It may just be my clients, but I feel like a lot of people are just clueless about how to work with a video production company. Every time someone comes to me wanting video I have to give them the third degree just to get the information I need to give an estimate. So I wanted to write a quick post explaining some of the problems I’ve run into and what my solutions have been.

How Most Video Production Companies Bill?

Most people who work in video (myself included) don’t like tracking time on set. Instead of billing hourly, most of us work on a flat day or half day rate. Most of the time, gear is billed as a fee of 5-10% of the value of the equipment. Editing is typically as a package–something like 20 hours of editing for a discounted rate. Then, after the first 20 hours, editing would be charged at a normal hourly fee around 20% greater than the package would have equaled if you were adding the number of hours. There are fees for writing, prep days and casting as well. See the how we estimate costs page.

What it takes to do a video right.

So if someone calls me wanting a 1 minute interview with 4 of their clients in 2 locations talking about how wonderful they are, I’m thinking, “Okay 2 locations, 3 hours at each place it’s a full day. Well we’re shooting on a DSLR  and with lenses the kit fee is $250. Lighting and audio gear comes to a fee of $300 and you’re going to need some stands, gels and that type of thing coming to an other $75ish. I’ll need to pay a production assistant something like $120-$450 depending on experience. With the cost of hiring a camera operator (or paying me to run camera) and a 15 hour editing package comes to around $1,700. But it may be a little more or a little less depending on the project.  Add a half prep day $250 for me to get everything scheduled. This also helps compensate for my time on the phone and replying to emails.
That brings the cost for the video to around $2,750.”

Oh I’m sorry is that too much?

We could go cheap on the lights, maybe cut some gear, shoot in only 1 place (so that the full day becomes a half day) and if the client is clear about what they want and behaves themselves on the number of changes the edit could be done in 10 hours to get the rate to a about $1,900. But that’s still a lot to a start up with say 750K in investment. I’m asking for .25% of all the money they have.

So, as a video production company, I can’t bill less and maintain the quality we both want. I spend an average of a half hour a day on 5 separate days on the phone or sending emails before we even have a contract. I’ll spend at least 3 hours getting the crew and gear ready.  Then I’ll spend a day or at least part of the day on shooting and 2 days out of the next week editing and encoding to send you the video.

The Workaround!

We have some costs set in stone in terms of gear, but those costs are the same if the gear is used for 1 hour or 10. So, let’s say we’ve cut everything we can cut and gone with the $1,900 video and you’re still not sure about it. I say, “Let’s shoot more!” Once you cross the threshold of 4 hour,s you’re paying the crew for a full day. It doesn’t matter if it takes 4 hours and 15  minute or 10 hours, we bill the same amount. Let’s work to come up with 1 or 2 simple video concepts, we could do 4 or 5 if they’re really simple like these product videos I did for Wasp Barcode.

So now you’re spending more than you were spending before. This won’t fix the problem if you simply don’t have the money. If you’re more concerned about bang for your buck, this is the best way: Spend an extra $1,000 or so for more editing and an extra prep day for me to help you come up with concepts for the videos and go over production logistics, but come out with 3 videos. For you $2,750 may be too much for 1 video, but $3,750 may be the perfect price for 3.

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Today (2/9/13)  was the fourth time I’ve attempted a shoot either video or photos at Mockingbird Station (not counting my being a photographer during Dallas International Film Fest) . Today was also the fourth time I’ve received a lot of hassle from the security guards. The first time I shot there I was doing stills photography for a friend. After a 7 minute mini interrogation. I was told by a guard that photos were fine but that I couldn’t use a logo of any of their tenants as a background. All I could think was, “So your job as a security guard is to take preemptive measures against trademark infringement for Urban Outfitters.” But, in the interest of time, I just smiled and walked on. The second time I was out with a group of friends for a birthday party and I was stopped and questioned by a security guard coming back from a friend’s (and fellow photographer’s) car with one of his lenses. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was four unnecessary minutes taken out of my life by a guy who needed to find something better to do with his.

