<rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><channel><title>beyondmeasuremedia</title><description>beyondmeasuremedia</description><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/blog</link><item><title>VMNP 005 - My (Slightly Embarrassing) Podcast Interview</title><description><![CDATA[Thanks to Dr. Rob Harter and the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast for having me on as a guest, but gosh I sounded kinda obnoxious | Bloviating Firehose and it was all my fault: Too much coffee and lots of overly-prepared canned answers -- oh well, it was a valuable learning experience | The weirdness of being on the other side of the interview table | Beyond Measure Media's origin story -- How Michele and I started telling video stories | Capturing real, vulnerable moments of emotion on camera vs.<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/R2w6mYQiDqw/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/08/06/VMNP-005---My-Slightly-Embarrassing-Podcast-Interview</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/08/06/VMNP-005---My-Slightly-Embarrassing-Podcast-Interview</guid><pubDate>Sun, 06 Aug 2017 19:02:01 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R2w6mYQiDqw"/><div>Thanks to <a href="http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/about/">Dr. Rob Harter</a> and the <a href="http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org">Nonprofit Leadership Podcast</a> for having me on as a guest, but gosh I sounded kinda obnoxious | Bloviating Firehose and it was all my fault: Too much coffee and lots of overly-prepared canned answers -- oh well, it was a valuable learning experience | The weirdness of being on the other side of the interview table | Beyond Measure Media's origin story -- How Michele and I started telling video stories | Capturing real, vulnerable moments of emotion on camera vs. doing a &quot;commercial&quot; for an organization | I believe nonprofits that are using their social media to tell personal, heartfelt stories are way more effective than orgs who use their social channels to post boring &quot;here's our next fundraising event&quot; messages</div><div>Thanks for watching/listening! </div><div>Thanks so much for joining me this week. What did you think about this show? Please leave a note in the comments section below.</div><div>Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.</div><div>Also, I'd be very grateful if you left <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">an honest review of the Video My Nonprofit Podcast on iTunes</a>. I've learned these ratings are incredibly important in how this show is ranked and rated, and I do read every single one of them.</div><div>Depending on how you want to consume this weekly show, you can either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">subscribe to the audio feed on iTunes</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe to the video feed on YouTube</a> to get automatic updates.</div><div>If you have any questions, please use the &quot;contact&quot; link at the top of this page to give me a holler!</div><div>To download this particular show as an MP3 file, here's the link you can right-click to save: </div><div><a href="https://archive.org/download/VMNP5/VMNP5.mp3">Podcast mp3 file (download)</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>VMNP 004 - Hire a Videographer or Shoot It Yourself?</title><description><![CDATA[We're deep in the heart of Texas this week, preparing to speak to the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals about smart phone video branding | Check out all the awesome chickens in my in-laws' backyard | When to hire the big video guns and when to shoot your own material | Even if your org has the budget to hire a videographer, should you ever shoot video yourself in-house? | We ask our listeners to leave a review of this show on iTunes | Smart phone video is a great idea because<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/OP8Is1VDKpo/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/22/VMNP-004---Hire-a-Videographer-or-Shoot-It-Yourself</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/22/VMNP-004---Hire-a-Videographer-or-Shoot-It-Yourself</guid><pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2017 14:35:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OP8Is1VDKpo"/><div>We're deep in the heart of Texas this week, preparing to speak to the <a href="http://hahmp.org/2017/02/media-confidential-the-art-of-using-video-to-sell-your-brand/">Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals</a> about smart phone video branding | Check out all the awesome chickens in my in-laws' backyard | When to hire the big video guns and when to shoot your own material | Even if your org has the budget to hire a videographer, should you ever shoot video yourself in-house? | We ask our listeners to leave a review of this show on iTunes | Smart phone video is a great idea because everyone, everywhere has got one | When to hire a professional video storyteller vs. when to shoot your own smart phone video | Creating video &quot;updates&quot; during major community-wide fundraising days | Make your own &quot;live update&quot; video cue card to help focus your on-camera remarks during a video post | We put our own suggested cue card to the test with a random audience member...will it work? | Ways to optimize your fundraising video posts on social media | The biggest advantage to using year-round smart phone video of your organization</div><div>Thanks for watching/listening! </div><div>Thanks so much for joining me this week. What did you think about this show? Please leave a note in the comments section below.</div><div>Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.</div><div>Also, I'd be very grateful if you left <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">an honest review of the Video My Nonprofit Podcast on iTunes</a>. I've learned these ratings are incredibly important in how this show is ranked and rated, and I do read every single one of them.</div><div>Depending on how you want to consume this weekly show, you can either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">subscribe to the audio feed on iTunes</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe to the video feed on YouTube</a> to get automatic updates.</div><div>If you have any questions, please use the &quot;contact&quot; link at the top of this page to give me a holler!</div><div>To download this particular show as an MP3 file, here's the link you can right-click to save: </div><div><a href="https://archive.org/download/VMNP004/VMNP004.mp3">Podcast mp3 file (download)</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>VNMP 003 - Lessons from Oprah On Nonprofit Video</title><description><![CDATA[Michele returns for another guest host session, which is pretty awesome | Michele's kinda-sorta-obsession with everything Oprah | Are Michele and I stalking TV talk show hosts? | Nuggets of video wisdom found within the new "Making Oprah" podcast | That time I covered Oprah's beef trial in Texas as a news reporter | The one and only (lame) question I got to ask her | The one big, flashing-light, OMG, we-all-need-to-listen-to-this sound bite from the entire "Making Oprah" podcast series | Oprah's<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/RjjDX-G9yHE/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/15/VNMP-003---Lessons-from-Oprah-On-Nonprofit-Video</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/15/VNMP-003---Lessons-from-Oprah-On-Nonprofit-Video</guid><pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2017 04:14:15 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RjjDX-G9yHE"/><div>Michele returns for another guest host session, which is pretty awesome | Michele's kinda-sorta-obsession with everything Oprah | Are Michele and I stalking TV talk show hosts? | Nuggets of video wisdom found within the new &quot;Making Oprah&quot; podcast | That time I covered Oprah's beef trial in Texas as a news reporter | The one and only (lame) question I got to ask her | The one big, flashing-light, OMG, we-all-need-to-listen-to-this sound bite from the entire &quot;Making Oprah&quot; podcast series | Oprah's one giant secret to connecting in a video | How to find and create your own Oprah-like stories within your organization | The magic of fundraiser event appearances by recipients who just appeared on screen | Finally, Phil Donahue, who I think is awesome, is funny even when he doesn't mean to be</div><div>Recommended podcast: Listen to the entire <a href="https://www.wbez.org/series/making-oprah/db4fff18-4828-4589-b03f-8dd50a5adbbe">&quot;Making Oprah&quot; Podcast from WBEZ / Chicago</a> hosted by Jenn White</div><div>We also discuss future Video My Nonprofit podcast guest Liz Plachta, executive director of <a href="https://rubysrainbow.org">Ruby's Rainbow</a>, who is totally dominating her org's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=rubysrainbow.org">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rubysrainbow/">Instagram</a> accounts.