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Smartphone Gear Recommendations for 2021

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One of the most common questions I get is, “What is the best camera for me to buy?” My response usually is, “What kind of camera do you feel comfortable using?”

Because the reality is, in our busy world today - you need to work with something you feel comfy with, in order to stick to a new video making schedule. So, why not use your smartphone? Seriously! Most of them have amazing picture, and great capabilities. But, there is gear that will help you get the best out of the phone’s capabilities - without breaking the bank. So, here goes - my recommendations for gear!

  1. Gorillapod Universal Smartphone Tripod

I’ve had this tripod for YEARS, and ya know what? It it’s not broke, don’t fix it….right? I love it because it’s so easy to use, and if you’re outside you can bend it around a tree branch, signpost, railing, etc…Incredibly handy!

2. Rode Smartlav+ Omnidirectional Microphone

This is such a workhorse of a mic, I love it. Yes, I understand…it’s not wireless, so that can be a hassle. BUT, ya know what’s good about a wired mic? You don’t need BATTERIES for it - so, it’s one less thing to go wrong on your shoot. The cord isn’t all that long, so I do suggest getting a cord extension and if you have an iphone you’ll need a lightning port adapter.

I think ring lights sometimes get a bad wrap for being “cheesy”. But, the honest truth is…they work! They are an easy way to flip on a light, and be camera ready in minutes. I like this one because it also has a stand for your phone, and various color temperatures. Tip: It also has an adjustable head, so if you want to use it to light up your entire room, put it on full blast - and point it at the ceiling!

4. DJI Osmo Mobile Gimbal

Do you capture video on the go? This is the tool for you! It will help you keep things smooth and fluid. It may take a little practice at first, so keep that in mind when you’re planning on using it.

5. Lens Kit

This lens kit is such a great way to vary your video and photos. Plus, it has a telephoto lens - which, we’ll all want to use while social distancing!

6. Softbox Light Kit

So, what’s the difference between a softbox light kit, and a ring light? When you have a kit, you have more flexibility because you can light yourself, and something else in the room at the same time. This could be food, or something in the background of your talking head shot, or just giving the room a more even feel. Also, if you have glasses and are getting a lot of glare from your ringlight- try two softboxes! Simply position them on each side of you, instead of directly in front - and that should solve your glare problem.

7. Sand Bags

Safety is SO important when you are using any kind of lighting. So, if you’re buying a ring light, or a softbox set - you REALLY should be getting sandbags. It’s because lighting equipment is incredibly top heavy - so it’s important to balance things out so your lights don’t tip over.

8. Light Reflector

Doing a lot of shooting outside? A light reflector is your friend! Basically, it helps you take the sun…and make it your lighting assistant! Keep in mind, you will need an extra set of hands to hold it - but, it’s a cheap alternative when you need a little light on your product, or someone’s face when you’re shooting a close up.

9. Daylight Bulbs

Are you noticing that the lamps in the background of your shot are a weird orange color? That’s because the camera sees sunlight, and lightbulbs as different color temperatures, basically. One way to make your shot less distracting, is to change the bulbs where you are usually shooting with your phone, to daylight - so they match the light streaming in front the window!

10. Cleaning Cloths

The number one thing you can do to make a difference in your shots…? CLEAN YOUR LENS. Every single time you’re going to use your phone - because that thing gets realllllly nasty, quick. It may seem like a simple thing, but everyone seems to forget when they are in a rush!

I hope this has been helpful! If you or your team needs help getting up and running with video, I’d be happy to help. I teach many different workshops, including one about using your Smartphone for Professional looking video. Also, these are amazon affiliate links - but, I don’t recommend things that I haven’t already used myself (or have my eye on, if the exact model wasn’t available online). Thanks for visiting, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about professional video projects, workshops I offer, or using your smartphone to create badass content! Keep puking rainbows, everyone.

Erica Hanna
Owner, Puke Rainbows
6 Time Emmy Award Winning Video Director

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DIY Video vs Hiring a Professional (Updated January '18)


Here is a video update with where I stand on DIY vs hiring a professional crew. Not a lot of changes, but - I do have a suggestion for figuring out if it's worth it for your org! 


