(I originally contributed this article to Simply Communicate)

In two of my previous posts, I described the pillars of an enterprise video program, as well as how you can start leveraging your mobile device to capture better video when you don’t have a camcorder.

This article will focus on smartphone and tablet apps, and how software can transform your portable and connected device into a mobile video system to create and share powerful stories with your audience.

Given how widespread Apple devices are among corporate communicators, I'm going to cover five mobile video scenarios that make creative use of your iPhone and/or iPad.

Editing video

Picture this: You just shot a great interview with your phone, the lighting was just right and you were careful to be close enough to your subject, so her voice was loud and crisp. But your interviewee stumbled on one of the answers and you'd like to remove the bad part. Every video can benefit from some editing, and simple actions like trimming, cutting, adding captions, photos and transitions can all be accomplished right on your phone or tablet. The two apps that I like the most are Apple iMovie ($5) and Avid Studio for iPad ($5). While both apps are quite well designed, Avid Studio comes ahead on feature richness due to their recent release and given the heritage of the developer company in the professional video space.

If you prefer to shoot video on the iPhone and take advantage of the larger iPad screen for editing, you can transfer media between devices using Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit ($29) that consists of two separate adapters; one to connect your tablet to a USB device (like your iPhone), and the second to import photos / videos from a generic SD card. In my tests, I didn’t have any issues importing photos and videos captured with both my Canon point-and-shoot and DSLR.

Photo montages

Tags

The two dominant types are QR codes and Microsoft Tags. Nowadays, you can find them pretty much everywhere, from magazines to food labels, on signs, promotional t-shirts, and more. Tags let you bridge the physical and virtual worlds, by facilitating the access to online information associated with the tagged object.

Microsoft offers a convenient free dashboard and mobile app called Tag (free) to generate and read both QR codes and its proprietary format.

If you work in internal communications, you may enjoy this video that shows how Microsoft used tags printed with edible ink on chocolate to deliver a promotional message to its employees.

Webinars

Video messaging

What about an ‘Outlook for video’? Eyejot ($4) is a video mail app that allows you to send personal video messages to other people regardless if they’re using Eyejot. The app includes a handy vCard feature that sends your contact information along with a personal video clip. Desktop users can watch Eyejot messages in their browsers and the service is free to record up to 5 minute long videos.

Do you have a favorite app that’s enhancing communications at work? Leave a comment with your feedback and experiences.

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(I originally contributed this article to Simply Communicate)

In two of my previous posts, I described the pillars of an enterprise video program, as well as how you can start leveraging your mobile device to capture better video when you don’t have a camcorder.

This article will focus on smartphone and tablet apps, and how software can transform your portable and connected device into a mobile video system to create and share powerful stories with your audience.

Given how widespread Apple devices are among corporate communicators, I'm going to cover five mobile video scenarios that make creative use of your iPhone and/or iPad.

Editing video

Picture this: You just shot a great interview with your phone, the lighting was just right and you were careful to be close enough to your subject, so her voice was loud and crisp. But your interviewee stumbled on one of the answers and you'd like to remove the bad part. Every video can benefit from some editing, and simple actions like trimming, cutting, adding captions, photos and transitions can all be accomplished right on your phone or tablet. The two apps that I like the most are Apple iMovie ($5) and Avid Studio for iPad ($5). While both apps are quite well designed, Avid Studio comes ahead on feature richness due to their recent release and given the heritage of the developer company in the professional video space.

If you prefer to shoot video on the iPhone and take advantage of the larger iPad screen for editing, you can transfer media between devices using Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit ($29) that consists of two separate adapters; one to connect your tablet to a USB device (like your iPhone), and the second to import photos / videos from a generic SD card. In my tests, I didn’t have any issues importing photos and videos captured with both my Canon point-and-shoot and DSLR.

Photo montages

There are instances when you want to create a video and all that’s available are some nice still photos. Don't despair; there are apps that will convert your images into high-energy animations inclusive of a custom music soundtrack. My favorite is Animoto (free) which is a cloud service that offers free and premium plans, depending on your need to output HD videos, their length and number of source files.