</div><div>Thanks for watching/listening! </div><div>Thanks so much for joining me this week. What did you think about this show? Please leave a note in the comments section below.</div><div>Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.</div><div>Also, I'd be very grateful if you left <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">an honest review of the Video My Nonprofit Podcast on iTunes</a>. I've learned these ratings are incredibly important in how this show is ranked and rated, and I do read every single one of them.</div><div>Depending on how you want to consume this weekly show, you can either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">subscribe to the audio feed on iTunes</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe to the video feed on YouTube</a> to get automatic updates.</div><div>If you have any questions, please use the &quot;contact&quot; link at the top of this page to give me a holler!</div><div>To download this particular show as an MP3 file, here's the link you can right-click to save: </div><div><a href="https://archive.org/download/VMNP003_201702/VMNP003.mp3">Podcast mp3 file (download)</a></div><div>Oh, and as promised... here are all our talk show host-stalking photos from the past:</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_5d9ade69bc8d4e97a9022feaee1d6b00~mv2.jpg"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_0d9d14e982884f25841d130d055cfc7e~mv2.jpg"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_7a8df3c1928649729454451f535c1606~mv2.png"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>VMNP 002 - Turning Big News Events Into Your Next Video</title><description><![CDATA[We reveal our very latest nonprofit video | Meet my wife and co-conspirator, Michele | Michele really hates being in the limelight (but I think she's pretty amazing) | Making a nonprofit video that ties into current (big) news events | Idea: Send a press release when you publish video | How did we make the video? | Video making tools and tips for every budget, even if you just have a smart phone | How to tell whether you might have a great video idea | Our dog Tater makes a cameo (it was just a<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/ZqNyHd8zyp4/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/08/VMNP-002---Turning-Big-News-Events-Into-Your-Next-Video</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/08/VMNP-002---Turning-Big-News-Events-Into-Your-Next-Video</guid><pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2017 18:12:42 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZqNyHd8zyp4"/><div>We reveal our very latest nonprofit video | Meet my wife and co-conspirator, Michele | Michele really hates being in the limelight (but I think she's pretty amazing) | Making a nonprofit video that ties into current (big) news events | Idea: Send a press release when you publish video | How did we make the video? | Video making tools and tips for every budget, even if you just have a smart phone | How to tell whether you might have a great video idea | Our dog Tater makes a cameo (it was just a matter of time before something like this would happen)</div><div>Video Resources discussed during the show:</div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018FCL1FC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=jaycartervide-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B018FCL1FC&amp;linkId=6ca82c0753114b43a7e272c5687f000d">Heavy duty support system</a> (for a background)</div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009UU00/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=jaycartervide-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B00009UU00&amp;linkId=bf665931aec8cf70f9e1e14a997410b4">Westcott &quot;Storm Cloud&quot; backdrop</a> that we used in the video</div><div><a href="https://www.musicbed.com/songs/fighting-for-you-instrumental/11244">&quot;Fighting for You&quot; song from Musicbed.com</a> is where the music in the piece came from</div><div><a href="https://www.pond5.com/?ref=beyondmeasuremedia">Pond 5</a> is a very inexpensive royalty-free music option for video</div><div>We also like to use <a href="https://audiojungle.net/?ref=jaycarter">Audio Jungle</a> for music on a budget</div><div>Lav mic for smart phones: <a href="http://amzn.to/2kfwNAc">Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Microphone for Smartphones - 19.69-Feet</a></div><div>Here is the video we just completed for <a href="http://www.irco.org">Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization</a> in Portland, OR:</div><iframe src="//static.usrfiles.com/html/029bfb_3dc229ad476477486f09db063dc251a6.html"/><div>Thanks for watching/listening! </div><div>Thanks so much for joining me this week. What did you think about this show? Please leave a note in the comments section below.</div><div>Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.</div><div>Also, I'd be very grateful if you left an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">honest review of the Video My Nonprofit Podcast on iTunes</a>. I've learned these ratings are incredibly important in how this show is ranked and rated, and I do read every single one of them.</div><div>Depending on how you want to consume this weekly show, you can either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">subscribe to the audio feed on iTunes</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe to the video feed on YouTube</a> to get automatic updates.</div><div>If you have any questions, please use the &quot;contact&quot; link at the top of this page to give me a holler!</div><div><a href="https://archive.org/download/VMNP002r2/VMNP002r2.mp3">Podcast mp3 file (download)</a></div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_167532e2181944dc835183af03c68540~mv2.png"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>VMNP 001 - Biggest Misconceptions About Nonprofit Video</title><description><![CDATA[What is Video My Nonprofit? | Video mistakes by both big and small nonprofits | Treating your YouTube page like a fine china cabinet | Nonprofit founders who hide behind their logo | The end of the media gatekeepers | Media is now all of us; we're all video storytellers now | The types of nonprofit videos you should be making right now | Practicing what I preach | I'm balancing my smart phone camera on a giant soy sauce can | Is it okay for nonprofits to make their videos with smart<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/dxxUjMATYZU/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/01/VMNP-001---Biggest-Misconceptions-About-Nonprofit-Video</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/02/01/VMNP-001---Biggest-Misconceptions-About-Nonprofit-Video</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2017 05:29:07 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dxxUjMATYZU"/><div>What is Video My Nonprofit? | Video mistakes by both big and small nonprofits | Treating your YouTube page like a fine china cabinet | Nonprofit founders who hide behind their logo | The end of the media gatekeepers | Media is now all of us; we're all video storytellers now | The types of nonprofit videos you should be making right now | Practicing what I preach | I'm balancing my smart phone camera on a giant soy sauce can | Is it okay for nonprofits to make their videos with smart phones?</div><div>Thanks for watching/listening!</div><div>Thanks so much for joining me this week. What did you think about this show? Please leave a note in the comments section below.</div><div>Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.</div><div>Also, I'd be very grateful if you left an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">honest review of the Video My Nonprofit Podcast on iTunes</a>. I've learned these ratings are incredibly important in how this show is ranked and rated, and I do read every single one of them.</div><div>Depending on how you want to consume this weekly show, you can either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/video-my-nonprofit-jay-carter/id1201116908">subscribe to the audio feed on iTunes</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe to the video feed on YouTube</a>.</div><div>If you have any questions, please use the &quot;contact&quot; link at the top of this page to give me a holler!</div><div><a href="https://archive.org/download/VMNP001/VMNP001.mp3">To download this particular show as an MP3 file, here's the link you can right-click to save: Podcast mp3 file (download)</a></div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_886f14f4e43d428187c96b7620ef15a5~mv2.png"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Video My Nonprofit</title><description><![CDATA[We're kicking off a brand new podcast -- Video My Nonprofit.From the beginning of Beyond Measure Media, most of our work has been on behalf of some amazing nonprofit organizations.Over these years, we've learned two important things. First, while there are many nonprofits who see the value of professional video storytellers, many of them simply don't have the budget for hiring professional video crews like ours.And second, even if a nonprofit does have the budget to hire us, we strongly believe<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_a50783c904864d10b7d1a2b36de16f1c%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/01/28/Video-My-Nonprofit</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2017/01/28/Video-My-Nonprofit</guid><pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2017 15:43:07 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_a50783c904864d10b7d1a2b36de16f1c~mv2.jpg"/><div>We're kicking off a brand new podcast -- Video My Nonprofit.