The Creative Process for a Brand Film

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Videos are 50 times more likely to drive organic search results as opposed to plain text and therefore are essential in promoting a company’s message, product or service. It’s also worth noting that 65% of decision makers within a business visit a marketer’s website after viewing a branded video. As you can see, video is the driving force of modern marketing, which is why we have been seeing an increase in video production companies ⎯ people just don’t consume media like they did a few years back.

Let’s break that last sentence down: In 2019, video is expected to represent 80% of all internet traffic. That’s insane, especially because there are already statistics out there that show that only 20% of site visitors read text; the other 80% would much rather watch a video. If your company has been neglecting using branded videos because you don’t know where to start, it’s time to look around for some of the best video production companies to help you keep up with the evolving world of digital marketing.

Here are some of the steps involved in the creative process of creating a jaw-dropping brand film that will help get your company’s name out there and build your client base.

Planning Your Video

The first step in creating a brand video is planning. This stage consists of different steps that prepare your vision for the storyboard. One of the very first things you should do when in the planning stage is to determine who your target audience will be. Video production companies don’t just blindly create branded videos, they determine who it is they want to reach and what markets they want to tap into.

Once you’ve nailed down your target audience, it’s time to research your competitors to see what they’re doing right and what weaknesses you can capitalize on. Video production companies study various branded videos to see what they can do to their own videos in order to make them successful.

These first steps are the most crucial and are required before you get to the real fun stuff. Here are the creative steps that you should take after pinning down your audience and doing your research.

Script Writing

Like any other video, your brand video is going to need a strong script to help the video production team understand the story and direction you’re wanting to take. Video production companies need to put their best writers forward, and everything needs to be included from the end goal of the video to facts, statistics and claims that help push your brands agenda.

Storyboarding

This storyboard acts as a script for the video production team and helps them get an idea of what the visuals will look like. The key to a good execution is a killer storyboard, so don’t rush this step.

Casting Talent

Of course, this step depends on the type of video you’re planning to create. If you want to go for a more commercial-type live action video, you’ll want to cast some talented actors. However, if you’re wanting to take an animated approach to your brand video, you might be well off with simply hiring voice actors, and that takes us to the next step.

Creating Graphics and Assets

If you’re choosing to create an animated video, you’re going to need to create your assets in advance to prepare you for production. Use the script and storyboard to determine what your assets will look like and exactly what graphics you’ll need to create for your video.

The creative process that takes place during the creation of a branded video is what’s going to make or break your video. If you’re looking to create a stunning brand video for your company but don’t know where to start, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios ⎯ we’ll help get your name out there in style.

The Different Types of Videos and What Equipment They Require

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Video production companies across the nation know that in order to create stellar content, you have to be able to switch it up. While it is important to establish your own style and find that video marketing niche, your team should aim to create something unique every time and there is no better way to do that than to use different video styles every now and then.

Considering different video styles tell different stories, some styles work for some but then other styles don’t work for other clients. So, what do you do when your go-to video template isn’t pulling in results across the board? No need to worry, we’ve got you covered. Here at Fusion 360 Studios, we know what clients want, and we know what the people want!

Here are the most common video styles that video production companies should be familiar with and the equipment they require.

Motion Graphic Videos

Purpose – Motion graphics are almost like infographics — they’re meant to tell a story and provide the audience with information while adding some extra zest to the visual’s aspect. Video production companies should consider using motion graphic videos when there is a lot of data to be presented but don’t want to overwhelm the client’s audience with a hefty infographic.

What You’ll Need – In order to create these awesome motion graphics, video production companies should have access to a computer which is strong enough to run and handle software such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Though these are industry standards, you can also use other more advanced software such as Maxon Cinema 4D

Live Action News Style Videos

Purpose – Live action serves more of a personal purpose — it helps brands connect with potential as well as already existing consumer bases, which attracts customers. People want to feel like they’re more than just another number to your company, and live action videos create that sense of care between brand and consumer. Video production companies should talk with their clients about shooting things such as behind-the-scenes looks, one-on-one interviews with the CEO, testimonials and so on. Pretty much anything that shows real faces is a win.