Today was different. In the parking garage, I was going through my gear and picking the handful of things I needed for today’s video shoot. At that point, a guy, who I feel like I would have to promote to call a rent-a-cop,  approached me and asked what I was doing. This was odd and a little annoying, but I answered, “I’m shooting a small video.” He asked me what it was for and I just told him it was for a small, personal project. He stood around and watched me for a few minutes while I moved a microphone and a handful of cables into a small bag. He walked off by about the time I had gotten everything back into my trunk.

I took the stairs up and came out on the ground level carrying my tripod and camera bag, As soon as I walked out the door, another guard stopped me and asked what I was shooting. At that point, I was getting a little fed up, since I frequently take photos and video for events inside the Angelica Film Center and have often carried a lot more gear with me then I had today. I just told him that I was shooting something with Trinity Hall and kept moving. I walked into Trinity Hall and asked it It was okay if I recorded a small personal video project in front of their building. I was told, “Yes.”

I went to Starbucks, still holding my tripod. On my way there, I got stopped by an other security guard and asked what I was shooting. I told him I wasn’t shooting anything at the moment and that I needed my coffee.  It’s also of note that I saw someone take a photo of the two of us talking on their iPhone. I wasn’t sure why I was being questioned by 3 different people and I was expecting to have some trouble when I started shooting.

I  looked up and called the non-emergency number for Dallas PD at 2:06 PM on 2/9/13 (There should be a public record of that call.) to tell them that I was a photographer and that I was going to be shooting in Mockingbird Station in-front of Trinity Hall and that I had the permission of the manager. I told Dallas Police that because, at that point, I was fully expecting security staff to call the police on me for using a real camera instead of a phone.

I Always Take Threats Well! ALWAYS. It’s the Way to Win my Heart.

My friend Jason Channell was running camera for me so I could play Ryan Seacrest and host my imaginary TV show on digital video production. As soon as we got set up,  the guard who had talked to me in the parking garage showed up and started telling us that we have to leave. I told him that Trinity Hall had giving us permission to record out front and I told him to go talk to them. He walked off and maybe into the bar. I don’t know. I was expecting him to talk to the manager and not comeback. But comeback he did.

He told us that he couldn’t stop us from filming in the bar, but that we could, under no circumstances, film outside. I told him that we had permission from the tenant of the property, that they were clearly paying for a balcony and that, yes, we could film outside. He got his supervisor and I was then told that normal rules don’t apply, because it’s private property. That is true. Bu,t stopping one person from filming, while other people ran around with smaller cameras and phones felt a lot like a vendetta. I asked him to call the police so that they could settle everything. I was told no, because it’s private property and the balance of power is that I do what they say. I was then told that they could remove me by force if necessary. Anyway, as appealing as the idea of a free-for-all with a wannabe cop and an old man seemed,  we left and filmed for maybe 15 minutes at SMU. We shot that video the same way we were going to shoot at Mockingbird Station, using a textured wall as a background and showing only me on camera.

I’ve taken photos in almost every mall  within a 50 mile radius. Well, that’s a slight exaggeration, but I love outdoor malls and nice shopping centers as locations for photography. They are nicely decorated and I’m not the only one who has caught onto this. I know a lot of photographers who shoot in locations like the ones I’ve described; Most of the time, I laugh and joke a bit with the security guards. Once in Sundance Square in Fort Worth, I had an incredibly friendly security guard (His name was Steve. He has 2 kids–a boy age 3 and a girl who’s 9-months-old and he had just started the application process for FWPD) suggest 2 or 3 different places around the block that I should shoot at and they were good places.

My point is that, with at least 25 different locations that I’ve shot, security guards have been present. And, the only one time have I had a problem has been at Mockingbird Station. I love the Angelica and Trinity Hall. As long as I’m run off for taking photos with my DSLR while 7 people are ignored snapping pics with their phones, I will not go back. I’ll miss hanging out with SMC Dallas and huge parts of the Dallas Film Fest. But, if this is the attitude held by the Mockingbird Station management, then I’ll miss events and I’ll stop supporting businesses that have been a part of my life for the past 2 years. And, I’ll spend my money at places were I’m allowed to create art.