Tags

Tags are a special breed of bar codes that can be scanned using a dedicated mobile app and can trigger actions like visiting a web site, dialing a number, sending a virtual contact card or simply displaying a message.

The two dominant types are QR codes and Microsoft Tags. Nowadays, you can find them pretty much everywhere, from magazines to food labels, on signs, promotional t-shirts, and more. Tags let you bridge the physical and virtual worlds, by facilitating the access to online information associated with the tagged object.

Microsoft offers a convenient free dashboard and mobile app called Tag (free) to generate and read both QR codes and its proprietary format.

If you work in internal communications, you may enjoy this video that shows how Microsoft used tags printed with edible ink on chocolate to deliver a promotional message to its employees.

Webinars

If your workforce is increasingly becoming mobile, chances are that knowledge sharing inside your organization needs to adapt to this new trend too. Demos and presentations are integral elements of any readiness program, but how can they be delivered to a mobile audience? Companies that are not already enrolled in popular services like Webex or GoToMeeting, may want to check an app called TeamViewer for Meetings (free for non-commercial use) that lets a presenter share his desktop PC in real time with a mobile audience of up to 25 participants, including audio via VOIP, file sharing, whiteboard, instant chat and more. It’s definitely worth a look.

Video messaging

Sending media across different mobile devices is risky business. Unless the handsets are from the same manufacturer, there is always the potential of video format incompatibility. MMS is a great solution that pretty much guarantees a uniform and reliable experience on smartphones, but the length of those clips is limited to less than a minute.

What about an ‘Outlook for video’? Eyejot ($4) is a video mail app that allows you to send personal video messages to other people regardless if they’re using Eyejot. The app includes a handy vCard feature that sends your contact information along with a personal video clip. Desktop users can watch Eyejot messages in their browsers and the service is free to record up to 5 minute long videos.

Do you have a favorite app that’s enhancing communications at work? Leave a comment with your feedback and experiences.

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This year, Gonzo was asked to go and film some of the fun for NASCAR:

It was a beautiful day and Gonzo had a blast hanging out with the kids and families in such a fantastic location. As you can see, he was very happy:

However, there was a slight problem: when you’re in such an open location it’s a bit tricky to stash the gear you don’t need while you run around — plus, the Secret Service takes a dim view of people abandoning items on the White House lawn. What to do?

Well, if you’re Gonzo, you point out that it sure would be handy if you could put all that gear in the trunk of the very NASCAR race car that you’re there to feature. Cue chuckles by the client. But wait…

Who knew?!

Thanks to the folks at NASCAR and the White House for having us out for the day, it’s something Gonzo won’t forget. Plus, he can brag that he’s one of the only people to actually use the trunk of a race car. Not too shabby.

(I first contributed this article to Simply Communicate, UK)

Hyper-connected individuals will agree that we are living in an exciting time. It seems like there is always a new mobile app that can make your phone smarter and easier to use, the market is embracing devices with different form factors, and carriers are enhancing their networks to provide faster wireless connectivity in more areas.

But how can corporate PR and marketing professionals take advantage of these technological advancements? The way I like to look at new opportunities is by observing current and emerging trends and trying to intersect them in creative ways.

In this toolkit, I mix together social media, mobile, online video and enterprise communications to investigate if this is a recipe for success.

Platform wars

When it comes to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, users are faced with a fundamental choice: selecting an ecosystem that will best fit their requirements.

The market today offers a good choice of platforms like iOS, Android, WebOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and others. If we take a closer look (at right) at how users consume mobile video today, Apple devices still come out ahead of the pack, with Android quickly catching up. (Source: Encoding.com)

From the content generation perspective, both dominant platforms feature a variety of apps that can help you create mobile video, so you can’t go wrong either way. Because apps are such an important topic, I plan to cover them in the near future with a dedicated article.

Three simple tips for shooting better mobile video

Have you ever found yourself in a situation when a client or an executive were willing to release an important statement, and you weren’t ready to record them with a camcorder?

I'm a believer of the old motto, “The best camera is always the one you have with you”. Chances are that if you own a recent smartphone model, you can use it to shoot good quality photos and videos. But impressive hardware specifications are not a guarantee that your final video will look equally good.

