[Ron Bergeron]

Hi Olly,
I guess it just depends on the style that would work best for the client. Have you searched YouTube for examples and to see what other people are up to in that genre (adverts, promos, corporate vids, etc)?

A lot of times, clients are the ones who can’t put their finger on how they want something to look or sound. For example, a band will want to do a record. They go to a studio and put all their tracks down. If they can’t articulate to the engineer or producer what they want the final product to sound like, they will be stabbing in the dark hodge-podge and maybe it’ll turn out fine. But I tell musicians to find a record they like regarding its production. Same for people who need a website. If they just say “I dunno,” then how can you give them what they’re looking for? Let them find sites they like and go from there.

So if a client wants a video, either they can find something they like or we as video producers must show them some examples of styles, which does not necessarily have to be in our own portfolios. Either download off YouTube and give it to them on a disc or send them links.

As far as viral marketing is concerned… it’s something that requires knowing people much like anything else in life. You need to make connections with busy bloggers (pertaining to industry being covered or whatever) or other video channel owners, or pay some viral house. Otherwise, build a reputation on YouTube for yourself (takes time) and cross-post all over the place (FB, Twitter, blogs, etc). Also, try to make friends with TV media people. Do your local stations have local programming? Find out if you can work with their reps on getting on-air time for your clients. They may be interested in expert advice on some topic or service. Do any of the stations have dead time on weekend or weekday evenings? Those might be affordable enough to create half-hour programming of some local interest, and you can sell adverts cheaply enough to even pay for your program. (Just an idea… we have some local producers doing that in my town. And I am actually looking to do that in 2012 myself.)

Hope that gives you some ideas, though you may have already thought of these. Sorry, I have no brilliant easy answers though. Cheers!

Ron
Star City Fame

[Ron Bergeron]

Okay, I know this is an older thread and no one asked me for my 2 cents…

I shoot on mini-DV in HD (with a Canon XHA1 or Canon HV30) and if I don’t need the project to be HD (which I don’t always decide at the time of shooting) I just transfer the tape(s) as AVI’s to my PC (typically Sony Vegas Pro since that NLE is fairly easy to use for intermediate videographers like me).

So if I want HD, I offload as HDV (a setting on the XHA1) and it transfers as m2t files. But if I want standard def (in 16:9) I just offload as DV and in fact Vegas asks me how I want to do it anyway. (BTW, transferring HD tapes using the Canon HV30 doesn’t seem to allow for HD, and I haven’t been able to figure that out, but that’s another story.)

Now, I can’t comment on assests done in 24p because I only shoot in the 1080i setting. I am not a “film producer” or worried about what the artsy community thinks. I shoot as if for TV or DVD final destination, even if the stuff ends up as a YouTube or Vimeo product. I keep things at 29.97 and concentrate on content more than artsy-ness. No offense. Maybe when I get that kind of a project, I’ll worry about that.

Most of my stuff is events-oriented. Plays, local art and cultural events, music concerts, sports.

So, not sure what all the fuss is over shooting in HD and down-converting. I don’t take any extra measures except transferring either in what I shot in (HDV 1080 60i which gives me an m2t file) or transferring as standard def (DV which goves me an AVI file).

BTW, I bought my Canon Vixia HV30 (uses mini-DV) used at B&H for $599 last year. I love it.

Ron
Star City Fame