What You’ll Need – Obviously, you’ll need more than just a computer for this type of video. Live action style videos are going to require video production companies to pull out the full arsenal. You’re going to need a camera to capture the visuals, a microphone(s) to get the audio, a tripod for balanced/still shots, lights to ensure your video lighting quality is top-notch and of course professional video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro to craft the final project.

Typographic Videos

Purpose – These videos fall in the middle of infographics and motion graphics; they are more advanced slideshows that tell a story and provide the audience with information by using still pictures and text. Brands may often prefer these types of videos if they’re trying to get a good chunk of information but don’t want to distract away from the text by using fancy animations found in motion graphics. Instead, the images used in these videos are specifically tailored to support the text which is on the screen at the moment. Video production companies can often create these videos in a shorter period of time than the other two, but they can be just as effective and look just as clean.

What You’ll Need – You’ll need minimal equipment to achieve this type of video. Nothing more than a computer and a software program like Premiere is required, but if you plan on capturing your own images, you’ll need to bring along a camera, different kinds of lenses depending on the shot, and perhaps some lights.

Video production companies shouldn’t rely on just one video style to cover every single one of their clients; video styles play a huge role in the message you’re trying to convey, so it’s crucial to weigh your options and select carefully. If you’re looking to get video work done for your brand, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios; our award-winning video production team is the most versatile on the market, and we’re prepared to take on any task.

Three Tips to Double Your Engagement Rates

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Social media marketing companies exist to help brands grow and reach their full potential, but how exactly is that done? Is there a formula that works for every brand? Unfortunately, each company is different and alongside that, each brand’s consumer is different as well; you can’t expect the same process to work for various brands. However, there are few tips that are basically universal when it comes to producing awesome engagement rates.

Here are three of the most effective tips when it comes to doubling your engagement rates that all social media marketing companies should use to their advantage.

Use High-Quality Visuals

Social media today is all about who has the best pictures, videos and graphics, especially on platforms like Instagram. People process visuals 60,000 times faster than they do plain text, so it’s obvious that social media marketing companies that go heavy on the visuals are going to succeed more than those who don’t. Another — not so surprising — stat is that online consumers can only retain around 10-20% of the information that they see online but when you add visuals to the equation, suddenly that percentage goes up to 65%.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that social media marketing companies should just flood the internet with poorly designed infographics and outdated memes, these companies need to devise strategies and create bulletproof content to really reap the benefits of utilizing visual content.

Conversation Sells

Engagement doesn’t just come to you, you have to make an effort to get people interested and involved in your content. Conversational posts that ask your followers and potential followers a question in the caption or actual image makes your posts seem more personal. When your videos and pictures create dialog, then you’ll notice the sparked reaction in your audience. The best thing that social media marketing companies can do to make their content more appealing and personal to their audience is to come up with engaging captions for their content.

Don’t Be Afraid of Facts and Statistics

The best way to truly reach your audience is by educating them on your brand, product or service. One of the best ways to do this is to create content based around interesting facts and statistics about your brand. You are probably more likely to scare off potential consumers if you don’t give them some of the facts and stats that your brand has. People are bound to trust something if they know more about it, so make sure that you really put yourself out there to start building that trust with consumers. The more you gain the trust of your target audience, the more you will see a rise in engagement rates.

Doubling your engagement rates takes time and effort but with these tips you should be on the right track to grow your brand to it’s full potential. If you’re looking to get help with your company’s social media, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Fusion 360 Digital Marketing Agency — we’re the top of the food chain when it comes to social media marketing companies and we want to help your brand succeed.

Trending Film Effects to Expect in 2019

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One of our favorite things to do here at Fusion 360 Studios is to talk about the film industry, specifically, how major video production companies are always reaching new heights when it comes to special effects, production strategies, and immersive storytelling. The major productions companies such as Universal and FOX help inspire smaller video production companies and advertising agencies when it comes to implementing amazing VFX into brand videos and advertisements.

