Parc Entertainment - A Video Production Company - Birmingham, AL

It’s interesting to sit back and watch the ebb and flow of the marketplace. Regardless of your industry, markets will inevitably undergo various shifts and changes. Video production is no different. The way in which the public consumes video content is much different now than it was seven years ago. DVRs, video hosting sites, smartphones, the iPad, etc. have all contributed to this changing trend.

As a result, video producers have had to rethink how the content is created. Now, viewers want fresh content on a regular basis. They want something that feels authentic. They want businesses to converse WITH them, not sell TO them. They want valuable content that proves helpful in their own personal and professional pursuits. This change in viewer tastes means that businesses need to produce video content regularly, which is a good thing for a video production business. But it also means that businesses can’t afford to spend too much on each video. I’ve worked on a great number of video projects that involve three to six weeks of pre-production (research, pre-interviews, creative strategy sessions, script writing, etc.), five days of shooting, and up to sixty hours of post. This kind of video still has its place, but what about a client who is interested in producing a video podcast, or a quick online welcome video, or a product demonstration, or a testimonial video?

As a result of this shifting trend, we have developed a series of corporate video packages that are designed for the business interested in updating their video content on a regular basis. The packages are attractive and affordable, but most importantly, they maintain high production standards. If you’re interested in learning more, there are several ways to get in touch with us. You can leave a comment here, follow us on Twitter, become our fan on Facebook, or sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter.

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Birmingham, AL – July 6, 2010 – Red Fox Media, Inc. (formerly Parc Entertainment), a digital production company in Birmingham, took home a bronze Telly Award for a promotional video created for the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB).

The RPCGB is an organization representing six counties and 84 municipalities throughout central Alabama. By leveraging state and federal funds, the RPCGB provides various services to its member governments that help encourage economic growth and development for the region. It’s an organization with many components, so they needed a brief overview video to introduce viewers to the RPCGB and explain the organization’s programs and initiatives. RPCGB Marketing Specialist Greg Wingo turned to Red Fox Media to handle the creation of the video, from conceptualization to completion.

“As a Birmingham native, I was extremely excited to work with an organization that is doing so much for the city and the region,” said Clint Till, President of Red Fox Media. “The work of the RPCGB is so important and I’m glad that we could help communicate their message through this video.”

The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web. With over 13,000 entries per year, the Telly is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders, from large international firms to local production companies and ad agencies.

Red Fox Media, formerly Parc Entertainment, is a digital production company that specializes in video production/post-production and website design/development. You can visit them on the web at www.redfoxmediainc.com.

Since we will soon be launching the new Red Fox Media brand, I updated our demo reel. This reel features our new logo, along with samples of our more recent work. The new Red Fox Media website should go live in a couple of weeks. It’s been a long transition and I’ll be glad when it’s all complete.

In my experiences as a video producer and director, I have learned that clients can fall under two extremes: On one end of the spectrum are clients who are heavily involved in every stage of the process.  On the other end of the spectrum are the clients who take a “hands off” approach. They approve the creative strategy and then let the production company produce the video. Then, they will come back in during the editing process to give notes. And, of course, there are clients who will fall somewhere in the middle.

Ultimately, it’s your responsibility as a producer/director to give the client what they want. You need to recognize their particular work habits and learn to adapt accordingly. But if you are faced with a client who prefers a “hands off” approach it can be difficult to determine if you are on the right track. You could be faced with a big problem if you have already shot all of your footage and invested a lot of time in the edit only to discover that your client didn’t like the way you shot a particular scene. Or they might not like the wording of the script in a particular section. Or they might not like the look of a certain location. However, there are things that both the client and the video director can do to avoid costly re-shoots or extra time in the editing suite.

