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Heidi McLean

production crew invoicing - Crew Connection

Invoicing: Tips and tricks to get paid quickly and seamlessly

Invoicing: Tips and tricks to get paid quickly and seamlessly 5487 3668 Heidi McLean

Invoicing day: The day independent contractors love to hate. For any production crew without a standalone accounting department, invoicing simultaneously keeps businesses afloat (hello cash flow!) and keeps you away from the work you got into the business for in the first place. It doesn’t have to be so painful, though! Like everything on Crew Connection’s online platform, invoicing is easy and streamlined.

Here are some best practices to help you simplify invoicing and get paid quickly.

 

The invoicing process in a nutshell

Here are some simple but important keys to uploading your invoice to Crew Connection:

  1. Wait until the day after the shoot end date to upload your invoice.
  2. Click the “Upload a New Invoice” button (bottom left).
  3. Be sure to export a PDF file (no larger than 2MB) from your system of choice.

 

When will I be paid?

We pay within 30 days of the day you upload your invoice (not the end of the shoot date) and we always initiate payments on Wednesdays. The later you upload your invoice and the more revisions you have to make in order to finalize it, the longer it will take after wrap to get paid. It behooves you to make the invoice a priority the day after you finish the shoot and to make sure you avoid revisions.

 

What causes rejections?

Nobody likes to be rejected. It’s usually just a matter of clearing up some confusion, but here are the two most common reasons we have to kick back invoices:

  1. There are discrepancies between the estimate and the invoice (for instance, new line items without explanations/notes, or unexpected costs such as parking and meals).
  2. There are mistakes—the wrong date, client name, or location, for example.

 

How can I prevent confusion on my invoice?

Once a client approves your estimate, it becomes a project. Basing your invoice on your project keeps everything consistent. That means we’ll likely have fewer questions for you and more time to cut your check. (Need a refresher on creating an estimate? Click here.)

Here’s what we mean by consistency:

  1. Make your invoice look as similar to the estimate as possible. If you bid on the project as a package, don’t submit an itemized invoice. On the flip side, if you break down costs such as camera operator, labor, gear, audio, etc., do so on both your estimate and your invoice. Either way, pick your approach and stick with it.
  2. Be sure to include your preliminary total, less our finder’s fee, and your net on every invoice. Not sure what we take a commission on? Get the scoop here.
  3. Provide proof of purchase. Spent some extra cash on the job? Include those lunch, parking, and other receipts as pages of your invoice or as separate “invoices” for the same project. Make a habit of including meals and parking receipts. Vague extra costs make clients nervous, while clear communication makes them feel more comfortable.

When anything doesn’t line up, we have to go back to the production crew and find out what changed. We notify you via email and give you a chance to fix it. That said, it still delays the whole process (and often the payment). It will just be a quicker and smoother process if you take your time and do it right upfront.

 

The bottom line

We built our online database to make getting paid fast and easy already, and these little tips will set you up for success from your very first estimate. Uploading your invoice on Crew Connection is the fastest way to get it in front of our crew coordinators and get you paid. It’s easy. Promise.

 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

 

production crews scott stewart | Crew Connection

Featured Crew: Resolution Post production crew

Featured Crew: Resolution Post production crew 640 360 Heidi McLean

Whether they’re pros at filming, post-production, stills, drone photography, or a little bit of everything—our crews are the bee’s knees. We know that for a fact because our team personally vets every single one of them before adding them to our global crewing database.

 

We thought it was about time to toot some of their horns, starting with Scott Stewart and Resolution Post.

We love working with Resolution for the same reasons our clients do:

1) They are flexible and offer a wide range of production services—from green screen shooting to editing and graphics work.

2) They’ve fully adopted our online platform which allows them to seamlessly work with us and our clients.

For the scoop on what makes Resolution such rockstars we talked with Scott Stewart, Resolution Post’s Creative Director and President, and a true gem in the industry. He’s been with the company for over 25 years and does everything from filming to post-production; which includes color correction, editing, graphics animation, After Effects, and Cinema 4D worlds.  

 

Crew Connection: What sets you apart?

Scott Stewart: We can do everything in the house. After we do the shoot, we take it back into the suite, do the creative aspects, and deliver the final product. That means we can accommodate just about any situation. One of the benefits to clients is that you save time in post when the guy shooting the project also edits it.

 

CC: What gear do you offer and what are your specialties?