Here are three easy tips that will help you achieve better results when you plan to shoot video with your device:

1. Stabilize your image. Your phone is light and it's prone to shaking when you shoot video. Make sure to hold it steady with two hands while you're assuming a solid posture on both your feet. If you plan to shoot 'talking head' style and you are near a desk, consider using a tripod with a special phone mount.

2. Pay attention to lighting. The small optics on your smartphone crave a well-lit subject. Try to position your interviewee near a light source, such as a window. But don't shoot the person against the window, as your camera will compensate for the brighter light, making your subject appear like a silhouette. Instead, have your back - as well as your subject - face the window.

3. Mind your audio. Bad audio can turn off your viewers faster than bad images. When recording an interview, make sure you are close enough to your subject so his/her voice is very clear and audible. The little microphone that is embedded in your mobile device is designed to record sounds coming from all directions; therefore your interviewee's voice needs to dominate the surrounding noise. Ideally, make use of an external microphone as the quality of your audio will dramatically improve. 

Creating your own mobile video kit

Here is a list of affordable accessories that will 'supercharge' your smartphone during your mobile video shoots:

• GorillaPod flexible tripod by Joby
• SnapMount tripod mount for iPhone 4; alternatively the PhoneBoat (Whenever possible, try to get a tripod mount specific to your phone, as any universal mount is just a compromise.)
• Audio-Technica ATR3350 lavalier microphone 
• Microphone adapter (You need this extra cable if you plan to use any external microphone with your smartphone.)

If you feel really creative, you can assemble a mobile video rig yourself.

So...are you intrigued by the possibilities? I hope you are!

Look out for my next article in an upcoming blog post in which I share some of the best apps that will help you take advantage of mobile video in your internal and external communications.

What mobile video scenarios interest you the most? Feel free to email me at paolo@tosolini.com.

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Journo Nest has posted a concise little list of online resources if you are looking to get started with video and the web. We are flattered to be included in this crowd of folks, companies and organizations.

1. Vimeo Video School– a fun place for anyone to learn to make a video.
2. Adam Westbrook, online video and entrepreneurial journalist. Some great tips and suggestions from Adam about what to do and what to avoid when it comes to telling a story through online video.
3. Story Guide– how to make great video
4. Media Bistro – 10,000 wordsby Mark S. Luckie, author of The Digital Journalist’s Handbook
5. Digital Adventures– top tips for making audio slideshows for the web
6. Journalists’ Toolkit– useful audio resources
7. Spokesmanreview.com Video Journal
8. Poynter: Photos, audio and the struggle to combine them
9. MC Fontaine, audio engineer
10. YouTube editor
11. How to shoot and edit video on an iPhone

Tagged audio, multimedia, resources, tips for Tuesday, useful, video

I’m not going to mince words, because there’s no point. It’s lousy. It’s in a lousy place. The color is lousy. The eyecup is round, which led to someone joking it must have been invented for a cyclops to use because there’s no way to block extraneous light while using it, and lousy. I think I’ve made myself clear.

As such, we bought a Zacuto EVF, which is very good. A lovely color screen, loaded with features and the usual solid build quality that we’ve come to expect from the good folks at Zacuto. However, we had two problems:

• Using a Z-American arm simply wasn’t viable, as there was no way for a camera operator to adjust the position of the EVF on their own once the camera was on their shoulder. Also, extended camera movement worked the arm loose from its screw-in point on the cheeseplate.
• The EVF is fed the video via an HDMI cable. HDMI cables suck.

As such, we were looking for another option. In October last year, Mitch Gross and AbelCine came through for us:

ProVFM Viewfinder from AbelCine from AbelCine on Vimeo.

We ordered it immediately. Sadly, so did a lot of people, so we received it about ten days ago. We already had the Berkey cheeseplate that is required for the ProVFM Module to work so here’s what came in the box:

The build quality is superb, rock solid and looks great. It’s a piece of cake to install and, again, is rock solid once it’s on. Then we just added the HDVF20A from our old Sony HDW-730 and voilà! A robust viewfinder solution for the PMW-F3 that perfectly meets the ergonomics that people are used to for handheld work.