</div><div>From the beginning of Beyond Measure Media, most of our work has been on behalf of some amazing nonprofit organizations.</div><div>Over these years, we've learned two important things. First, while there are many nonprofits who see the value of professional video storytellers, many of them simply don't have the budget for hiring professional video crews like ours.</div><div>And second, even if a nonprofit does have the budget to hire us, we strongly believe video should not be a once-in-a-while thing. Just like tweets and blog posts, video is something every nonprofit should be doing all the time, both on their websites and social media channels. Which means, it's time for nonprofits to get comfortable using resources they already have to create their own short video stories for the web and social media.</div><div>Our goal for Video My Nonprofit is to provide ideas and inspiration to help every nonprofit succeed through the transformative power of well-told video stories.</div><div>Each show will be both a radio and a TV show, depending on how the user wants to consume it. We'll post each new episode here. You can subscribe to the show on iTunes, or subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIt1eHxKmSzVRoHYDwx1yQ">our new YouTube channel</a> to watch the show's video feed.</div><div>Our very first show will debut on Wednesday, February 1, 2017. We'll try to post a new show once a week, every Wednesday. Join us!</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_5a53c65b3d084abaa666992cacedd8a2~mv2_d_2000_2000_s_2.jpg"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>It's Time for Me to Stop Hiding Behind My Logo</title><description><![CDATA[Sometimes, I am really full of crap.It was only a week or so ago, I was bloviating to a room full of people in Louisiana, telling them all to do something that I wasn't doing myself. "Do as I say, not as I do," I might as well have said.The advice was to be open about who you are in your video marketing, to prominently integrate your own story into your marketing, and to stop hiding behind a logo. If you're running a small business or a small nonprofit, the fact is, the biggest and most<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_4172232effe8407889e5cf7b445369f8%7Emv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_470/d2a015_4172232effe8407889e5cf7b445369f8%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/10/05/Its-Time-for-Me-to-Stop-Hiding-Behind-My-Logo</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/10/05/Its-Time-for-Me-to-Stop-Hiding-Behind-My-Logo</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Oct 2016 23:35:28 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_4172232effe8407889e5cf7b445369f8~mv2.jpg"/><div>Sometimes, I am really full of crap.</div><div>It was only a week or so ago, I was bloviating to a room full of people in Louisiana, telling them all to do something that I wasn't doing myself. </div><div>&quot;Do as I say, not as I do,&quot; I might as well have said.</div><div>The advice was to be open about who you are in your video marketing, to prominently integrate your own story into your marketing, and to stop hiding behind a logo. </div><div>If you're running a small business or a small nonprofit, the fact is, the biggest and most compelling part of your organization... is you. The story of who you are, why you're here and what you stand for. People want to hear and connect with that. It's just more interesting.</div><div><a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/30/Does-Your-Video-Give-Viewers-a-Commercial-or-a-Connection">People want to connect with people</a>. Not with big corporations or faceless entities.</div><div>Bigger the Bettter</div><div>The problem is, many of us have grown up watching businesses and brands try to look as &quot;big&quot; as possible. </div><div>I can't tell you how many times I've seen a really smart and otherwise successful entrepreneur slather layer upon layer of bullshit in their marketing material to create the illusion that his business isn't just one guy operating out of his home office. </div><div>They've convinced themselves that their clients or customers won't show up unless the business projects a slick, big-time image. But is that really true?</div><div>Or, how many nonprofits are there that are pretty much led (and operated) by just one or two people? And yet, you go to their website or social media channels, and all you see is a logo, and a whole bunch of talking points about their issue - but nothing about that super-awesome, passionate person who's running the whole shebang?</div><div>Practicing What We Preach</div><div>And in many ways, I've been guilty of this myself.</div><div><a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com">Beyond Measure Media</a> is made up of just two people - <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/our-story">me and Michele</a>. That's it. </div><div>Clearly, this is a small business where WE are the product: Two video storytellers who are passionate about telling compelling video stories that spark action. When you do business with Beyond Measure Media, that is what you get: Us.</div><div>But (before the day I wrote this blog post) you'd never have known that by visiting our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/beyondmeasuremedia/">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/bmeasuremedia">Twitter</a> pages. We have been literally hiding behind our business name and logo...exactly what we've been telling other people not to do.</div><div>We had been trying to look extremely professional, but the real product of Beyond Measure Media - US - got lost in the process.</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_d39d0e71e6a345a98582bbf7bda5d887~mv2.png"/><div>So we've fixed it. Now, when you go to those social media channels, you see me and Michele. We've even renamed the accounts to include our names.</div><div>Layers of Pretension</div><div>The truth is, we like what we do. Otherwise, we wouldn't do it. And we really don't have any plans to grow our business into a giant empire with dozens or hundreds of employees. It isn't our dream.</div><div>Our dream is this. We're already living it: Doing our thing with clients we truly love. It's as simple as that.</div><div>For our business, we think it's the right move. It was time to strip away the layers of pretension and show potential clients and partners who we really are, and why we're here.</div><div>It's time we stopped hiding behind a logo. </div><div>And it's time we got super clear in all our marketing efforts about what &quot;Beyond Measure Media&quot; really is: Two dependable and passionate people who get out of bed every single day with excitement and passion about telling video stories from the heart.</div><div>Should your business or organization do more of that, too?</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Want to Make Sure No One Sees Your Video?  Post it on YouTube</title><description><![CDATA[Do you have a great video about your organization, and want to make sure no one ever sees it? Perhaps you feel you simply have all the customers and supporters you need. Maybe you feel your video is embarrassingly effective at clarifying what your organization is all about, and you'd rather your potential supporters stay confused.So now you're looking for a hidey hole. A virtual Bermuda Triangle in which to drop your video, so that no one ever sees or hears of it again.Well, we can take care of<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_1dd02ef73f974f19895b12984f83cd56%7Emv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_419/d2a015_1dd02ef73f974f19895b12984f83cd56%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/22/Want-to-Make-Sure-No-One-Sees-Your-Video-Post-it-on-YouTube</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/22/Want-to-Make-Sure-No-One-Sees-Your-Video-Post-it-on-YouTube</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Oct 2016 18:48:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_1dd02ef73f974f19895b12984f83cd56~mv2.jpg"/><div>Do you have a great video about your organization, and want to make sure no one ever sees it? </div><div>Perhaps you feel you simply have all the customers and supporters you need. </div><div>Maybe you feel your video is embarrassingly effective at clarifying what your organization is all about, and you'd rather your potential supporters stay confused.</div><div>So now you're looking for a hidey hole. A virtual Bermuda Triangle in which to drop your video, so that no one ever sees or hears of it again.