piece and navigate your way through a creative discovery process when producing your online videos.

4) Shoot and store.  Everyone needs a break.  Sometimes a healthy break away from producing online videos is exactly what’s needed to kickstart those creative juices.  If time permits, no need to force things.  Often spending time on just visualizing instead of producing is the best way to challenge your senses.  My best work to date are the ideas that come to me in my 30 minute commute between 8-9AM.

5) Trust your background.  Locking down subjects in your foreground as the centerpiece of your online videos is natural when in fact backgrounds are hidden gems waiting to be unearthed.  Simple subjects without a suitable  background can come of as just plain.  Simple subjects with a well placed background that supports your composition will make your piece all that much more valuable not to mention showcase your production chops.  Keep an eye on colorful artwork across the hallway or better yet hidden sources of light that could add some “splash” to your piece.

Most importantly,  free your mind.  Explore and flood your mind with inspiration.  Travel to unknown places.  Tackle unfamiliar subjects or topics.  Blame it on Instagram but over the last year, I’ve become very fascinated with the art of shooting food as a healthy alternative to traditional online videos.  I find myself exploring what different lenses bring to the table and how to adjust for things like insufficient lighting, steam and flying grease.  Bottom line, random thoughts and ideas fuel inspiration.

How do you get over creative hurdles or director’s block when producing online videos?  I would love to hear your thoughts on 5 Ways To Beat Directors Block When Producing Online Videos.

Becoming A “Professional” Rockstar Requires Consistency And Practice.

In a past life, before strollers, minivans and 9-5, I was an aspiring musician. I still am.  I had a pretty cool time playing in a myriad of bands that crossed everything from alternative country, 90′s synth rock, to my favorite, an 80′s tribute band that lasted over a decade.  The Cure, Rick Springfield, AC DC, Bryan Adams and White Lion. Silliness without pyrotechnics.  A cracked tip jar without a manager commanding a portion of those well earned funds.  My favorite weapon of choice is a jet black Fender Strat with dual humbuckers that is ridiculously warm though my Mesa.  Call it beer goggles or Smirnoff, but every time I stepped in front of that mic, that blurry mixture of lights, decibels, cigarette smoke and yes stares from strangers made me feel like America’s most desired who just stepped off a foul odored bus on the last leg of a tour.  Of course reality would quickly slap me in the face when breaking down our own cables at 2:35AM was like getting a root canal and we were forced to split $18 in tips 4 ways.

Frankly the path to becoming a “professional” rockstar whether at the office or as a business owner can be similar to the roads travelled by those who refuse to step on stage without a fresh supply of green MM’s.  As a “professional” rockstar, developing online as well as offline fans still requires consistency and practice like the guys from Def Leppard.

5 tips On How To Become A “Professional” Rockstar:

1. Turn Up Your Volume.  Whether in career transition, lead generation or just networking, nothing boosts your volume better than LinkedIn.  An effective LinkedIn profile is still one of the best ways to stand out in the crowd as it positions you as an invaluable agent of change and results.   In a recent study of over 5,000 businesses by HubSpot, traffic from “LinkedIn generated the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate at 2.74%, almost 3 times higher (277%) than both Twitter (.69%) and Facebook (.77%).”  Plus, weighing in on popular subjects in LinkedIn groups is essentially putting yourself where the sharks feed as an effective thought leader in your particular field of expertise.  In career transition?  As of November 2011, 75 out of the Fortune 100 companies used LinkedIn as its corporate hiring solution.
2. Don’t Forget Your Fans.  Offering value before opportunities arrive is probably the easiest way to gain fan buy in regardless the setting or situation.  Volunteering not only develops professional credibility, it expands your career network while creating positive change in your community.  “While professionals often overlook or underestimate the value of volunteer work, the exposure to varied skill sets that charity work provides can make you a more versatile, attractive employee, not to mention a more competitive job seeker.  In fact, 41 percent of hiring authorities surveyed by LinkedIn rated volunteer experience equally as important as paid experience.”  Bottom line, professional karma does exist.
3. Get In Front Of The Microphone.  Stand in front of a microphone enough times and it just feels natural.  I still remember my first time.  I had my beat up $124 guitar to accompany my frail nerves and shaky voice.  To hear myself magnified through the venue might as well had been George Burns in “God.” Do it enough times however and it’s becomes automatic. Public speaking is no different.  Master your voice and what you’re speaking about and your audience will love you for it.  Develop a unique public speaking style that separates you from your closest competitor.  Inspire your audience through stories that are simple.  Leverage storytelling to humanize your brand and more importantly connect with your audience.  Caution:  ”Bad presentations are opportunities lost and bad presentations can hurt your organization.”  Plan, prepare and practice.  Repeat.  It takes frequency.  Here’s 23 public speaking tips to live by.
4. Develop Your Own Sound.  Music is a copycat league.  However what works for one group doesn’t guarantee success with another.  The business world is no different.  Developing your own professional tone or “unique sound” in this age of easily accessible profiles and performance examples is an important step to really standing out.  As a working professional, find, craft and deliver what’s uniquely you so that your manager views you as an irreplaceable piece to the team.  As a business owner or entrepreneur produce, perfect and promote that one or two distinguishable traits, offerings or assets that makes your company “better, different and more awesome than anyone else in the market.” Still not convinced?  Go ask New Order, The Edge, Mick Jagger and Duran Duran on what they’re remembered for.  No harm in being unique.  A great article on how to stand out in business.
5. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.  It’s no surprise that repetition and consistency go hand in hand.  In a great 2012 Inc. article, consistency allows for measurement, creates accountability, establishes your reputation, makes you relevant and maintains your message.
6. BONUS TIP.  Still want to be a rockstar?  Pick up a guitar and start playing.  That’s what I did back in 1992 after watching Stone Temple Pilot’s “Wicked Garden.”  Purchasing that rickety $124 red guitar never did bring me rockstar status but it did bring me some pretty cool stories that I share with my kids while trapped in our minivan.

Send me your thoughts on 5 Tips On How to Become A “Professional” Rockstar.  What are you doing to elevate your game in the professional world?  Is your personal and professional brands where they need to be?  Please share your tips (no pun intended) and suggestions.  Now back to some Def Leppard.

But take a stroll down the sweaty sounds of the lower Marigny or along the bead strewn trees of Napoleon or maybe the architectural salad bowl that is Lakeview, you’ll start to understand something clear.  You’ll come to find out it’s never been just about the French Quarter and its pungent, unescapable funk or about the 2 1/2 weeks in February where the world comes visiting with beads in tow.  It’s been and will always be about so much more.  And if you were to pose those “why” questions to a local and if you are lucky to someone who has generations of family strewn from Metairie to East Baton Rouge, you might just get this familiar answer.  “You’ll never understand.”

Beyond the layers, beyond all of the positive and negative is a city that truly has no concrete answers.  Frankly it doesn’t need them.  It has earned its stripes, as a gritty mecca of unbelievable textures and cultures.  It’s perhaps the sleepiest and sexiest little big city America has ever seen.  You’ve heard of people’s love affairs with New York, Chicago, Miami or San Francisco?  New Orleans’ romance is much different and unexplainably inviting. Take it from a guy who’s dragged kids and wife in tow across state lines, twice in less than 5 years.  No regrets whatsoever.  Frankly, its reach is global pulling people in from all over the world providing opportunity through entrepreneurship, the non profit sector and a vibrant tech community.  In 2011, Forbes voted New Orleans as the US’s biggest brain magnet.  CNN Money voted it as one of the friendliest for small business.  It doesn’t just stop at opportunity.  I’ve lived in some of those cities and I promise you,  New Orleans pulls at you from something entirely different. Drenched in seeds of Spanish and French influences, engulfed in the most amazing display of delicacies and deeply rooted in the unbreakable bond of everlasting traditions.  More festivals than any city in the country, the unmistakable sound of jazz seeping from everyone’s windows and the total emphasis on family.  What New Orleans might lack in bright lights and big sounds, it makes up for with a cozy sanctuary of history, architecture and happy hours born from “just because.”  New Orleans pulls at you alright and I love me some of that New Orleans.  That much I truly understand.

New Orleans will never have its answers.  And perhaps New Orleans will always have its questions.

