The Role of Foley Sound Effects

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Film production requires continued innovation and advancement to meet the daily expectations of the audience. It needs artists and filmmakers to tap into their imaginative minds and produce content that the audience appreciates. Foley sound effects are one of these creations that named after Jack Foley, the artist who first started the practice of recording certain sounds that appear in a video or film away from the actual set.

Foley artists generate a lot of the sound you hear daily in movies, TV shows, and commercials. What is interesting about the sound that these artists create is that they are produced from a combination of objects you would not expect. What they do is play a specific clip on a projected monitor and reproduce unique sounds any way possible. Now, film production companies may not have Foley artists on hand but they do understand the significance of their contributions.

A film that lacks quality sound really makes the entire viewing experience entirely different; the proper sound is needed, especially in bigger film productions. Compared to prerecorded sound effects on a computer, Foley sound effects create more authenticity, variety and enhance the overall production. Enhancing the sounds in a movie improves the realism of the movie, which in turn draws the audience in.

Some commonly used Foley effects that you might hear in any given film production include wood cracking in a fire, the wind blowing through sails, body hits (breaking bones, etc.), and horses trotting. These effects are achieved using creative prop ideas like plungers, wallets, duct tape, bags of baking soda, sand, springs, and much, much more.

When these sounds are used in the background of a scene, they simulate real noise in such a way that viewers can connect on an emotional level. Compared to current films, old historical movies appear and feel lifeless because they were screened without sound or poor sound quality. In today’s world, the work of Foley artists is critical as they are used in just about any scene; whether it be dramatic, comedic or action-packed, sound effects created by Foley artists are used in just about any video scenario.

Sound effects are essential for production companies because they empower artists to record unique and realistic sounds for films. Although the typical viewer may not understand the significance of a Foley artist’s role, they notice and appreciate the indefinable realism and professionalism in the film which sets it apart from others.

Whether you want a professional Foley artist or not, our production company can create just about any video you need for your business. If you have any inquiries, feel free to contact us.

Optimizing for Mobile Markets

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We all know that the mobile market is growing more quickly with each day. In fact, 95% of Americans own a cell phone of some sort. With such a huge margin of our society owning mobile devices, it seems like everyone is in a rush to optimize for mobile markets. The only question is how exactly is that done?

In 2015 Google put out an update that made their search engine more mobile friendly. This allowed the top search results to be websites that are properly formatted for smartphones. With this being said, one of the easiest ways to optimize your company is to make sure your website has mobile-friendly formatting.

You need to make sure your photos and videos are available for online services. Sometimes you’ll need to adjust certain things to make sure your videos can be played on smartphones and your pictures can show up clearly. Hiring a digital marketing agency for this kind of thing can take a lot of unnecessary stress off of you.

You will also want to make sure your website is compatible with mobile devices. For example, on a desktop website, you can get away with using small buttons because the cursor is small and specific. However, on a mobile device, your finger is your cursor. In this case, small buttons may not work as well when larger fingers are trying to click them. Keeping things like this in mind can be kind of tricky, and any digital marketing agency will be willing to help you out.

Formatting is a huge thing when switching from desktop to mobile markets. You need to make sure your text is still visible for people to read on mobile devices just as much as it for them to read on desktops.

Another thing to keep in mind when trying to optimize for the mobile market is that larger purchases are usually made on desktops. For example, computers or plane tickets. However, on mobile devices, people typically search for small purchases or cheaper services. With the help of a digital marketing agency, you can optimize both your desktop and mobile websites to promote what is being searched for the most. Ultimately this will optimize your company as a whole.

Overall, optimizing for the mobile market can be kind of tricky. There is a lot to think about, and these tips are just a few of many. If you are ready to work on optimizing your company or website on the mobile market, consider contacting a digital marketing agency today as they are experts in this field.

Marketing Campaigns 101

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Marketing campaigns aim at promoting products through various platforms. Advertising companies use online platforms and print ads in addition to radio and television spots as their primary tools for product promotion. Consistent advertising is a good way for you to reach your customers and to create a lasting impression in their minds.

A coordinated approach for marketing companies has several advantages.

Meetings with customers and prospects

After beginning your campaign, you gain the opportunity for a meeting with customers and clients. Customers can see what you’re offering by examining the features and qualities of your products. Then, they develop an interest in your products from an informed viewpoint and are more likely to make an appointment to discuss how your company can help theirs.