Directors, don’t ignore the client while on set. If you see that they are standing off by themselves, encourage them to come over and take a look at each shot before you start filming. Ask them if the lighting, framing, blocking, etc. is what they had in mind. Before moving on to another scene, ask the client if there is any other shot that they need before wrapping the gear. Clients, make sure that someone from your team is on location to supervise the shoot. Don’t be afraid to look over the director’s shoulder. Ask questions. Be honest about what you would like to see. Make sure that the footage you are getting is the footage you want. Better to have the footage and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Ultimately, a video production is a collaborative process, so both parties should respect each other and listen to any creative input. The client and the production company both want to produce the best video possible. And that’s some common ground from which to start.

I started this blog in the summer of 2005 as an outlet to express my love of films and filmmaking. It soon evolved into an extension of my production company. However, in the time that I have been posting on this blog, I don’t think I have ever explained why I write and to whom I’m writing. In short, the purpose of this blog is to give you, the reader, some insight into the world of video production and how video can be used to its potential. My target audience consists of three groups:

1. THE VIDEO ENTHUSIAST -For this individual, I write articles that teach some basics about the craft of cinematography, direction, editing, production management, etc. I also post articles pertaining to particular types of cameras and other equipment and offer tips and tricks as to how one can best utilize the tools at his or her disposal. Some of these articles can be more technical in nature.
2. THE VIDEO PROFESSIONAL - This individual earns a living through work in video production, perhaps as freelancer or business owner. For this demographic, I write articles that focus on the day-to-day aspects of being a professional. Subjects may include: how to improve your workflow, how to be more organized, how to prepare for a shoot, how to earn new business, how to market yourself, how to maintain healthy client relations, how to pitch to potential clients, etc.
3. THE CLIENT - The third audience group consists of people who work on the client side of the equation. Over the years I have worked with clients who have had very little experience working with a video production company. I have also worked with clients who are seasoned pros and know exactly what to expect on a video shoot. And I have worked with clients who fall in between both extremes. To this particular audience I write articles to help both the client and the production company maintain a healthy working relationship. I want to help the client understand what it’s like working with a video production company. I want to give them a few creative ideas that they might use as inspiration in their own marketing efforts. I want to help them know how to prepare for a video production, how they can get the most “bang” for their buck, and how the whole process can run smoothly and efficiently.

Sometimes, in the course of writing these articles for each of these groups, I might offer a few tips that are solely based on my experiences. I understand that each individual and each situation is different. So, my advice might not apply to everyone. But that’s okay. Hopefully you can mine some little nugget of information that is applicable to projects that you are working on, and help answer certain questions you may have. I also realize that everyone has their own style when working on a video project and their own unique approach to the process. And that’s okay too. The beauty of working in video is that is a very fluid and collaborative art form. So, when I speak to clients, or video professionals, or video hobbyists, I am not asking that you change your habits. I’m not asking that you adhere to a certain standard. The goal of any advice I may give is simply to help you (the hobbyist, professional, or client) avoid potential problems and create the best video possible. And isn’t that what we’re all striving for? I know that’s what I try to give to each of my clients.

I thought it was important to briefly outline the purpose of this blog, so that all of my readers can get a clearer picture of my motivations. Thanks so much for taking some time out of your day to read my blog and I hope the information contained within can help you improve your craft, your business, and your marketing efforts.

I’ve been doing some self-evaluation recently in an effort to better define my company and our mission. If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest developments here, we will soon be Red Fox Media. I know, you have questions:

• Has Parc Entertainment been bought out?
• Will Clint be moving on to work for someone else?
• Is this the end?

The answer to all of the above is, “no.” Our business is growing and so we are expanding our services. Therefore, we have decided to change our name, to more accurately reflect the company identity. Here’s a brief synopsis of who and what Red Fox Media is (this will appear on our new website - www.redfoxmediainc.com):

Red Fox Media, formerly Parc Entertainment, is a digital production company in Birmingham, Alabama. As today’s media becomes increasingly integrated and pervasive, clients need dynamic and visually stunning content. That’s where we come in. Through HD video production and website design, we create compelling multimedia solutions that engage, inspire, and entertain. As media and technology continue to evolve, we readily adapt. That’s why we’re relentless. It’s why we hold ourselves to a higher standard. And it’s why we work everyday to provide our clients with visual excellence.