(original post from Feb, 2015 is as follows)

In January I had the privilege to sit on a panel with some amazing video experts in the Twin Cities, at Social Media Breakfast. We gave DIY tips, tricks, and resources to check out. We talked about the evil thing that is autoplay (in my opinion), and which brands we think are doing a great job when it comes to video content. But, we ran out of time before getting to one question.

"When should you hire a professional? When should you just do it yourself?"

Great question. Of course, being a professional that would like to work with you (hint hint, I like your new outfit...you look great!), of course I lean towards the "You should always hire a professional," camp. But, with the technology and creative spirit that is out there, I don't think you should go without video content...just because your budget doesn't allow for a professional. So, here are a few scenarios where...if playing the part of content strategist, I'd make the decision to hire versus doing it in house.
 

First, what videos are best done in house?

1. Behind the scenes videos: anything meant for social media/candid content.Are you reacting to a current event? What about office games, singing happy birthday, off the cuff reviews of a product? Why? These videos are meant to show the current personality of your team. They show how real you are. Spontaneous. Back during my days at BringMeTheNews.com we took a video of our newsroom when our website was down. We were playing paddleball, reading, dancing, juggling...of course it was staged, but it was fun content to throw on social media, to curb the complainers while our IT folks worked their magic to get us up and running again.

2. 7-15 second vine/instagram style posts. Again, this will be very "inside baseball" content of your team. Of course, if you want these to appear polished and if they have any type of comedic timing whatsoever...I'd say hire a pro to shoot a bunch of them at once to maximize the time you're paying for.

3. Challenges. Think: ice bucket challenge, the lutefisk challenge. These are easy to do with your smart phone (Just remember to turn it sideways! Vertical video is evil! Do you suffer from vertical video syndrome?)

4. Media moments. Is your boss being interviewed? Take a quick video before, during or after the interview, to post to your website and/or social media accounts to get some extra PR out of the deal. Build buzz.

When should you hire a professional?

1. For everything else. (ok, just kidding...)

2. Videos starring people who have never been on camera before. Seasoned directors know what it takes to get new talent to feel at ease, and deliver in an authentic/non-salesy manner.

3. Content with staying power. Do you have a great video idea that will resonate with your audience and share for a long time due to the timeless content? Or, something that will live on your website/be sent to potential clients or partners, for a good chunk of time? Remember, if people are seeing something from your brand for the first time, you want that initial impression to be a good one.

4. B2B Content. Research shows that 65% of executives will visit the website of a vendor, after viewing a video from them. Boom.

5. When your other content is no longer helping you achieve the goals you set out to tackle. Are things stagnant? Nobody watching? A professional can step in with an objective/honest opinion. Some are only comfortable on the production end of things, but folks like Puke Rainbows (shameless plug, yes!) also handle strategy, and look at market research to help figure out where things could be goin' South.

6. When you want to take a creative risk. Video professionals live for this stuff. We want to help you stand out, and push our creative chops as well. With so much content out there, taking a risk...really isn't as risky as it once was. Want to cut through the clutter? Ask a professional for help.

7. Training videos. If you are going to make staff sit through these things...the worst thing is watching something that has horrible audio, or questionable craftsmanship. In fact, it detracts from the idea of training the employee.

8. When the expense makes sense. Many companies think that DIY video in house "saves money"...this is not always the truth. Just like any profession, video professionals are much more efficient at what they do, than the average bear. This is the same reason why I hire an accountant to do my taxes. Because it's just not worth it for me to try to do it...it takes me days, it takes him 45 minutes. Back in my TV days I'd write/shoot/edit more than six videos per day. I've held the hands of teams of 3-4 inexperienced folks attempting DIY video, and it takes them 2 full weeks, 80 hours/per person to put together a 2 minute video. That's more than $6,000 for employees making $25/hour. I'm willing to bet, their time would have been more valuable to said company, spent actually putting together a distribution/PR plan for the video, instead of producing/shooting/editing it. Weigh the cost of your employee's time, before you scoff at giving them a budget for video.

I know these are just a few examples, but it's a good start! Let me know if you have any questions or comments. This is just a simple conversation starter. :) Keep puking rainbows, my friends...and thanks for reading!

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Maximizing Video Content

When it comes to putting content online, there are a few key things you can do to maximize your effort. Here is a tactical list of my favorites, and a few examples of people doing things right!

