Proliferation

Apr 02
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Utilizing Memes to Increase Engagement

By | content marketing, digital marketing, SEO | No Comments

The new word, “Meme,” is one that you’re going to hear more and more in this day and age, and whether you know about them or not, they engage their viewers. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are littered with memes; you probably scroll past hundreds of them every day. While they might just seem like silly pictures with clever captions, did you know that marketing companies use them to create a better connection between their clients and consumers?

Since memes are so popular today, marketing companies have figured out that they can utilize them to their advantage. If people are going out of their way to look at memes, and if they’re so prominent on social media platforms, why not take those memes and fit them to your brand? Here are some ways you can utilize memes to increase your engagement.

They Act as a Mild Form of Advertising

Advertising isn’t always received in a positive manner, and this generation is finding new ways to block and ignore online ads. However, memes are tailor-made for social media content. This makes your post — or “ad” — feel genuine and therefore easier to engage with, share, and attract more attention with very little effort. This is where companies can capitalize on creativity, or else, they can find themselves suffering in terms of engagement. Marketing companies, for example, take advantage of their appeal — humor and entertainment — and use it as a method of grabbing and retaining the consumers’ attention.

Memes Can Make “Boring” Subjects Entertaining

If you’re looking to connect with a younger audience, memes are going to be your best friend. However, there is one thing that you need to remember before you start creating memes — they HAVE TO be funny. Memes rely heavily on humor, and if you don’t have that in the mix, you’re going to see very little engagement; always aim for the quick laugh.

Something to Look Out For

When you create a meme in the hopes of producing a reaction, they need to be current/relevant to what’s trending, sharable, easy to digest, simple to read, and straight to the point. We can’t emphasize enough that memes have a very short lifespan. They usually come in waves, and you cannot show up late to the party.

Memes are great because they provide a comical value to your brand, which appeals to a large audience. If you’re wanting to add that extra oomph to your social media game, make sure to check out some memes that you could potentially use — just make sure you’re keeping up with what’s in and what’s not.

Apr 01
0

What Frame Rate Should You Film In?

By | content marketing, digital marketing, video production | No Comments

It’s become standard for video production companies to shoot their videos at 24 frames per second, but are there other frame rates that you can utilize to make sure that you create the best quality video possible? It’s been known in the video production world that this number is used because it’s the best way to give your video a more cinematic look.

Surprisingly, shooting in this frame rate is actually an old cinema method that’s been used for decades. So, that answers the question, why? There’s no reason that video production companies should even bother shooting in other frame rates, right? While this frame rate might work for a majority of video productions, there are a few occasions where recording a video in other frame rates is a more viable option. Here are some situations where you’ll want to shoot using a frame rate other than 24 frames per second.

Shooting Animations

Classic animators had to draw all their animations by hand, which is why they opted to shoot their animations at 12 frames per second. If you’re wanting to shoot classic style animations, you’re going to want to shoot at said 12 frames per second.

Sitcom and Commercial Style

Thirty frames per second is going to be your best friend if you’re wanting to shoot something that mimics a home movie or sitcom. While video productions shot at 60 frames per second, the previous standard shot at 30 fps. Many video production companies would agree that shooting at 30 or 60 fps allows the shot to feel a little more smooth and capture personal interaction better. For that reason, some commercials are also shot at 60 fps to capture the emotion.

Live Action and Sports

Sports and other live action broadcasts require slow-motion, which needs to be shot at a much higher fps. To see the sideline catch of a football game or if a players toe was on the 3-point line at a basketball game, cameras will need to be able to shoot up to at least 120 or 240 frames per second. More recently, these sporting events are shooting at an astounding 300 frames per second to capture super slow-motion shots.

Video production companies use different frame rates for different video productions, and it’s important for you to know which frame rate will work best for you. If this guide hasn’t answered all your questions, or if you’re just looking for a reliable video production company to help you with your next project, give us a call.

Sources:

Choosing Proper FPS for Shooting on Different Occasions

Learn how to choose the best frame rate for your videos in just 10 minutes

 

Mar 31
0

Cameras Used for Video Productions

By | content marketing, SEO, video production | No Comments

With visual images at an all-time high, cameras are used now more than ever before. News broadcasts, live sporting events, YouTube videos and brand films all call for different types of cameras, and the thing is, if you are not apart of a video production company, you may have no idea what kind of cameras are used for the variety of productions you watch. Here is a short list of all the different types of cameras that are used in video productions.