But that’s okay. Frankly, New Orleans just wouldn’t want it any other way.

In just over a year, the campaign has garnered some much needed attention with a 2012 Gold Addy in New Orleans, a Gold Addy at District 7 Regionals, a National Addy Finalist, a 2011 Promax Gold, a 2012 Promax Silver.  Throw in a 2012 Special Judges Award, a bag of chips and we are set.  It was also a 2012 ABC Apex Finalist.  Woot!  As my general manager so eloquently put it, never has a campaign generated such attention in his 15 years with the station. In a world where ratings and revenue matter more than ever, brand recognition and execution rose to the top.  Thank you Bobby, Rich, Alex, Jeff, Cat, Monique, Sarah and Jon.  You guys totally rock.  Here are 20 Valuable Lessons Learned From A Successful Video Campaign.

1. Simplicity rules.
2. Never downplay your sonic branding. Just ask Stephen Arnold.
3. DSLR is revolutionary.
4. Trust simple people with complicated tasks.
5. Always have visual control of your surroundings.
6. That sound you heard will come back to haunt you later in edit.
7. Think like a photographer when shooting video.
8. Be quick on your feet when you’ve lost internet connection.
9. Less color is sometimes better than more color.
10. 2 Terra-bytes of space is not enough.
11. A camera glider is your friend.
12. Get emotional.
13. Let your shots breathe an additional 3 seconds.
14. Drink lots of H20.
15. Stick you camera 6 inches from your subject.
16. 50MM lens is king.
17. Plan ahead.
18. Don’t ever forget your clearances.
19. Slow and low is the tempo.
20. Plenty of lessons to be learned even if you are the crafty veteran.

Do you have any tips for those who are just beginning with their video production?  What are your Lessons Learned From A Successful Video Campaign you’ve produced?

Here are 15 Common Video Mistakes You Should Avoid As A Beginner

1) Ignoring Audio.  I’ll say it again “bad video will slow your production down.  Bad audio will derail it all together.”  Bad video can be color corrected or pushed through filters to compensate.  Unless you have the skills of a guy named Stephen Arnold from Nashville, audio that is overblown or swallowed by background noise is most of the time not correctable. Invest in a Rode Shotgun VideoMic for DSLR users that cuts through the audio clutter or decently priced Lavalier microphones for pinpoint recording.  Audio ignorance is one of the easiest video mistakes you can commit.

2) Over Thinking Shots.  Don’t all of a sudden think you’re the next great James Cameron with a ton of options with a deep budget to blow through.  Keep an open mind but don’t miss out on a needed scene because of second guessing.  Get what you need and move on.  A great post on exactly this.

3) Staying Close-Minded – On the flip side, letting your script be the end all is close minded.  Be open to suggestions or ideas from colleagues and situations that serve as healthy alternatives. Embrace spontaneous creative revelations.  Don’t be afraid to fail. The high cost of being close minded?  You become rigid and will stop evolving as a storyteller.

4) Trying To Be Spielberg.  The greatest director of our era once said “I think the toughest thing for a director to do is to know what he wants. It’s not how to get what you want, it’s knowing what you want.”  Mastering a craft takes time. Repetition and consistent practice are the best remedies for inexperience.  We’re going to need a bigger boat!

5) Ignoring Your Background.  Too much emphasis is often placed on your foreground when in fact your background is just as important.  Watch out for the sun and blown out video. Lookout for the guy in the corner of your viewfinder who’s cropped out at the chin and be aware of that little kid who’s unknowingly about to walk into your shot.  Nothing worse than discovering these video mistakes long after you’ve wrapped up your shoot.

6) Not Trusting Simplicity.  You know my stance, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

7) No DSLR Love.  DSLRs are revolutionizing the way we shoot video. You get what you pay for, the ability to toggle between still and HD video.  Nothing has been more groundbreaking and with a 50MM lens, you’ll turn heads.  The good thing is that you don’t have to bet the bank to cash in some effective storytelling via a DSLR.  Check out this great ongoing thread on DSLR and video shooting capability.  I personally am very happy with the Sony A55 or the Canon 7D as viable prosumer cameras.  Just as long you shoot in short bursts to avoid overheating, the Sony A55 rivals the Canon7D in quality.