Brand development

With multiple promotional ads, you stand to gain a customer’s attention more than if you used a single form of advertising. This lets you stand out from the crowd of your competitors. Displaying your brand across the various media platforms results in its promotion and development.

Customer follow-up

Whether you’re dealing with established customers or searching for new ones, a solid, diverse marketing plan helps you to follow up with them. Once you have gained their attention, you’ll have the opportunity to explain your products or services in greater detail. Marketing campaigns reinforce your brand, communicate your message and create a knowledge base for new or established customers.

Increased sales

Marketing campaigns remind your previous customers that your products and services are still on the market. They also catch the attention of curious customers. This results in new and repeat sales and increases your clients’ brand loyalty.

New business opportunities

These widespread campaigns can create new business opportunities for marketing companies. They increase exposure within the industry and attract new partners, which leads to expansion of your business by creating new opportunities.

Marketing campaigns drive your business forward. Through proper alignment of your marketing campaign goals, you stand a better chance of achieving success in your business.

Selecting a Soundtrack for Your Film

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Phenomenal action scenes, remarkable cinematography, and precise dialogue deserve a spectacular soundtrack. However, it can be quite challenging for a film production team to find the perfect soundtrack for their work of art. Regardless of whether it is a personal project or a client’s project, choosing a great audio track can cause numerous sleepless nights.

Film production companies are well aware of the implications of a sensational soundtrack; it’s what transforms your numerous scenes into a wonderful and relatable story. Music has a lot of emotions and soul woven through their waves and that is exactly what the film industry relays on to execute a perfect scene. If you can remember your favorite movie or commercial, it’s likely that you will remember the background music and if not, you might go back and find a song that carries emotion of your favorite moment.

So how do film and video production companies find the right track for their projects?

Choose the Soundtrack that Communicates the Message

The use of a music track in your film or video helps communicate the message to the mind and heart of the viewer. Whether you want to educate or entertain your audience, the type of background music you use will help convey the message to your audience. For example, for an educational video, it is advisable to use a calm and quiet song which will not divert the attention of your audience.

Set the Mood and Emotions

By choosing the right music track for your film, you set the mood for your film. As mentioned before, music brings in a lot of emotions no matter how big or small the project is. The most qualified and experienced film production companies always concentrate on how they want to make the audience feel; focus on the feelings you want to evoke and then choose the music track that best conveys those emotions.

Comply with Copyright Laws

You will have to either choose free music or purchase music that fits to your video, however, you must be sure that you legally acquire and use the music. There are numerous copyright laws that all film production companies must observe when it comes to using someone else’s music; every video or film you see on TV or in the theaters have went through the right venues in order for them to be played, and if they hadn’t then they would be in a heap of trouble.

Whether it is instrumentals or vocals, be certain that the audio track you use sets the tone you want in your video project. If you are unsure, it helps if you listen to a few songs and create a playlist where you can overlay the options before picking the right one. A quality soundtrack that is properly and carefully selected will always make your film more attractive and entertaining.

Choosing an experienced and qualified film production company will give you an edge when you are creating a video project. Film production companies like Big Door will assist you with anything from selecting the best location to finding the right song.

The Importance of Consistent Branding

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Branding is one of the most important things you can do for your company. Marketing companies spend a lot of time working with their clients to come up with the best branding ideas they can. Have you ever wondered why these marketing companies spend so much time brainstorming and improving other company’s brands? Or how about why exactly consistent branding, in general, is so important? Here are our three top reasons why creating a consistent brand is so important.

Dependable

One of the biggest things consistent branding does for your company is it makes it more dependable. If you are constantly changing the way you brand or present your company, people are going to have a hard time trusting you in general. If you can’t stay consistent with something like your branding, how are people going to trust that you will be constant with the work or services you are going to be providing to them? Sticking with your brand is crucial, and if you really feel like you need to re-brand, hiring marketing companies are the best way to ensure you don’t lose too many people’s trust.

Marketing

Having a consistent brand will help make your company or product more marketable. When your brand is consistent and trustworthy, people are going to automatically associate your name with good things. If your brand is changing constantly, customers won’t even have the chance to make these mental associations simply because they don’t recognize or remember who you are. Overall, having a consistent brand with help with your marketing and make it a lot easier on you.

Trust

The last reasons consistent branding is so important is because it builds so much trust between customers and your company. People are naturally going to trust companies and stores they know of. If you see a Target and another store that sells the exact same things as Target but is called something else, which one are you going to choose? Most people would choose Target simply because they have heard of it and know it. The same can be said of your company. Recognition builds trust and trust leads to business.