</div><div>Well, we can take care of this right now. Write this down and remember it: To hide your video from the world, all you have to do is post it on YouTube.</div><div>All Those Eyeballs</div><div>Sounds crazy, right? After all, haven't you heard somewhere that YouTube is the second most popular website in the world (just after Google) with 790 million unique monthly visitors? </div><div>What about all those viral videos? All those hits? All those YouTube stars that are internet famous? All those ads, that are making someone, somewhere, tons of money?</div><div>It's true, there are a lot of eyeballs on YouTube. The problem is, those millions of eyeballs are highly unlikely to find and see YOUR YouTube video unless some other things happen...lots of other things.</div><div>These words of wisdom I'm sharing with you come from experience. </div><div>Over the years, we have had a very small minority of clients who did exactly what I'm talking about: We made a great video from them, the client was over-the-moon happy with it, and then they posted their new video on YouTube, and that was it. </div><div>That poor lonely video will be lucky to get a few dozen YouTube views a year. Ugh.</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_84e90926af2e43b68b004ebee0b962e0~mv2.jpg"/><div>Should you still post all your videos on YouTube? Absolutely. </div><div>YouTube does an awesome job as a free host to all your video content, and it really does wonders to boost your organization's SEO. You MUST post lots of video content on YouTube.</div><div>But if you want lots of views, posting a video on YouTube is only step one. You must take further action to actually get significant views of your video. </div><div>Next Steps to Boost Your Video Views</div><div>Here are some important next steps to take once your video is ready for the world:</div><div><div>Embed the video someplace prominently on your organization's website.  If your website has one of those nice little YouTube icons that link to your YouTube channel, that's great, but actually embedding the video so that it can be played and viewed directly on your own web platform is important. </div><div>Upload your video to Facebook. After uploading your video to YouTube, upload it to Facebook, as well. This is important. Your video is significantly more likely to be seen, liked, shared and commented on if it is an actual Facebook-hosted video (NOT a YouTube link posted to Facebook). Uploading a video to Facebook is easy; it's the exact same process you use when uploading a still photo.</div><div>Ask your co-workers to help spread the video. Your employees can help in two ways: Ask them to post your organization's new Facebook video to their own personal Facebook accounts with a personal message such as, &quot;This is why I love my job!&quot; or &quot;Watch our new amazing video!&quot; </div><div>Are your supporters or customers willing to help?  Ask your raving fans and true believers to share the video onto their own social platforms.</div><div>Link to the video in your automatic email signature.  Make sure everyone you communicate with has an opportunity to see your video with a quick line below your automatically-generated email signature. You could write something like, &quot;Watch our video to see how we're saving lives: (copy-and-paste the youtube link here)&quot;</div><div>Post your video to social media more than once. Why post your video only once? Do it at different times of the day for several days for greater impact. Never assume everyone has seen your video, even after you've posted it a few times. Frequency is key. People look at social media when it's convenient to them.</div><div>Play your video content in your office lobby.  Assuming you have a lobby or public where there are enough new people cycling though to be worth the effort, and also assuming you have enough video content built up where it won't be too annoyingly repetitive for a captive audience.</div><div>Play your video at public events.  Speaking to the rotary club? Play the video first. Holding a fundraiser event? Play the video. An awards luncheon? A potluck dinner? An open house? A Christmas party? Play. The. Video.</div><div>Send out a press release. A press release for a new video? Hey, why not? We've seen more than a few of our clients get some surprising free media &quot;hits&quot; just by alerting various TV, radio, print, podcasters and bloggers about their new video content.</div></div><div>Some of these tips will work better for you than others, depending on the size and type of your shop. These are just a few we could think of right off the bat. You're likely thinking of other good ideas specific to your industry or organization right now.</div><div>I love YouTube. It's great. But there's a glut of video content sloshing around on YouTube. Some of that content is intended to be entertaining and interesting to a wide general audience. But chances are, your organization's video is not. </div><div>That's why posting your video once to YouTube won't cut it. It's what you do afterward that really counts.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Does Your Video Give Viewers a Commercial or a Connection?</title><description><![CDATA[Well as usual, I was up against the clock to come up with eight (count 'em, eight!) "Pro Secrets for Creating Powerful Videos."I always seem to work better when deadlines are tight. Maybe it's a leftover from my news days, maybe it's just human nature, but I somehow work much more efficiently when there's a hard deadline breathing down my neck.So as I prepared my presentation on my eight video secrets, I was stuck.What should number eight be? How do I wrap this thing up?Then, it hit me.<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_45bed4c412c6405381f776042a9f3c8c%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_45bed4c412c6405381f776042a9f3c8c%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/30/Does-Your-Video-Give-Viewers-a-Commercial-or-a-Connection</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/30/Does-Your-Video-Give-Viewers-a-Commercial-or-a-Connection</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:11:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_45bed4c412c6405381f776042a9f3c8c~mv2.jpeg"/><div>Well as usual, I was up against the clock to come up with eight (count 'em, eight!) &quot;Pro Secrets for Creating Powerful Videos.&quot;</div><div>I always seem to work better when deadlines are tight. Maybe it's a leftover from my news days, maybe it's just human nature, but I somehow work much more efficiently when there's a hard deadline breathing down my neck.</div><div>So as I prepared my presentation on my eight video secrets, I was stuck.</div><div>What should number eight be? How do I wrap this thing up?</div><div>Then, it hit me. Something I've been meaning to talk about for quite a while.</div><div>The last point on my list of &quot;Pro Secrets&quot; would, perhaps, be the most important.</div><div>Secret #8: Your Video Viewers Want a Connection, Not a Commercial</div><div>When we started our scrappy little video production company, Michele and I were figuring out what to call our new business.</div><div>We kicked around a few lame ideas. But I remember it didn't take long for Michele to come up with Beyond Measure. It came from a quote she had recently come across from the spiritual author Marianne Williamson:</div><div>&quot;Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.</div><div>We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.</div><div>There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.</div><div>We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.</div><div>It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.</div><div>And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.</div><div>As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.&quot;</div><div>At the time when we decided to begin our new video storytelling business, this quote pretty much summed up where we both were spiritually and emotionally.</div><div>We had no idea we could do this. Or, more accurately, we had been afraid to put ourselves out there, to tell the world that we now wanted to operate video equipment and be trusted to tell the story of a business or organization. </div><div>Who were we to think we could do something like this?</div><div>The Kind of Person You Want to Know About </div><div>So here's the deal. The world is now full of amazing problem solvers. You just might be one of them. </div><div>These amazing people are the ones who either start or lead organizations that make this world a better and more interesting place.</div><div>These people are dreamers. They are thinkers. They're fighters and they are servants. </div><div>They do not accept the status quo. They push themselves beyond their own comfortable limits, and that usually means they challenge the rest of us to do the same.</div><div>And how thrilled would we be to find out that one of these exceptional individuals could be found not in some other state or country, but inside our own community?