Eight) Not Locking It Down.  Secure #7 with a sturdy tripod.  Affordable shoulder mounts are good as well . Tripod for DSLR Reviews.

9) Talking Like A Robot.  Humanize the idea, story and subject and you’ll have a greater chance to connect with your viewers.  Don’t forget plenty of examples that embraces emotion.  After all, people will remember you not by what you said but by how you made them feel.  Robots have the opposite effect.

10) Ignoring Distribution.  What’s the use of compelling storytelling if your audience can’t find you.  Understand SEO101 from pros like Jenny Munn.  Let Google and YouTube do the heavy lifting once your video is optimized with keywords and easy to find descriptions.

11) Forgetting A Call To Action.  Not everything you produce is a sell. But if it is, get your audience thinking about an action that positions them one step closer to what you’re selling.  Tease what’s coming up next if you’re producing a series or more than one episode.

12) Out Of Style.  Speaking with multiple voices or different styles that doesn’t match the subject, thing or idea you’re trying to sell is brand confusion.  A piece about a cool widget should be fun, social and with tempo.  A :60 intro video for a divorce attorney probably swings towards the other end of the spectrum.

13) Not Understanding Your Audience.  Always ask yourself these three things:  A) Will your video makes emotional sense?  B) Will it be interesting to someone who’s stumbling upon your video for the first time? C) Is it worth sharing to others?

14) Forgetting Cover Footage.  No one enjoys two minutes of a talking head.  Grab essential video that supports your story and showcases your growing skill set as a budding content producer.  Working with variety is pleasing to the eyes.

15) Working Solo.  Don’t get me wrong. Producing quality pieces can be had with just one person.  I’ve done plenty of those.  Collaboration however opens up plenty of ideas and can serve as a invaluable visual checks and balances.  Plus, who really wants to carry all that equipment by themselves?

Please give me your thoughts on my 15 Common Video Mistakes You Should Avoid As A Beginner.  Are you committing some of these thus hindering your progress and quality?  Or are you so good that these video mistakes are so yesterday? If that’s the case, I’m sure Spielberg would be proud.

Not one job change, not two but a third job change within a nine month window tested my family’s sanity and senses.  Remember “Scanners,” the 1981 movie where someone’s noggin explodes like an uncovered dish in a microwave?  Might as well have been mine. Throw in opinionated toddlers, a decision to jump area codes again as well as an unforgiving real estate market and we found ourselves feeling like this guy.

Smack in the middle of the chaos stood one sobering reality, I did not have an effective backup plan.  A thriving career with dynamic media companies?  Very fortunate.  Documented examples of increasing bottom lines and boosting ratings?  Yup.  Paid the water bill on time?  They love us.  Did I have a viable action plan amidst job change?  Not as concrete as I wanted.So once I walked out the door for the last time at a major media company amidst a complete personnel makeover, did I know where to go next?  As a tireless networker with the gift of gab and over 1300+ LinkedIn contacts, would I be able to immediately and effectively navigate a land mine of a job change, a fierce search climate and perhaps the greatest economic calamity since the Great Depression?  Did I effectively plant seeds of opportunity within my network that would hopefully open doors?  Not as rooted as I thought I did.  Fast forward to now and I will say, “I’m forever grateful.”  Maintaining professional alliances proved helpful as it landed me an incredible opportunity within a company I’m absolutely excited about.  What was my one valuable takeaway?  A humbling reminder that the most effective way to manage job change is to manage it before it even arrives.  