Movies today have been especially impressive when it comes to film effects; with the production of new hardware and the development of more intricate software, it’s expected to see certain effects trickle down to lower budget productions each year. Here are some of the trending film effects you should expect to see in 2019 and how major video production companies have utilized them, as well as how smaller agencies can use them to vamp up their own projects.

“Invisible” Effects

When you think of effects, you think of things that you can see, right? Well, a popular group of video effects that have been trending for a while — and will probably become a trending effect in 2019 — are “invisible” effects. These effects are designed to not be seen — they’re used to remove on-screen visuals that don’t belong in the shot. It may not sound like much of an effect, but it salvages shots and serves various purposes.

This “effect” is most definitely going to be a trending film effect in 2019, as it can greatly help speed up the post-production process.

De-Aging Effects

Movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Captain America: Civil War, and Blade Runner 2049 have all used the so called “Benjamin Button effect.” This film effect helps reverse an older actors age to help filmmakers be able to fulfill scenes that require instances where the actor needs to be portrayed as their younger self.

This effect will surely become a trending effect in 2019, especially in spin-off films or prequels that may come into development.

Digital Characters and Virtual Humans

Technology today has been able to bring us some of the most advanced CGI known to man, and it’s no surprise that 2019 will be a huge year for digital characters and virtual humans. It has already been done in the past, in films such as Furious 7, War for the Planet of the Apes, and Guardians of the Galaxy, and the need for virtual characters in upcoming films such as The Lion King, Alita: Battle Angel, and Avengers: End Game is as prominent as ever.

Practical Effects

There are some effects better left to computers, and practical effects help create things like dramatic explosions, you know, things too dangerous to replicate in real life? With the crazy line-up of superhero movies set-up for 2019, there is no doubting that practical effects are going to be a huge trend this year.

Trending effects trend because of their practicality and their success in the film industry, so when you go out and watch a movie this year, keep your eyes peeled for these trending film effects in lower video production companies’ content!

How a Brand Film Can Make or Break Your Business

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No business person in their right mind would downplay the importance of branding. Whether it be a national, regional or local company, the brand you create is what people will associate and recognize your company by. Top companies around the globe use tactics from commercials with taglines to hashtags on Instagram, but branding does not have to be as large scale as this. Brand films made by video production companies are a great way to start building your company’s presence within its region and industry.

Why Your Company Needs a Brand Film

Our society is full of companies and individuals alike that are looking for the best products to use. A lot of the times, these individuals or companies will turn to online content in order to find what might be most fitting for them. The statistics on video engagement is INSANE. Never before have so many people searched for videos that will give them exactly what they want. If you are able to create a video that connects your company’s brand and/or product to the viewer, then you will have a video that has a chance to bring in a lot of business. However, these videos need to be high-quality, or else consumers are not going to trust you. People naturally correlate the execution of your video with the overall quality of your company. This is why it is important for you to consider utilizing a video production company to help you out.

Where to Place Your Brand Film

Some people may think that creating a commercial would be the most efficient way for people to see your brand video, however, that is not necessarily the case. Plenty of companies, big or small, create videos that are only viewable on their website or social media channels. In fact, others place their videos on accounts like Vimeo and share a branded video only to those who would be interested — like potential clients. The placement of your video really depends on the product you are trying to sell to others. For example, a lot of business-to-business products do not need to be televised but are great when shown in a meeting with that new potential client. If you are promoting a video that your company produced incorrectly, it might actually end up hurting your reputation. If you are unsure about where you might what to advertise your brand film, ask the video production company you work with and they should be able to help!

If you end up creating a video that is lacking in execution and you over promote it, you might as well put up a sign up in front of your building that says, “STAY AWAY.” In today’s world, you have to have good video productions in order to help people engage with your brand and product — hence the high demand for video production companies. Whether you decide to hire a video production company or not, just be aware that any video that you intend people to see will be under heavy scrutiny. Nonetheless, it is not too hard to find a solid company that can take a look at what your brand has to offer and then help you create the video that you were looking to make!