SS: I can shoot with all the cameras. I learn the technology when it comes out. Rather than investing in several different cameras and being limited to those, I invest in the lenses and lights so I can accommodate different clients who want different packages. It’s a smooth transition from camera to the camera because I just need to get the settings right for the environment.

 

CC: What are some interesting and challenging projects you’ve worked on recently?

SS: We had a client ask us to create a galaxy for them. Our Art Director, who can build a model in the 3D world, dug into his tool bag and figured out how to do it.

We also work with professional athletes who don’t have a lot of time. That means we have to pull off perfection in less than five minutes. We charge batteries, clear audio cards, and do all camera checks ahead of time so we can stay in front of everything and make it work.

One of the coolest jobs we’ve done recently is editing a three-episode run of FIFAKING (also known as Chad Johnson…also known as Ocho Cinco).

 

CC: What are your favorite tools and why?

SS: My new favorite tool is the GH5—Panasonic DSLR. It shoots 4K 422 uncompressed footage to a Ninja Inferno monitor/recorder. It’s a lightweight package that works with Cine DS Rokinon lenses. I also have a cool mixer (Zoom H6) right on the camera so we can cut out the sound person for smaller shoots.

All of that means we can match our camera packages to the budget and client while still offering excellent quality. We can do a nice corporate shoot or a green screen shoot without using a RED. The truth is that if you put footage from a RED Dragon next to a GH5, very few people can tell the difference—especially on the web.

And for bigger broadcast jobs, we can still use a RED, Alexa, or Sony F5 and hire larger crews to support the scope of the project.

 

CC: Why do clients like working with you?

SS: We focus on customer service and go above and beyond for every job. If we’re not done with a project at 5 p.m. and it’s due the next morning, we’ll stay until 3 a.m. to see it through. If I get an email at 9 p.m. that the client needs the video in a different format, then I send it to them from home. It’s all about relationships.

 

The bottom line

Resolution Post and JSS Productions are broadcast, design, and acquisition specialists with a host of Fortune 500 clients and government agencies. They specialize in creating visual content for any screen. Click here to book Resolution for your next high-end corporate piece, marketing project, awards show, commercial, promo, or multimedia experience.

 

About JSS Productions/Resolution Post

Resolution is a video, film, and multimedia broadcast design and digital agency based out of the Washington, D.C. metro area. Since its creation in 1989, Resolution has produced films, videos, and multimedia for some of the top fortune 500 companies of the world and government agencies. We are most proud of the fact that we have established long-term relationships with our customers and have earned their respect as strategic communications partners. The majority of our work consists of creating high-end corporate imaging, marketing, awards shows, commercials, promos, special effects, training videos and multimedia experiences. We help our customers define their business and communications objectives and we study hard to understand the product and what the audience needs to know.

 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a world of video service providers at your fingertips. In just a few clicks you can search, chat with, and book vetted crews local to your shoot—all on your own schedule. Rely on Crew Connection’s team of media experts to organize the crews and gear you need for multi-day and multi-location video projects anywhere in the world. Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock if you ever need live assistance. Visit CrewConnection.com, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email at info@crewconnection.com.

 

crewing service | crew connection

Crews get more legitimate leads from Crew Connection crewing service

Crews get more legitimate leads from Crew Connection crewing service 5616 3744 Heidi McLean

Crew Connection simplifies prospecting in a big way. It’s the crewing service that makes life easy for both clients and crews. Our crews tell us that one of the biggest perks of using Crew Connection is that they get more legitimate leads (read: leads that turn into projects that turn into cash). Here’s what that means for our crews:

 

1. High-quality leads come looking for you

Crew Connection alleviates some of our crews’ biggest prospecting issues. As a crew, every potential new client is inherently a gamble. You don’t start the project with the guarantee that they’ll pay on time—or at all. You don’t know if you’ll spend hours on their RFP only to have it go unseen. But Crew Connection guarantees Net 30, takes the grunt work out of submitting proposals, and provides user-friendly sorting options that mean you only get requests for jobs you are a good fit for.

 

2. Bids turn into projects

When clients get better fits, crews get better leads. Crew Connection’s searching and booking tool make it easy for clients to find the crews that are the right fit for their job. They also know they’re getting the best (that’s you!) so they feel more comfortable booking. One crew told us that they had a “100 percent success rate with leads actualizing.” You read that right—100 percent!

 

3. Get the best clients and projects without the hassle

One of the biggest challenges for crews and clients alike is communication. Our online database centralizes details and simplifies communications. You can view and manage every detail of a shoot from one central place—gear, budget, and communications included. It’s all simple and centralized, easy, and fast on Crew Connection.