Lessons Learned Amidst Job Change

1. Stay Active. Continue to actively invest now, tomorrow and later in LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network.  Recent statistics show that 80% of LinkedIn members influence business decisions at their company.  With more than four billion searches through the end of 2011, keep your 1^st and 2^nd level connections aware of where you are, what you are currently doing and where you would like to be down the line even if you are already in the perfect situation.  Remember, professional reconnaissance doesn’t always equate to you are looking for a new gig!  Effective networking is smart, career healthy and has been around since the dawn of man.
2. Go Local. Fostering relationships within local networking groups allow for introductions via a common ground. The perfect icebreaker, commonality establishes shared focus as you collectively “tap into the power of collaboration, support, and most importantly, referrals” to seek, pin down and exhaust opportunities. Become a baseline of credibility in your field of expertise as your voice grows louder and your opinion becomes a sought after source of value in your community.
3. Volunteer Now.  Offer up value before the opportunity arrives, and your community will love you for it. Statistically, it works to your benefit. 73% of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without.  94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills in the workforce.  Plus show people what causes you are passionate about.  Humanizing your brand is the perfect profile compliment.
4. Rub Elbows. Put yourself within six inches of those that influence.  Not only could decision makers benefit from a strategically executed elevator speech, but swimming where the sharks feed saves you time, energy and money.  BTW who holds some of the more valuable seats during a networking event? Try the registration folks who check in (literally) attendees and key influencers who aren’t shy about sharing who they are, what they do and what valuable role they play in their companies.  Not to mention you walk away with a trendy t-shirt that’s always in high demand.
5. Be Loud.  You are your own professional megaphone. Build online profiles that scream value in all the right places. LinkedIn, WordPress, About.Me and Google+ are obvious choices.  Others such as Bebo, Ning and Tagged allow for variety and different avenues of social integration.  As your brand evolves, keep the world informed of your change.  Modify your LinkedIn headline or Twitter bio to match critical status updates or a job change.  Showcase a project that truly benefited people or your company.  Be an agent of change through sites such as Slideshare (one of the top ten learning tools in 2011), Prezi, and Slideboom.  Delivering an invaluable presentation doesn’t always require a live audience and popcorn.  BTW 5 Tips For An Effective Slideshare Presentation.
6. Pay If Forward.  Professional karma is a real thing.  Takes steps and pave the way for others.  “It is because the simple act of helping in and of itself is a way to move yourself in the right direction – from helpless to helper.  When it comes down to it, we feel better about ourselves when we help other people” says Christina Gilyutin of Bright Green Talent.

Bottom line, what are you currently doing on a daily basis that maximizes on your marketability, uniqueness and ability to stay upright when job competition stiffens or worse, you experience job change?

Become a bulls eye of value and opportunity as opposed to the opposite.  After all, getting caught in the cross hairs of job change is at times unavoidable regardless if you’ve eclipsed rock star status.  Stand on solid ground by managing unwanted job change smoothly and effectively with daily focus… now!  It doesn’t mean you’re on the professional prowl or looking to jump ship.  It just puts you in a better state of control and focus unlike the guy in this clip.

Share your thoughts.  What do you think about my 6 Simple Tips On How To Manage Job Change?  What are you doing to better manage your career?

Familiarity with what works also opens up for what I call “production spaces,” small blocks of time that lets you investigate diverse creative arcs or on the fly production enhancements with little disruption.  As we all know, in any business, having a tool belt with minimal second guessing is what makes clients giddy.But there’s also a flip side.  Comfort can be limiting.  Staying within your creative strikezone in your videos is exactly that, throwing at bullseyes that is small in range. What happens then if your client asks for creative options even if just on paper or worse, in casual conversation?  Would you be able to provide stylistic options or just fall back on what you currently know?  Would that in turn position you as limited or one dimensional?

The point is successful storytelling and video engagements is also about options.  And sometimes that requires navigating your uncomfort zone.  Even with straight point and shoot HD cameras like The Flip or Zi8, creative variety only improves your experience behind the lens as well as sets you up for learning opportunities.  Here are 6 Simple Ways On How To Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Create Better Video.  For pros like Dan Perez The South Florida Filmmaker, these are nothing new.  For beginners, great ways to enhance their video product.  But first a piece I recently put together that utilized what I’m suggesting.

