[Nick Griffin]

[Michael Slowe] “Only three of us took an interest in this thread”

Ummm… actually I count four of us. I think one of the most valuable insights offered in this thread was:

[Bernhard Grininger] “Marketing not only is something
to gain new customers, but also a form of legitimation
for current ones.”

I too have seen the eye rolls when I tell others in the business that I edit primarily with Media 100. Then I have to explain that if they haven’t seen it since the turn of the century and if they haven’t used it head-to-head with another NLE then the superior airs they take on are hardly justified.

But the fact of the matter is — I assume — Boris makes one hell of a lot more money off the plug-in side of their business so what’s the percentage of, as a company offering a competitive product, getting in the face of the other NLEs who bundle Boris products?

Sad, but probably true.

[Nick Griffin]

[Bob Cole] “This service would have saved me a lot of time and money this year alone.”

In olden times we would be FedEx-ing DVDs followed by a series of long phone calls. In the really olden days it would have been a VHS tape. I don’t miss this at all. FedEx probably does.

[Nick Griffin]

[Michael Slowe] “nothing would prevent me from happily enjoying my current set up for as long as it continued to work.”

Michael –
While this is certainly true, the reality for most of us is when we see new features and capabilities in contemporary software and hardware we want them and the old software and hardware starts to look just that… old. Two years ago I ranted about the importance of upgrades with
https://library.creativecow.net/griffin_nick/suite-review/1
and the points are still true today.

Last I checked, we still have a Media 100i inside a G-4 sitting in one of the un-used offices. Why don’t I use it? Because I really like the features and speed on Suite 2 on an octo-core Mac. (Which I assume will 10 years from now be sitting unused in that back office where the G-4 sits now.)

[Nick Griffin]

Full version, Bob.
The fact of the matter is a single server is never going to be as fast or bullet-proof as a massive server farm. (I assume.) That said, our server is space on one of the bigger services and have found it quite reliable. Our web engineering guy set it up and then changed a few years later so frankly I’m not even sure which one we’re on these days. He manages 7 different sites for us on behalf of clients and I tend not to be involved in the nitty gritty of how he makes the sausage.

The one and only downside to putting stuff up on a Media Batch site is that, in order to use the mark-up function where you can draw on the screen to indicate changes and leave time-specific markers with notes, I believe requires a Flash file. Although it will play any number of formats, only Flash (to the best of my non-sausage understanding) provides the extra functions and, as we all know, iPads and iPhones do not support Flash.

I may not have explained it well enough earlier but one of my favorite features is the ability to show/hide both the “save” and “hit counter” functions. It’s always interesting to know exactly when somebody has (or has not) looked at a show as well as knowing that a video has gone through a company because it has 60-70 hits instead of one or two.

[Nick Griffin]

We’ve been using Media Batch for about 3 years and really LOVE the way it works and the options it gives — not just viewing, the ability to turn off and on saving, hit counts, client notes area, on-screen mark-up, etc, etc. I believe that they also have a trial version, but not positive. Google Media Batch to find their website.

[Nick Griffin]

Colton-
I agree with the others, especially T2’s comment that your rate for post production is low given the quality of your AE work on the first video. You really get 3D space and your look on that one is very contemporary.

As to the rate for shooting I think you should concentrate on learning how to better use your tools, ie.- camera, filters, light both additive and subtractive (yes, taking away light with scrims, flags, and so on is a skill too). You also really need to flag the lens when shooting to prevent the kind of stuff happening on the top left corner of most shots on the first video. When you’re better as a cameraman, or hire someone who is better, the quality of your end product will be raised substantially and the rate becomes easier to justify.

Have you spent much time around really skilled camera people / directors of photography? Here’s where hiring an outsider can serve the dual function of improving the quality of your product while showing you ways that you can get better. It may seem like a financial burden but the education value can be immense.

[Nick Griffin]

My read of Richard’s original post created a knot in my stomach. So ditto to what Joel wrote.

Over the years I’ve repeatedly seen that it’s the “pro” who gets blamed for being associated with a poor product even when it’s the client (or worse, mid-level person in the client organization) calling the shots. NOBODY remembers all of the compromises and cut corners, they just look at the end product.

If at all possible disassociate yourself from this project, Richard. Now, here’s the trick: distance yourself from this without losing the potential for future REAL business from this client. I know, I know. Easier said than done.

[Nick Griffin]

I agree with Noah. The standard isn’t if the manufacturer can recognize their product it would be more of an issue if the general public would recognize it, especially problematic if you are portraying their product in a bad way, ie.- making it the butt of your joke.

BUT… I don’t know if this is the case with UK law and (say it out loud with me) I AM NOT A LAWYER.

[Nick Griffin]

[Todd Terry] “Some of the worst production people I know are “former broadcasters with a lot of experience.””

Late to the thread, but I’ve seen this same thing several times. One of the more ridiculous was being pitched to sub-out work to a former National Public RADIO announcer who had gone into the video for web business. This “pro’s” stuff was quite literally (as Mark Susko has termed it in the past) Radio with Pictures, actually in this particular case more like Radio with a slide show of stills.

Now, with all of the above said, there are no doubt many of our fellow bovines who’ve left broadcast to form production companies, and several probably do excellent work. Analyzing the competition has to be on a case by case basis. We also have to make sure that our prospective clients also do this and not be overly impressed by someone just because they used to work for a TV station or a network.

The ones to look out for, especially in this age of extremely low cost NLEs, are the people who moonlight their productions on nights and weekends using equipment from their regular, daytime jobs with a broadcast or other production facility. They can have access to high end cameras, etc. without having to invest little to any of their own money.

[Nick Griffin]

Funny how local and/or regional this can be. Where we are it’s UPS that sucks and FedEx that’s quite reliable. I believe that we’ve had drivers simply decide that they’re not willing to come down our driveway and turn around so (in the tone of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi), “No UPS for you!”