</div><div>These people - and really, you could be one of them - are the types most of us would kill to spend some time with. To learn from them, to be inspired by them, and yes, to see what we might be able to offer to support their worthy efforts. </div><div>And then, something terrible usually happens. </div><div>Something that would make you think these highly competent, worthy men and women were suddenly beamed off this earth by a giant vacuum tube from an alien spacecraft.</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_2461d7150c194dc8ae1f43dd82fb84d8~mv2.jpeg"/><div>And Then They Disappear</div><div>The problem begins when these individuals file the legal paperwork to form a corporation, or perhaps a 501(c)(3). </div><div>Or, they could simply be working for one of these legal entities.</div><div>And as these dynamic leaders continue to do their work, as they continue to fight and lead and inspire... every single interesting thing they do is suddenly hidden. </div><div>Hidden behind the veil of that official corporate or nonprofit entity.</div><div>Check your organization's website: Are you in there anywhere, or was it more important to look BIG?</div><div>Check your organization's Facebook page: Do we see your face in the profile picture? Do we hear your authentic voice in the post?</div><div>Check your organization's video: Are you in there? At all?</div><div>Who started your organization? Why? Is that person still around? Still passionate? Still fighting? And can any of that information be found...anywhere?</div><div>A Commercial vs. a Connection</div><div>Too many businesses and nonprofits design their marketing materials to make their organizations look BIG. </div><div>This usually results in marketing pieces (including websites, social media and yes, video) that come across as uninspiring, uninteresting, and even downright soulless.</div><div>In the field of marketing and PR, the current metrics tell us that trust in large institutions is declining. Smaller is actually better, and can even be a distinct marketing or fundraising advantage.</div><div>People are less interested in a commercial, and more interested in a connection.</div><div>Less interested in a logo, and more interested in a leader. </div><div>Less interested in meaningless bullet points, and more interested in a believer who gets up yet another day and fights to make the world a little better.</div><div>This is your story. The story your customers or donors really want to hear. And <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/book-us">I want to hear it, too</a>.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Who Watches Long Videos?</title><description><![CDATA[When we started making videos professionally for clients, our first projects ran a little long, by today's no-attention-span standards.Our first project clocked in at a whopping 12 minutes. Whoa!Essentially, we were creating mini-documentaries for our clients. We still make them, when they ask us to.Staunch Defenders of Long VideosThe topic of ideal video length is complicated and controversial.In our early days, we heard a lot of opinions about ideal video length, most of them erring on the low<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_07b0d7acfb9c44b1b42ef14789453dae%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_07b0d7acfb9c44b1b42ef14789453dae%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/13/Who-Watches-Long-Videos</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/13/Who-Watches-Long-Videos</guid><pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:32:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_07b0d7acfb9c44b1b42ef14789453dae~mv2.jpeg"/><div>When we started making videos professionally for clients, our first projects ran a little long, by today's no-attention-span standards.</div><div>Our first project clocked in at a whopping 12 minutes. Whoa!</div><div>Essentially, we were creating mini-documentaries for our clients. </div><div>We still make them, when they ask us to.</div><div>Staunch Defenders of Long Videos</div><div>The topic of ideal video length is complicated and controversial.</div><div>In our early days, we heard a lot of opinions about ideal video length, most of them erring on the low side - one to three minutes.</div><div>We'd hear it over and over again - &quot;one to three minutes.&quot; </div><div>It got to the point where we'd get outright defiant on the topic. </div><div>&quot;Videos should be as long as they need to be!&quot; we'd argue, &quot;so long as they keep moving the story forward, and aren't boring.&quot;</div><div>Our stance has softened since then, especially after hearing from our very early clients that they would have appreciated having some shorter, stand-alone segments of the longer videos that we created for them. Something shorter they could present during live presentations where time is limited, and also to use on social media.</div><div>When Portland PR firm AM:PM summoned us to share our &quot;Pro Secrets for Making Powerful Videos,&quot; the topic of long videos captured our imagination.</div><div>We rolled the idea around in our heads for a while.</div><div>The Elusive Unicorn Viewer of Long Videos</div><div>What were we thinking back then? Who on earth has the time - much less the required attention span - to watch a 12-minute video?</div><div>We thought and thought about it. </div><div>And then... ah-ha! There is, we realized, an extremely important group of viewers who would (and do) watch long videos. </div><div>Who are these elusive, rare unicorn-like viewers with a seemingly endless supply of time on their hands?</div><div>I think I've got the answer.</div><div>Our First Whopper </div><div>That 12-minute whopper of a video I mentioned before? We made it - the first video made by <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com">Beyond Measure Media</a> - for the Renzi Education &amp; Art Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.</div><div>You can watch it below, but if you play it for a few seconds and then decide to skip down to read further, I'll understand. </div><div>It is, after all, TWELVE MINUTES!!!</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-QHybq0_MUo"/><div>Now, here's what I can tell you about this super long video:</div><div>It somehow managed to attract donations and support. It still does to this day.</div><div>As the <a href="http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/10/29/smaller-screen-movies-can-make-big-difference/18118197/">Shreveport Times reported</a>:</div><div>Within the first week of it being posted, &quot;we got in donations immediately,&quot; said Renzi Executive Director Christy Kirkley. </div><div>The video was sent out via YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and even text messages. </div><div>&quot;It paid for itself immediately. There were even supporters who had supported us for a long time that said they really didn't get us until they saw that video.&quot;</div><div>The video is <a href="http://www.renzicenter.org">still front-and-center on Renzi's home page</a>. </div><div>And all twelve minutes of it are still played to captive audiences at the beginning of fund-raising events, such as the Center's annual Bunco Bash. </div><div>&quot;So many people in the room have already seen it, but they still get weepy every time,&quot; one of the organizers told me. &quot;It's like a favorite old TV show everyone wants to see again.&quot;</div><div>Another Long Winded Video</div><div>In a past life, I was a real estate sales agent in Texas.</div><div>And, to no surprise to anyone, I was far more enthusiastic about making promotional videos about my business than I was actually selling houses. Go figure.</div><div>Anyway, I published a series of long-winded videos on YouTube. These videos consisted of nothing more than me sitting at a desk and answering real estate questions.</div><div>Those videos were super long. And super boring (I thought).</div><div>Eventually, as I walked through a house I was about to list for sale on behalf of a new client, something remarkable happened.</div><div>It began to dawn on me that my new client was quoting me, back to me. She started spouting off all kinds of ideas I had droned on about in those super long videos.</div><div>&quot;Where did you hear that?&quot; I gasped. </div><div>&quot;From you, of course. I watched your videos. That's why we hired you. You seem to know your stuff.&quot;</div><div>So What's The Answer?</div><div>So then, what's the answer? </div><div>Who watches long videos?</div><div>To finally answer the question, consider just a few more questions.</div><div>What if you got some bad news from your doctor? What if she said you had a terrible disease, and needed surgery? </div><div>What if she recommended to you a highly-specialized surgeon who offered the very best chances for your survival?</div><div>And what if this specialist surgeon had a website? And on that website, was a super long 15-minute video in which the surgeon described his medial philosophies. </div><div>What if the super long video also told the story of where the surgeon studied medicine, and who his mentors are?