1. Go Big.  It’s the beauty of HD.  Higher resolutions (1080 and above) on standard definition timelines allow for unique cropping opportunities and efficient use of source clips.  Who say your shots have to be centered? For reference, check out a Sprite Step Off production that I edited.
2. Be A Reality Director.  My favorite by a mile.  Utilize well grounded tripods, manual focus and quick zoom hits to deliver that “24″ journalistic feel (yes the Fox show with the guy from The Lost Boys).  It’s that subtle popping motion, often utilized by news magazines, that adds a layer of realism.  This takes a little practice.   A jerky hand is not what we are going for here.
3. Be Quiet.  Very, very underutilized.  In tv promos or movie trailers, music or audio drop outs at strategic moments heightens emotion.  Why not online for your value testimonials?  Timed correctly and your selling points resonate just a little more.
4. Use More Stills.  Don’t be afraid to incorporate more stills (epecially black and white) into your video.  Not only does it break up stagnancy, it adds a layer of production value.  Look through your video lens with a photographer eye and you’ll be amazed how you isolate on key moments.
5. Break The Flow.  Often annoying to many editors, I find some value in jump cuts as long as they are strategically used.  For those who don’t know, a jump cut is “two sequential shots of the same subject taken from camera positions that vary only slightly.  This type of edit causes the subject of the shots to appear to jump position in a discontinuous way.”  Utilized with the right transition such as a “flash,” your piece can showcase some creative style.
6. Use The Body.  Take advantage of what your subject offers up.  Broll of active hands, scenery and facial expressions keeps your audience engaged and not to mention breaks up viewer monotony.  Always keep your viewer’s attention span top of mind.  Plus they serve as effective masking agents when your video quality is poor at certain points.

Not everything above is for everyone.  But once you utilize one or a combination of some, your production value increases.  6 Simple Ways On How To Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Create Better Video. It’s what people remember you by.  But please run your creative by the clients first.  No need to have constant slow motion and white doves like John Woo if it’ll break your budget or worse, your client could care less.  As always, if you have any questions, please send them my way. Happy to help.

SXSW: By the numbers

sxsw . 2011

2011 SXSW

SXSW Dreaming in Austin Episode 2

1. Be organic in your thinking.  Unfortunately, deadlines are sometimes the rudimentary cause for an ineffective video presence online.  If a client allows or if its a promotional presentation for yourself, tackle the process like an artist building a clay statue.  Build in small increments, filling in as you literally feel your way through the creative process.  Non linear editing software (Final Cut, Premiere, IMovie, Movie Maker) offers that luxury, letting you edit at any point or location in your timeline.  Take advantage of that freedom and let it evolve organically.  You’ll be surprised that editing the end or middle first, might kick start a project quicker or push it another way creatively.  The front to finish shotgun approach is a thing of the past.  Bottom line, edit when and where it feels right.
2. Don’t let technical hurdles slow you down.   Take advantage of the Internet with an abundance of video and audio resources available free of charge from blossoming content producers.  Scour YouTube and Vimeo for detailed multi part instructionals. For those who have a leg up with Final Cut and AfterFX experience, try Video Pilot for stock footage and easy to transfer time lines.  For audio, sites like Audi0Jungle offer royalty free audio tracks and Jamedo even provides “free and legal music downloads.”
3. Follow Three C’s With Video.  Clarity, cohesiveness and composure are the glues that keep audiences visually focused.  Let your brand and reputation shoulder the load offline as you focus on the pin point importance of delivery and composure in front of the camera.  Rehearse, practice, rehearse and repeat.  Avoid lingering shots (hover on .5- 1.5 seconds), utilize transitions that translate smoothly online and utilize interspersed cuts of subject and cover video for variety.  Please spend the $100 on a tripod and by all means avoid “boxed” effects.  It’s so 1985.
4. Treat Audio As One Takes.  I alway shoot video with one rule always top of mind.  ”Bad video will stall your project, badly recorded audio will end it.” Unfortunately, audio that’s way past the red levels or is lost in environment noise is 9 out 10 ten not correctable.  Invest in something as simple as a Rode Video Microphone ($149) or a Zoom H1 Recorder ($99) to isolate as well as magnify your source when interference is present.  Be aware of your surroundings, listen for wind when outdoors and master your external mic’s limitations.  Would it be more beneficial to shoot cover as well as one on one interviews afterwards in a more secluded setting?  Do you have enough suitable bites to carry their weight in edit, especially if it’s sales related?  Remember, you only get once chance with audio.
5. Focus On Your Core Message.  Remember, easy to digest messaging will be easier to “buy” than lengthy broad stroked promises.  Studies show that two to three minute segments as opposed to lengthier all encompassing :10 minute marathons retain audiences far more effectively.  Plus, your reputation as a subject matter expert is enhanced with frequency and a posted schedule.  Like chapters in a book, create a series of webisodes that’ll cultivate your tribe and direct them forward.  Start and close each segment with brand reinforcement and client value.  Lastly, always tease what’s coming up next.