Notes:

When I say I’ve only shot there four times outside of the film fest, I’m not referring to the Mockingbird Station tenant buildings. I’ve shot many times inside of the Angelika, Trinity Hall and even inside the Starbucks I will no longer frequent.

I don’t hate private security. Many of my friends are former military and have a level 2 CDL and armed guard permits. I also know several bounty hunters well. This is not said out of a hatred of private security. This is said because I have a low tolerance for idiotic and inconsistent rules. In short, I don’t like being profiled because I use my professional equipment on personal projects.

The post Why I will no Longer Shop at Mockingbird Station appeared first on Mason Pelt.

Create Content

I firmly believe in content marketing over sales. If you’ve ever heard me open my mouth you can probably guess what I’m going to tell you; put content that your target market is looking for in front of them.  This is why market research should be that first step, even before product development–but certainly before you start promoting a product. So, now that you’ve finished your research and refined your product accordingly, start giving your audience quality content.

Blogging

Keeping a blog is an easy way to promote yourself. You already have a website. So it costs nothing to start a blog and a blog helps you gain traction with your audience.  If your market is searching for 400 relatively competitive terms, the odds of being able to win all of those with just the static content on your website are slim.  Keeping a blog and writing high quality content that is good enough that people would be willing to pay for it is key in this process.  Articles encompassing each of those 400 terms, exponentially increases the odds of being found in someone’s search.  With 400 key words to work on, you should have no shortage of content.

Guest Blog

Both writing and publishing  guest blog posts, are great for building an audience.  You’ve started your blog, but it takes time to pick up traction and get your name out there.  An easy and free way to speed this up is to write guest blog posts on already established sites with similar content to your blog.  With one article, you’re able to tap into a much larger audience of people who may want your product.  The reverse of that is true, as well. Publishing guest posts from other bloggers helps you grow.  If you don’t know a small medium army of bloggers, don’t worry. It’s a lot simpler to start guest posting than you think. I recommend reading The Ultimate Guide to Advanced Guest Blogging article by SEO MOZ.

Online Videos

The second largest search engine after Google is YouTube.  So, not being on YouTube is a mistake.  My background is video production and, having gotten to know and work with Jeremy Vest of Video Marketing Guild, I’ve become a YouTube marketing snob. For this post I’m refraining from writing a 30 page dissertation on how to frame your shot to keep viewers attention, what color temperatures lead to the highest sales conversions, what font your script should be written in and how to write-up a description that sends the most targeted traffic to your website. All of those articles will come later.

For now I’ll just say you can use an iPhone and take better looking video than most of the television shows that were on, until the 60s.  Just make videos that you would find interesting, make them short and don’t make a video you wouldn’t watch if it weren’t about you. Write a description that makes sense, put a link to your website, and use Courier 12 pt for your scripts (I had to say it).

Slide Share

SlideShare.net is an easy way to get out in the ether. You’ve probably already created slide decks before. So, why not publish them?  It’s one more way to be found.  If you speak, you should post your slide deck.  If someone found you interesting, they will want a second look at the content you presented. And this, in turn, drives them back to you.

Generate Press

News is still one of the most effective and free ways to get your name out.  But, as a small company, it can be hard to be taken seriously–especially if you’re in a niche that most people don’t understand.  The good thing is that there are niche news sources. With a little creativity, you can find an angle that makes your product relevant to the masses.

Press Release

There is room for a lot of articles about how to write a press release and how to target the right people in the press. But we won’t publish those here. For this post, we’ll just keep it simple.  A good press release does the journalist’s job. I know a lot of reporters for whom that is not the case. But every one of us know that there are people who are either lazy or on a deadline and end up copying and pasting form the press release.  If you’re seeing 50 releases a day, you get tired of thinking about how to turn something into a story, and your eye is magically drawn to the story that is already written.

As I said, this is not an article on how to write a press release or about how to find and approach a reporter who is likely to produce your story.  What I want to share is an easy way  to make an indiscriminate “cattle call” kind of approach to getting your name out. This type of press release is more just a way to get backlinks. 24-7PressRelease.com,  PRLog.org and IdeaMarketers.com are easy, free tools to  simply get the word out. Disclaimer: PRWeb does have more link benefit and gets more pickup, but it’s not free.

