Proliferation

May 21
0

Paid vs. Unpaid Actors

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Video production companies are constantly making decisions that will impact their projects, and it’s important to weigh every single option if you want to ensure that your next production turns out how you want it to. One of the most important (as well as most common) decisions you’ll ever have to make when working with a video production company is hiring the right actors for your project. Of course, if you’re involved in the world of video production, you know that actors, good ones at least, don’t come cheap. This forces companies to make a crucial decision that could ultimately decide the fate of their video production project: do we hire professional actors or use unpaid actors?

While it might sound financially beneficial to hire unpaid actors to feature in your next video, you also have to take a step back and compare the two options to really see if your decision will be worth it. Here is the difference between pads and unpaid actors.

THE BENEFITS OF PAID ACTORS

Unpaid Actors Practice as Much as They Can; Paid Actors Don’t Stop

Practicing your role and memorizing scripts is crucial for actors if they want to play the part professionally and avoid filming multiple takes. An unpaid actor will have less pressure but also less motivation, making them less likely to practice adequately, while a professional actor knows that he is being paid to not only play the part, but submerse himself in the character entirely. If you want to be sure that your talent is going to deliver, you’re going to have to cough up some change.

Unpaid Actors Lack Professional Acting Experience; Acting is Second Nature to Pros

Say that your unpaid actors are practicing their lines as much as possible and are committed to your production, they still might not deliver a great performance. Why? Because they lack the experience that a professional has been collecting for years. If you choose to hire unpaid actors, keep in mind that they might not pull off a convincing performance, no matter how much practice they put in.

Professional actors may be expensive, but you’re not only paying them for their time, but also for their unique skillset.

Unpaid Actors May Not Look as Professional as Paid Actors

While paid actors are referred to video production companies through an agency that showcases them in the most professional manner, unpaid actors have to represent themselves, so how they present themselves to your agency is completely up to the individual.

BENEFITS OF UNPAID ACTORS

Unpaid Actors Will Save You Money; Pros Will Cost You an Arm and a Leg

This benefit doesn’t need much explanation. If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to consider amateur actors so that you can spend more on equipment, editing and any other necessities. While it is important to hire good actors, you won’t have much use for them if you can’t afford anything else for your production.

Unpaid Actors Know Procedures; Pros Do Not

One of the main benefits of unpaid actors, especially those who work within your video production company, is that they know how to do miscellaneous tasks within video production companies that actors do not. If you want to have someone who can both act and help on the set, an unpaid actor is the way to go.

If you’re on the fence when it comes to deciding between paid actors and unpaid actors, take your production aside and pick apart its various aspects to see which actor will benefit you most. Video production companies are here to help, and if you’re in need of an agency to help you bring you next video project to life, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios.

May 20
0

Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

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Hiring any other company to help your own is serious business. You can’t just hire anyone, you need to be 100% sure that they are going to deliver the work that your company is looking for. When it comes to video production companies, they are responsible to hold the attention of your target audience anywhere from 10 seconds to 5-10 minutes. Throughout the entirety of that time, they will be representing your company’s brand name, the product’s campaign, the quality of the company, and the overall voice of the company. That being said, you want to hire a video production company that can deliver on all facets.

In order to know if the video production company you want to hire is right for you, you need to be sure beforehand that they understand your company’s culture, values, and goals with the video. The best way to figure all of this out is by asking questions that will answer any concerns you have and give you the assurance you need. These questions should focus on the fit, their experience, negotiations, and logistics. If you don’t know where to begin, here is a simple list.

THE RIGHT FIT

The first few questions you will want to consider has to do with who they are as a company and if their company and yours will match up.

  • As a video production company, what are their values?
  • As they create videos, what is their ultimate goal?
  • As a professional organization, are they honest with their services?
  • Does their overall values and culture mesh with your own?

THEIR EXPERIENCE

Once you have an idea of what their company is like, you will need to determine if they are even qualified to accomplish everything you hope to. Taking a look at their experience should help you determine whether or not they can be trusted to help your company.

  • How long have they been making videos for other companies?
  • What kind of projects or different kinds of videos have they made?
  • Who are their past clients?
  • Do they have sample work that they are willing to show you?
  • What shortcomings do they have that might negatively affect your video?

THE LOGISTICS

There is a high demand for video production companies today, and you need to make sure that working with them is realistic. This means that you need to find one that can work around your timetable and not fall short anywhere.

  • Can they start working when you need them to start working?
  • Will they finish the video by the time you need it to be finished?
  • Do they have access to the needed on-screen talent?
  • Do they have all the equipment your video will require?
  • Will they have any licensing issues?
  • Most importantly, do their prices fall within your video’s budget?

NEGOTIATIONS

The last area to go over with the video production company has to do with the nitty-gritty — communications, fine-details, video rights, and more.