**Disclaimer — we are specifically talking about cameras that video production companies use to shoot brand videos, interviews and commercials, not news broadcasts, live sporting events or movies**

DSLR

The most common camera that video production companies use is a DSLR, or a Digital Single-Lens Reflex. Anyone that is starting to create their own videos will want to use a DSLR. There are different types of DSLR cameras but they ultimately have the same function: the ability to grab the subject of a shot with a sharp focus. Usually, DSLRs focus on the forefront of a shot because they do not have a great depth field but can capture high-quality images on the area they are focused on. In order to record the shot they need, video production companies will apply different lenses that give them the depth they need.

Hybrid DSLR

The hybrid version of DSLR cameras differs in quite a few ways. Rather than having to constantly adjust the focus on a regular DSLR, hybrids have a greater depth of field and can keep focus on different subjects within a shot. With a larger depth of field, hybrids are also able to zoom in on subjects a lot better than regular DSLRs. Further, hybrids have more storage on their device; DSLRs have around 15 minutes of total recording life. While the hybrid seems a little more user-friendly with its greater depth and longer recording life, it does not perform as well. Don’t take this wrong, hybrids can still capture amazing images, but they have a smaller sensor than a DSLR and therefore do not do as good in lower light.

Live Sensor

These cameras are like DSLRs but perform more like video cameras. They give you more functions, like extended recordings that go beyond 30 minutes and the use of a microphone.

Drones

To continue to show that there are different types of cameras based on the video’s purposes, we will briefly discuss drones as well. Video production companies use drones for great sweeping shots that give you an aerial viewpoint. Drones give your video a setting or place of reference, as well as more motion. Just like the DSLR cameras, there are a wide array of drones that you can use.

Conclusion

These four cameras are just several different types that are utilized when making promotional videos for other businesses, but there are even more cameras out there that are used for movies and live events. If you are looking for a video production company to help you produce a video, contact us at Fusion 360. We have the expertise and experience you need when using cameras like these.

Mar 30
0

From the Storyboard to the Big Screen

By | Utah, video production | No Comments

As you sit and watch your favorite movie or TV show, you probably don’t think about how much work or planning was put into creating it. How long did it take them to film? How difficult was the editing process? Who came up with the idea or script? Depending on the type of film, video production companies spend a good amount of time planning, filming and editing. From the storyboard to the big screen, here’s how your favorite videos and movies are made.

Pre-Production

Although you might think that a good film starts with a storyboard, this step actually comes a little bit later in the pre-production stage. Before a storyboard is created, there are a few other things that need to be decided first.

Even before video production companies start coming up with video ideas, they have to determine both their budget as well as their goals. The topic of a video will depend on what you want to achieve. Production companies have to decide if they want to increase brand awareness or perhaps improve engagement. Once they know what their marketing goals are, they then start brainstorm ideas that will help meet those goals.

Once there’s an idea, its time to start writing a script. After the script is written, producers have a good idea of what shots they will need. This is also when they create their storyboards.

The last step in the pre-production phase is figuring out equipment, locations, talent and when to shoot.

Production

Now that all the necessary planning is done, it’s time to start production. This is where storyboards and shot lists come in handy. An important step is making sure the cameras and lights are all set up properly before filming starts so that the footage doesn’t get messed up.

One thing that all video production companies do is get B-roll footage. B-roll is basically any footage without subjects in it. When editing a film, B-roll can come in handy when trying to establish the setting or even when you need to add some length or extra scenes to a film.

Post Production

After everything has been filmed, its time to take it to the post-production phase. Now, editing isn’t just piecing the clips together and adding some music behind it. Many of the aspects you love in your favorite movies are created in post.

Editing starts by importing the footage into a video editing software and then sorting and labeling it so it’s easy to find. Then, the editor will start making cuts and piecing the footage together.

At this point, it’s time to add sound. If there are going to be any voice-overs, now is the time to record and add these to the film. When adding music, editors need to make sure it matches the tone of the film and is at the right volume.

Just as you would edit a photo to get the colors right, video production companies like to color correct their films. You want the colors to appear as rich as possible as well as all the clips to match, so colorists will come in and play with the colors on a few clips to make them all match.

Another key part of this stage is creating graphics and text. Many video production companies prefer using motion graphics in their video to animate their logo or any text they are adding.