Help A Reporter Out

Helpareporter.com helps put journalists in contact with qualified sources. HARO is one of the best free marketing tips I can give you. It’s an amazing way to get press without wasting yours and other people’s time.  It works like a social network that allows reporters working on stories to send a question out to experts.  When it comes to your industry, you’re an expert!

You monitor categories relevant to you and, when a reporter asks for a question or a lead, you supply. I know you’re probably thinking that this is just for bloggers, but it’s not.  Huge media outlets, like ABC News and The New York Times, have quoted HARO as a source.  This service really affirms our belief that content marketing is the best way to reach people. Do you think that ABC or The NY Times would care about the press release for your startup?  Probably not.  But if they’re working on a story and you show them how they can incorporate you, they care about that. This is almost certainly the best free marketing tip on the page.

Promote Engagement

Social Media

While social networks are great platforms to promote,  you can also run people off.  The only way to use these services as free marketing tools is to be charming! Don’t be narcissistic. Stay relevant. Answer questions.  Chat with your audience.   I don’t just want to repeat the content for our social media services page.  But, if you start doing for yourself what we do for our clients,  you can turn websites dedicated to cat gifts into powerful and free marketing tools.

Public Speaking

If you have something to say, say it.  Say it everywhere.  But, as with everything else, don’t just talk about you.  In addition to the things directly related your industry, your company has the same technical, financial and marketing questions as everyone else.  As you find answers, share that knowledge.  Have your CTO speak at a hack-a-thon, and your CFO at an event for startups. As with guest blogging, it’s simple.  Look up meet ups in your city, then talk to the organizer. If you’re good, it won’t take long before people are asking you to speak.

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The Internet Is Not A Phone Book

People use Google instead of phone books to search now.  So, the way you should think in order to have a high conversion rate in phone books is, in many ways, the polar opposite of how you should think for online search.  Content marketing  doesn’t work in a phone book, because no one has ever opened a phone book to look up how to do something. That’s what the internet is used for.  People still spend a lot of time, effort and money using phone book techniques as their SEM strategy.  This is a logic fail. If you are a plumber, you want to be number one in your city’s phone book for plumbers. That’s why there is no question, in my mind, that there is a company called Aardvark Plumbing.

I don’t know if it’s because of a bad economy or if it’s because we all have the ability to search and learn how to do something now;  it seems like we are becoming a do-it- yourself culture.  That could just be my imagination. But spend 5 minutes with the Google keyword research tool and see how many “how to…” searches are made for things in your industry.   I did a quick text with the terms “plumbers in Dallas” and “how to fix a leaky faucet”  This is a screen shot with the results:

There are over three times as many searches locally, in Dallas, for “how to fix a leaky faucet” as for “plumbers in Dallas”. On top of that, “plumbers in Dallas” is much more competitive– meaning there are people buying the top result. And they’re spending a lot of money to have that number one result.  The how-to search, has no ad resales, has a lot more traffic and it’s a lot less expensive to buy the term.  This is where logic comes in. You know not every person who searches “how to” is going call you. If they were going to call you, they wouldn’t have searched for a DYI solution.   That doesn’t matter, because, at some point, someone (probably many people) will get lazy, mess up or become intimidated by the scope of the job. And they’re going to pick up their phone! Even more than that, an SEM strategy like this means you’re gaining traction on search engines, so you’ll start to rank better for other search terms.

How Search Engine Marketing Works

All you have to do is create a blog on your website and write about something you’re already an expert on, because you do it every day.  One of the biggest benefits of optimizing for the phrase with more searches and less competition is that the cost per click is very low. While you wait to win the term organically, you can use a low-budget PPC campaign to buy the top space. Trying to win one term doesn’t mean you stop working on every other term.

SEM is more than just pumping money into paid advertising or poorly thought out terms. By researching and applying logic to your marketing plan, as well as following the SEO best practices, you can start to find customers in places you would never have thought of.

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