  • How well do they communicate with you and their past clients?
  • Will they let you be involved in the planning, scripting, and shooting if needs be?
  • What will the contract be like in terms of video rights?
  • Also, in general, what will the contract be like?

If you are able to get the answers to these questions, you should be able to know if the video production company you are considering with work well for you and your company.

May 16
0

Why Your Company Should Consider Joining Discussion Boards and Forums

By | advertising, Brand marketing, content marketing, Utah, Utah SEO | No Comments

They may not always look pretty online, but some of the top results for Google and other search engine searches bring browsers to online discussion boards and forums. While these boards don’t look authentic aesthetically, some of the posts you find within can be everything you need! Whether it’s a location you are trying to find that is off the maps or a specific recipe, some of the best and most personal answers on the internet are found on discussion boards and forums.

So how can your company utilize a resource like this? Do just as any digital marketing company would tell you to, create an account and interact with real people that are looking up things that relate to your company.

WHY?

The next question you may face is, “why?” What reasons are there for a company to put in the effort to get on the various boards and forums and start interacting? The answer is the same as why companies comment and talk to others on social media channels: exposure.

When you interact with others on social media, your contribution automatically builds a bridge with the users that see what you’ve said and they are then left with an impression (ideally a good one). These interactions are anything from making a relevant comment on someone else’s Instagram post to quote tweeting something on Twitter. It is already common knowledge that there are marketing companies, digital and social media focused, that include these efforts into their everyday marketing responsibilities. However, you should find it as no surprise that there are other marketing companies that do the same thing on discussion boards and forums.

In addition to an increase in exposure, when individuals in the cyberverse see your company making meaningful or humorous contributions online, they are going to create a relationship with you. Whether they follow you or not, an impression is built. When online interaction is done right by a company, most online users will simply see the company as a transparent, inclusive and genuine company that they can relate to.

Another Platform

Look, making contributions on discussion boards and forums is not that different from making contributions on social media channels, it’s just like another “social” platform. We’ve already explained that contributions on social platforms increases companies’ exposure and gives something online users can relate to, and it’s no different with these forums and discussion boards. Marketing companies that are ahead of the curve are making these contributions online already for their clients and you can do the same for your company, it might just take some research.

There is nothing stopping you from researching some forums and discussion boards that relate to your company’s products and services, but if you need any help with your marketing efforts, contact a marketing company like our own, Fusion 360.

May 15
0

The Basics of a Marketing Plan

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Marketing companies need to come up with effective marketing plans if they really want to nail down their target audience and know how they’re going to accomplish their business goals, as well as what those goals are. While these marketing plans are an essential aspect of any successful business, smaller businesses can find the task to be daunting, leading them to ignore the creation of a basic marketing plan altogether. Failing to make a marketing plan can be detrimental to a company, but marketing companies can help create a simple yet effective marketing plan to ensure that these smaller businesses don’t miss out on any marketing opportunities.

So, how exactly do marketing companies help businesses come up with a marketing plan? Well, it all comes down to the basics.

Researching Your Potential Market

Research is the backbone of any successful marketing plan. From product research to researching your target market, you have to put in a ton of time if you want to craft a strategy that can guarantee you results. Marketing companies are great to consult with about solid research, but you can also find resources online that will help you identify consumer buying habits in the industry, market size, market growth and decline, and current trends.

When it comes to your target audience, a well-defined audience description will help identify who your buyers are. Marketing companies recommend that you discuss at least two different levels of segmentation.

Identifying Your Budget

Budgets are where most businesses run into issues. Marketing companies suggest that when coming up with a basic marketing plan you put together a month-by-month schedule of what you plan to spend on your marketing efforts. Another important aspect when it comes to a budget is setting up a “red light” decision point. For example, establish a metric that tells you when you should stop if you’re not generating sufficient ROI.

Planning Your Tactics

To create a solid marketing plan, you want to make sure that your company creates specific tactics and then follows through. Tactics are actions that you have to take to help you accomplish your goals. One tactic that a business might use is deciding how they might utilize direct mail, email marketing, online advertising, case studies, social media marketing, and/or sponsorships.

Creating a marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated to start, and as you get more accustomed to it, marketing companies can help you create more complex plans. If you’re in need of a marketing company to help you create a successful marketing plan, give us a call here at Fusion 360.

May 14
0

Lighting 101: Three-Point Lighting

By | advertising, Utah, Utah SEO, video production | No Comments

When an individual first start learning about lighting techniques, one of the first lessons they’ll learn will be about three-point lighting. By implementing this technique, they can take their video (or photo) shoot from an amateur level to a professional level. The thing is though, they can’t just set up three different lights anywhere around the on-scene subject and call it good, they need a little more instruction.