As we work toward the launch of this new brand, I’ve been thinking about our core values.  I’ve compiled them into a list. This list isn’t meant to be all-inclusive, but it will certainly give you an idea of what motivates us throughout every stage of every project:

• We believe in challenging ourselves to create the best content for our clients.
• We believe in having a passion for what we do.
• We believe in creating content that stands apart from the others
• We believe in high-production standards
• We believe in constant improvement.
• We believe in adapting to meet the needs of our clients and the marketplace.
• We believe in greatness, not mediocrity
• We believe in treating everyone with respect
• We believe in prompt, courteous communication with all clients.

You’re a marketer. You might not be in the marketing industry, but make no mistake - you’re a marketer. That means you have a product/service/business/website/hobby/book/movie/etc. that you want to tell people about. And you want those people to jump on the bandwagon. So, what’s the best way to go about it? How do you persuade people to get on board? You have to have passion , and your audience has to feel that excitement. Only then will they be more willing to say “yes” to your offer.

Consider this: You go to the movie theatre one night to catch the opening night of Hollywood’s latest film. It’s outstanding. You exit the theatre completely blown away by what you’ve just seen. Now, what do you do the following day? You tell people about it. But you just don’t tell them. You re-live it. The excitement you felt in the theatre is conveyed in the way you describe the movie to your friends.

Now, translate this to business: When marketing a product or service, you need to communicate that same kind of excitement. However, your energy needs to be focused on your potential client, not on you, your business, or your service. When I go into meetings with a potential client to discuss a video project, I don’t spend time talking about how great our cameras are, how beautiful our images are, or how state-of-the-art our editing system is. When I go into a meeting, I want to learn more about my contact’s business. I want to hear about their goals. I want to show them that I am genuinely excited about their company. I am there because I feel as though our video production services can help them with their marketing efforts.

Your attitude needs to be the same. Be interested in your client. Get excited about their business. Only then will you be able to communicate effectively how your product or service can help. Then, when discussions shift to the price of your product or service, your lead will be more inclined to buy from you, even if your prices are higher than your competitor. Why? Because you have shown a genuine interest in who they are and what they’re all about. The old saying is true, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

I hardly listen to the radio anymore. Since purchasing my iPhone about 18 months ago, I spend my time listening to podcasts centered on the specific topics that interest me. A friend and I tried our hands at podcasting several months ago, but the effort quickly fizzled because we really didn’t have much of a strategy before diving into the deep end. However, now that Parc Entertainment is transitioning into Red Fox Media, I am going to give podcasting another go. I am currently working on developing a format and a strategy, so that this venture won’t drift as aimlessly as the last one.

I’m curious to know how many of you currently host a podcast. Why did you start podcasting? What results have you seen from your efforts? What lessons have you learned? One of the shows I listen to is the Internet Marketing Podcast. A recent episode centered on podcasting and featured an interview with Cliff Ravenscraft, one of the web’s leading authorities on podcasting. He offered some great insights on why podcasting is important and how it can be used to build a brand.

What thrills me about the age in which we live is that there are so many resources now available to marketers that can help build an audience. Social media, online video, podcasting, blogging, e-newsletters - in essence these tools have leveled the playing field somewhat, allowing the smallest of businesses to be heard. But one of the main lessons to take away from my brief foray into podcasting thus far is this - regardless of the medium, a successful marketing campaign is based on a solid, pre-produced strategy. You need to know what your goals are going in. You need to know what it is you want to say. Otherwise, the greatest marketing tools will not be able to help you build your brand.

With that in mind, what are some of your favorite marketing tools? What tactics have proven most successful to your business?

