[Mike Cohen]

As an experiment, export a short clip as MPEG-2 or H264 BluRay, whatever format you are using, and see how Encore interprets that file.

[Mike Cohen]

I might use the “dancing monkey” line the next time someone suggests some flashy effect rather than focusing on the content.

I agree that the Fringe text is clever, but it gets old, like most effects. I feel it calls attention to itself, which takes you out of the action and reminds you you are watching tv.

Along the lines of cheezy network tv effects, why must they have a beeping or clicking noise when computer text appears on-screen.
By the same token, I have never heard floodlights make a dramatic echo crashy noise when they switch on or off.

Oh well, conventions of cliche practices make us not have to work very hard when watching new tv shows.

[Mike Cohen]

obviously you take the big files

[Mike Cohen]

That 2md monitor trick is cool. Did not know about that. For DV is makes the video larger than life, but for HDV it is pretty sweet.
For others reading this, the Blackmagic Intensity card gives you output via HDMI or component, assuming you captured into the Blackmagic codec.

[Mike Cohen]

either copy the .VOB files to your computer, change the extension to .MPG and import, or play the DVD via a DVD player and capture via an analog to DV converter or dub to DV then capture normally.
Even when I use the VOB, the first thing I do it export this to an AVI, so you are working with DV instead of long GOP MPG

[Mike Cohen]

Depends upon who you are targeting. Big hospitals of the USC and UCLA variety probably have internal resources for this type of work. Smaller or non-academic institutions such as John Wayne, Century City or Midway (are they still around?) may not.
You need to do some research, maybe even make some appointments to chat with some chiefs of staff or other administrators, knowing you probably won’t get business but it would be good research to find out what needs may be untapped.

There are a lot of medical communications firms which specialize in promoting product launches and pharmaceuticals. Very similar to ad agencies, but they usually do not have in-house media capabilities. Hit the yellow pages, make a demo of your best corporate work, and make some appointments.

True, So Cal has an abundance of media people, so find a niche, which will take some research.

Good luck. Check back and let us know how you make out.

Mike

[Mike Cohen]

I routinely work with medical video folks in cities around the country. Often these local assets (sounds so CIA) work for hospitals, such as university hospitals which often have in-house AV departments. Sometimes these folks record some narration for a doctor I may be working with, or sometimes they shoot a procedure or a conference.

Are there a lot of hospitals in your area?

Don’t limit yourself to surgical video however, since it is a pretty small niche.

Others on this board do work for doctor’s practices, such as those videos you see in waiting rooms, or promotional work for hospitals.

Another targeted area is broadcast local commercials for local hospitals, as well as in-house training for hospitals.

Since every hospital has its own rules and regulations, you might think about making some contacts with human resources or emergency management officials, to see if they need any multimedia training resources. They may not or they may never have thought about it.

Yet another medical related target is local medical school training. Every med school has lots of lectures, although they are not necessarily being captured. Perhaps a smaller program in your area would be interested in having you record their lectures and post to their intranet so students can view later.

These are all some ideas geared toward serving your local medical community, as we do with hospitals in our area.

Mike Cohen

[Mike Cohen]

You see in some supermarkets a plasma screen running advertising slides, like at the movie theater before the previews. I believe the store receives a monthly fee from the owner of the screen, and the ads can be anything. Presumably ads for competing supermarkets would not be allowed.)

[Mike Cohen]

Misspelled vs typo is a moot point. Either terminology suggests a correction is needed. However the semantics suggest that people will sooner admit to a typo than a misspelling. Typo suggests an honest mistake or oversight. Misspelling suggests that someone does not know how to spell.
These are the subtle business communication nuances that turn mole hills into mountains.

[Mike Cohen]

Let me continue your swimming analogy (metaphor? simile? hominy? whatever)

Our company routinely produces private label swimming videos for clients who produce swimming related products, such as chlorine, life preservers, diving boards, etc. These videos may demonstrate the breast stroke or backstroke, but the video is distributed by the chlorine sales reps.

We also produce videos teaching how to do the breaststroke or perhaps some new innovative method of propelling oneself in the water, and sell these on our swimming video website. We do not sell the chlorine manufacturer’s videos, because they distribute them as private label videos. We use direct marketing to sell our swimming videos, so it stands to reason our potential customers may hear from both companies.

We do not consider this a conflict.

However, if approached by a competing chlorine manufacturer to produce a video on the breast stroke, while this video would not directly compete with the similar video we made for the original chlorine manufacturer, the two manufacturers are in fact competitors. We need to weigh the benefit of working for both companies, against the risk of one or the other companies not liking the fact that we work for their competitor. This can be a slippery slope, and is taken on a case by case basis. Over many years, we have done work for both companies, but have recently chosen one over the other due to continuing new work. This loyalty has not however stopped us from making our own swimming videos.

As for getting permission from company A to work with company B, this is not company A’s business. However, since you volunteered the information to company A, you have opened the door to unknown consequences, and are now in this pickle.

Have your lawyer look at any contract or form you are asked to sign, keeping in my your own business interests above those of your client.

I don’t know about you, but I could go for a swim!

Mike Cohen