The three different lights consist of the key, fill and back light. As a video production company that shoots professional-grade videos, we understand the importance of the proper use of these three lights. We’ll expand on the role of each of these lights and how you can use them appropriately.

Key Light

As you may expect, there is a light that is going to act as the primary light to brighten up the subject of the shot, and this main light is known as the key light. However, this light doesn’t sit on top of or right next to the camera, but is placed off a ways to the right or left side of the camera — sometimes at a 45° angle. Amateurs may bring a light to their shoot but may not understand that a key light on its own might overexpose the shot. Video production companies and other professionals know that they need another light or two to balance out their shot.

Fill Light

The way professionals and video production companies control the effect of the lighting is by adding a fill light to the shot. In comparison, a fill light is much dimmer than the key light but it lightens up the shaded areas that are created by the key light. When you shoot with a key light and no fill light, you encounter harsh shadows that will oftentimes darken one side of a person’s face or other areas of a different subject. With a fill light placed on the other side of the camera (opposite of the key light), you can brighten up those shaded parts. Depending on how bright or dim you want the fill light, you ultimately control how soft or harsh the shadows will be.

Back Light

The two lights already mentioned really control how a subject appears behind the camera, but the third light, the back light, adds one extra dimension that completes the shot as a whole. This back light, also known as the rim light or hair light, is usually placed behind the subject but raised up above the camera’s view, casting light down from above the shot. Sometimes, video production companies and other professionals substitute the back light with the sun but then use a reflector or foam board to decrease the sun’s intensity. With light coming from above, there is more depth to the shot and the subject will look less two-dimensional.

Whether your a professional that works with a video production company or an individual with zero shooting experience, everyone understands that lighting enhances a shot. However, without three-point lighting, the end result will be missing that much-needed professional level. For any help with creating a professional video for your company, contact us today.

May 13
0

The Best Video Editing Software of 2019

By | advertising, Brand marketing, content marketing, SEO, Utah, video production | No Comments

Depending on your needs, the best video editing software is going to differ from that of someone else. Speaking in absolutes — “the BEST” — assumes that everyone has the same needs, however, the fact of the matter is that it’s a case by case situation.

If you are a beginner, you will not need advanced software, and a professional at a video production company is going to need something different than that of an editor in Hollywood. The needs of an Apple user that heavily relies on Apple products may alter significantly from PC users. be different as well. While the needs are going to differ from person to person, there are some characteristics and capabilities that set certain software apart from the rest. Here is what we think are the most recognized programs that give users the ability to do what they need in the most efficient way.

TWO DOMINANT EDITING PROGRAMS

We are four months into 2019 and video production companies still agree that Adobe’s Premiere Pro and Apple’s Final Cut Pro are the “best” editing software for professionals.

PREMIERE PRO — The reason this is oftentimes the first software people will talk about is because of its ability to support a variety of different formats, cameras, and devices, and its ability to work on multiple platforms. Further, Premiere runs on Macs and PC computers without difficulty. Whether its a commercial made by a video production company or a feature film made for the big screens, the advanced editing capabilities work for both. With the latest update to the program in 2018, editors are able to use HDR media, playback media faster, and still utilize its other main features (like precise color grading, VR editing, and audio layering). In addition to all of this, using Premiere is convenient if you use any other Adobe products.

FINAL CUT PRO — Apple’s highest quality editing program has a lot of similarities with Adobe’s Premiere. Like Adobe’s ability to work great with other Adobe products, obviously, Final Cut works nicely with other Apple software. It also supports HDR and RAW formats and a lot of other interfaces. As time passes, while Final Cut can execute some advanced editing, it is starting to be seen as a good developmental program.

We mention these two programs first because these are what the professionals at video production companies are using, and they will give you more capabilities than anything else. Nonetheless, as we said before, the needs of each person or entity are different. That being the case, beginners may not need Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, and Hollywood editors may need other editing software that specializes in CGI, 3D effects, and more.

OTHER Software for OTHER NEEDS

Here is a simple list of other software that beginners and/or Hollywood editors may consider to be a better program for their needs.

FOR BEGINNERS:

  • Avidemux
  • Shotcut
  • Rocketium
  • Nero Standard
  • Davinci Resolve
  • Video Pro X
  • Wideo
  • MacXvideo
  • Lightworks

FOR HOLLYWOOD PROs:

  • SynthEyes
  • PFTrack
  • Mocha
  • Boujou
  • Houdini
  • RealFlow
  • 3D Studio Max
  • Cinema 4D
  • Maya
  • Adobe After Effects

While these different programs may not be used by professional video production companies, they will still accomplish similar things for beginners and accomplish more for the industry leading professionals in Hollywood. Ultimately, there is a lot of different editing software, but based on your level and needs, the best program may differ from someone else. However, many video production companies, like us here at Fusion 360, would say that Adobe’s Premiere Pro is the best program to use in 2019.

