Video Marketing: How to prepare, shoot, and create videos that rock!

June 26, 2014

Are you looking to use online video for your business?

Do you want to learn more about video marketing?

This week on the Social Media Social Hour, Owen Hemsath joins me to talk about video marketing with information on how to prepare, shoot, and create videos that rock! Owen is the president and founder of Videospot.

I also share an awesome tech tool to help capture ideas while you are on the move.

About the Show:

Social Media Social Hour PodcastThe Social Media Social Hour is a podcast for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to get on the social media fast track. The podcast is an interview format, where each week I get up close and personal with top brands and influencers to talk social media, tech and online marketing. Each week I also share tools that I personally use to help me with social media management, sales, marketing, account management, and productivity.

In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover:

  • Tech Tool of the Week: Sound Ever for the iPhone 
  • Owen Hemsath is the president and founder of Videospot.
  • Videospot is a video production and web marketing company that specializes in video marketing.
  • Videospot will be doing the video to cover Social Media Day San Diego.
  • Owen became passionate about video marketing when he was around eight years old and his father got him a Nintendo and a VHS recorder for Christmas.
  • There are multiple types of videos and it depends on what is supposed to be communicated.
  • The three main videos are event videos, studio videos, or on location videos and depending on where those things are shot and what you want the viewer to do is going to determine the shot list, the editing, special effects and different components that make a great video.
  • The 3 P’s of video marketing that Owen’s company focuses on are platform, people and purpose.
  • Platform is where the video is going to be promoted and the style, for example YouTube.
  • The purpose will be different depending on the platform and how you want the video to act.
  • People are important because you need to know who it is that you’re speaking to and your buyer persona.
  • It’s important to know your market place very strongly and to let that determine how you’re going to shoot that video and how you’re going to edit that video.
  • An event video is used to capture content and to capture the over all event such as backgrounds, audience and different camera angles to tell the story of the event.
  • Owen claims that his company does event videos very differently from other video marketing companies.
  • Videospot creates a 2-3 minute video reel that is used in a company’s blog or landing page and then breaks that down into 45- 60 second pieces that can be used on the web in order to increase shares, comments, etc.
  • Video marketing is different from videography because it takes the psychology of marketing, the strategy of social media and creates content that is fitting for those platforms.
  • Studio video is a video shot in studio with a green, white or black screen and works with special effects in order to gain the most engagement.
  • A studio video involves lots of preparing such as clothing and a script.
  • On location video is a mix between an event video and a studio video because you’re not using screens, you’re shooting in a clients locations and you’re trying to bring the view to where you are.
  • On location video also uses special effects like texts and images and must be prepared for variables such as lightening.
  • There is different prep for each type of video.
  • The main thing is to have a story board in place or a script or outline for the process: beginning, middle and end.
  • There has to be a step by step process and Videospot uses a 5 point method for this.
  • The five points are: what is the headline, what is the bumper, what are the 3 bullet points in the body that you want to convey, what is the action you want the viewer to take, and how do you close it.
  • To get in deeper a headline is how you’re grabbing the attention, the bumper is your branding, only 3 bullet points so the video is easy to edit and digest, the action is where you want your audience to go, and the close should focus on subscribers and should always be something human so they know you’re not only trying to sell.
  • Other things to prep for is the subject or who is the star of the video.
  • Owen says you need to prep the clothing and hair of the subject. For example no curly hair and do not wear yellows, greens or whites if you’re shooting on a green screen.
  • Safe clothing options to wear on camera are solid, bright colors and layers.
  • For an event video, avoid using a bunch of whites because it creates errors in the video.
  • Owen says you even need to eat the right foods in order to look your best and prepare your voice with exercises in order to sound your best.
  • Owen’s main point is to be prepared for the absolute worse so you can stop and start your sentence over again.
  • Lavalier microphones that clip on to your lapel is the best type for videos.
  • Owen’s tips for videos is to just get it out there and make the next video better.
  • Owen gives an inside preview of what Videospot will be covering for Social Media Day San Diego.
  • First thing, they will be doing an event video and 90 second interviews from the speakers that will both promote the event in general as well as promote what they are talking about.
  • Videospot will have 2 boots on the floor for B roll, testimonies and audience verbiage.
  • Owen and his crew also need to create a shot list which consists of  a team meeting to talk about the vision for the deliverable.
  • The shot list consists of time, location scouting, equipment, prep sheets for the speakers and liability wavers.
  • There are also Do It Yourself options as well.
  • Owen suggests if you are on a budget and want to create your own video to use your iPhone and buy a smart phone adapter.
  • Owen also suggests to shoot the video in one shot because it makes you look real and makes you look professional due to getting through your opening, body, and close with out relying on a teleprompter.
  • It is important not to memorize but just think about the bullet point and dive deeper into with what you know.
  • In terms of framing yourself, Owen says to focus on a “three button shot” and enough head room as well as “look room” to the left or right of you so you can add screen text or images.
  • The camera should always be at eye level so you can be relatable.
  • Owen suggests to have a camera that has audio or if your using your iPhone to use a tool like Rode Microphone or Azden Lavalier.
  • In terms of lighting, Owen talks about white light or yellow light.
  • Owen recommends using a soft light whether its LED or a halogen lamp from your house.
  • What to avoid is putting the light above you because it creates a shadow on your face and if you’re outside to shoot on an overcast day.
  • On a very basic level, Owen says to buy a can light from Home Depot and clip it onto your camera so it’s angled at you. He then says to put a piece of wax paper over the light so it is diffused.
  • As for editing options, iMovies are very sufficient as well as Adobe Creative Cloud, ScreenFlow and Camtasia.
  • Owen recommends being a minimalist in editing, only add stuff to tell the story.
  • Other editing tools for iPhones are iMovie or Video Rotate.

 Owen Hemsath’s Social Media Six pack:

  1. Do you believe in ghosts? Owen does not believe in ghosts.
  2. If you only could use one device to make all your videos with, what would it be? Owen would use the S5 Galaxy.
  3. What’s your favorite candy? Owen’s favorite candy is Smarties.
  4. Do you exercise, and if so what is your preferred activity? Owen loves running and does a 5k twice a week.
  5. What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Owen likes to binge watch on Roku.
  6. When you can’t sleep at night, what do you do? Owen blogs or does something business related.

 Items Mentioned in the Show: