Archive for the ‘Recent Events’ Category

Introducing our new Video Camera – Sony NX5

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

With the New Year comes new equipment, not only to meet the growing demand on our workload but also to keep up with the demand with changes in technology.

It is with this that we have purchased a Sony NX5 Camera.

As a fully solid state camera we are able to capture 11 hours of footage continuously in Full HD quality and with a 20 x Optical zoom we are also able to get closer than ever before. These are only a few of the updated features of the camera, but what does it mean for your conferences and productions?

corporate video production

Well as a start there are no more annoying tape changes so we will never miss that important 30 seconds of your speaker when the tape runs out and needs changing.

We can also speed up the delivery of the footage, being able to convert it onsite or do a short transfer across to our computers for a quick author, all this speeds up delivery of your footage to get it either into the hands of the editors or your hands. Whats more the NX5 comes with a backup record device onto SD cards – this allows us to ensure that even if data failure occurs you never loose your footage.

The extended optical zoom from 12X to 20X also allows us to get better closer shots of your speakers at conferences or better shots for your corporate videos.

All  these features mean a better and higher quality product delivered faster to you.
Give us a call to book your next filming event or production and get this camera booked on your job before someone else does.

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Creating effective television advertisements

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

As a business owner you want to attract more customers at a cost effective rate but also you want your to convey a clear message to your future clients that will entice them to visit your store or to call you. Some of the first steps to creating a good television or web commercial is to start out by writing out 5-10 positive points of why customers should visit your business. Start outlining this in script form. In the script you want to first introduce your business, explain who you are, how long you have been in business and where you are located.

In the body of the script, this is where you want to list all your positives about your business, keep emphasizing your name throughout the script, now comes the conclusion this is where you want to close the sale. This is where you can come up with a creative closing statement, such as. ” For authentic Mexican cooking from our family to yours, come visit us today and experience the tastiest Mexican food in your neighborhood”. Something similar to this to close out the commercial.

Now that you have an idea of what you want to say, it is time to hire a professional video production company, to make the commercial. A professional video production company, will utilize broadcast quality video cameras, professional lighting and professional audio equipment. Once they have shot the commercial it will be edited with professional graphics and a voice over will be added. Blue Shadow Group can help you with your advertisement every step of the way, from scripting right through to getting it on air. So get in touch with us to get the ball rolling!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2496408

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What is Motion Graphics?

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

The term motion graphics seems self explanatory. It is defined as “graphical communication that incorporates motion over time” – which of course sounds much less straightforward!. It encompasses a lot of distinct style disciplines, such as moving type, traditional cel and cease-motion animation, film, digital video production, 3d and Flash animation and 3d and elements.

All can be utilized individually or together by a designer to generate what we now know as motion graphics. A designer can convey a lot much more than he or she would normally be in a position to with a single image using a time frame, and can take a viewer on a visual journey utilizing a narrative.

You will have seen Motion graphics all over the place; in advertisement spots and introductory system sequences, title sequences for tv shows and movies and a lot of other areas. In fact, it is so pervasive that you’d be tough pressed not to come into contact with motion graphics when watching television these days.

Does this mean the end for print? No, not just yet.

But graphic layout and communication are pulling away from the printed page and embracing new technologies and the moving image, expanding their boundaries into regions not yet explored.

The advent of high quality DV cameras and software program applications such as Adobe After Effects and Flash, Cinema 4D, Premier, and Apple’s Final Cut have provided designers the chance to explore this region without having the require for separate editing and post production departments.

Visually gorgeous footage can be produced making use of this new media – high good quality video can be shot and treated, edited and mixed with animated elements, 3d, typography and particular effects so that a business can add narrative and energy to their promotional material, as effectively as place their message in a multitude of locations alongside their print or web campaign.

This could contain dvd menus, sending dvd video alongside existing brochures, developing titles for a trade show or generating a corporate sales presentation a lot more engaging. Your clients’ imagination will be greater captured making use of effectively developed and slick motion graphics than it would a drab Powerpoint presentation or poor display boards.

Motion graphics are now an inexpensive, viable alternative for these wanting to market their enterprise and excite their customers in a different way. Rich broadcast quality visuals and presentation are no longer the sole domain of big organizations with enormous budgets and production teams geared for making large screen and tv. You may have noticed yourself responding to motion graphics in the same way that it could work for your potential viewers/customers: motion graphics can pack a lot of punch and add a polished looking “wow” factor to pretty much anything. So get in contact with us to find out how to make it work for your next production.

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Have you heard of webcasting?

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Webcasting allows you to simultaneously capture the presenter and their visual aids and record them to a browser friendly format that can be streamed live or on demand over the web or delivered in a data format for media distribution. This is the perfect solution for conferences and events as it allows you to deliver your information quickly and to a much larger audience.

Webcasting is:
Interactive
Easy to use
Excellent training tool
Cost effective
Global reach instantly
Greater user retention

For more info have a look at our webcasting page.

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Some Tips to Help You Choose the Right Video Company

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

Most people will go about choosing a video production company in the same way they would purchase any product; They get 3 different quotes from local video production companies and choose the most appealing offer, which is normally the cheapest one. The problem with this approach is that it is often extremely difficult to truly compare apples-to apples in the creative services industry. At Blue Shadow Group we often encounter clients coming to us for a second try after having had a poorly produced video made elsewhere that they are unhappy with.

We feel it’s important that our clients trust that we can deliver the job that they envision and within the budget and time frame that has been set out from the start. That’s why we’re providing you with these 5 guidelines to help in making an informed decision when hiring a video production company.

1) Do they have specific experience in the type of video (corporate video, sales video, training video, etc.) in their portfolio that you are wanting them to produce? While this may sound basic it is easy to get caught up with a demo reel filled with special effects and forget that at the end of the day your video must accomplish its intended purpose.

2) Did they take the time to ask you questions about your target audience and your business goals before discussing the specifics of your project? You want to hire a video production company that is market oriented and understands how to sell your product or communicate your message.

3) Do they care about the success of your project? Look for a production company that has integrity and builds long-term partnerships with their clients. These companies enjoy ongoing relationships with their clients.

4) Did they provide a professional proposal that clearly explains in sufficient detail what you are paying for? Are they shooting in HD or SD? Is it a 2 camera shoot or 3 camera shoot? How many days of shooting are involved? These are all questions you should ask so you can understand how each company arrived at the quoted price.

5) Did you receive prompt and professional customer service? When you called the video production company what were your first impressions? Did they listen to your needs and offer helpful recommendations? If they are difficult to communicate with during the beginning stages imagine how hard it will be when you are under pressure to meet a deadline.

Following these guidelines when evaluating video production companies will improve your chances of success and ultimately enable you to identify the company best suited for your needs.
We take each of these points very seriously because they are about maintaining a high level of service and production for you, our clients. If you choose to consult with Blue Shadow Group for the production of your next video, you can be confident that we will meet and where appropriate, exceed these guidelines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2005730

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Green screen studio hire

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

Want something different for your next video or event?

How about utilizing a green screen?

Our green screen studio is located at our new Loganholme office and has full lighting, sound, camera and Autocue services, as well as bathroom, shower and kitchen facilities. With a edit suit attached it has never been easier to produce your videos and, if necessary with quick turnaround time. We also have a portable blue and green screen to suit your individual needs.
For your video production Blue Shadow Group can make you interact with your environment better and put you in what ever part of the world you can imagine. Or for your event how about a studio style photo shoot where we can put you in any environment or with any person as a novelty gift for your attendees. Attract delegates to your next booth or event – call us now to enquire about booking a green screen session.