There is one drawback with using the ProVFM Module and that is the lack of zebras — the F3 doesn’t push zebras out of either the SDI or Video output (we’re hoping that the good folks at Sony might enable peaking and zebras on the video output in a future firmware update) and viewfinders from ENG cameras don’t generate them independently. As such, if you need to check zebras or are used to your color peaking you will have to sneak a peek at the LCD window on the side of the camera. For us, this was not a deal-breaker: your mileage may vary.

The addition of the ProVFM module and the viewfinder takes the PMW-F3 to a different level. Bluntly, Sony should be stealing licensing this idea from AbelCine going forward, it is THAT good and addresses the single largest weak point of what is otherwise a brilliant camera.

Oh, by the way, this is now the default set up for our camera. So when you rent the PMW-F3 from us the viewfinder is included at no extra charge.

Note: There is a good chance that between me hitting publish and you reading it all the information contained herein will be utterly wrong. This is just a snapshot of what I’m hoping for and my (potentially optimistic) expectations for NAB 2012.

The few weeks leading up to the NAB show in Las Vegas are rather like Christmas for the production community. We all know that goodies are coming, we all hope that it’s going to be what we really want and we all know that there’s going to be at least one thing out there that we just can’t believe Aunt Agatha bought for us. NAB 2012 is no different and yet the instant reactions and opinions afforded by social media and, bluntly, the desperate and unseemly pandering for hits on blogs — “5DMkIII seen on the set of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES while Tim Tebow kisses Kate Upton!!!” — really are working the noise to a fever pitch this year. Why, the 5DMkIII has already been declared a failure by one person I won’t deign to link to and there is a veritable horde eagerly waiting to see what product announced at NAB will be this year’s MicroRemote Focus System or EF Lens Adapter (which, in all fairness, RedRock did produce with little fanfare or advance hype) and never see the light of day.

So, into the void I step with some thoughts, expectations and, hopefully, common sense.

Sony

The F3 is now for sale with S-LOG built in at the same price as when it was just an F3 without S-LOG. That alone is a big deal and Sony’s commitment to upgrades via firmware for the F3 (with v1.4 having just been announced) has been a very welcome departure from the norm. Yes, RED, I hear you, I’ll get to you later… Sony is also going to have a lot of people drooling over the F65 at it’s big show debut and, realistically, they could sit back and let the both of these cameras do all their talking for them given the astounding market proliferation of the F3 and technical advancements in the F65. But I think they’ll unveil a new camera (and some rumors have started flying that this could happen as soon as next week) and push their Digital Cinema line forward again, bringing a total of four cameras ranging from the FS100 to the F65. Specs? Who knows? If you put my feet to the fire I’d guess an “F5″ with 50Mbps or higher recording to SxS cards and S-LOG already installed, but I wouldn’t be shocked with something in between the F3 and the FS100 without S-LOG or the 4:4:4 output option. In fact, I could see that happening simply because it would create a major problem for Canon’s C300. So, without further ado…

Canon

The 5DMKII is the only camera truly worthy of the over-used ‘game-changer’ title. The MkIII is a refinement, which has led to loud disappointment from some, although I’d politely suggest that perhaps those spoiled folks should reign in their ridiculous expectations. The C300 is a success despite a poor initial reception (thanks to the odd ergonomics, high list price and the Scarlet announcement 3 hours later) and appears well placed to become a superb documentary camera. So, what is Canon going to do on April 15? Those who know aren’t saying, but the smart money appears to be on their 4K Cine DSLR. Which then begs the question: what will the features be and how much will it cost? Canon is in an interesting position, as they can’t (I hope!) damage the market for the C300 so the specs either have to be far and away better, along with a higher price, or some features have to be unavailable to bring the price well below. If the 4K Cine DSLR rumors are true then the implication is a small form factor, which raises questions about the ability to record 4K internally and the type of connectors that could be built in to the camera — HD-SDI is a given but XLRs may not be. Personally, I like the idea of a full-frame video camera. We all fell for the full frame aesthetic of the 5DMkII and nobody has gone close to that frame size yet. I would not be shocked if Canon were the people to do it.