5 Benefits of Hiring an Award-Winning Video Production Company

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So, you’re ready to commit to and film your video, whether it’s a commercial or just a recreational film, you want to get started as soon as possible. You personally don’t have a lot of experience in filming and editing, so you’re looking for video production companies that can help you out. There are a lot of reasons you should hire a video production company, but more specifically, there are a lot of reasons you should hire an award-winning video production company. They can help you create a video with quality out of this world and take a lot of the weight off your shoulders. Here are our top five benefits of hiring an award-winning video production company over one that has no awards.

Credibility

Obviously, if you are talking about award-winning video production companies, the awards are kind of a big deal. Awards show that these companies are credible and know what they are doing, and different awards have different sets of criteria video production companies have to match to be eligible for the said award. Knowing that the video production company that is or will be working on your video has past work that has not only passed these sets of criteria but won an award will help reinforce your confidence in their work.

In short, these awards recognize companies’ excellence and can demonstrate their excellence over long periods of time. Credibility is key when looking for video production companies, and looking at past awards is a great way to measure if a company is credible or not. Credible companies will be able to deliver what they promise when they promise it. You won’t have to worry about flakes or unreliable people; awards speak volumes. Here are just a few of the many awards we have won here at Fusion 360 Studios:

-One-time W3 Award winner

-Three-time Davey Award winner

-One-time Webby Ward winner

-Three-time Emmy Award winner

-One-time Mercury Award winner

-Twelve-time Telly Award winner

Practice Makes Perfect

As of this year, Fusion 360 Studios has been in business for 15 years! You don’t become an award-winning video production company overnight, or with your first video. It simply takes time. It takes trial and error and mistake after mistake until you finally find your groove. Once you do find your groove in the video production world, you start winning awards. And once you’ve started winning awards, you know you are doing something right.

So, what is the benefit in this case for you as a client to hire an award-winning video production team? Since these companies have been in business for a while, you don’t need to worry about being the guinea pig you might be at a newer business. Award-winning companies know what works and what doesn’t; as they say, practice makes perfect. Award-winning video production companies are about as close to video perfection as you can get. We have learned from our mistakes in the past and as a result, are going to help you have the smoothest possible production experience. Our process, content, and teamwork is the next level, and this will help make your video thrive.

The Process

Award-winning video production companies must be doing something right if they are winning all of these awards, right? One of the biggest things these experienced video production companies have an advantage in is the video production process as a whole. Similar to the practice makes perfect point above, experienced companies will know the best way to film your video. Since they have experience, they will know if your specific type of video will need extra time brainstorming if it will be better outdoors, and if you should schedule a few extra days of filming just in case there are certain technical difficulties.

Knowing these things ahead of time will not only save you and your team time and stress but also money. Last minute decisions, purchases, and changes add up in cost very quickly; something like hiring your whole crew for one extra day can cost hundreds if not thousands of extra dollars. Accidents happen, plans change, and things come up, you can’t always know how everything is going to turn out, and everything won’t always go seamlessly. Award-winning video production companies will know what to plan for since they have seen so many productions before. They simply know what works and how to best plan for mistakes, saving you time, money and stress.

Past Clients

Another really beneficial thing you get when hiring an award-winning video production company is that you have past client’s work to look at. Before even hiring the company, you can look through their portfolio and past work to see if you like what they do. You need to be able to work with a company that films and produces videos that fit your vision and style, so knowing what kind of work they do is crucial. You can also talk to the production company about including certain aspects that were in other videos that you liked into yours. Your video should turn out the way you want it to. Knowing what certain companies can and will do, along with what they have done in the past can help make the process smoother.

Client testimonials are also a great thing you can benefit from when looking into video production companies. No one knows what you are going to be going through as a client better than other past clients will. You can talk to them and see if their experience was good if the company accomplished all that they promised if they were timely and other questions you may have. Overall, having past clients and past work to look at is a great way to see if a certain video production company is the one for you. Check out some of our past work here.