Once the editing process is finished, it’s time to export and publish the video. Where producers display their final product is dependent on how it will contribute to their marketing goals.

As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into creating a quality video. If you are wanting some video content for your company but don’t have the time or resources to create it, give us a call here at Fusion 360, an award-winning video production company.

Mar 29
0

Bizarre Terms for Normal Things

By | Utah, video production | No Comments

Just like any other industry, filmmaking comes with its own unique vocabulary. Amongst the odd terms and references you’ll hear when working with video production companies, you might think one thing means something, but it will mean the complete opposite or even something that wouldn’t make sense. The thing about these bizarre terms is that almost everybody who works in video production companies knows what they mean, and they actually act as a rite of passage that every filmmaker must go through.

So, if you’re new to the world of video production or just want to know what everyone on set is talking about, here are some of the most bizarre terms for objects and people that you might find while you’re working with video production companies.

A “Baby”

When you hear “I need a baby,” or “can somebody get me a baby?” while on set, it might seem a bit odd. Video production companies don’t actually use human babies for their video production projects, they’re referring to a small set of tripod legs. These small tripods allow filmmakers to put their cameras closer to the ground, allowing for low-angle shots.

A “Cheese Plate”

This one can be especially tricky if you’re on set and you happen to be hungry, but when someone asks for a “cheese plate,” you’re going to be disappointed when they bring out a metal plate with holes in it. This piece of equipment serves as a multipurpose utility bracket that comes in various shapes and sizes. They’re oftentimes used to create camera rings.

A “Dead Cat”

No need to panic, when a videographer asks for a “dead cat,” they want a fuzzy cover that goes around the end of a boom mic in order to block out wind distortion. The reason they call this accessory a “dead cat” is because the fuzzy exterior makes it look like a cat.

A “C-47”

When you hear the word “C-47,” you might think of an advanced camera, a high-end mic, or a fancy lens, however, a C-47 to a video production company refers to… a clothespin. Yes, that’s right, the term that originally comes from a C-47 aircraft is used in the world of video production to refer to a clothespin. There still isn’t a clear answer as to why this is, but most people say that it’s because of the item’s versatility.

These terms are…peculiar, we know. If you aren’t apart of the video production world, it’s perfectly normal if you are left scratching their head, but if you want to understand what’s happening on a set, be sure to learn everything you can about all the bizarre film terms.

Mar 28
0

A Guide to Visual Content Marketing

By | content marketing, SEO, Utah | No Comments

A study by Social Media Chimps has shown that 83 percent of learning occurs visually, thus visual content is arguably the most important form of content out there ⎯ it’s more digestible and more memorable. That’s why the most efficient way to get people’s attention today is by creating the best visual content possible. Marketing companies across the nation know this and utilize visual content in order to thrive in our digital world.

With that being said, marketing companies have to ensure that they’re not just creating content blindly but following a strategy or guideline that will ensure their content’s success. If brands really want to connect with their audience and draw in new consumers, they have to be efficient with their content creation. Here is a quick guide to visual content marketing and how you can achieve marketing success through powerful, engaging visuals.

Some Quick Facts

In 2018, 500 online marketers participated in a survey about how visual content influences their marketing strategies, and below are the following results:

  • 45% of the surveyed marketers said 91-100% of their content contained visuals
  • 56% said that they used visuals in their content 100% of the time
  • 88% said that they used visuals in more than half of the articles that they published.

The visual content that these marketers said they use are as follows:

  • Stock photography — 40% of content
  • Original graphics — 37% of content
  • Charts and data visuals — 12% of content
  • Videos and presentations — 7% of content
  • Gifs and memes- 4% of content

How Do You Create Efficient Visual Content

Not far behind stock photography, original infographics are a huge chunk of what makes up a brand’s visual content. But, how do you make sure that your content is unique and effective? Well, here are some characteristics of great visual content:

Appeal: Visual content needs to be attractive and presentable; it needs to be stimulating for the consumer, otherwise, they’ll be put off and take their attention elsewhere.

Comprehension: Our mind is designed to interpret visual information with minimal effort and almost instantaneously, so if your audience is having a hard time understanding your content, you may be doing something wrong. An MIT study conducted in 2014 found that the brain can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds — crazy fast!

Retention: Memorable content is good content, and if you can get the content to stick in your consumer’s mind, you’re on your way to visual excellence.