1. Respect: your platform, audience, and moment.

One of the biggest mistakes we make, is in thinking the video content, or any content…is about US and what WE want. Are we the target audience? Most times, no. The University of Minnesota Rochester does a great job of recognizing their audience on the respective social platforms. They engage with user generated content, memes, and hashtags that are relevant to their students.  We took this same messaging into play when we sat down to talk about what kind of admissions videos we wanted to create. The result? Relatable content. We took a complicated idea/majors, and made them as conversational as possible. We also made it possible to break up each of these long videos, into smaller – micro content. We did this because that respects the audience for different social media platforms like instagram, where content is much shorter – so in addition to the 4 long videos we did together, we also gave them many short, raw clips of video to use elsewhere. 

2. Content Empathy
One of the most common questions I get from people is, “WHEN should I post my video?”
The answer?
When is YOUR audience most likely to interact with it? We need to put ourselves in their shoes. Celarity does a great job doing this, because as recruiters – they know a lot of people are searching for jobs outside of normal 9-5 business hours, so they’ll post content before 9a and after 5p. The result was a big increase in their content interaction, and conversions.  So, remember…as you’re putting together your video, take a minute to scroll through your feed on your phone, and keep in mind what the video will look like when it intersects with the content of others. Putting yourself in the shoes of the viewer, gives you a sense of empathy while creating your content.  We also took into consideration, for celarity – their brand. “Relatable, real” were terms we heard a lot in our discussions with them, and that their process and benefits were you unique - so it was important to point that out visually. So, we put together a look that was transparent, by showing production elements, and even showing that their employees were nervous talking on camera. It helped keep their relatable brand, human. 

 



3. Reciprocation
Often times, when we get to the video distribution process…we throw it out there, and expect a firestorm of conversation. But, we forget…WE need to be a part of the conversation.  Especially if we are dealing with influencer marketing. So, make sure – if someone is re-posting your content, asking a question about it, etc…that you’re following up with them to answer the question or say “thank you” for the compliment. Manners don’t fly out the window, just because you’re online. The more the fans/friends/consumers feel loved, the more likely it will be for them to engage with your content in the future. Here is an example of a quick video @productpoet did as an influencer, for Enterprise rent-a-car, after they tweeted him poetry in order to get his business. Considering he has more than 140,000 followers on twitter – this extended their brand reach substantially! So, for them…responding to a tweet amounted in hundreds of dollars of direct sales revenue, and a huge brand reach boost. It wasn't fancy, but was exposure for both Enterprise and Dodge. 

4. Have a Soul
A lot of video content is being consumed on mobile devices these days. Now, let’s take a step back for a second and think: what do people use their phones for? Well, avoiding calls from loved ones…(hehe, kidding), texting, uploading photos, etc…right? Very PERSONAL things. So, whatever you’re putting out there, is going to need to be either useful or compelling enough to convince them it’s important enough to give time to. This means, having a soul when you’re creating things. What moves the audience? In the case of the Science Museum of Minnesota, our audience was children. So, Science Museum sourced kid generated questions, which we asked an actual NASA astronaut. I mean, what kid doesn’t want to talk about farts? It showed that the brand didn’t take themselves too seriously, and that they understood their audience. They knew it was something they'd want to show their kids. 

As far as non-profits go, charity: water is the king of having a soul! Here is another example of using meaningful content, in a simple way – to tell a story. Keep in mind, they shot a lot of these storytelling pieces at events they held with supporters. This is a GREAT way to capture your biggest fans on camera, all in one place!


5. Trending Data
If we’re looking at what’s hip and new right now, the mannequin challenge is right up there. The Texas A & M gymnastics team nailed it, and a Minneapolis, Minnesota rapper took it to another level at a live show – very cool. 
 

Last fall, we embarked on a quest to capitalize on trending data with WINGS Financial Credit Union. We did this by creating a “pumpkin spice checking” video. So fun! Their organic video views increased by 35%, and they spent 75% less on this project, than they have on videos in the past. Less spend, with a better result? Sounds good to most of us, right? 

6. Pro Wish List
Lastly, I wanted to touch on what to have ready – if you’re going to be working with a professional. Because this, is going to maximize not just your video…but, your budget – since the professional won’t be figuring these things out with you.