</div><div>What if, in the same video, the surgeon described in detail how his technology and surgical procedures have evolved over the course of his practice? </div><div>What if the video even included a personal biography of the surgeon, with shots of his family, and even highlighted a few of his personal outside interests, such as cooking and golf?</div><div>What if the video also contained images of the surgeon's operating room and office, with sound bites from his nurses and members of the office staff?</div><div>If it were you -- would you watch this 15 minute video? The whole video? </div><div>Who Really Watches Long Videos?</div><div>As I thought more about it, and as I prepared the PowerPoint slides for our presentation on this topic, the answer to the question finally came to me.</div><div>Who watches long videos?</div><div>I typed the answer on the screen:</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_7d8e2dcae31f411a812dfc00f4909af0~mv2.jpeg"/><div>Buyers watch long videos. Not browsers...BUYERS. (And, in the case of nonprofits... donors.)</div><div>Now, don't get me wrong: Short (3 minutes or less) videos are an incredibly important part of any business marketing plan. I'm not saying you should only do longer videos.</div><div>In fact, when building a library of videos for your organization, you probably are better off having more short videos than long videos.</div><div>The Long and Short of It</div><div>But the key idea here is that short videos are for browsers, while long videos are for buyers.</div><div>Short videos are your homing signal... a message you beam out to the wide world from which a small percentage will emerge to join your tribe. </div><div>Long videos are for those who have already joined your tribe. They're already in your boat, waiting to see where you'll guide them. </div><div>Long videos give you a chance to &quot;take your tribe inside&quot; your organization. To show them around and let them get to know you even better. Maybe even to help these buyers (or donors) fall even more deeply in love with your product or organization.</div><div>Long videos are what you make to speak to your people. To take them by the hand and lead them on a journey of deeper understanding. To solidify and deepen the authentic and meaningful relationship between them and YOU.</div><div>Long videos - as is the case with any length video - must be executed well. They must be interesting, and offer a compelling story that keeps moving forward.</div><div>In the right circumstances, a long video can yield some amazing results. I've seen it happen.</div><div>Every situation is different. There are circumstances when making a longer video might not be the best move, after all.</div><div>But don't ever let anyone tell you nobody watches long videos. </div><div>The kind of person who'd watch your long video is the same kind of person who'd bother to read all the way to the end of this blog post.</div><div>And for your organization - and for ours - those are the most important viewers of all.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tell Your Video Story Through The Viewer's Point of View</title><description><![CDATA[If you want to create a video that convinces someone to do something, it's usually a good idea to tell a story through the viewer's point of view.A lot of video content creators get this wrong.The burning topic of Viewer POV is just the latest in our eight "Secrets for Creating Pro Videos." We had been racking our brains to create this list after accepting an invitation to speak on the subject to an audience at Portland PR firm AM:PM.(You can catch up with us by reviewing our previous 5 posts<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_6abdcfc79d4d4f6fb482ae91401e3913%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_6abdcfc79d4d4f6fb482ae91401e3913%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/10/Tell-Your-Video-Story-Through-The-Viewers-Point-of-View</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/10/Tell-Your-Video-Story-Through-The-Viewers-Point-of-View</guid><pubDate>Thu, 15 Sep 2016 21:55:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>If you want to create a video that convinces someone to do something, it's usually a good idea to tell a story through the viewer's point of view.</div><div>A lot of video content creators get this wrong.</div><div>The burning topic of Viewer POV is just the latest in our eight &quot;Secrets for Creating Pro Videos.&quot; We had been racking our brains to create this list after accepting an invitation to speak on the subject to an audience at <a href="http://www.ampmpr.com">Portland PR firm AM:PM</a>.</div><div>(You can catch up with us by reviewing our previous 5 posts about <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test">running a video idea past the &quot;I Should Certainly Hope So&quot; Test</a>, our musings about where <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality">sound quality</a> ranks in a video project, a <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/06/The-Secret-Editing-Trick-I-Use-to-Enhance-a-Videos-Emotional-Impact">sneaky editing trick we rely on</a> to help boost clarity and emotion in a video, how today's <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/The-Amazing-Video-Camera-You-Already-Have-in-Your-Pocket">smart phone cameras</a> are giving big-time professional video cameras a run for their money, and the power of <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/08/Our-Accidental-Lesson-in-Capturing-a-Memorable-Moment-on-Video">capturing unexpected, memorable moments</a>.)</div><div>Number 6 on our list of pro video secrets? </div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_6abdcfc79d4d4f6fb482ae91401e3913~mv2.jpeg"/><div>Secret #6: Tell Your Story Through the Viewer's Point of View</div><div>Let's say you wanted to make a video to convince viewers to sign up as delivery driver volunteers for Meals on Wheels. </div><div>When we were first presented with this challenge a while back, we rolled a few ideas around in our heads.</div><div>One idea we considered was to interview a needy elderly recipient of the program. Someone who could tug at viewers' heartstrings by explaining how important it is for them to receive both the meal and the human interaction of the delivery volunteers on a regular basis.</div><div>By doing it this way, we would appeal to the potential volunteers' sense of duty, in the hope they'd be galvanized to step up to serve their fellow citizens in need.</div><div>Have you seen a video like that? We have.</div><div>Another Idea Emerges</div><div>But then we had another idea: What if we presented the whole video through the point of view of another volunteer?</div><div>Why did that volunteer agree to sign up? What is it like for them? Who do they meet in their volunteer shift, and how does it make them feel? Are they glad they signed up, or do they regret it? </div><div>Would a &quot;day in the life&quot; profile of one of these volunteers give the viewer the best idea of what volunteering for Meals on Wheels is like?</div><div>You bet it would.</div><div>Here's the video we came up with:</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/026rOrmll5I"/><div>Viewer POV is a powerful &quot;secret&quot; in our video-making arsenal.</div><div>Get it right, and you will have made the target audience imagine themselves making the decision you want them to make.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Our Accidental Lesson in Capturing a Memorable Moment on Video</title><description><![CDATA[Of all the "secrets" we can share for creating powerful videos, we learned this particular lesson quite by accident, on our first video project for Beyond Measure Media.It's number 5 on the list that kicked off this new blog; our rundown of eight "Pro Secrets for Creating Powerful Videos," which we presented recently at Portland PR firm AM:PM.(In case you missed it, be sure to review the first few secrets on our list: We ruminated on the ever-important power of a well-told story, described how<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_64194c644af041129024ecfdce0ab10d%7Emv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_64194c644af041129024ecfdce0ab10d%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/08/Our-Accidental-Lesson-in-Capturing-a-Memorable-Moment-on-Video</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/08/Our-Accidental-Lesson-in-Capturing-a-Memorable-Moment-on-Video</guid><pubDate>Thu, 08 Sep 2016 21:04:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_64194c644af041129024ecfdce0ab10d~mv2.jpg"/><div>Of all the &quot;secrets&quot; we can share for creating powerful videos, we learned this particular lesson quite by accident, on our first video project for Beyond Measure Media.</div><div>It's number 5 on the list that kicked off this new blog; our rundown of eight &quot;Pro Secrets for Creating Powerful Videos,&quot; which we presented recently at Portland PR firm AM:PM.