Panasonic

*sigh* I don’t know. The Varicam and the HDX900 were such good cameras, but then Panasonic went all P2 and dropped the ball on an affordable and workable field workflow for small crews. The cards are expensive, the record times aren’t good enough, and AVC-Intra was mis-marketed out of the gate to the point clients STILL get nervous about using it. Then there was the AF100, which we reviewed before it was released and decided not to buy. The price just dropped to under $4,000 with another $500 rebate on top of that, so you know something new is coming. Could it be the legendary AF200?! Whatever it is, expect P2: that’s Panasonic’s proprietary media and I’m sure they’d much rather shift that than some other manufacturer’s SD cards. The question, for me, really comes down to the sensor and the form factor. I have no interest in another 4/3″ camera UNLESS they put that sensor inside a shoulder mounted camera body, like the HPX370. Then they would have my attention, because that particular sensor size in an ENG body makes a ton of sense. Another small box of a camera with that sensor, no matter the recording format or media? Pass.

RED

I don’t think they have a booth this year (darn, no on-site tattoos…) but there is the REDUser party on April 15, so who knows what will be shown and announced. There has been a lot of talk about their projection system, which does sound interesting for theatrical presentation. Outside of that, I’m sure there will be the usual promotion of 4K capture, bullish statements and deriding of other manufacturers. However, a promise of commitment to customer service and a dose of humility would be extremely welcome from the house that JJ built. I think RED forced camera manufacturers forward and if they folded up tents tomorrow that would be a fine legacy — I think Sony’s recent commitment to improving the cameras they already have out there is a direct response to RED’s line-up, and the sudden proliferation of 4K can certainly be laid at RED’s feet. However, RED are hurting themselves these days with ugly episodes on the forums over at REDUser, late deliveries and unfulfilled promises. They need to take a look at companies that do customer service well, such as Zacuto and SmallHD. RED make fine cameras and the technology really is brilliant, but with so many options out there these days taking care of both new and prospective customers is key. A statement to that fact at NAB would be a fine start.

Arri

Much like Sony, Arri can rest on their laurels this year. The Alexa is, without a doubt, the new standard for television and commercial production. It is a beautiful machine that creates beautiful images. Arri did it right with this camera and now offers the Alexa, Alexa Plus, Alexa M and Alexa Studio, thus catering to every conceivable production. They announced that in addition to ProRes the camera will be able to record to Avid’s DNxHD format, making the camera even more attractive. So, will they have anything new? No clue. But, gosh, wouldn’t it be nice if they announced an Alexa Mini? Please?

 Apple

They’ve avoided NAB over the past few years, except for last year when they took over the SuperMeet to announce FCP-X. And we all know how well that turned out. They won’t be there, but expect everyone to be hopeful for new Mac Pros at some point this year. I imagine the rumor mill will start up in earnest by Monday at noon as loose lips at the various post-production booths start flapping.

AVID & Adobe

Their booths will be full of very happy sales and technical folks delightedly talking up the merits of their systems to disillusioned Final Cut Pro users. And, by all accounts, they have every right to be blowing their horns. Competition is good.

Everything Else

Zacuto, Redrock Micro, Letus and about 12 other companies will be showing all the accessories you need for your various cameras, at varying levels of build quality and prices. I’m looking forward to finally seeing some of the gear from Shape WLB and Wooden Camera in person after hearing good things about them over the past few months. And I’m also excited to get my hands on a lot of the accessories we’re going to be looking to buy over the next few months, from follow focus units to monitors and lights. NAB has something for everyone and, as I said in my Being Prepared article, it’s good to stray out of your production comfort zone.

