Thursday, December 10, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Top 10 things your CEO should know about presenting:
So what can be done about a CEO who is a quiet, sincere, intellectual strategist who abhors the idea of showmanship?
My advice is to support him/her with some actor training tips!
Actor training techniques ultimately develop the self (mind, body, voice, breathing and imagination) from an authentic place of truth within. As Warren Bennis wrote in his book On Becoming A Leader (Century Business 1992) with reference to Abraham Maslow,“'Letting the self emerge’ is the essential task for leaders”.
Many actors are by nature quiet, sensitive, private people. It’s by listening to themselves internally and listening through a collaborative process with writers, directors, fellow actors, coaches, designers, technicians and audiences that an award winning performance emerges.
CEOs taking the stage
In my experience any CEO can transform and present with impact in a similar way.
One CEO I worked with particularly comes to mind. Described to me as “a typical INTJ personality type” (Introvert, Intuitive, Thinker, Judge), the man did not inspire rapport and had frustratingly little impact from the podium. At our first meeting I asked him what kind of impression he wanted to make with the audience and we also reviewed a video of him speaking at an event. When watching it, the discrepancies between what he wanted to achieve and how he actually appeared were immediately apparent!
As a result, he became highly critical of himself and was suddenly open to try my suggestions for breathing, voice and actor training techniques. With such a character, it is essential to effect a measurable change in the first session that the client can realise for themselves. On this occasion, the CEO appreciated the logic of my input and chose to involve me in rehearsals for future events.
At his next big speaking engagement and one warm-up and dress rehearsal later, he astonished me by bounding onto the stage with energy, wit and empathy. Afterward, he received much positive feedback from the audience and was inspired to continue working with me on future occasions. He even confessed to enjoying the process!
The ingredients for a successful presentation
Listening is the key! A presentation is meant to be a dialogue, not a monologue. The audience may not speak back, but a good presentation will nonetheless speak to the needs of the crowd, engage their attention, stimulate their thinking and move them into action.
Preparation for the presentation begins as an internal, listening process and develops outwards into self-expression of results, ideas, beliefs, visions and strategy. A fusion of head and heart is helped with a connection to the breath and in particular, always speaking on the ‘out’ breath. The voice conveys our energy and conviction; in fact, research suggests that 38% of a speaker’s impact is from the sound of the voice alone! Words count for just 7% and a massive 55% of impact is conveyed through body language and facial expressions. Therefore, it’s not so much what is said as how it’s spoken.
Monday, October 12, 2009
optimizing video for Search Engines
According to the latest research, not only is online video the fastest growing media online, but is has now surpassed search as the most popular activity online. Online video views surpassed searches performed on the top 5 search engines, according to stats released by comScore and covered by ReelSEO in October 2008.
Because online video is so popular right now, it presents a unique opportunity for online marketers to leverage video content as an effective means for marketing brands, products, and services. Because online video marketing is in the nascent stages, there is much that is not well understood. For content producers as well as internet marketers, it is important to learn how to produce and publish video content in a way that users can easily discover your video content on the search engines. For this, one must learn and understand video
In order to leverage the power of online video with search, one must first answer the question, “what is video SEO, or video search engine optimization?” Simply stated, it is the art and process of creating online video content in such a way that it is easily discovered and indexed by search engines. Doing this will help to drive maximum exposure to your video content. When we talk about video SEO, there are really 2 separate and distinct strategies for optimizing video online.
One strategy for video SEO is that which we call “Posted” video SEO. Essentially, this is when you optimize video content that is uploaded to video websites like Youtube and Yahoo. With “Posted” video SEO, the strategy is to generate as many views as possible for your videos. Uploading your video to these sites allows you to draw upon the massive audience of viewers that these sites already have. In addition, because these websites have a pre-existing authority and page rank with the search engines, this is an effective strategy to leverage these sites to obtain rankings within organic and universal search.
Although there are many detailed tips and techniques for “hosted” video SEO, most can be summed up with the following tips:
1) When including video on a web page, make certain that you populate the page with relevant on-page text.
2) Consider publishing a transcript or captions for your video.
3) Publish all your videos within the same directory or subdomain and keep each video on its own unique URL.
4) Publish a video sitemap or MRSS feed to help guide the search engines to your video content.
5) Create inbound links to your video pages and encourage linking and sharing of your video content.
www.inlineproductions.com
Monday, October 5, 2009
Decking the Halls with Employee Engagement at Christmas
Of course everyone throws their usual Christmas party in December. While they can be lovely affairs (if not a bit rowdy) , it’s all too possible for people to get lost in the crowd at such a large event - if they even remember it at all! (hangover permitting)
1. Think Small - Instead of relying on a big do to bring people together, try organizing more intimate, departmental gatherings during office hours. Employees will appreciate the break and best of all it doesn’t have to break your budget. A simple takeaway and a conference room is all you need. My former Production Manager started the fun tradition of Hanukkah lunches. Every December, she treated the entire department - as well as freelancers - to a New York Kosher deli feast of turkey, corned beef, potato latkas and apple sauce. For an hour and a half, we spun dreidels and happily stuffed our faces while others enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about Jewish cuisine and culture.