What are you thoughts on my 5 Ways On How To Simplify Your Online Video Making Process?  What are you doing to drive your video messages with as much efficiency and reach as possible.  As always, if there questions I can answer,  I would love to hear from you.

1. Keep It Social. Never has there been a greater floodgate of connected opportunity than on social media channels. Not only do referrals from employees sustain high value because they typically have a higher success rate, leveraging opportunity with reach in LinkedIn escalates exponentially as your connection count increases. It is recommended to garner at least 65-100 connections with most of them being people in your industry. Twitter also serves as viable employment on ramps with quick bursts of search and exchange. Tweetmyjobs.com, Indeed.com and Simplyhired.com lead the way. Profiles like @jobsintech and @twittin4job to @tweetmyjobs cater to specific sectors or the latest in search tactics. Bottom line, traditional job search methods are simply not enough. A 2010 survey by Jobvite found that “73 percent of companies use social media to support their recruitment effort.” LinkedIn is the most popular site among recruiters, with 78 percent using the site to recruit, followed by Facebook (55 %) and Twitter (45 %). Like a hot hand, play the percentages to your favor.
2. Tap Into Your Six Degrees. According to career transition experts Lee Hecht Harrison, networking is hands down still the best method to land your next career opportunity. A whopping 85% of job seekers rely on networking for employment. On the lower end, 10-15% via job boards and 10-12% via recruiters. In today’s climate, you’ll also find people more willing to help than not, extending a hand that they know will only return in the future. Tap your network for job leads and advice on specific companies or industries. Better yet, let them introduce you to others. Expanding your professional clout might be slow at times but it’s still a symbiotic and organic process. Join professional organizations locally, volunteer in your preferred line of work and contact alumni or old fraternity members who are in your field. As my friend and chief enthusiast Jenny DeVaughn always stresses, pay it forward. Professional karma is infectious.
3. Go video. According to the latest ComScore statistics , “172 million U.S. Internet users watched online video content in December 2010 for an average of 14.6 hours per viewer. The total U.S. Internet audience engaged in nearly 5.2 billion viewing sessions during the course of the month.” That is an obscene amount of eyeballs with alot of them in the position to influence and hire. Create a video profile solidifying your position as a subject matter expert. Widen the gap between you and your professional competitors. Become a citizen journalist reporting the latest trends and opportunities within your sector. Let your voice be heard and face be known at a time when it’s never been more affordable to produce a video for the Web.
4. Write. Blog. Share. Blogging or contributing as a guest blogger not only strengthens your brand as a subject matter expert in your respective field, you fuel channels of information exchange. Showcase your talents and how past employers have benefited from your contributions with examples or perhaps a highlight reel. Let core competencies such as effective writing style, communication skills and strategic thinking open eyeballs of opportunity to your favor. Being a human billiard ball of useful information might land you in the corner pocket (or office) of your next big thing.
5. Stick with your core and follow your passion. What could be the most obvious reason, follow what truly make you happy. It positions you as a focused employee in the eyes of employers as well as solidifies your “brand” as genuine. Most importantly, it puts you on the path you truly want to walk in. Don’t be that person that realizes after 15 years, they’ve missed their calling to do professional good. Following your core beacons not only merges professional and personal goals, but they also accelerate you as an instrument of change in your family and work environment. What spouse or boss wouldn’t want that on their team?

Bottom line, be patient, follow your passion and have faith. If you are treading in a career nebula, realize you might actually be standing on a springboard of opportunity, waiting to catapult you from transition to permanency. It might not be readily obvious but it’s there.

What are your thoughts on Five Easy Ways On How To Get Noticed During Job Transition and tips for success? BTW did I mention I too am in job transition? Practicing what I’m preaching as they say.