No doubt about it, video cost tends to be one of the most important factors people consider when they hire a production company. From our end we can present them with the best video idea ever, but a deciding question will always be… how much is this going to cost?

Like a lot of things, especially creative endeavors like video, the amount of money you spend can have a direct impact on the quality you receive. What I’d like to do is provide a way for you to improve your cost to quality ratio.

Video cost to quality… not savings

This doesn’t have to do with how-to save money.… Read More

Storytelling is something I strongly believe in, and I’ve written about how it’s more than just a buzz word. Well, I recently put storytelling to the test and it didn’t disappoint me.

Mrs. G and I recently sold our car… a 2002 Mazda Protegé. It is… a working automobile. The car isn’t a hunk of junk or anything. The interior looks nice. It runs great. We took really good care of the engine, but it does have its fair share of dings, scratches, and rust. It’s not exactly the type of car that jumps out at you and says, “Look how awesome I am.… Read More

Nobody likes a corporate crisis. Okay, maybe the media enjoys them, but if you work at a company facing a very public corporate crisis you’re probably not a fan. I mean, it’s the type of thing that can sink a company, and your job along with it. Which is why in a crisis situation, your business might need a crisis management video.

Now, I’m not going to advocate producing a video for every crisis that comes down the pike. It’s not a cure-all. However, a well-done video can turn the situation around and do it quickly.

The reason it’s so effective is that video allows you to go beyond words. … Read More

If you’re going to produce a PR or marketing video, you probably have a bunch of questions.

Thankfully, we have answers.

Even better… we’ve probably already written about them. Which is why we’re providing this list of helpful video marketing blog posts.

Video Production Cost and Budgeting

• How-to Figure Out Video Production Costs
• 5 Things You Get For Your Video Budget
• Video Strategy: planning for next year’s video budget

How to Pick a Video Production Company

FYI… either one of these are helpful for selecting companies in Illinois, Wisconsin, or anywhere else for that matter!

• Chicago Video Production Buyers Guide
• Milwaukee Video Production Buyers Guide

Just Getting Started?

More and more business leaders are embracing the power of video and that’s great. The big question for many is where to start? My advice is to begin with the one video every company should have at their website… the “About Us” video.

It seems simple enough, and I have given advice in the past on how-to create a great “About Us” video. Unfortunately, many businesses still produce videos that miss the mark, so why not learn from other company’s pitfalls?

Thankfully, we know some business, marketing, and public relations experts willing to help guide you past the “About Us” video mistakes they’ve seen.… Read More

If you’re a marketing or public relations professional, you know the value of video. You know how it can help a business communicate. You know how storytelling can help a company sell. It’s a fun and creative process that can deliver big time for a business… but there’s definitely some things to know in advance of starting. This blog post should serve a handy guide to video for both you and your clients.

Budget

First thing you need to do is to plan how much you’re going to spend on the project. That is… unless you have unlimited funds! Yeah… right.… Read More

One of the biggest production mistakes you can make is picking the wrong music for your videos. From the type of music to the mood it might elicit, there are all sorts of things that need to be considered when selecting a song… no matter what type of video you’re producing.

Is music even necessary?

First thing’s first, and it’s something many people don’t consider at all. Does the video even need music. That’s right. Not every video must have a music bed.

The main reason to use music is to set a mood. If you’re really focused on the content and less about mood, you might not want any music.… Read More

I’ve learned a lot about public relations from reading Spin Sucks, both the blog and the book. One of the lessons that has come through loud and clear is how important it is to deliver an authentic PR message. Which is why a recent phone call from Gini Dietrich was so surprising.

First thing’s first. I don’t work for a PR agency. I’m not even in PR, although in a way I am. I’m a video producer. I get called when PR agents need video storytelling for their clients. Gini is the CEO of Arment Dietrich and the founder of Spin Sucks.… Read More

Taking a little summer break from blogging this week, but with the 4th of July just days away… a special treat.

You know how anyone involved in content marking is supposed create super-helpful content? Well, this is information every American should have for this special occasion. We didn’t produce it… but we wish we had. :-)

Happy Independence Day!

–Tony Gnau

How-to Make a Bacon American Flag

… Read More

This month’s vlog focuses on an important topic. How-to help tell your company’s story.

It probably sounds so simple. As a matter of fact, you may have told people about your company or job a million times. But are you telling an effective story? Are you telling a story that resonates with people? That will keep their attention? That will endear them to you and what you do?

See… there’s more to it than you think. In the vlog, I give you an example of how your story can be found right under your nose, or in this case on a bookcase, as well as a good way to get started.… Read More