Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hi Everyone. Well – In[Focus[ is nearly upon us. Over two hundred filmmakers and videographers and people who make wedding videos of all kinds are going to descend on a historical city that will be abuzz with the focus on picking a new republican leader. Clearly they don't know that Steve Moses will be too busy taking notes from Ray Roman, to be considered for a presidential nomination. (Moses/Palin in 2016!!)

I can't put into words how much attending In[Focus] in 2010 did for our business. Over three days in that hotel ballroom we formed relationships that we will probably have for life. Before that first In[Focus], we owned one HDV camera, we did all our editing using Final Cut Express and we were lucky to get 100 blog visits PER MONTH!!!!

We set some massive goals at In[Focus] that were huge! It was the middle of Winter (in Canada) and we told ourselves that we would be doing Same Day Edits using DSLRs before the end of the year. Well, we sold our XH-A1 (at a profit) a few weeks later. We leased a 5D and three prime lenses. We then bought a MacBook Pro and Final Cut Pro.  I have no idea how and where we got the money (ahem: thanks God) – but needless to say – things started to explode for us. We started to do things right. The number of visits to our blog went through the roof. We have In[Focus] to thank for our business being as successful as it is today and I can’t tell you enough how excited that makes me feel.

Now it’s your turn.  You might be just getting started (like we were a few years ago). Or maybe you’re a veteran and you want a jolt.  This is what I believe to be an incredibly unique opportunity for you and there are a few things you can do to make it as amazing as it was for us.

1) This is an education (not just a great excuse to party). Treat it that way. Make sure you get your butt out of bed after your late night karaoke and show up for the presentations. So many people missed out because they would sleep in past the first set of speakers.  Trust me when I say -as a speaker – you notice the people who show up late – and when you have questions later that were discussed while you were snuggling your hotel pillow – it might be hard for someone to spare time for your questions, when you didn’t spare time for their presentation. (don’t worry – there will still be plenty of time to party)

2) This is an opportunity for YOU. You need to muster up the courage and confidence in yourself to introduce yourself to others. Yes we have all met most each other online – but go up to people and make new friends. Be intentional about it. Set a goal that by the end of the day to have a meaningful discussion with at least 5 people. It’s one thing to exchange business cards – but it’s another to be able to get to know people so well that you can count on each other for support.

3) Be honest and admit areas you suck at. This is huge. You will be waisting your trip if you don’t attack issues head on that you’re facing and seek out advice from others. And listen when people give you advice, even if you do not agree with them, show them the respect and take it all in. Then decide when you get back what you’ll act on.

4) Leave the laptops closed. Honestly – this is big for me. When I walk around rooms at conferences regardless of the content (we film a few for others and I also speak at our local college once or twice each year) – I see people with their laptops open browsing either Facebook or Twitter or MSN or GMAIL or Yahoo Sports or Victoria’s Secret – all of these are not allowing you to focus on the education being provided. If you must use your laptop to take notes because you can’t read your own hand-writing, promise that you’ll leave WIFI off and not turn it back on even on breaks – as these are perfect times to do items 2 and 3.

5) Make a to-do list. I picked this tip up from our Business Coach and friend Donna Douglas. This will be a list of items you will accomplish over the next few months. On a sheet of paper write down #1 to #10 (or #50, or #100 if you are being really ambitious) then during presentations, if you hear a great business or filmmaking tip that makes you think “man I gotta do that as soon as I get home!” write it on your list. This way you will collect all your great ideas and inspirations in one place. Then when you get back to your office, post that list up beside your computer and get to work on accomplishing as many of those things as possible.

6) As much as you can – stick with the group. Invite yourselves to the group dinners. If you hear of people saying they are going somewhere in the evening, invite yourself along! This is how you will also do items 2 and 3 – just don’t forget about #1 and get back in time for a few hours of sleep BEFORE the presentations start (not during).

7) Don’t get arrested or do anything too liberal around the republicans because there will be secret service, and they likely will shoot you.

Please stop us and say hello because we can’t wait to meet all of you!

Event filmmaking is all about the storytelling. The stories that we tell are all made up of smaller story sequences. When shooting a story sequence, one must anticipate the action. A good storyteller will be on their toes all day.

Questions to consider while shooting…

• Where’s the action headed?
• Where do I need to position myself to be in the right spot?
• What shots do I need to shoot to get me from point A to point B?
• What do I need to shoot to get the most story out of this scenario?