 

Ready to book more projects? 

Become a crew or update your profile here.

 


About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign Up on Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Multi-day and multi-location video projects| Crew Connection

When you need multi-day and multi-location video projects, you need Crew Connection

When you need multi-day and multi-location video projects, you need Crew Connection 5000 3266 Heidi McLean

Crew Connection simplifies series shoots—both in the US and internationally. Here are two reasons to rely on Crew Connection to organize your multi-day and multi-location video projects:

 

1. Get the best crews without the hassle

Peace of mind can be hard to come by when you’re working with a new crew, especially when they’re far away. Book multiple shoots in multiple locations and the trouble only compounds. You want to be sure you hire someone who gets you and your vision. Crew Connection partners with only the best crews both in the US and internationally and connects you directly with highly-qualified video production crews. No matter how many shoots you’re booking and in how many locations, you know you’re getting the very best. Let Crew Connection turn crewing into one of the simplest parts of your job.

 

2. Improve communication

Crew Connection’s online database is more than an excellent searching and booking tool. It’s also a great way to centralize details and simplify communications. One of the biggest challenges of any intricate, multi-layered project is communication. With our database, you can view and manage every detail of a shoot from one central place—gear, budget, and communications included. Want to re-book a crew and find out what you paid for a similar job last time? It’s simple and centralized. Want to book 6 shoots in 6 locations in one sitting? It’s easy and fast on Crew Connection.

The best part is if you simply don’t have time to plan a detailed multi-day and multi-location video project, our staff is available 24/7 to do it for you. Connect with our team of crew coordinators anytime at 303-526-4900, or info@crewconnection.com.

 

The bottom line 

Video productions are rife with opportunities for things to go wrong. Save your time and brainpower for something other than crewing by letting us take care of organizing all your multi-day and multi-location video projects. You already have enough on your plate.

Whether you want to book exclusively online or need some support on the phone line, our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Not sure if a crewing service is a good fit for you? Here are five things to look for when deciding whether to hire.

 


About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a world of video service providers at your fingertips. In just a few clicks you can search, chat with, and book vetted crews local to your shoot—all on your own schedule. Rely on Crew Connection’s team of media experts to organize the crews and gear you need for multi-day and multi-location video projects anywhere in the world. Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock if you ever need live assistance. Visit CrewConnection.com, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email at info@crewconnection.com.

elevator pitch sign | Crew Connection

8 business-boosting marketing tips for video crews

8 business-boosting marketing tips for video crews 4272 2848 Heidi McLean

It’s easy for video crews to get buried in editing or lose track of time stuck behind a camera. But to build a truly profitable business, you have to bring in some new business from time to time. Take heart—you don’t necessarily need a big budget or even paid advertising! These simple steps can take your business to the next level and keep your pipeline full.

 

Ways for video crews to boost business  (the non-negotiables)

There are a million ways to reach potential new clients, but they don’t mean anything if you aren’t building on the right foundation. And luckily that foundation is pretty simple: do great work and be the person clients want to work with.

1. Do great work  

Superb work is non-negotiable. As equipment prices drop and novice filmmakers carry filming devices right in their pockets(take the iPhone, for example), the barriers to entry for video crews become fewer and fewer. That means you have to do more to stand out. Sharpen your skills by taking on new kinds of shoots, signing up for classes, etc. No matter how much you already know, never stop learning. As Steve Jobs once advised a graduating class of Harvard students: “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

2. Be nice  

The old adage remains true that people prefer to work with people they know and like. A casual conversation at an event, even if it isn’t business-related, gives you more of an in with a potential client than even the sparkliest online ad. While one pleasant conversation may get you in the door, being a person your client likes to do business with will get you to repeat business, and referrals, too.

Perhaps good work is the bread of your business and being a decent human being is the butter.

 

Simple ways for video crews to take their business to the next level (the nice-to-haves)

Once you’ve built a solid foundation on great work and good people skills, use these tips to build a better business.

 

1. Send handwritten thank you notes to existing clients

Getting new business is harder than just becoming the go-to crew for existing clients. Nurture relationships in simple ways to become a go-to partner for your clients. Handwritten notes and other simple gestures go a long way to express your appreciation and make your name stick in their heads.

2. Ask for referrals 

Finding reliable freelancers is notoriously difficult. It makes your clients look good when they can provide a good match for their colleagues. When you know you’ve become someone’s reliable partner in crime, ask them to hook you up with other people, too. Clients are glad to share their best solutions with their networks.

