Sure, I’d say about 85% of the work T60 is doing these days is destined for web use only, but don’t discount other mediums.  We still have clients who prefer to deliver their messages via DVD, and prospective clients who want to see examples of our work that way as well.

The internet has made it much easier to deliver your story, but sometimes a DVD can make a bigger impact.

–Tony Gnau

Thanks to everyone for the nice e-mails regarding T60’s December edition of the Video Marketing Tips newsletter.

Our newsletter comes out once a month.  We use T60 clients as case studies to provide helpful tips for fresh, successful marketing campaigns.  You can get on the mailing list by going to  https://www.t60productions.com/Newsletter_Signup.html

And if you missed the December edition… click the following link to read the story behind a heart-warming holiday event… Thinking Ahead: Planning Equals Profits

–Tony Gnau

Have you ever spent a lot of time planning something only to make a last-minute change?  I’ve been working on T60’s December newsletter for the past couple weeks with today being my deadline to send them out.  Then on Sunday night, I decided to pull a switcheroo and put all that content on hold because I had a better idea.

I was set to send a newsletter featuring “Recession Busting Videos”… videos for less than $1,000… but then it occurred to me that T60 has a pair of clients who have produced holiday-themed videos.  It would be silly of me not to feature the marketing strategy behind at least one of them.

So, a holiday newsletter will drop later today.  But if you are interested in reading about those “Recession Busting Videos,” send me a note or wait until next month.  That will now be the subject of January’s newsletter.

–Tony Gnau

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Sign up today to be a part of T60’s marketing community and you’ll get a newsletter with video examples and the stories behind the strategies.

Sign up for T60’s Video Marketing Tips at https://www.t60productions.com/Newsletter_Signup.html

T60 V.P. Katie found the following yesterday and we thought it was worth sharing.

Many companies put together nice looking brochures with great information and post them as a PDF on their web site, but the National Restaurant Association kicked it up a notch.  The group included video in one of its online brochures.

The video looks like it’s embedded in the PDF, but it’s actually just a link to video on their web page.  It’s a great way to take a static brochure and make it a multimedia experience.

You can check it out at the following link… the video is posted on the last page.

http://www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/whats_hot_2010.pdf

–Tony Gnau

I have started putting together T60’s Video Marketing Newsletter for December.  We’re featuring a client who needed a quick, inexpensive way to update their customers on what’s happening at the business.  Believe it or not… we managed to create a video for hundreds of dollars, not thousands.

You’ll see our solution when the newsletter drops next week, but until then I’d love to hear what your company did if faced with a similar situation.

–Tony Gnau

With businesses closing left and right these days, it’s more important than ever to be innovative.  Something that’s been reinforced to me a lot lately looking through a daily dose of wedding blogs.

Tony and I are getting married next year, and one of my favorite blogs (backstage.stylemepretty.com) recently talked about how wedding blogs are thriving, while wedding magazines are suffering.

People are seeking information in new ways and it’s important to be aware of the changes taking place across all industries.

I was also struck by the comment, “we have to keep costs low and innovate quickly…we have to grow inexpensively and thoughtfully.”  At T60 Productions we strive to be fiscally conservative but creative & innovative with everything else.  A business practice that I admire in Tony is that he recognizes that our customers have this need as well.

–Katie Murray, T60 V.P.

A well produced video can do something remarkable for a business or non-profit.  It helps customers or donors connect with the organization.  Giving people an inside look helps them understand they’re not just taking part in an impersonal business transaction… they’re a valued member of the family.

Glenwood School for Boys and Girls does this every year at their annual luncheon fundraiser, and this year they pulled it off on a smaller budget.  School leaders asked T60 to use existing raw video and shoot just a little fresh stuff for the 2009 video.

It turned out well and so did the fundraiser.  The video they showed donors helped convince everyone to open their pocketbooks… even during a tough economy.

See the video: https://www.t60productions.com/Video-Glenwood

Learn more about Glenwood: http://www.glenwoodschool.org

Privacy is an important issue, so unless you’re a photojournalist, it’s essential to get consent to shoot video of someone.  That can present a challenge.  What do you do at an event where very few people grant permission?

I was faced with that very issue today and opted for some creative shots to protect people’s identity.  Putting the foreground in-focus and the background out of focus is a great solution.  It allows the viewer to see there are people at the event, but keep them anonymous at the same time.

It’s clearly not the only technique, and I’d love to hear some others.  Thoughts?

–Tony Gnau

It’s important to be mindful of what comments a client has after seeing a first-cut.  Sometimes no changes are necessary, but it’s important not to take it personally when revisions are requested.  In many cases, they improve the final product.

On the flip side, I also think as professionals we have the obligation to make our opinion known if we disagree with particular changes.  It’s not productive to “put your foot down,” but explaining why you disagree is part of the job.

But remember, it’s the client’s video.  They should get what they want.

It’s a familiar format, but it seems to be slipping away a bit.  The traditional corporate video where a narrator dictates the story is slowly being replaced by what we call in the TV news biz… the NAT SOUND piece.

That’s where the entire story is told using sound bites, natural sound… and no narrator voicing the story.  It’s quite the paradox for someone like myself who loves to write because while I enjoy being able to control the story, NAT SOUND pieces just come off as much more natural.

There’s no “right” way to do a story.  I think every story is unique, so a decision on whether or not to “voice” it needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis.  Companies that have a tightly controlled marketing message may want to stick with “voiced” stories, but I have to admit… I’m counseling more and more of my clients to give NAT SOUND pieces a try.

“Voiced” Story Example: https://www.t60productions.com/Video-Metalco.html

NAT SOUND Example: https://www.t60productions.com/Video-Dwyane_Wade_Basketball_Camp.html