As you are shooting, one must constantly ask themselves, “Does this tell a story?” If it doesn’t, move on to something that does. You only have so much time during a live event shoot to get what you need. Don’t waste time shooting things that don’t matter.

While practicing effective story shooting you’ll come to realize that you’ll actually shoot less and edit less, but your films with be richer than ever before. Stay alert and focus on what matters.

I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on how you achieve the most story from your shoots. Please comment below.

This videolog is a quick overview of what you need to know about attending In[Focus]. See you in Charleston!

A few months ago I was in a consultation with a couple when we started talking about their vision for their wedding film.  Eventually, we chatted about why they wanted to meet with me and potentially hire us to be their Wedding Cinematographers. One of the main reasons is because we had an “About Us” tab on our website in which we identified exactly why we were qualified to be their Wedding Cinematographer. I laughed and asked “Are you serious?” and they said “Yes! No one talks about their qualifications or that they were capable of being entrusted with documenting our memories.”

They noted that Jeff (my husband and co-owner) was an Emmy Award Winning News Videographer and that Sales and Marketing was my expertise. They also loved that there were photos of us & our team on our website. They felt connected to us already and they felt like they knew who they were getting on their wedding day.

Later that night I started poking around online and quickly realized that this couple was right – many Wedding Cinematographers do not have an “About Me” tab or “Our Story” section of their website, and if they did, it talked mostly about that they liked Starbucks Lattes and how well they got along with their dog. It said nothing about their journey and their relevant qualifications.

I get it!  It’s hard to write about yourself and you don’t want to seem like you are bragging – but in truth, you are applying for a job each and every day. If a potential client is browsing your website and this is the only introduction they are going to have of you, then for the love of Pete, SELL YOURSELF!!!

If you are lacking this critical section of information on your website here are the “must haves” to do a rock star job of selling yourself without sounding like Braggy McBraggerson.

1. Add an “About Us” “About Me” “Who We Are” “Our Story” section to your website. Call it whatever tickles your fancy but you need to have a landing spot for potential clients to learn about who you are and what you are about.

2. Talk about your work history and what you did before becoming a Wedding Cinematographer. Did you have a video camera in your hand since the age of 14? Did you shoot Television News for 10 years? Even if all of the work history isn’t video related, it’s probably a great story. Everyone loves a good story and that story will be a part of what draws a couple to you…but you’ve got to tell them about it…on your website!

3. Explain how you got your start as a Wedding Cinematographer. Did a friend ask you to shoot their wedding? Did you 2nd shoot for someone and find your passion? How long have you been doing this?

Most of us have a really fun and interesting story about how we got into this, so TELL IT! Part of the “Serendipity” story is how we love the movie Serendipity and the actor John Cusack and I always find that couples are smiling when I relate this to them.

4. Make it personal. Have a spot that talks about what you do when you aren’t shooting weddings. Do you have a spouse? Kids? Hobbies? Talk about them. It will help the couple connect with you. Who knows, maybe the groom went to the same college as you or maybe you grew up in the next town over. All of these details create connections and connections create opportunities. Opportunities turns into sales!!

5. Finally…. Have a decent and professional headshot!!! We work in the visual aesthetics business, yet we have some of the most horrific photos floating around out there. I get it… You like to stay behind the camera, but people please!!!! You are applying for a job here!!! You have enough photographer contacts trade for a decent photo session. You want potential couples to know that you are easy on the eyes and and that you have got your stuff together…You are not going to show up on their wedding day in a wife beater and jeans.

People have the desire to form connections. Brides want to hire people that are like themselves. Communicate who you are, how you got here, and why you are perfect for their wedding day, and you will not only attract potential clients, but the TYPE of clients that you want to attract. When you do this, by the time that they meet with you the deal is already half way done.

“Green” with envy over your friends super slick packaging? Thinking “gosh, that’s cool, but I really don’t want to spend that much per piece!” Introducing the best kept secret in wedding packaging … Kraft and Jute!

Kraft and Jute is a Pennsylvania based company making simple, beautiful eco-friendly packaging solutions catered to fit your business needs. Their main focus is for photographers, but many of their products I’ve used for wedding films. They have also customized products I’ve sketched on napkins and helped them design!