3. Have your elevator pitch ready at all times

Nearly everyone has an odd story about meeting their most faithful client in line at Starbucks or in some other serendipitous situation. You’re meeting people everywhere who may want to work with you if they just knew what you do. Be ready to share your elevator pitch (here are some tips to make a great one) with anyone and at any time. Your next big client could be the stranger you just bumped into while reaching for the same can of Pringles.

 

Three ways to use the power of the internet to reach new clients

In the video production industry, you can’t build a business on the internet alone, but the information superhighway certainly has its place. Getting in front of potential clients online can help ensure you keep paying the bills through the notorious slow seasons. Here are three ways to make your online presence effective.

1. Showcase your work with demo reels

The most effective demo reels demonstrate a wide variety of skills in a quick, eye-pleasing manner. You want potential clients to see your reel and, in 30 seconds or less, be confident you know your stuff and will represent their brand well.

2. Use social media to provide added value to clients

The most effective way to use social media is to provide content your audience cares about while occasionally mentioning how great you are. If the majority of your posts are self-promotional instead of educational, you’ll lose credibility as well as engagement from followers. You may even lose the followers themselves.

While posting only self-promotional material is off-putting, definitely capitalize on legitimate opportunities to celebrate achievements and advancements. As long as you’re doing a nice mix of other material, be sure to share when you win industry awards and/or get new gear.

3. Get in front of the right eyeballs 

It doesn’t matter how many people your work gets in front of if they’re not hiring video crews. You want to make sure people who need your skills see you. Outlets like Crew Connection, where clients go specifically to look for video crews, are exactly the kinds of places you want to invest your time because you’re guaranteed to get in front of the right people. That’s more effective than a hundred paid ads that only the wrong people see.

Sign up to become a video service provider on Crew Connection, call the Crew Connection team around the clock at 303-526-4900, or email us to get started.

 

The bottom line 

For video crews looking to boost business, there is no substitute for the basics: Do great work, make sure people see that work, and be someone people like to work with. From that foundation, add in a few special touches like always being prepared to tell people about what you do, getting in front of the right eyeballs, and beefing up your demo reel and you’ll be flush with high-quality and well-paying video production work. 

 


 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign up to become a video service provider on Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

 

man peering over countertop | Crew Connection

10 times you might want to let a crewing service handle the details

10 times you might want to let a crewing service handle the details 1280 847 Heidi McLean

As much as you might love spending hours searching for, vetting, negotiating with, and eventually maybe hiring a video production crew—sometimes it pays to let a crewing service do the work for you.

 

You may want to hire a crewing service when…

 

1. You’re filming on the other side of the world and you don’t know the difference between a burpee and a rupee.

 

2. You just remembered you need to present your production plan to the boss tomorrow and you haven’t even started. P.S. It’s midnight.

 

3. You don’t feel like getting dressed for the office so you’re letting the internet do the work. #thanksinternet 

 

4. Even the internet fails you and you need to phone a friend.

 

5. You already work hard. You just also know when to work smarter.

 

6. You’re filming in an unfamiliar location, don’t know any local video production crews, and have a Netflix marathon to get back to.

 

7. You’ve rolled the dice on unknown crews one too many times. You need to know the next one is the right one.

 

8. You need to get back to looking for your missing stapler.

 

9. You have a case of the Mondays.

 

10. You have a case of the Fridays. No. More. Braining.

 

The bottom line 

You already have enough on your plate. By connecting you directly with qualified video production crews, Crew Connection turns crewing into one of the simplest parts of your job. Whether you want to book exclusively online or need some support on the phone line, our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

 


 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a world of video service providers at your fingertips. In just a few clicks you can search, chat with, and book vetted crews local to your shoot—all on your own schedule. Rely on Crew Connection’s team of media experts to organize the crews and gear you need for multi-day and multi-location video projects anywhere in the world. Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock if you ever need live assistance. Visit CrewConnection.com, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email at info@crewconnection.com.

 

extra footage | crew connection

From the cutting room floor to cash: what to do with extra footage

From the cutting room floor to cash: what to do with extra footage 5184 3456 Heidi McLean

Extra footage left on the cutting room floor is a fact of life for DPs, editors, and producers; who will always find themselves cutting some of their most beautiful b-roll and other prized shots.