Your visual content should meet these basic quotas if you’re going to want to be a leader in your industry, and marketing companies are always ready to help you make that happen. If you’re looking for one of the best marketing companies, give us a call here at Fusion 360.

Mar 27
0

The Importance of an SSL

By | content marketing, digital marketing, Utah | No Comments

Unless you’re a web developer, you might not know what an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is or why it’s so important for a website. Marketing companies and their web devs know that SSL’s are a standard but crucial security technology that helps brands establish an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link makes sure that all of the data that is passed between the server and the browser stays private.

An SSL not only benefits marketing companies and their clients, but it helps your visitor’s data remain safe and secure. If your website doesn’t have a trusted SSL running on your servers, you’re putting your consumers at risk. Now that you know the basics of what an SSL is and why it’s important, here are some more in-depth reasons as to how your website will benefit from an SSL.

Website Authentication

When visitors visit your site and see that you have a valid SSL certificate, it proves to them that their connection with your website is secured, which will make them feel safe. There’s nothing sketchier than visiting a website that doesn’t have a secure connection; it makes you feel as if your data is at risk of a breach, oftentimes turning off potential consumers from your site.

Website Integrity

An SSL also ensures that none of the transmitted data is being altered. The SSL on a website uses algorithms that allow parties to verify that any and all information received by the site is complete and intact. From websites to emails, they help protect your personal data online and make browsing the web that much safer.

Confidentiality

Some people might be paranoid about visiting new websites because of the possibilities of a security breach. Most people have everything on their computers, from important documents to their financial information, so they’re right to want to avoid taking any risks, especially if a potential consumer sees that a website connection is not secure.

An SSL will ensure that not a single byte of data that is exchanged between you and the server can be intercepted. This is all thanks to the strong algorithms used for encryption. Strong algorithms that marketing companies can help set up when working on your website.

SSL is essential for websites today, and it is widely used throughout the internet. If you’re still a bit confused about anything that has to do with an SSL, give us a call at Fusion 360. Our talented web development team is ready to help secure your website and ensure your customers’ online security, and when it comes to trustworthy marketing companies, we’re one of the best.

Mar 26
0

5 Ways Brands Can Get More Personal with Their Customers

By | content marketing, digital marketing, Utah | No Comments

The success of modern marketing today relies heavily on how a brand interacts with its customers. If a brand doesn’t take the time to get personal with their current consumer base, they’ll fail to see any growth as a business and might even lose some loyal customers to competitors — these days, it’s all about how you can make your customers feel important. Marketing companies exist to help brands achieve this personal attachment with their customers, and they know what it takes to help these brands successfully engage with their audience.

Here are five of the most effective ways to get more personal with your customers, and how improving your customer satisfaction will help you achieve significant growth as a business.

Offer Your Customers Real Value

Marketing companies know that if you want to genuinely engage with your customers, you have to lead with content, not products. If you want to get personal with your customers, you have to gain their trust first, and that starts by providing them with something of value.

Be Responsive

Another way to gain your customers’ trust and get more personal with them is by engaging in constant dialogue with them when it comes to any issues they may encounter while using your product or service. You should also make sure to keep the conversation going from the initial interaction, because these are the interactions that are going to grow your audience.

Respect Consumers’ Privacy

Consumers will most likely be freaked out and even put off from your brand if they see that you’ve obtained any outside information without consent. The best way marketing companies can get more personal with customers is by being completely transparent and up-front about data privacy and personalization practices.

Showcase your Strengths

Customers will want to get more personal with a brand that can show them what sets them apart from the competition. What is it that makes your brand so valuable? Why should the customer choose you over the competitor? Being able to answer these questions and leveraging your talent will bring in new consumers, as well as solidify the loyalty of your current customers. Marketing companies like Fusion 360 are ready to help show your customers, as well as your competitors, why you’re the leader in your industry.

Practice Great Storytelling

It’s going to take more than irrelevant pop-ups and interruptive ads to build a personal connection with your customers. Top brands like Apple and Microsoft use compelling storytelling and engaging presentations to build that trust with their customers, and your brand should do the same. Your business should be honest about the value that they can offer a consumer as well as what your company stands for. Even if it means not pleasing everybody, your brand should focus on attracting the right customers.

Getting personal with your customers and building strong relationships with them is the best way to ensure your brand’s success, and marketing companies are the best way to achieve that. If you’re looking for help with your customer engagement, don’t hesitate to contact us at Fusion 360. We’re ready to elevate your digital marketing game.