2. Spread the Wealth – Around the holidays, gift baskets are inevitable. As soon as December hits, you’re surrounded by mounds of chocolate truffles and gingerbread cookies. Rather than re-gifting them for your in-laws, try placing them in the kitchen or reception area. It will get people out of their offices and engaging with one another.
3. Organize Gift Exchanges - A popular Christmas tradition in the States is the Secret Santa gift exchange (aka the more politically correct “holiday gift exchange”). Colleagues randomly choose names out of a hat and must anonymously buy a present for whomever they wind up picking. To ease financial pressures, a spending limit of about $20 is usually set. On the day of the event, people gather in front of the tree where they exchange presents, sip egg nog and nibble on holiday sweets.
4. Promote Charity Work - The gift-giving doesn’t have to be limited to co-workers. The holidays are a particularly popular time when it comes to charity. At my previous company, one of the managers organized donations for Toys for Tots, a national charity which collects new toys to distribute to needy children. There’s nothing like giving back to the community to raise employee morale.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Pre- Production "how to"
- Creating a proposal
- Establishing a budget
- Booking your crew.
Creating a Proposal
After you are commissioned to produce a video, your client will want something in writing which formally outlines the reasons behind the video. In your document be sure to include:
- The theme and objectives of the piece: what is it you’re trying to show?
- How you will achieve it: What tone will you take? What types of footage will you use? Are there events you need to shoot or interviews you need to coordinate?
- Creative and style ideas: How will everything come together? - Will there be use of Voiceovers? Music? Graphics? Split-screen editing?
- Most importantly: How will the budget be broken down? How many shooting and edit days will be involved? Will there be dubs that have to be made?
When drafting your proposal, be sure to include a timeline which outlines the
(For further information, please see the articles on Proposals and Treatments, Scripts & Storyboards for a full rundown of the proposal process.)
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
90% of all internet traffic will be Video
Video is on a march to dominate web traffic; Cisco Systems estimates that by 2013, video will make up 90% of all internet traffic, along with some 64 % of mobile users. The major networks are already planning for viewers to turn to the internet for some of their video entertainment. Debuting in 2007, Hulu is the industry’s own site, which was begun to retain a lock on straying viewers with its offer of hit shows. Disney, ABC Networks joined NBC and Fox this past April to add their shows to the offing; CBS is still going it alone.
The take away from this is yet to be clearly defined but one thing is certain, more and more people are turning to the internet, and specifically internet video for news, information and entertainment. For businesses and organizations to keep pace with this trend they need to ask themselves this: Do I have a viable outlet for my customers and potential customers to find me in this new medium?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
iPhone just keeps getting better
The new iPhone 3GS means you’ve got a whole new slew of options in regards to video. Without Flash capabilities on the iPhone our options were extremely limited, but now Akamai is working to fix that problem.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
NEW Screen Writing software from ADOBE
Adobe Story: From Script to Screen
Welcome to the free preview of Adobe® Story™, a collaborative script development tool designed for creative professionals, producers, and writers working on or with scripts and screenplays. This preview version will let you try out a few of the scriptwriting tools that will be part of the overall features in the final version of Story.
Thanks to tight integration that will be available with future versions of
With this free preview version of Story, you can:
- Craft your tale anywhere and at anytime in a secure online and offline writing environment tailored to industry requirements.
- Easily manage several script projects, develop character biographies, add links as reference points, and fashion synopses.
- Brainstorm script ideas or co-write and edit as a team. Assign roles that give production team members the ability to read, review, or modify the script.
- Import the sample script or your existing screenplay from other scriptwriting software, including Final Draft or MS Word. Take your script to the next stage by exporting to a variety of different formats such as PDF,
XML , Text, MS Word, Movie Magic scheduler, or CSV for easy import into Excel.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Internet content on your TV
By Reed Tucker
The newest line of HDTVs lets you stream thousands of movies and view select online content. Now we'll never get off the couch!
Just when you've traded up to a flat-screen and figured out HD, a new trend is poised to cause major ripples in the market: Internet-ready TVs.
They were the big news at electronics shows earlier this year, and although they accounted for only about 3% of TV sales in 2009, that number is expected to jump to 24% in the next four years, reports research firm Parks Associates.