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Why animated video is a great sales tool

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

Animated video provides a punchy, concise and straight to the point way of explaining topics and products and this is why we are seeing it used more and more in advertising and online video. Once an expensive mode of production, new software tools such as Adobe Flash and After Effects allow for much faster production, while retaining high quality standards and therefore animated video has become increasingly accessible to a much wider client base.
The possibilities for utlising animated video in your business are endless, contact us to find out more!
Check out this funny but effective video from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Reinvent the Toilet | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

And don’t think that you need to animate people or characters either, some of the most effective sales and promotional videos out there at the moment only utilise animated typography.
Or here’s a couple of examples of some we have recently completed:

Unigames

Blue Shadow Group Promo

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Client testimonial video special offer

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

Have you considered the promotional advantages of client testimonial videos for your business’ website?
We can film of your client at their point of business to deliver an engaging testimonial about your product or service. The footage will then be edited together and titles, logos and branding will be incorporated to deliver a 1-2 minute testimonial for delivery online.
Here’s one we put together for cabinet mate.
Their video has been used nationally with great success in promoting this product to their target market. They’ve been using this video for over two years now.
Until July 30th we are running a special offer on a production package for client testimonial videos.
Click here to find out more

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Using a Presenter in Your Corporate Video

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

If you are blessed with articulate, charismatic executives then consider yourself lucky. If you are like most companies (large or small) however, you may want to consider hiring professional presenters to represent your company in your corporate videos.

Television Commercials. Most companies (of all sizes) use actors for their commercials, for good reason. Stephen Jobs is arguably one of the best presenters on the planet but Apple doesn’t use him in their ads. Justin Long ( the “I’m a Mac” guy ) is a much better embodiment of the Apple attitude, style and demographic than Jobs. Linking your brand to the CEO is not always a good strategy (especially if he/she leaves the company).  Unless you have a compelling, articulate leader – one that your target audience identifies positively with, you are better off to use a Video Presenter or actor for you TVC.

Product Demonstrations. This category is much more complicated because there are many types of product demonstrations and many different audiences. Your Corporate Video, might benefit from using the product manager in the video but then again, his nerves lack of presentation skills etc might end up distracting the audience enough to not take note of the key points in your Product Video.

Corporate Overviews. This is one of the broadest and most common Online Corporate Video Categories – usually the first point of entry for companies using online video to market themselves. Corporate Overviews are the best place to show off the executives or employees because the business purpose of the corporate overview is to highlight the company (not necessarily the benefits of the products or services that you produce). In this case authenticity is very important. The challenge however comes when your owner/CEO/ executive is just not that compelling. Some video production companies will claim they can make anyone look good on camera, but the truth is that not everyone does well on camera. Feel free to chat to us locally or visit our offices on the Gold Coast and Brisbane to get an honest opinion We are here to make your video production work well for its purpose.

The desired format and structure of the video should determine the need for a Autocue. If you are looking for a personal, unscripted style then it might make sense to give the executive some talking points, roll film and cross your fingers. If however, you have a very specific, detailed or structured message you should consider using a teleprompter with either a company spokesperson or an external presenter.

Give us a call to discuss your video production needs and we can help you out with all the advice you need to make an informed decision on whether to use an employee or an actor for your next video.

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Ways to use Video to communicate to your employees

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Video is a powerful and engaging way to communicate within your organization. Some examples:

1.    Local Heroes. Highlight the people that move the company forward, who make a difference and who add character and vitality to your organization. (Not just the executives.)

2.    Internal Case Studies. Video is a great way to model behaviour and show (rather than just tell) how and why business practices help make everyone’s job easier.

3.    Employee orientation. Either professionally produced by  video production company or employee generated – video is a great way to get people to listen and to understand.

4.    Tell your story.  If you are blessed with great communicators at the helm then you are well ahead of the game. If not, video is an excellent vehicle to remind your employees of your core values, your business objectives, your commitment to the community and the environment and most importantly, why your employees should be excited about their future with your company.

5.    Events/Conferences and Trade shows. Events and conferences are a great opportunity to capture what is going on in your company and in your industry and to communicate this knowledge with your employees.

6.    Customer Testimonials. Of course customer testimonials and video case studies have huge value as external marketing tools but don’t forget to communicate these valuable stories to your employees.

7.    Training Videos. Sales training, process and best-practices training, corporate governance and compliance , and Health and Safety are all areas that benefit from the use of video communications tools.

Video is a great way to tell your story and to engage employees.

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