DishyMix is a podcast in which host Susan Bratton interviews well-known media, internet, and marketing executives. The goal is to provide listeners with insights on how to better market themselves and their brands by taking advantage of the philosophies and tools provided by Susan and her guests.

I was listening to episode 137 recently (follow the link to listen or to read the full transcript) and heard a comment that caught my attention. In the episode, Susan interviews Jim Kukral, a speaker, author, consultant, coach on all things business and marketing. He was on the show to promote his book, Attention, This Book Will Make You Money. Read the following segment of the transcript where Jim talks about the topic of motivation (emphasis added):

Jim Kukral: Motivation; well, you know, I’m kind of a different perspective guy. I know that there’s a lot of people who will tell you to go out and do step by step by step stuff, and I’m a big believer in you just have to go out and try and really fail. You really got to go out and fail. And it’s more important than ever in the internet business, is going out and failing as many times as you possibly can.

Susan Bratton: Yeah, fail and optimize, right?

Jim Kukral: Yeah. I mean there’s so much forgiveness out there right now, you know, in the internet marketing space. YouTube, I’ll give you YouTube for example. I mean YouTube has transformed the way that we are okay with videos now. Before YouTube came along everyone had, you thought you had to have this really nice pre-produced, you know, post production video that was very beautiful. Now it’s kind of like, you look at videos like that you’re kind of like “Ugh.”

Susan Bratton: It’s inauthentic now.

Jim Kukral: It is. And, you know, so it’s okay to make poor quality video now. It’s okay to go out and build a website or a blog or do something that’s not completely perfect, and this economy and everything that we’re, the technology that’s coming out is allowing people to be able to go out there and put stuff out there. So if you want to get motivated you got to go out there and actually just really try it.

In its full context, Jim is advocating that entrepreneurs, inventors, small business owners, etc. not be afraid to step out and take risks; that it’s important to try, even if it doesn’t come out quite right; even if it isn’t perfect. He then goes on to say that it’s acceptable to create a poor quality video in today’s market, because it translates into “authenticity.”

So, I’m going to leave this one open for discussion. I would love to hear your thoughts. Here are some things to consider:

• Do you agree or disagree with Jim’s assessment?
• Do you feel that it’s okay for a business to create a poor quality marketing video?
• When you see a brand with a poor quality video, what is your immediate reaction?
• Should companies start creating lesser quality videos because it makes them look more authentic?
• What does this mean long-term for video producers?

Knowing how much to spend on advertising is a struggle all businesses deal with - especially during a recession. When economic times are lean, the gut reaction is to jettison all the weight you deem “unnecessary,” batten down the hatches, huddle together with your staff, and pray for daylight. In the long run, however, how will that strategy help your business? Sure, you may weather the storm, but when you come out safe on the other side, you may find that your competitors have taken a huge lead in the marketplace. How come? Because while you were hiding in your office, they were still out there in front of the public, maintaining their visibility.

A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, said, “I think it’s more essential to innovate through a recession, and certainly what we are trying to do at P&G is to continue to bring sustaining and even disruptive new brands and products for our consumers, to make their lives better, to offer them a little more value.”

Professor Andrew J. Razeghi of Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University said, “Moments of economic turbulence provide the unique opportunity to start new businesses, launch disruptive new products, and strengthen customer loyalty - often at a discount.” Razeghi has a great presentation entitled, “Innovating Through Recession.” You can read it in its entirety here.

Or consider this statistic from a McGraw Hill study that surveyed over 600 businesses: In the 1981-1982 recession, businesses that cut advertising spending, increased their sales 19%. Businesses that continued to spend on advertising increased their sales 275%.

The key difference between those who continued to spend money on advertising and those who didn’t is visibility. Businesses who continued to advertise were in a better position once the recession ended. They were in the forefront of the customer’s mind when he/she was ready to buy. Make the word “visibility” your motto this year. Get out in front of your customers. Advertise. Market your business. Strive to be the first company people think of when they are ready to buy.

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