May 03
0

Path to a Career in Video Production

By | advertising, content marketing, digital marketing, Social Media, Utah, video production | No Comments

If you are wanting to pursue a career in video production, you might be wondering where you should start. Video production is a highly technical profession that requires a lot of practice and experience. As it has become an increasingly growing field, your video skills need to be top notch in order to make it in the video industry. This means that you should consistently be practicing and improving your video production skills. Video production companies are looking to hire the best of the best, so if you are wanting to work with a production company, here are some steps you should follow.

Degree in Film or Communication

Most colleges offer film programs, so if you choose to attend college, think about pursuing a degree in Film or Communication. Depending on your university, the film program might be part of a specific major, so do some research to figure out the best way to get the film education you need. While at school, do your best to volunteer or help out on amateur or student film sets. This will help give you more experience and get used to what a video production set is like. You can also find mentors who are more experienced to help guide and teach you everything you need to know.

Teach Yourself

Although video production companies recommend getting a degree in Film, it is also possible to teach yourself everything about video production. With so many online resources available to you (some even for free), teaching yourself video production is very doable. If you choose to teach yourself, make sure you familiarize yourself with many aspects of production. This includes cameras, lighting, editing and more. Try to find as many opportunities to go out and shoot as possible. A lot of freelance video producers were self-taught, and their skills are just as good as some of the professionals who received film degrees. What matters most is your experience, not your degree.

Internships

Internships are a great way to get more experience in video production. A lot of video production companies offer internships. By taking an internship, you can get real-world experience and learn how professional production companies run. In addition, taking an internship could lead to making connections in the video industry as well as full-time work opportunities with that production company.

Career

Once you have gained all the necessary experience, you can settle down with either a production company or work freelance. With freelance work, you probably won’t have a consistent schedule, and you will most likely work on smaller projects. With a video production company, you could be working on content ranging from commercials to big movie productions. Both freelancers and production companies are in high demand, so it’s up to you to decide which path you want to take.

Video production is constantly shifting and evolving, so you must always be willing to learn new things. Overall, a career in video production is obtainable if you are willing to put in the work! For more information on careers in video production, contact a video production company like us here at Fusion 360 Studios.

Apr 22
0

When to Use Drone Footage

By | advertising, content marketing, digital marketing, marketing, Social Media, Utah | No Comments

Drones are brilliant tools that filmmakers can use, and the technological research and advancements tied with these innovative machines have only helped video production companies elevate their content. Whether you’re filming a documentary, news story or a vlog, it’s important to know just how a drone can help you achieve video production greatness and when you should be utilizing its capabilities.

Drones should never just be thrown into the mix of a video, they serve specific purposes. We here at Fusion 360 Studios have compiled a guide for you to follow when it comes to drone usage — here’s what we recommend.

When You Need an Establishing Shot

The most successful video production companies use drones when they want to film an establishing shot. These shots help set up a specific scene or showcase a specific location, and a drone is going to help you get a more dynamic view of said location. You’ll most likely see drones in use during the introduction or transition parts of a video or movie.

When You Want to Provide the Audience with a “Break”

Touching more on transitions, drone footage can also be used to give the audience a break after an intense scene. For example, say you’re watching an action movie, if the content has been super dramatic and up close, a drone shot can be used to give the audience a break from the up-close intensity. Video production companies know that it’s important to retain an audience’s attention, but they also don’t want to make a production too overwhelming, and that’s where drone footage comes in handy.

When You Need “Smooth Motion”

When you’re shooting that showcase high-speed chases or movements, a drone helps ensure that the scene flows naturally and the footage comes out smooth. A chase car is used in higher-budget productions, but if you’re looking to simplify the process, a drone is going to do just fine. You don’t have to have a major motion picture to take advantage of a smooth sweeping shot, they can be used in brand films when you want to set up a location or sense of motion.

For Size Comparison

If you’re trying to capture the magnificent size of a specific location compared to, let’s say, an actor, then drones are going to be the best way to achieve this. For example, video production companies will shoot a close up shot of a subject in a specific location, then they will fly the drone up and away from the actor to show the incredible size of the location or the insignificance of the subject by showing how little they are.

There are various ways to use a drone, but it’s important that you don’t overdo it. If you’re looking to create some stunning visual content with the help of a professional video production company, give us a call here at Fusion 360 Studios. When it comes to video production companies, we’re a force to be reckoned with.

Apr 14
1

Images vs. Videos

By | advertising, content marketing, marketing, Social Media | No Comments

Although most content on social media platforms used to consist of images and text, now we are seeing more images and video than ever before. Visual content as the ability to capture users attention and allow them to use their imagination. Social media marketing companies have seen an increase in video marketing in the past few years, yet companies are not abandoning using images on social media.