</div><div>(In case you missed it, be sure to review the first few secrets on our list: We ruminated on the ever-important <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test">power of a well-told story</a>, described how <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality">sound quality trumps video quality</a>, revealed a <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/06/The-Secret-Editing-Trick-I-Use-to-Enhance-a-Videos-Emotional-Impact">secret video editing trick that helps heighten emotion</a>, and we even admitted that the <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/The-Amazing-Video-Camera-You-Already-Have-in-Your-Pocket">smart phone video camera technology</a> you probably have in your pocket is making a lot of high-falutin' video production cameras obsolete.)</div><div>And now we come to Secret Number Five:</div><div>Secret #5: Capturing Memorable Moments</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_b7464431a14d457a82640f37292469d4~mv2.jpeg"/><div>Since we first started Beyond Measure Media, <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/our-story">Michele</a> and I have always been drawn toward creating documentary-style &quot;stories from the heart.&quot;</div><div>We think real, unscripted stories that transport viewers into someone else's authentic world is far more interesting to watch than a canned video that's tightly scripted and way too &quot;slick.&quot; </div><div>Interestingly, we realized this lesson by unwittingly trying to do the exact opposite!</div><div>Watch this video to see what happened:</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AD_Z-LK3OWU"/><div>What did we learn from this?</div><div>We learned to be perfectly okay with losing control of an interview shoot. </div><div>To &quot;go with the flow&quot; and be open to what might happen in a situation we never planned for. </div><div>We learned to be present of mind enough to take a chance and pan our camera a little to the right, away from the guy we thought we had come to interview. </div><div>We trained our lens on an irreverent, giggling kid who generously created a moment of real human connection.</div><div>And it worked.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Amazing Video Camera You Already Have in Your Pocket</title><description><![CDATA[This is the dirty little secret of the video production industry these days: The smart phone. Turns out, it is one very powerful video camera.It's number 4 on our list of "Pro Secrets for Making Powerful Videos."(Be sure to review the first few secrets we previously revealed about the power of story, the importance of sound quality over video quality and the emotion-boosting video editing technique of audio decompression.)Now we're moving on to secret number 4.Secret #4: Smart Phone Cameras Are<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/tetXU_Q7u6U/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/The-Amazing-Video-Camera-You-Already-Have-in-Your-Pocket</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/The-Amazing-Video-Camera-You-Already-Have-in-Your-Pocket</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:46:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_5ef77826fae448109e68e022ba0f9d6b~mv2.jpeg"/><div>This is the dirty little secret of the video production industry these days: The smart phone. Turns out, it is one very powerful video camera.</div><div>It's number 4 on our list of &quot;Pro Secrets for Making Powerful Videos.&quot;</div><div>(Be sure to review the first few secrets we previously revealed about <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test">the power of story</a>, the <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality">importance of sound quality over video quality</a> and the <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/06/The-Secret-Editing-Trick-I-Use-to-Enhance-a-Videos-Emotional-Impact">emotion-boosting video editing technique of audio decompression</a>.)</div><div>Now we're moving on to secret number 4.</div><div>Secret #4: Smart Phone Cameras Are Amazing</div><div>There are two interesting facts to explore about this: </div><div>First, the video quality of smart phones are meeting or surpassing the ability of many professional-grade video cameras. The technology is now truly amazing.</div><div>And second, even if you decide to hire video pros like us to tell your organization's story, sadly, the video crew can't be everywhere to capture every magic moment.</div><div>That's why I believe every single person in your organization should be capturing video. You never know how that video could be used in social media, promotional videos and other potentially powerful video marketing efforts.</div><div>If there are raving fans or supporters of your organization, I think they should be capturing video, too: Moments of inspiration, funny moments, interesting visuals, heartfelt testimonials, you name it.</div><div>Here's an example of how one of our nonprofit clients used smart phone video to tell their story:</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tetXU_Q7u6U"/><div>How could your organization use smart phone video to tell an impactful story?</div><div>All this leads to our next &quot;Pro Secret for Making Powerful Videos,&quot; which, to be honest, we kind of figured out by accident. I'll tell you all about it in our next post.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Secret Editing Trick I Use to Enhance a Video's Emotional Impact</title><description><![CDATA[As we roll onward through our list of "Pro Secrets for Making Powerful Videos," I'm about to share the most important editing technique that I use to heighten the emotional impact of nearly every single video project I work on. We already covered the first secret, which is to center your video project around a great story rather than a rote list of features or selling points.And you saw how good sound can make or break the effectiveness of a video.Now we move on to perhaps the juiciest secret on<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_2c391635b2114f9285bc7ffb981223bb%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_2c391635b2114f9285bc7ffb981223bb%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/06/The-Secret-Editing-Trick-I-Use-to-Enhance-a-Videos-Emotional-Impact</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/06/The-Secret-Editing-Trick-I-Use-to-Enhance-a-Videos-Emotional-Impact</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Sep 2016 17:27:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_2c391635b2114f9285bc7ffb981223bb~mv2.jpeg"/><div>As we roll onward through our list of &quot;Pro Secrets for Making Powerful Videos,&quot; I'm about to share the most important editing technique that I use to heighten the emotional impact of nearly every single video project I work on. </div><div>We already covered the first secret, which is to <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test">center your video project around a great story</a> rather than a rote list of features or selling points.</div><div>And you saw how <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality">good sound can make or break the effectiveness of a video</a>.</div><div>Now we move on to perhaps the juiciest secret on my list, at least it's my favorite.</div><div>Secret #3: Audio Decompression</div><div>Huh? Audio decom-what?</div><div>Check the dictionary, and you'll see that to decompress something means the act or process of releasing from pressure.</div><div>In the world of video editing, what decompression means to me is to take a sound bite that got all crammed up into a small space, and to S - P - R - E - A - D it out. </div><div>The idea here is to allow a viewer's brain to digest what the person on screen is saying, and to give that viewer a moment to reflect on and react to it. </div><div>I believe this is an extremely powerful technique to heighten the emotional impact of a video, but the technique must be used very carefully.</div><div>Here's a case study of how audio decompression works:</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pA_9eTCGe3Y"/><div>Keep in mind, a little of this goes a long way. </div><div>If overused, this technique can result in a video that only annoys the viewer. We try to use it wisely.</div><div>Now, if this secret to making powerful videos seems a little advanced, don't worry. </div><div>Our next &quot;Pro Secret to Making Powerful Videos&quot; will be a secret you're probably able to take advantage of without breaking a sweat. See you next time.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sound Quality is Even More Important than Video Quality</title><description><![CDATA[Last time, we explored why the story your video tells is so important, and how a great video will always pass the "I Should Certainly Hope So" test.Today, we reveal the second secret: Sound quality. And the big secret here is that while video quality can go a long way toward telling a clear and compelling video story, I think sound quality is even more important.Bad Video HappensMost (honest) professional videographers have a war story or two. Memories of a time they really blew it behind the<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_d74dffa8aedd40c9b301e95a7731a17b%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_d74dffa8aedd40c9b301e95a7731a17b%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/09/02/Sound-Quality-is-Even-More-Important-than-Video-Quality</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 2016 18:04:37 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_d74dffa8aedd40c9b301e95a7731a17b~mv2.jpeg"/><div>Last time, we explored why the story your video tells is so important, and how <a href="http://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/#!Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test/uwv64/57c775ab7f91095de8cad1f1">a great video will always pass the &quot;I Should Certainly Hope So&quot; test</a>.</div><div>Today, we reveal the second secret: Sound quality. </div><div>And the big secret here is that while video quality can go a long way toward telling a clear and compelling video story, I think sound quality is even more important.</div><div>Bad Video Happens</div><div>Most (honest) professional videographers have a war story or two. Memories of a time they really blew it behind the camera, especially at the beginning of their career.</div><div>Hey, stuff happens: Out-of-focus interviews, a bright-blue shot of what is supposed to be a white wall, an accidental jerk of the camera away from the action. </div><div>But even in the face of those kinds of video mistakes, there are usually ways of correcting or covering those flaws and recovering what could still turn out to be a decent video. </div><div>But sound? You really can't screw that up. </div><div>Mess up on the sound, and your video is most likely dead in the water.</div><div>Here's a good example: Watch (and listen) to the two short interview clips below.</div><div>Clip #1: Bad Sound</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/giWS9pscM6E"/><div>The sound you're hearing in this first clip above came from the onboard mic that was attached to the camera. </div><div>It sounds like the subject is talking into a microphone that was located across the room, because that's exactly what was happening.</div><div>The too-lengthy distance between the person on camera and the microphone is the biggest reason why many videos recorded on smart phones often appear less than professional.</div><div>Listening to a person who sounds far away makes the viewer feel far away. It causes their attention to wane. Rather than taking the viewer on a journey, bad sound reinforces that they're just watching a video - a video that is annoyingly hard to hear and understand.</div><div>Now compare that to clip number two below.</div><div>Clip #2: Good Sound</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pROFKIzGRSI"/><div>Now we're hearing the audio recorded from a lavaliere microphone clipped to the subject's collar.</div><div>This simple improvement in sound quality changes everything. </div><div>Despite the fact that this is a poorly-lit shot, despite the fact that there is no depth to the shot, it's still (mostly) usable in a video, particularly if we're only using a quick clip of the interview.</div><div>Professional-Sounding Video</div><div>For the interviews we shoot - and even for b-roll footage of people doing things - we use a wireless Sennheiser lavaliere microphone to pick up deep, rich audio.</div><div>There are even lav mics available these days that can attach to your smart phone, delivering a richer and more professional sound quality than what most smart phone video cameras can deliver by themselves.</div><div>But isn't just about making your video &quot;sound professional.&quot; It's deeper than that.</div><div>Sound quality can make a viewer pay closer attention to the on-camera speaker. It can make the entire experience sound (and thus, feel) more intimate. </div><div>More than fancy lighting, more than stunning panoramic images, more than pretty much anything else, a rich quality sound can pull a viewer into the story being told on a screen. </div><div> Next time, we'll uncover our third secret for creating powerful videos - a secret tool I personally use on nearly every project I produce to &quot;dial up&quot; the emotional impact of an interview.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Does Your Video Pass the &quot;I Should Certainly Hope So&quot; Test?</title><description><![CDATA[I have to admit, I was a little nervous when the team at AM:PM PR asked us to come into their office to present our “pro secrets for making powerful videos.” As a video production professional, the truth is, I was afraid to share with a large group of people just how simple creating powerful videos can be. As a buddy of mine likes to say, "this ain't rocket surgery."There is, of course, a certain level of knowledge that is required to capture “pro-level” images. But I think even the most clumsy,<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_4068b4b7df524dd1a655286a426dbf6c%7Emv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_352/d2a015_4068b4b7df524dd1a655286a426dbf6c%7Emv2.jpeg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jay Carter</dc:creator><link>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test</link><guid>https://www.beyondmeasuremedia.com/single-post/2016/08/31/Does-Your-Video-Pass-the-I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So-Test</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 2016 00:33:48 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d2a015_4068b4b7df524dd1a655286a426dbf6c~mv2.jpeg"/><div>I have to admit, I was a little nervous when the team at AM:PM PR asked us to come into their office to present our “pro secrets for making powerful videos.”</div><div>As a video production professional, the truth is, I was afraid to share with a large group of people just how simple creating powerful videos can be. </div><div>As a buddy of mine likes to say, &quot;this ain't rocket surgery.&quot;</div><div>There is, of course, a certain level of knowledge that is required to capture “pro-level” images. But I think even the most clumsy, inexperienced videographers will have a huge edge if they're an innately good storyteller.</div><div>Strip away all the fancy bells and whistles of video production, and what you’re really left with is a deceptively simple form of communication with an extraordinary ability to connect people with the largest numbers of other, like-minded people.</div><div>Video Moves Mountains</div><div>Video is, hands-down, the most powerful form of leverage I have ever seen when it comes to marketing. It can move mountains.</div><div>It can motivate large numbers of viewers to take action. Seeing those kinds of results is the part of my job I love most.</div><div>We were recently invited by <a href="http://www.ampmpr.com">AM:PM Public Relations</a> in Portland, Oregon to present some ideas in their <a href="http://www.ampmpr.com/making-powerful-videos/">regular series of &quot;Speakeasy&quot; events</a>. </div><div>Afterward, they asked me to share a series of blog posts re-capping the list we shared in part 1 of our two-part discussion.</div><div>Here now, is secret number one.</div><div>Secret #1: Story is Everything</div><div>Now, hang with me here. You might think this “pro secret” is a bit obvious. </div><div>So let's imagine you’re about to produce your very first video about your business or organization.</div><div>What would be in the video? </div><div>What would you say to the camera? </div><div>What facts or elements would make it into the video, and what would be left on the cutting room floor?</div><div>Most first-time video makers tend to emphasize &quot;features&quot; over story. That is, they feel their video must be a comprehensive list of all the features and services of their business. And that could be a bad idea.</div><div>Story Beats Statistics</div><div>Why? Because story beats statistics. </div><div>Telling a story will engage an audience much more effectively than if you were to present a list of your company or organization's features or services. </div><div>There's an undeniable correlation between the quality of the story told in your video and how effective it will be in getting the result you want.</div><div>So let's really dig into what this means: If we deconstruct the most powerful videos that are out there, they all seem to pass one basic test: It's what I call the &quot;I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So” Test.</div><div>Specifically, if someone who is watching your video is able to respond to what is being said in the video with, &quot;Well, I should certainly hope so!,&quot; then the video just might be a 'fail.'</div><div>This is one of the biggest mistakes businesses make when creating their first video.</div><div>Watch this quick video to see how I explained the &quot;I-Should-Certainly-Hope-So” test to the Speakeasy guests at AM:PM.</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eq-WOBwlQaw"/><div>In my next post, I’ll share Pro Secret #2: Forget what camera you're using; there's a whole other - and often forgotten - technical part of your video that can make or break it. </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>