NAB 2012 is just around the corner and Bruce, Gonzo and Carolyn are very generously sending me out to Las Vegas to soak in the madness. As I’ve been to NAB a grand total of one time before I thought I’d share some hints, tips and thoughts on the event as a whole. That’s what the internet is for, right? Opinion stated as fact by people with limited knowledge?*

NAB – What To Expect

• Lots of walking. The convention center is big. The hotels are big. The Strip is long BECAUSE the hotels are big. This time, I’m going to be wearing much more comfortable shoes.
• The convention center is also surprisingly chilly. Two years ago I found myself ducking outside to stand in the sun fairly often to warm up.
• When you do duck outside to warm up, expect to stand in a cloud of cigarette smoke. But that’s okay: you’ll be standing in cigarette smoke the rest of the time outside of the convention center anyway, so you might as well get used to it.
• There are lots of handouts, so bring a bag you can chuck stuff in. I went with a messenger bag last time, which worked out well as it kept my hands free to play with all the fun toys. Side note: I still have four bottles of hand sanitizer, two lens cleaning spray bottles and 947 pens from my visit two years ago.
• The food in the convention center kinda sucks. The line for coffee starts in Arizona. And a bottle of water is going to cost you your first born child. So, buy one bottle of water and refill it at the drinking fountains, unless you’re Jim Jannard and can afford to do anything ever that you want ever.
• It’s easy to get intimidated when you’re at a booth, there are lots of people standing around and you have a question. What if it’s a dumb question?! What if they’ve already been asked what I want to know?! What if I try and talk and I make that weird smacking sound with my mouth because I stayed out drinking last night, I forgot my water bottle, I’ve already blown through my per diem and don’t want to buy another one?! *ahem* Anyway, here’s the thing: the folks at the booth have already been asked every question there is to ask and I’ll GUARANTEE that there is at least one person standing at the booth at the same moment as you that’s wondering the same thing. So, ask. There’s no point in traveling to NAB and coming back with unanswered questions.
• Unless you’re actively trying to avoid it, you can make some damn good friends at NAB. Networking is a huge part of this business, if only to stay on top of the latest equipment and trends, so don’t be shy. At the same time, don’t be THAT guy. You know who I’m talking about.
• Famous people! Well. Famous people in the industry. The funny thing is that they’re actually quite normal and they’re there either as paid spokesmen/women or they’re as intrigued by the gear as you are. That means it’s perfectly okay to say hi, introduce yourself, and have a conversation. Just don’t ask them to sign your 5DMkIII — that would be pathetic.
• The content theater tends to sell out quickly, so if there’s something you want to see get a ticket early.

Dos & Don’ts

See you at NAB 2012!

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To no one’s surprise, research is showing that tablets are having a profound impact on all forms of computing, not just mobile. Techvibes reports that tablet ownership nearly doubled in less than one month. From mid-December to early January the number of Americans owning a tablet jumped from 10% to 19%. The iPad continues to dominate the market, followed by Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Demographics show that men and women favor the device equally.

What is somewhat surprising, for sales, last quarter the iPad outsold every single PC.

The research also shows that folks love to watch TV shows, sports and movies on all those tablets. Recent data from the Ooyala Video Index found that tablet viewers are among the most engaged audiences for online video, and that the device-specific plays will grow fivefold in the coming year.

The question is, what is your tablet strategy? How are you looking to respond to this sea change? From content optimization to screen usage to measurement you need to be thoughtful about what you put in front of your audience.

Videomind’s Ooyala News has outlined three ways to insure your video content engages an audience.

The most important technical question is, will your video play on all formats? You need to insure it will play on Win8, iOS and Android. It is clear content providers are in no position to force users to adopt to a uniquely formatted content stream. With 60 minutes of content being uploaded to YouTube every minute, there is too much available content in the marketplace and viewers will simply jump over to an alternative source. To be successful in the changing web video landscape your video needs to play on any device on any network.

Additionally, initial measurement is pointing that viewers engage in video content differently on a tablet and mobile device than they do a computer screen.

Because most users hold a device close to their face they are often forced to focus less than a foot away from the end of their nose, resulting in a shallower depth of field. One consequence of this behavior is the image fills the viewer’s field of vision, blocking out extraneous distractions. And often viewers are wearing headsets while watching content, again, enhancing the immersive nature of the experience.

There is no arguing that tablets are a significant technology and an opportunity that needs to be leveraged in all of your mobile video plans. And whether this signals the start of the “post-PC era” of computing, or is merely an additional channel for viewers is not as important as making sure you have a plan in place to leverage the opportunity.