A. Know your goal: conversion, reach, brand awareness, event promotion?
B. Know your audience: who are you trying to reach? Narrow it down.
C. Know your distribution platform: we’ll shoot things differently if we know they’ll be shown in certain spots (i.e. mobile only, a movie theater, etc…)
D. Know your budget range. Going to a professional without an idea, is like asking a realtor to find you a house, without boundaries. As a rule of thumb, many professionals tend to work in the 3k-100k realm. With standard internet content on the lower end of that. Often times, if clients as about this – I’ll provide examples of what different types of videos look like in different ranges, as a guide. J

Best of luck using inbound marketing to maximize your video content! As always, sign up for e.mail updates, or pop me a line if you have any questions. Keep puking rainbows, and making the most of whatever budget you have! 

Erica




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Periscope: a Tutorial for Beginners

Have you downloaded the new Periscope app? I'm totally in love. Live streaming video is now accessible to anyone (well, if you have an iphone anyway). Now, I may be a high end video nut - of course, it's what I do for a living. But, what you sacrifice in quality here, you gain in authenticity and pure awe. It's so great to be able to connect with people all around the world and learn about their cultures, without spending a dime! 

Now, let me be clear - yes, this could affect potential business-by encouraging people to handle live streaming on their own. But, honestly-the benefits of you learning about this, far outweigh my biz concerns (plus, this isn't an arena where I play often). 

Here is a quick tutorial about the app itself! I'd still suggest hiring a professional if you want to stream an event, mainly due to reliability of the stream, clarity of picture, and the fact that the app really encourages vertical video...which, is the only dumb functionality thing I don't agree with. haha! 

For those of you who are unable to watch the video...because, let's be honest - you're peeping this at work, and don't want your boss to see -  here are answers to a few questions I get frequently: 

q. what is periscope? 

a. an app that allows you to live stream straight from you mobile device. 

q. how do people use it? 

a. it depends - many people use it to talk to people. They answer questions about their occupations, country, etc... Other people become tour guides of sorts, and like to show what is happening around them - events, beautiful sights, etc...

q. what should a newbie know?

a. periscope, like most social platforms - thrives on conversation. If people ask you questions, answer them, and ask questions back. 

q. what about trolls? 

a. they are everywhere. Simply click on their photo, and hit "block." Problem solved. 

q. anything to beware of? 

a. the titles of broadcasts can be deceiving. If you are browsing with your children, it's a good idea to open the stream first, then show them after you make sure there is nothing dirty or scandalous happening ;-) Also, keep in mind that it makes it easy for people to know if you aren't at your house/are at your house. My rule of thumb is that I never show my house number, and keep my location vague when I talk about where I live. 

q. what is the coolest thing you've seen? 

a. i had a wonderful conversation with a journalist from Kuwait about women's rights the other day. Really eye-opening. MC Hammer (yes, that MC Hammer) has a great stream, and since there aren't a ton of users yet, he tends to remember repeat viewers/names of them. It's cool. Also, I'd recommend BradManTv -he is a lifecaster, which means he keeps his device on 24/7. 

q. any other cons?

a. it will suck your data plan dry, and your battery. So, it's best to use it if you're connected to wifi, with a full battery. 

q. what are the hearts on the screen for? 

a. it's basically a quick way to tell whomever is broadcasting, that you love what you see or what they've said. Simply double tap, and a heart will show up. 

Here are some photos/screenshots of cool things I've seen so far: 

Curling in Raleigh (by my pal @jfmecca) on periscope!

Curling in Raleigh (by my pal @jfmecca) on periscope!

Live music from Nashville, Tennessee on periscope!

Live music from Nashville, Tennessee on periscope!

Joshua Malina (one of my favorite actors from the TV show Scandal) talks to his fans and answers questions between takes. 

Joshua Malina (one of my favorite actors from the TV show Scandal) talks to his fans and answers questions between takes. 

A man feeds a hummingbird out of his hand on periscope!

A man feeds a hummingbird out of his hand on periscope!

I've already noticed a lot of people using this app around Minneapolis to shoot video and show our beautiful city to the world, and it makes me so happy! Hopefully you will be able to check it out soon, and travel the world without spending a dime (as long as you don't go over on data, haha). Enjoy, and happy scoping! 

 

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