Passion

The last and final reason hiring award-winning video production companies is a good idea is because they simply have the passion you need. We haven’t worked for 15 years straight for no reason. We are passionate about film, and this passion shines through in our work. The time and energy we take to make sure every video we create is the best quality that we can offer is crucial to us. Working with people that actually want to be at work and do their job will make not only your video better, but your time more enjoyable.

Through our passion, we have also created a unique way we go about our video production. We approach the process through our strategic brand messaging-mindset. This helps our clients get their video out in the world after filming and to make sure their film actually captures what their company is all about. Click here to learn more about the importance of creating a consistent brand. A lot of people create these amazing videos and commercials that are top-notch quality, but they lack in the aspect of branding and marketing their films. Video production companies that can ensure quality videos, brand incorporation, and after-film marketing are the best.

Overall, we hope we have made it clear to you why it is beneficial to hire award-winning video production companies over companies that don’t have awards. Award-winning video production companies have the credibility, have lots and lots of experience, know the ins and outs of the video production process, have a list of past clients and work you can look at, and they are passionate about their work. If you are looking to hire an award-winning video production company, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios today. We’ll always ready for a new challenge.

Video Marketing: The Definitive Guide

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It’s no secret that company trends are starting to lean more toward videos over anything else. There are quite a few reasons for this shift: search engines favor videos, they get more shares on social media and they can help boost your brand extremely well. Not to mention that they are fun to make and create an approachable vibe for your company. Since there is a lot that goes into video production and marketing, we have created a video marketing definitive guide to help you along the way.

Why Invest in Video Marketing?

The first thing a lot of people ask when talking about video marketing is why? Why should I spend my money on this and why is even worth it? Well stated simply, it is very important and video marketing is totally worth it. Video production is directly linked to an increase in sales; people like videos. They are a lot easier to learn from and tend to be more interesting to us because of all the visuals. As a result, if your company takes the time and money to invest in video production services and create a high-quality video, your sales, along with website traffic, are likely to increase.

Videos also build trust, a key foundation of sales of any kind. Clients and customers need to be able to trust that you as a company have their best interest at heart and are willing to help them. A video is more likely to ignite and show emotion than text is. Because the viewers can either see other people or hear their voices, the trust you are striving for will come quicker. It is easier to see your company as people rather than an entity or some robot that emails back and forth with people- even if they are actors!

Video marketing is also good because like we mentioned earlier, search engines love videos. For example, you are 53 times more likely to show up on Google’s first page of results if you have a video. This can be tied to the fact Google bought Youtube a while ago. Video marketing is also a lot more mobile-friendly, meaning it is easy for people to access on their phones and tablets. The majority of people watch videos from their phones or mobile devices versus a computer, so naturally, you want your content to be able to be viewed on mobile devices.

Video marketing also makes it easier to explain things. You can fit a 1500 word blog in about a one minute video. Since people tend to have shorter attention spans, having all the information people need to learn within a few minutes makes it a lot easier for them to grasp than having a huge blog post to read. Not only will they have a harder time understanding your point, no one wants to read a really long article. Basically, simplicity is key and makes everyone’s life easier. Video marketing is also a really good way to showcase your product in a desirable way. With the right music, lighting, and angles, you can make anything, even a roll of toilet paper, look amazing.

How to Start

After you understand why you should incorporate video marketing into your business, you may be wondering how to go about it. There are a few steps to take to make a quality video and the biggest and most important is to hire video production services. Video production companies know the best ways to create videos that will leave a lasting impression on the viewers.

First of all, these video production companies have the skills and ability to create high-quality films. A low-quality, quickly thrown together video simply won’t get the same results as a well thought out one will. Viewers can see the difference, so spend a little bit of money and invest in video production services. They know what looks good, what types of equipment you may need, what visual effects will be beneficial, and what editing software will be best. They will also know how to incorporate branding into the video, a crucial part of keeping your company relevant. Learn more about branding here. Overall, the expertise and skill you get from video production companies are unmatchable.