Having a consistent brand is so important in today’s market because it’s one of the only ways to help make your company or business memorable. Consistent brands help with dependability, marketing, and overall trust. Marketing companies are created specifically to help out in these situations. They know how to help brand your company to help make it consistent. Contact us today here at Fusion 360 if you have any questions about marketing companies or branding.

Summary of Google Algorithm Updates

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Google changes their algorithm pretty often, so it can be kind of hard to stay on top of all the updates. Especially if you are trying to create content that you want to optimize. Digital marketing companies have no choice but to stay on top of all of these updates. There are eight main algorithm updates Google has gone through, and to make it even easier, they are all pretty simple names- Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, Pigeon, Mobile, RankBrain, Possum, and Fred.

Panda

Panda was first released in early 2011. The basic idea of Panda was to assign certain scores to different web pages. These scores would then determine where each web page would rank on the search engine. Panda was more of a filter than anything at the beginning, but it is now totally integrated into the algorithm Google uses.

Penguin

Penguin is kind of similar to Panda in it’s ranking. However, Penguin down-ranks websites that use links or keywords that seem manipulative or spamming. Its main goal is to catch people trying to cheat the system when it comes to algorithm ranking. Digital marketing companies are responsible for coming up with ranking techniques that help companies but don’t cheat the system- a tricky job!

Hummingbird

The next big update was Hummingbird which launched in the summer of 2013. Hummingbird wasn’t as minor as Panda and Penguin, in fact, it changed the way search engines work to this day. Hummingbird made it so you could search questions and websites with answers would pop up, even if the title of the webpage didn’t have the same words as the questions. This update was a huge game changer for Google.

Pigeon

Pigeon was released in late 2014. This update worked to include a location in the search results. This helped to increase the rankings of local listings. This update also affected the search results in Google Maps.

Mobile

The mobile updated was released in 2015 and was designed to help make top ranking results be mobile-friendly. This made it so people on smartphones could also use Google to find answers.

RankBrain

RankBrain is pretty similar to Hummingbird as it is actually a part of that update. RankBrain helps to understand the meaning of questions typed into Google rather than the physical words written. It helps to get the most accurate results possible.

Possum

The Possum update was just an addition to Pigeon. It helped to make search results closer to your physical location. For example, when you search “Doctor’s Offices Near Me” instead of just showing results in your city, it shows doctor’s offices within a few miles of your current location.

Fred

Fred is the last Google algorithm update. This update helps filter out the websites that violate Google’s rules and guidelines. This update mostly affected blogs that generated really low-quality content to get ad revenue and that don’t have digital marketing companies to help them.

A huge responsibility of digital marketing companies is to understand and work with the Google algorithms updates. To learn more about SEO and specifically Google Analytics, click here. If you are interested in hiring digital marketing companies for help, contact us here at Fusion 360 Agency.

Sources:

https://searchengineland.com/8-major-google-algorithm-updates-explained-282627

5 Basic Video Equipment Tools

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If you work for any major video production company, you’re already familiar with the most basic video equipment tools. However, all video production companies have to start somewhere. And all video editors and enthusiasts have to learn about the industry at a basic level first. There are certain pieces of equipment that all video production companies use, even if they use different models and versions of it.

Obviously, you’ll need a professional video camera. The camera that you have on your phone won’t work for this purpose. Professionals can teach you how to create relatively good videos on your phone, but these cannot replace those created with a professional video camera.

You will also need a shotgun microphone. People care about the visual quality of professional videos, but the audio quality is just as important these days. Almost every video production company uses a shotgun microphone to enhance the audio quality of a production.

If you’ve been around video production companies at all, you have probably seen a tripod. You’ve also no doubt looked at professional videos and wondered how the camera people managed to keep the camera so steady. It definitely wasn’t because the filmmakers in question had very steady hands. Tripods provide the stability videos require, making it easier for video producers to get really good results.

You may already have one of the most important pieces of video editing equipment: headphones. With headphones, you can listen for absolutely everything during a shoot.

All video production companies use lights of some kind. Professional lighting is extremely important. It can eliminate a lot of disruptive shadows. A camera light can also make everything much more visible than it would be otherwise.

Gather all these pieces of equipment before you start, and you’ll be well on your way to making quality videos.

