Proliferation

May 28
0

Careers in Video Production

By | advertising, Brand marketing, Utah, Video, video production | No Comments

Video productions is one of those industries where there are so many different fun occupations that someone can find themselves involved in. However, outside of the director, actor/actress, cameraman, editors and other commonly known positions, many people outside of video productions don’t see all the possibilities within the field. In reality, there are jobs that entail work up to the last fine detail of a video or film. For example, video production companies hire individuals for things like on-set prop design, but then they are also accompanied by a lot of assisting positions that are in charge of actually finding and purchasing those props. Additionally, there are other jobs that need to be filled for costume design, lighting, make-up, architecture, animation, storyboarding, casting, microphones, sound effects, video effects, and more!

Just one video production company can provide dozens of individuals different career paths. Below is a short list of a few of the different positions based on the different departments. 

*SIDENOTE: these categories may differ from one video production company to another — our list is equally subjective*

WRITING TEAM

We won’t get into this quasi-group too much partly because there’s not much more to it, and it’s difficult to really place them into any other group. Anyone with a creative mind and a knack for storytelling can be a screenwriter or scriptwriter. However, these roles are crucial to the overall success of a video production company and film.

ART TEAM

Within the art team, production designers and art directors have to come up with the storyboard and overall on-screen visual of buildings, landscapes, interiors, props and more. In order to do this, there are A LOT of positions. To list a few, you have the set decorator, costume designer, set costumers, special effects coordinator, makeup artists, hair stylists, barbers, etc. These positions are supposed to make everything on a set look exactly as the director and writers intend them to look.

PRODUCTION TEAM

The main production portion of a film or video really can be broken up into a lot of subgroups that deal with the cameras, lighting, audio and more. You don’t necessarily have to be a cameraman in order to be apart of a video production company, you can be a specialist with microphones or the dimness of the lighting. These different production positions usually consist of chief light technicians, regular lighting technicians, gaffers, boom operators, sound mixers, sound utility, camera operators, camera assistants, and camera loaders.

EDITING TEAM

Apart of the post-production stage, there are multiple editing teams that focus on piecing every shot together. There are lead editors that cut all the shots and put them together with the correct audio clips as well. For audio alone, there are music editors, re-recorders, sound effects specialists, Foley artists, Foley mixers, mix technicians, mix engineers, and more. After the audio and main editing, there are also animators and video effects supervisors, coordinators and technicians.

OTHER

Beyond all of these positions are the other jobs that still need to be filled in order to have everything run smoothly and legally. There are office coordinators and assistants, travel coordinators, financial accounts, and of course, casting associates and assistants.

A career in video productions does not necessarily mean that you have to be a producer, director, actor/actress, cameraman, or editor. If you love movies or simply the film industry, you can find a variety of different occupations within a video production company. To get a job in this industry, you simply have to build your skills, share them with others, start applying, and then get involved as much as you can!

May 27
0

Why You Need a Brand Film #2

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

Traditional marketing efforts aren’t as effective as they once were, and video production companies know that in order to stay relevant in the evolving world of digital media, they have to push out projects that will wow an audience. What’s the best way to do this? Well, through a brand film, of course. Video production companies are focusing their efforts on creating brand films for their clients, as this is the best way to truly connect with your target audience.

Brand films provide a unique and effective way of connecting with your customers both visually and effectively, and they help bring your brand to life. So, with that being said, here are several reasons that video productions will tell you that you need a brand film.

They Help Achieve a Stronger ROI

If you want to generate both leads and revenue, brand films are going to be the way to go. Inbound marketing in the form of brand films costs 62 percent less than traditional outbound marketing, and if your brand film features a clear non-sales driven call-to-action, you’ll gain the attention of new and existing customers more efficiently. One way to really make your brand film that much more effective is by making it interactive content. Social media, dedicated webpages and microsites can also help increase the reach and lifespan of your video.

To Take a Complex Idea and Simplify It

Your audience needs to be able to understand your call-to-action, which is why video production companies focus on distilling new, complex ideas into shareable ideas. Brands need to be able to provide a clear yet compelling explanation to an issue they are trying to resolve, and a brand film is one of the best ways to simplify the information you’re trying to get across to your audience. When video production companies use brand films to explain a complex idea in a simple way, you’ll find that customers will grasp the information more efficiently.

They Provide Your Customers with Meaningful Content

Brand films help you avoid having to rely too heavily on promotional posts. Instead, they provide your customers with content about topics that inspires them and helps them find you naturally. Video production companies will take information that is relevant to the customer and create a video that appeals to them and lead them naturally to your site.

Brand films are crucial if you want to succeed in today’s competitive market, and video production companies are the best way to ensure that you create a brand film that will really help your business make a difference. If you’re in need of a professional agency to help get your brand film noticed by the general public, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios. We’ll create a brand film that is sure to impress both new and existing customers, keeping you at the top of your industry.

May 25
0

How to Measure Social Media Success

By | advertising, Brand marketing, Utah | No Comments

Companies are turning to social media marketing companies more and more in order to help them build their online presence. The problem is, while it is nice to have someone take over your social media accounts, how can you tell if they are doing a good job? There are a lot of self-proclaimed “social media marketing companies” out there but what credibility do they have? Besides posting content and making your Instagram page look pretty, are they making a difference for you?

Obviously you want your accounts to be well organized and aesthetically pleasing, but when it comes down to it, there really are two indicators to look at for your social media success: growth and traffic.