Mar 22
0

Agency vs. In-House Advertising: Which One is Best for You

By | advertising, content marketing, marketing | No Comments

One of the biggest question that brand ask themselves is, “should we hire an agency or just build an in-house advertising team?” This may be one of the most important decisions that your company can make. Each option comes with their advantages but ultimately, this decision comes down to your budget and your workload.

So, if you’re trying to decide whether or not advertising or even marketing companies are a good investment, take a look at some of the comparisons we’ve put together in this blog to help you make a decision.

Building an In-House Team

First, we’ll start with the benefits of building your own in-house team. One of the major benefits of hiring an in-house marketing team over marketing companies is that they are a great way to maximize marketing output toward company targets. In-house teams are more capable of focusing on your consumer base 100 percent, since the team works exclusively for your brand, while marketing companies tend to focus on various different clients at any given time.

In-house teams are often described as “efficient revenue machines”, as they minimize the number of communication steps between all aspects of the campaign, which leads to faster completion times and more effective communication, which can greatly improve the quality of your brand’s work.

While building your own in-house team might seem like the way to go, you have to remember that you’re going to have to pay salaries, might have to do some training and you’ll have to invest in the resources that your team will need.

Hiring an Advertising Agency

If you’re on a tight budget, hiring marketing companies might be in your best interest; hiring an agency is the best way to get trained industry experts working on your advertising. Your brand relies on the employee’s expertise, and if you hire an advertising agency, they’re bound to put in a mass amount of time and effort into your marketing¾ time and effort that your team will now have to focus on other tasks.

As mentioned prior, marketing companies work with several different clients, and while that might mean that they can’t focus on your business 100 percent of the time, you can be confident in the fact that this alone gives them knowledge in what the best practices across the industry are, which will benefit you in the sense that they’ll. Create amazing work for your brand.

Agencies are also a great financial decision as they will cost you a fixed cost, as opposed to the salaries you’d have to pay if you built an in-home team.

If you’re looking to save money and work with experienced marketing teams that will help your vision come to life, you’re better of hiring marketing companies like Fusion 360 to help you with your advertising needs. Give us a call today to see how we can benefit your brand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 21
0

The Process of Storyboarding for a Brand Video

By | advertising, video production | No Comments

Storyboarding, to video producers, is what script writing is to writers; while they still use the script to create a project, producers rely heavily on storyboarding to make sure that every scene comes out as planned. If you’re not too familiar with what storyboarding is, it’s essentially a sequence of images that represent the intended shots of a film. Storyboards show filmmakers exactly how a scene should be shot and framed and what camera movements will be used.

Completed storyboards should give a clear, accurate idea of how certain shots will work together, and they should be easily understood by everyone on the crew, not just the filmmaker. Now that we’ve touched on the structure of a storyboard, here is the process that video production companies follow when it comes to storyboarding.

Decide What the Goal of the Storyboard Is

Video production companies need to determine what the main goal of their brand video will be. Whether their looking to convey a brand message, promote a product or service, or simply tell the story of how a company came to be, they need to have a goal in mind.

Creating a Rough Draft

Before anything, a rough draft of the storyboard should be created. There are multiple reasons as to why video production companies start with paper first. First off, it’s much faster than trying to create some high-end mockup. This allows for the cooperation of the various teams within video production companies, such as the writers, editors and producers. Of course, designers are going to be the ones who create the final version of the storyboard, but everyone should contribute to the brainstorming. Too often, companies get caught up with trying to create something too complex, but everyone needs to remember that it is just a rough draft.

Reviewing the Rough Draft with the Team

After the rough draft has been created, the team should then review it together to see if the main message is headed in the right direction. From there, that message needs to be seen flowing well throughout each and every scene. When the team takes time to review the storyboard together, it’s easier to access what’s working and what isn’t. Different opinions can help target areas that need improvement and can reinforce strong points in a storyboard.

Getting Started on the Final Product

Once the final changes have been made to the rough draft, video production companies can start working on getting the final product created. Designers are in charge of taking the paper draft and inputting it into programs like illustrator to create a visual masterpiece.

There are several steps that go into the storyboarding process, and video production companies know that they’re all crucial in creating the best video possible. If you’re in need of a professional production agency to help you storyboard your next brand video, give us a call here at Fusion 360 Studios.