It’s true in writing, too. No matter how proud of a well-crafted line a writer is, Stephen King has a simple bit of advice if it doesn’t fit the final piece: “Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”

The good news in our industry is that those darlings have a chance at a second life through stock footage.

 

Four benefits of repurposing extra footage:

 

1. Passive income

Royalties go on and on. Do the work once and make money every time someone downloads it. Forever. This is music to every hard-working artist’s ears.

2. Exposure

Especially when you choose to submit to non-exclusive sites, your work gets in front of eyeballs you wouldn’t have access to any other way.

3. No risk

Even if you don’t get any downloads of a particular piece, you’re still learning what works by investing only a little time up front.

4. It’s fun

Finding new outlets for your creativity and hard work is fun. Getting paid for it is even better.

 

A few tips for success

Make sure your content is professional quality and ready to use. As part of that, get signed releases for everyone and everywhere you film so that you’re already covered when you decide to use the footage beyond its original purpose. Check each outlet’s guidelines and submit what’s in demand. Shutterstock’s Contributor Success Guide says buyers are looking for authenticity, cultural diversity, and local culture.

Have you made extra money submitting extra footage to stock sites? Email our coordinator team at info@crewconnection.com and we might just feature you and your footage on our website and social media!

 


 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

 

permit letters | Crew Connection

Camera crews need permits for what?! 6 important pre-shoot considerations

Camera crews need permits for what?! 6 important pre-shoot considerations 5184 3456 Heidi McLean

As the popularity of video content grows, so does the number of new folks in the industry who aren’t yet aware of all its intricacies. Sometimes, the shoot itself is the easy part—making sure you get to use the epic footage your camera crew caught can be the real challenge. Save time and headaches by making sure your camera crews have the following legal permissions before heading out to a video shoot.

 

Six situations that require special permissions for camera crews:

  1. Shooting in a public space

    This usually requires some kind of photography permit. Get to know the local film commission to make sure you’re covered.

  2. Flying high

    Drones add a whole other level of permissions to your list. Check out our cheat sheet here for the basic guidelines including drone permits and check with your local film commission if you need to dig deeper or discuss a particular shoot.

  3. Security clearance

    If your location requires clearance (think airports, hospitals, etc.), make sure your crew is on the list! This might include you sharing their identification info with security. Getting turned away at the door is expensive, embarrassing, and inconvenient.

  4. Talent and location releases 

    Get signed releases for everyone you film—even that hot dog vendor you interviewed on the off chance you’ll want to use her sound byte! Stores, museums, and other privately-owned spots sometimes require location releases, too. You may not even know which shots will end up in the final cut, but getting all your permissions signed before you leave the shoot location saves the time and effort of having to track down signatures after the fact.

  5. Parking and access

    Make sure there’s plenty of it for your crew and their van(s) full of heavy gear. And while you’re at it, plan to take all your gear with you so your thousands of dollars of equipment doesn’t find its way into the wrong hands. If you’re in touch with others in the industry, you already know it happens often and can happen fast.

  6. Music rights

    This one can be a doozy. If you want to use a popular piece of music, you could be looking at spending five figures on rights. And if your artist sampled another artist, you’ll need to get rights from both parties. Acquire legal permissions for any music you use in your final product—from background music to what you add in post production. Alternatively, consider hiring a composer for a custom piece or using royalty-free music in your piece.

 

The bottom line

These considerations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the unique requirements you’ll come across while planning a video shoot. Our crew coordinators are veterans of the video and post production industry and on call 24/7. Whether it’s your first or fiftieth shoot, we’re here to help. 

 


 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

 

animated video crew | Crew Connection

Four ways for production crews to avoid costly filming mistakes

Four ways for production crews to avoid costly filming mistakes 5000 3886 Heidi McLean

Gear failures, lighting blunders, audio fails—video productions are rife with opportunities for things to go wrong. Here’s some simple but hard-earned wisdom on ways production crews can prevent some of the most common and costly blunders.

 

How production crews can prevent costly filming mistakes

 

1. Plan, plan, plan…and then plan some more 

If you ever want your footage to make it to post-production, you have to do some pre-planning. If applicable, get location permits and talent releases signed before you even show up and have extras on hand just in case. Know what kind of tone or look you’re going for. Have a rough schedule in place to determine what scenes and shots you need.

Over-communicate to be sure you understand your client’s vision. This sets you up to execute it to the best of your abilityAnything you can do ahead of time, do it. And then be ready to adjust on the fly because there’s one guarantee: It will never go exactly as you’ve planned.