Another part of hiring a video production company that is unmatchable is their experience. Sure, anyone can google how to make a good video and learn a few tips, however, experience can’t be learned so quickly. It takes time, and good video production services have been around and gained this experience. Even though you can’t plan for disaster or mishap, these video production companies, thanks to their past experience, know how to best address the issue. They can also judge if a certain shot will be better indoors versus outdoors or if the microphones need to be closer to pick up on certain noises or not. 

Once you hire a company, you can start planning out what you want to do. These video production companies will follow the typical stages of production: pre-production, production, and post-production. A big thing to remember is that even though you have hired experts to help, your voice should still be heard. After all, it is your video so your ideas should be included. In fact, good video production companies will make an effort to include your vision in the video, accommodating as necessary.

What Kind of Video Should You Make?

Lastly, let’s talk about some ins and outs of video marketing. First of all, there are so many different kinds of videos you can make. From demos to informational videos, there are endless options of how you can combine video and marketing into one thing. Depending on which video you decide to film, you can put it on different platforms. Remember to keep your audience in mind when filming and when posting, do what will help you get the most views and benefit your company the most.

Over time, you can track which videos get more views and entice more engagement so that you know what type of videos you want to spend your time on. In fact, before you even publish your video, you should set some measurable goals. If your goal is specific, you will be able to adjust it for the next video based on your results. There are a lot of ways to measure the success of your video: views, comments, shares, how many sales are linked to the video, completion rates and more.

Patience and consistency are key to successful video marketing. You won’t get the results you want overnight, and it takes time. In fact, trial and error are one of the best ways to do this. You can see what video lengths are the best and get the most engagement.  Again, video production companies can help you figure out which elements work best for you.

Overall, there is a lot that goes into video marketing, so it’s ok if you are feeling a little bit overwhelmed. But, it is important for your company to stay on top of current trends to keep your traffic and sales high. The best and easiest advice we can give you is to hire video production services to help with all of the stages. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types and styles of videos. If you are ready to try the new and important video marketing but don’t know where to go next, contact our video production team here at Fusion 360 Studios today. We’re experts when it comes to creating award-winning videos.

What Makes a Top Advertising Agency?

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Brands rely on the most reliable advertising agencies to get them through to consumers in style and with efficiency. When it comes to digital marketing, companies like to know that they’re in good hands and the agency they hire will produce the results that they need to thrive in their respective markets.

So, what do you, as a brand, look for in an ad agency? When you’re comparing the best advertising agencies around, you should take multiple characteristics into account. Here is what sets apart the top advertising agencies from the rest.

A Talented Staff

You can’t have a successful agency without a talented staff. From writers to SEO managers and a creative team, A talented staffs’ work is reflected in their work. It’s important to assemble an effective and irreplaceable team because the work of each individual significantly relates to how much their clients’ businesses will grow.

Impeccable Communication

You can have all the talent in the world, but if your team isn’t communicating, you’ll see that your work will begin to suffer. Not only is internal communication crucial, but also the communication between the agency and the client. Generating solid communication enables the best advertising agencies the ability to keep up with client demands and depend on trust between the two parties through the bond they create. If the work and communication are there, then the client’s vision will be fulfilled.

Digital Presence

The best advertising agencies are those that embrace change. Traditional marketing is still around, but more people today are consuming their media through digital platforms. Ad agencies should be able to keep up with trends seen in the digital world and morph their work into something that will thrive amidst their clients’ audiences. 

Honesty and Transparency

The best advertising agencies value their clients and do everything to ensure their success. Two more key factors successful advertising agency have are honesty and transparency. An agency must be honest and upfront with their clients if they want to create that client-to-agency bond. It is important for agencies to make sure that their client is kept in the loop when it comes to anything regarding their business. From being able to look at analytics to being involved in the revision process, the client should feel as they have a say in what content goes out into the internet, and respectfully so.

The best advertising agencies take these factors and use them all to ensure quality and efficiency within their agency. If you’re looking to hire one of the best advertising agencies around, contact us at Fusion 360 for all of your digital marketing needs.