Several TV manufacturers, among them LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, currently have or will soon introduce models that are Web-enabled, meaning viewers can watch a show and simultaneously look online to get news, view photos -- even check out what Ashton Kutcher is blabbing about on Twitter.
"Beyond HDTV, this is the next thing," says Richard Doherty, research director at Envisioneering Group, a digital technology consulting firm. "People will want the Internet their way, through the TV set. They won't want to have a laptop open or race over to the desk."
These new TVs are ready to connect to the Internet out of the box, without any additional set-top boxes or equipment. Most feature a built-in ethernet port, just like computers do.
If you own, say, one of the models in Sony's W5100 series (starting at $1,500), then you would plug your modem's ethernet cable into the back of the TV, and the Bravia Internet Video Service would populate the TV's menu. (It's similar to the PS3's media bar.) Users can stream thousands of TV shows and movies through Amazon Video On Demand now, or Netflix starting in the fall. It'll make schlepping to the local video store seem like a total drag.
Unlike your Mac or PC, the Internet-connected TVs don't have browsers, so you can't visit just any site in cyberspace --
If you own, say, one of the models in Sony's W5100 series (starting at $1,500), then you would plug your modem's ethernet cable into the back of the TV, and the Bravia Internet Video Service would populate the TV's menu. (It's similar to the PS3's media bar.) Users can stream thousands of TV shows and movies through Amazon Video On Demand now, or Netflix starting in the fall. It'll make schlepping to the local video store seem like a total drag.
Unlike your Mac or PC, the Internet-connected TVs don't have browsers, so you can't visit just any site in cyberspace -- which is reassuring for parents who want to limit what their kids can access. Instead, TV makers have cut deals with Yahoo!, Twitter, Blockbuster, Showtime, MySpace and eBay, so surfing, at least for now, will be limited to the options available. For instance, the website choices might appear in a thin bar at the bottom of the screen while the program you're watching plays above. Using the remote, you could click on the weather icon to get an instant update or choose YouTube to watch videos.
It'll probably take a few more years for this technology to reach its full potential. With the Internet seamlessly incorporated into the TV viewing experience, imagine voting for your favorite "American Idol" contestant using your remote control, jumping to the official movie website for an advertised film or finding supplementary stats for the ballgame you're watching.
The holy grail, Doherty says, would be for viewers to participate in altering plotlines -- say, voting not to let Sawyer die on "Lost."
That's just too cool to even ponder.
Location:Spruce St,Columbus,United States
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
NEXT generation Post House
Dunn sees this virtual set-up as the future of post production. Overhead is drastically reduced, commuting time is eliminated, and clients benefit from considerable savings.
As technology has improved for delivering files over long distances, dunn says it's become easier to set up these remote post locations.
read the whole article in POST Magazine - August 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Shoot set up
More and more were asked to go "minimal" in our video interview set up. Here's our typical lean set up.
-- Post From My iPhone
Increase Your ROI with Video Marketing
INLINE Productions has conducted highly successful online marketing campaigns for years. Our online video service is an exciting and powerful tool to help convert your website’s visitors into customer. This is not about re-purposing an old 30 second spot or dusting off a trade show video. This involves thinking outside of the traditional video box and finding new and innovative ways to attract and retain your audience.
Monetizing online video
Now the key is to start generating content. This is a little like putting the cart before the horse, but the industry insiders know, the horse will catch up soon enough.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Measuing associate chatter
Monday, June 29, 2009
there I fixed it
Ok; i know this has nothing to do with communication or video, but I had to put this on my blog;
Friday, June 26, 2009
Film and Video Festival
Great opportunity for more film makers to get involved; they have a new category for short and inexpensively produced films and videos. check it out.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
The link above will take you to Wealth TV's regularly sceduled lineup of programming. A little over 1/2 way down you will see the show Stowaways listed!
Many uses for video...
- Communicating The Vision Internally
- Engaging With Shareholders, Investors & Influencers
- Training Staff
- In Exhibitions
- On Your Website
- Health & Safety
- Recruitment
- Regular Communication To Staff Through Business TV
- Business To Consumer
Thursday, June 18, 2009
new Facebook page
Check out our new IN Line Productions Facebook page. Just recently created but should be lots of fun to keep track of. I'll post from my iPhone when I'm out doing something cool. So stay tuned.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Video used to get noticed on web
Video is fast becoming the way to get noticed on the web.
Great article here
Social Media Studies
An online retailer say she uses social media to "gently promote herself and the business" The business has a Facebook page, a blog and a Twitter account. She claims in the article the Twitter account has been "by far" the most effective. she goes on: "It might seem counter intuitive but less than 10% of our posts or "tweets" are directly business related. In all of our marketing, we try to think like the consumer, and as consumers ourselves, it's more about listening or providing answers than just trying to sell."