 

2. Know your equipment

Never put yourself in a position to have to learn gear under pressure. Not only is it embarrassing fumbling around on a shoot, it can also slow down production. It’s better to use tried and true equipment than to attempt learning shiny new stuff on the fly. Give yourself enough time to get comfortable. Even if you’ve been hired to use someone else’s equipment, see if you can spend a little time ahead of the shoot learning unfamiliar gear. 

 

3. Expect the best but prepare for the worst

Assemble a first-aid kit of sorts. Include extra batteries, memory cards, and lightbulbs as needed. Have two sources for capturing audio in case your first choice fails. Bring weather protection for your gear even if the forecast is clear. Include a world of gaff tape. The stuff works miracles—like rigging up a makeshift backdrop or holding microphones in place.

 

4. If you see something, say something 

A lot of magic happens in post-production, but no amount of mixing or sweetening can bring back non-existent audio or make up for a poorly-lit set. Even if you are knee-deep in an interview, be ready to interrupt. Redoing lights or waiting for the disruptive wind to die down may feel inconvenient at the moment, but it saves trouble in the long run.

 

The bottom line

Have a back-up plan for your back-up plan, keep gaff tape and other quick fixes on hand to prevent gaffes, and don’t rely on post-production to fix preventable errors. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the biggest difference. 

 


 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection logo

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

data notebook | Crew Connection

Future corporate communications & video production

Future corporate communications & video production 6048 4032 Heidi McLean

By Trishna Mitra, Digital Marketing Specialist at Abernethy Media Professionals

 

What if I told you that by 2019, 80 percent of internet traffic will be video traffic? And no, I don’t mean just cat videos or viral memes, like Chewbacca mom. I’m talking about corporate communications. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a trend in content consumption that is increasingly favoring video over other types of mediums. You’ve probably already noticed the changes and seen the facts, so I’m not here to convince you of that. Rather, I want to share how to overcome the daunting prospect of moving toward a primarily video communication strategy for your company.

Abernethy Media Professionals (also known as AMP) has been in the video production business for the past fifteen years. Our work includes project management, production, post, or any combination of the three. That’s why we don’t believe in the “standard job” when it comes to planning a good video. Over the last decade and a half, we’ve learned that when it comes to creating video, flexibility and adaptability are the names of the game. As things change for our clients, we must pivot quickly and meet them where they are. As a result, we’ve created agile processes to help our clients plan ahead and keep up with the growing, constantly changing demands of video production. Today, we’re sharing those not-so-top-secret processes with you!

 

Plan ahead to: Create footage with longevity

Make the most of the production day. This is the most important thing you can do to prepare for video communications. Especially when it comes to online content, it can feel like things become irrelevant pretty quickly. So, create content that is evergreen, shoot multiple versions of your video that you can steadily release over time, and get visual assets (like stills and b-roll) that can be reused in newsletters, across the website, and in other videos. All it takes is a little forethought during pre-production to plan how you want to make the most out of your video and content.

 

Plan ahead to: Use your budget wisely

Or, as we like to call it, “managing expectations.” You want the look of a professional video, but you don’t have the budget for it. Or perhaps you’ve come up with the creative and now need a crew to execute it, just to find that you don’t have the budget to get everything PLUS the lighting you need to get the look you want.

Quality video production comes at a cost, so it is tempting to turn to the film school student looking to add to his resume. However, when you go with an experienced crew, you’re getting quality, reliability, and professionalism. And that can save you hours onset and the costs of reshoots if things go awry.

 

Plan ahead to: Allow for logistical constraints

It’s time for a CEO address. Top leadership will all be around to shoot an internal company video for employees across the country. Flights are booked, the crew is assembled, and you’re ready to go. And then at the last minute, the CEO cancels because something’s come up. Now what? Coordinating schedules can be difficult at best, which is why we recommend incorporating some flexibility into your planning process. Think about possible alternative solutions during pre-production so you’re prepared for whatever might come down the pipeline. AMP’s team of experienced professionals can provide the gear, the crew, and the support to help you as your needs change.

 

About Abernethy Media Professionals

The future of corporate communications: Keeping up with video production

Abernethy Media Professionals is a full-service video production company. AMP’s Camera Crew division offers production support across the Southwest and Pacific Northwest areas. We provide the right crews, equipment, and expertise for your shoot. Our Creative Services team provides a script to screen production support, and our experienced producers partner with agencies and in-house corporate communications representatives on digital media projects across the country.