For what they offer, their price point per piece is very fair. Their customer service is off the charts and their facebook page is loaded with images of products. You will want one of everything when you are done browsing their online store. The best part is, you can dress up or dress down the “eco friendly” kraft look to be more modern or more earthy. It’s really a versitile style that many companies could implement… just see for yourself.

Filmed by my “high school  helper” Alex (more about interns/helpers in this post, here.)

Images and Stitching Video Clips by Kraft and Jute. Follow them on Facebook here, and Twitter here.

Music provided by: The Music Bed (Untitled by Ben Rector)

First. Yes. I think I’m hilarious. Second – this post does have relevant information for you to connote. Ok. That was the last one.

Contra deals are simply trading your services for someone else’s product or services so that both parties are happy – and typically actual money is not involved in the deal.

Contra can help when you need something and might not be able to afford it. It can also help when someone else wants what you offer but can’t pay you in actual cash – but can do something for you that could be useful to you or your business.

Contra can also be good for connecting with potential partners which will help to grow your network.

We have had both good and bad experiences with Contra deals.  We have had some deals that have worked out very well for both parties and we have also had experiences where we have felt that we didn’t get the best outcome or even what we had hoped to get out of the deal.

As a video professional – you have the ability to create some pretty awesome resources for just about anyone which is a huge asset for you. The important thing to remember with Contra is that you need to ask ‘what’s in it for me?’  You also have to ensure that ‘what’s in it’ is actually equally beneficial for your business as money would be had you charged it.

A very important part of the Contra process is to accurately value what is being traded on both sides.  This is where you can get into trouble if you’re not specific.  An example of this is if you’re getting something with a price tag on it – but creating a video in exchange without putting a price tag on it.  The person you’re trading with may not understand that changes to your video equal more editing time which equals more value. And then you’ll be frustrated because you’re not getting more for the extra time you’re putting in.

The first example of Contra I can give you is regarding… diapers.  My sister Jen is expecting her first child in February of 2012. She is very excited about cloth diapering. She showed me the website for a new company called Glowbug Diapers and I noticed the company had place-holders saying ‘video coming soon’. So I emailed and said – “hey – can we make you a video or two in exchange for some free diapers?” We set up a meeting and discussed what our videos were worth and the price tag of the diapers. In the end – we agreed on 5 sets of 12 cloth diapers – so now we have some ammo for future baby showers! Here’s the video if you’re interested. The owners of Glowbug recently had a baby trade show and said our video alone helped them sell 15 cases of their diapers and they were pleased! Everyone wins!

A more business oriented Contra exchange that has benefited us is with the organizer of a local high-end wedding show called The Wedding Co. The owner of the show recently announced that she was about to publish a high-end Toronto based wedding magazine and enter the world of wedding publishing in print. She asked if we would create a series of short teaser videos to promote the launch of the magazine in exchange for ad space in the magazine and on their blog.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We have worked hard on the four videos for this upcoming magazine launch – but being featured in this magazine and more prominently on their blog will really help us and only cost us our time.

Here’s an example of a contra deal that isn’t written in stone – but still works for us and is an example of relationship building as well. We have a relationship with a high-end wedding gown designer in Toronto where we will make videos for her in-store television as well as for her trade shows and website. Her end of the deal is not exactly tangible for us – but every single one of her clients sees our work and we have actually booked 4 weddings as a result of simply having our work play in her store. We have also received over 20 inquiries from this relationship. So we give a little but we gain a little too.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And finally- another form of contra can be creating a video for a charity. In these types of deals – you often don’t get money back – but you can get both charitable donation receipts for your work as well as the recognition from the charity as helping out your community. We have done that at times in the past – a good example is this video we made for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

So in conclusion – Contra deals are a good thing as long as both parties are clear about what they want out of the deal and providing you not only deliver – but get what you want in the end!

What are some examples of your Contra deals – those that have worked for you, and those that have blown up in your face!

Dave and Abraham referred to:

The iPhone wedding video spoof
Google Places
All-in-1 SEO Plugin

I promise this will work.  You may have to try a few different variations to find out what your clients want, but when you do, you will be able to create sales the easy way… and I’m not saying that sales is easy – but when comparing the two kinds: current customers and new customers – the former is wayyy easier to sell to.

Check out ShootQ and MadMimi if you haven’t already… these two services have more than paid for themselves by just allowing us to create simple promotions that we can send out to our email list that we’ve built with them.

I mention in the video that we sent this promotion out to all of our 2011-2013 couples… they had 24 hours to contact us and let us know that they are interested in adding some enhancements.  I will update this post soon when I have the final numbers.  

It took me about 45 minutes to create the graphic and write up the email blast…  and it took less than 24 hours after sending to receive 4 inquiries for upgrades from existing clients and 1 lead to set up a consultation.  This could easily be money left on the table if people weren’t given some motivation.

Check it out and I’d love to hear any ideas you might have on how to increase sales – preferably the easy way! 

One of the historically awful things our industry has been known for in the past is using bad music. It’s right up there with slow-motion and cheesy graphics. I think even today, there are remnants of that and the evidence is when a bride asks if she can pick her own music!

A few years ago, our English friends Coldplay arrived and we all breathed a sigh of relief and began using their music. But then Coldplay became cheesy. And now it’s a race to be the first one to use the newest Bruno Mars or One Republic single in your SDE – kind of staking ‘claim’ to that song (I honestly can’t get that whistle tune out of my head – you know the one). There’s also another looming problem which is the record companies. I believe it was Jason Magbanua who received a letter from Warner Brother’s lawyers for using a Jason Mraz song in one of his edits.

I can remember a forum discussion a few years ago. Someone – a new-comer to the forum just getting started in this world of event filmmaking – put up an edit using the famous (in our circles) Amy Seeley song ‘Gravel Lines‘ (which most will agree is from the first StillMotion piece that really got people’s attention). I can recall someone saying – ‘Don’t use that song – that’s StillMotion’s territory. Now – that’s not exactly true – but the song was pretty unique and instantly people thought of SM when the song began to play. Using one of ‘their songs’ made this new film seem almost not relevant or worth watching just because it used an iconic song…

People started to realize – we need music that people like. Let’s try licensing it. I personally put in a call back then to Universal Music inquiring about using a popular song at the time.  The response I got was if you want to use our music – you’ll be paying upwards of $4,000 for single DVD home use. “You want to use it online??” they asked, “Well… you can start by giving us the title to your home and we’ll go from there”.

So you can’t use cheesy music (and please don’t). You can’t use popular recorded music (at least online anyways) for fear of either law suit, bankruptcy or simply just not standing out from the crowd. And you can’t use a song that you’ve heard someone else in our industry use (well – that is another discussion for another day – but you get where i’m going). You’ve got to use some form of music!

In 2010, StillMotion launched a new business that aimed to solve all of your problems for just $99. The deal was that the artist would get 50% of the fee and the website would take the other 50% for all of the admin side of things.  WithEtiquette.com was (and still is) a great resource for us in the wedding filmmaking world. When they launched – they had a catalog of about 30 or 40 songs. You pay them – they pay the artist – you get to use the song and everyone is happy! WE is still growing and adding to their catalog – which is probably the only downside to the website (size of catalog). 

In 2011, TheMusicBed.com a royalty-free music site was launched with a massive catalog of resources for production music for not only the wedding world – but also for the non-profit and church video production world – but their songs are just $49 each. I happen to like TMB for a few reasons other than the obvious financial difference.  The website is very easy to use and has all kinds of ways to find new music. They have categorized each song by style, length, mood and intended application.  There is a ‘wish list’ feature that allows you to add a song that you may use another time. They also do a very good job of recommending new music and keeping the site fresh. Every time I log in there is a new artist on the homepage. I also really liked that they sent us a hand-written card in the mail inviting us to use their website and I have also had emails and calls from the site’s owners thanking me for the business.  Maybe I’m old-fashioned – but I kind of like that. Anyways – two thumbs up for the TheMusicBed.com.

We used a song for a Same Day Edit this past summer by an artist we found on TMB named Luke Huch. I sent him an email just letting him know we found and used his music through the website. From that little email – Luke  wrote us back and even blogged our SDE on his site and we’ve connected several times through email about possibly filming a concert of his one day.  Another cool little reason to hook up with a website like TMB.

And if that wasn’t enough – Vimeo.com just announced that they now have a Music Store – boasting over 45,000 tracks.  The cool thing about the vimeo store is you can license music for your own personal projects for just $1.99!  (It’s $98 for commercial use songs).

My conclusion is that finding good music is hard work. It does take time – but it’s worth it to do it the right way.  $50 or even $100 to use a song and knowing the artist actually gets a large (often 50%) cut of that fee is a good feeling deep down. Music is a very important part of any film and I hope this will help you make music an important part of yours moving forward.