If you need a quality video production company to help you with a project, take a look at the things we’ve done here at Fusion 360.

The Importance of Drone Licensing

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If you’re a drone pilot, getting a drone license is a good idea. If you’re not yet a drone pilot, but plan on flying drones professionally in any way, you’ll absolutely need to get a drone license. It’s true that drones are a new technology, and many of the rules of drone piloting are not set yet. However, if you work for a video production company, an official drone license can help you to capture types of footage that you might not otherwise have access to.

All commercial businesses that operate drones need drone licenses, and video production companies are subject to this rule. If you’re just flying a drone as a hobbyist, you probably don’t need a drone license. However, if you want to make money from the images you capture, you may want to consider becoming professionally licensed.

While lots of people these days make small amounts of money from their hobbies, and you might not be an official one-person video production company, selling your drone footage makes you a professional freelancer. Unless you plan on giving away your drone videos for free, you need a drone license.

There are many benefits associated with acquiring a drone license. If your video production company is still growing, you can increase your credibility with clients by advertising that your drone pilots are licensed. Piloting a drone is a desirable skillone that many clients are willing to pay more for.

Once you’ve acquired a drone license, you’ll gain more options as a drone pilot. An important advantage is the ability to fly your drone in areas that would have been off-limits otherwise. By flying your drone in these previously restricted areas, you may be able to get superior footage. If you work for a video production company, this ability can give you a major edge over your competition.

In the process of getting your license, you’ll also learn more about drone-flying techniques. Even people who work at large video production companies can benefit from learning more about drone flying best practices, especially because drone technology changes so quickly.

Music and Copyright Laws

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While musicians know the copyright laws regarding someone using their music or video productions, the public may be less familiar but they need to know these laws so they do not unknowingly violate them. Fusion 360 is an award-winning production house and digital advertising agency that knows and abides by copyright laws.

Music and video productions are copyrighted immediately after their creation. Creation happens when the lyrics or music is recorded or written down on paper, but the owner of the music needs to register the work.

Music ownership includes the right to reproduce, alter and perform the music. An owner can also display, distribute and sell copies of the work, add visual graphics to it, and permit others to do any of the aforementioned things.

Copyright does not end when the owner dies. Copyright typically ends 70 years after the author’s death.

When a “work for hire” musician creates a piece of music for a business, the business retains copyright of it for 95 years from the time it was first published or for 120 years from the date of its creation, whichever expires first.

There are also special rules in place for people who want to perform a version of a copyrighted song. They have to pay a set rate to the copyright owner to acquire “mechanical rights” to use the music.

Finally, it is important to know that a “poor man’s copyright” is not good copyright protection. You may have heard that the date of creation for a copyright law can be established by mailing yourself a copy of the work and keeping it in a sealed envelope, but that type of copyright will not stand up in court. The best way to ensure that your work is copyrighted is to register it with the United States Copyright Office. This information is important to all businesses that do video productions.

Knowing the copyright laws will help you if you ever copyright a piece of music or someone uses a piece that you have already copyrighted. If you need to make a video with music overlaid but don’t know how to handle copyright laws, contact us at Fusion 360 for any extra help you might need.

Finding the Right Song for Your Video

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Selecting the right song for your video productions can determine whether or not it will be a success. There is a lot of feeling and soul in music and it can absolutely be what emotionally connects your audience to your video. If you can remember your favorite commercial or online video, you probably remember it and feel a connection to it because of the music that is in it. If you want your video to do the same for others, there are some tips for you to follow.

The first thing that you need to do is figure out what message you want to share with your audience. To determine this, you need to know the purpose of your video. Do you want to educate or entertain your audience? Is it product-based or brand oriented? Is it positive or negative? Is it fast-paced or slow? What is the general feel of the video? For example, for an informative video production video, it is a good idea to go with a quiet and soothing song that will not distract your audience.

The next thing that you need to do is to set the mood of your video through your music choice. Do you want your video to be as intriguing, direct, or positive? You also need to think about how you want your viewers to feel. First of all, you need to write down the feelings that you want to convey with your video to keep you focused and on track. Then you need to search for the right music for your video.

Listening to a few songs before you select the song is another great idea. You can create a playlist and then choose from it. Finally, you should choose an instrumental or vocal song. Having just the right song will complete your video. These tips will help you find just the right song but be sure you are aware of any copyright laws.

For any more video production related needs, Fusion 360 helps businesses produce videos and we can help you as well.