Growth

Measuring your social accounts’ growth is tricky and sometimes misleading, but there is merit to looking at the numbers. It is easy to worry about your success if it doesn’t seem like there is any increase in your following, but growth doesn’t always mean increase. With social media, retaining your followers is hard enough, especially when you start posting more. However, when we talk about growth, we also mean broadening your reach.

Social media is a road in which customers and potential customers can come in contact with your company, and as such, you want to be on that road in order to interact with these individuals. That’s why, even though seeing an increase in your following is great and something to aim for, it is not the only indicator in terms of growth. Your analytics can show you how many impressions you are making with people that don’t follow you, and if those numbers are where you want them to be, then you should be celebrating that success.

Traffic

To go along with the road analogy, it’s one thing to make impressions and interact with potential customers, but it’s another thing entirely if you can get those individuals to exit from their current road and head over to your company’s website or account. Social media marketing companies end goal should always be creating more traffic to your landing pages.

It is nice if your social media accounts are creating a good reputation for your brand’s name through its reach and growth, but the real aim is to get eyes on your products. The better you navigate individuals from their social media platform to your online purchasing or inquiry pages, the more successful your social media efforts are. Again, take a look at the analytics and make sure that the numbers are where you want them to be.

Fusion 360

If you are struggling to find growth and an increase in traffic to your company’s website, consider hiring a professional social media marketing company. While there are plenty of freelance phonies, you can find the social media marketing company you need with just a little research. Check out Fusion 360 Agency today and contact us if everything we do checks out for you!

May 24
0

The Best Marketing Strategies for a Startup

By | advertising, Brand marketing, Utah | No Comments

Everyone has to start somewhere, and while startup companies face various challenges, the right marketing strategies can help your business go a long way. You might be thinking that the best marketing strategies come from expensive marketing companies, but a lot of the times these strategies can come at little to no cost; you just have to be able to come up with them and put in the work.

If you’re currently working on building your startup company and you don’t know where to start in terms of marketing strategies, we here at Fusion 360 Agency have come up with the perfect list of marketing strategies for the ambitious startup. Here are some strategies that you could implement into your marketing plan.

Identify Who You Target Audience Is

This might sound like an obvious one, but so many companies forgo doing research on who they should be marketing to, which can be detrimental to a company’s success. Before you do anything, you’re going to have to decide who you are going to sell your products or services to. This research can be broken down into four different categories: geographical, demographic, psychographic and behavioral.

Utilize Content Marketing and SEO Tactics

While marketing companies are experts when it comes to content marketing and SEO, this is a strategy that you can easily utilize. As far as content marketing goes, all you need is an on-site blog that contains content that you add to each week. Within this on-site blog, you should post infographics, written content and videos that inform or entertain your readers in a unique and practical way. By inserting SEO keywords and other practices into this content, you should see significant growth in your SEO score and overall online presence.

SEO may seem complex, but all it is is implementing trending keywords into your content to help you rank higher on search engines. Online tools like Moz’s Keyword Explorer can help you find the appropriate keywords for your brand.

Email Marketing

It is believed that email marketing can yield up to a 400 percent ROI, and it is one of the most cost-efficient marketing strategies to date. Marketing companies still utilize this method because of these reasons, making it a great and viable option for startups.

Social Media Marketing

If you put in the time, social media marketing can help you achieve great success. Though not something you can do casually, social media marketing is freely available and is a great, affordable and effective method for startup companies. Marketing companies establish profiles for their clients on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to help them connect with their audience.

These are the best marketing strategies for startups because they are affordable and easy to do on your own. But, if you’re looking for a marketing company that can do all of this for you, give us a call here at Fusion 360 Agency. That way you can focus on growing your business in other ways, while we provide you with some of the above-mentioned services.

 

May 22
0

The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising

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

Some people think that marketing and advertising are the same thing. Others know that they are different but don’t know exactly how to differentiate between the two. If you’re struggling to grasp the differences between advertising and marketing, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Marketing companies across the nation know that in order to put your business on the path to success, you have to be able to know the difference between the two and do your market research. Do this and you’ll see your company reach new heights.

So what’s the best way to finally grasp the differences between the two? We here at Fusion 360 wrote this blog to help you understand how marketing and advertising differ, and yet the work together to bring your company the success you’re working toward.

Marketing Has Various Components

Marketing is comprised of systematic planning, implementation and a mix of activities intended to bring buyers and sellers together. Marketing companies like to think of marketing as a step-by-step process that begins with a proposition for your clients and customers — this is just the first step.

As simple as this comparison is, think of marketing as a pie. The marketing “pie” can be divided into categories — or “slices” — such as advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, community relations, customer support and an effective sales strategy. As you can see, the work that marketing companies do is comprised of different strategies and techniques, and each element, while separate in category and execution, work together to fulfill one unified marketing campaign.

Advertising is Just One Slice of the Pie

As mentioned above, advertising falls into the categories that make up the marketing “pie.” This is the most obvious difference between the two. An advertisement is any announcement that acts to persuade an audience by conveying a message crafted by a company, organization, or person to existing and potential customers or a non-profit member base.

This “slice of the pie” is a component of marketing, and when combined with the other marketing techniques, it helps a brand achieve marketing success! That is, if the campaign is properly planned and executed.

At the end of the day, the main difference between advertising and marketing is that advertising is just one cog in the machine that is marketing. If you’re looking into investing in a marketing company to help you bring your campaign to life, make sure to give us a call here at Fusion 360 — our award-winning team is ready to help take your business to the next level.

May 21
0

Paid vs. Unpaid Actors

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

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

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

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

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

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.