Filmmaker Chris Stewart tells the beautiful story of some tiny boats in a not-so-tiny city and the people behind the sail - er, controller. This mini-documentary is a great example of finding those stories that are right under our noses and so often go unnoticed. Check out the video below!Â
We wanted to showcase what summer looks like across the Notch Video community - so we threw out a challenge: pitch us your summer video idea and we'll fund the best ones.Â
So far we've learned you don't dress up to eat lobster, and the best way to tie a bowtie is, in fact, on a bicycle.Â
"Travel is a huge business - People spend a lot of money to go somewhere. Being able to document places through video gives people the security that where they're headed is the place it says it's going to be"
The Notch Video community of video creators are a talented bunch. We asked them to answer a few questions about what it takes to make great videos⌠this series explores their answers.Â
Jesse Wachter is a Media Production Specialist and Director of Travel Annex - a visual guide taking you right inside the places you're heading. Find out more here and here.Â
The social Web is a work in progress. It seems not a week goes by where a new company, service or platform is emerging to change the way we digitally connect with those around us.
Although marketers are putting an increased emphasis on the most prominent social networks â namely Facebook and Twitter â emerging social channels from Snapchat and Jobr to Yo and Tinder are amassing large and devoted audiences with impressive engagement numbers.Â
Now that the 2014 FIFA World Cup is concluded, itâs not surprising to see the record breaking numbers related to social chatter on Facebook and Twitter. While these two platforms might dominate mindshare as the ideal second-screen to your TV watching, engagement rates arenât always what you might think.
Indeed, YouTube recently surpassed Facebook as the worldâs largest social media site, and new platforms are throwing themselves into the mix all the time, which makes one thing certain: the world of social (and video) is constantly changing
As emerging channels pick up speed in the social game, they are simultaneously trying to figure out their business models as they look to grow their audiences. At the same time you as a brand are warming up to them, theyâre warming up to you - meaning youâre both open to trying new things.
Finding new ways to utilize new channels allows brands to reach audiences where they are - but it needs to make sense for their business.
So which of the new emerging platforms are already finding unique ways to cleverly connect marketers with these growing audiences?Â
Tinder - the dating app that has been âswipingâ the mobile world by storm - finally found a way to swipe right to branded content.
In honour of Menâs Health Month, two male advertising students created a Tinder profile on behalf of âNurse Nicoleâ. Cleverly responding to any and all encountered pick-up lines, Nurse Nicole always found a way to turn the conversation to the topic of Menâs Health and the importance of getting checked. Mid-conversation, she also drops unsubtle links to the Menâs Health Month website.
Regardless of how many clicks these links got, this clever and unexpected use of Tinder made headlines and drew much attention to this Menâs Health initiative.
Snapchat is another platform brands have been trying to figure out -- and popular YouTube personality Casey Neistat found a unique angle for those disappearing photos & videos.
Responding to his audience request of creating a video blog, Casey took to this platform to instead create Casey Neistatâs Snapchat Stories - his version of a more efficient and effective âVlogâ. These videos - which he then uploads to his YouTube channel - give him a unique way of consistently engaging his audience without putting in an excess of time (or budget).Â
What do Tinder and Snapchat both have in common? They both engage users visually - and in extremely short spurts of time. How can your brand adapt to changing social trends - and encourage your consumer to swipe right to your content?Â
You don't dress up to eat lobster - Notch Video summer series
We wanted to showcase what summer looks like across the Notch Video community - so we threw out a challenge: pitch us your summer video idea and weâll fund the best ones.Â
We launched the series last week with Kevin Fraserâs Bowtie on a Bicycle â and now weâre excited to kickoff week #2! This time? Less bowtieâŚmore lobster :)
East Coaster Julian Parkinson sent us an email starting âI wondered if I could shoot a âsea to plateâ kind of thingâŚâ â and thatâs essentially where we stopped reading.
What does summer look like for the folks at Format Films? Well, it looks a little something like this.
"Understand where your consumer is consuming content & give them a reward that's contextually relevant" - How to effectively speak to your audience
It's not just about creating engaging content - it's ensuring that content gets seen by the right people at the right time. How can you effectively speak to your consumer throughout their buying journey? Matt Hartley & Daniel Langer-Hack break it down in our latest Content Strategy Insight. Check it out!
GIFs (or is it pronounced âJIFâ - the debate is still going on that one) have taken over the internet by storm.
A global event like the World Cup presents much opportunity for the GIF, whether it be to highlight standout moments, recap an entire game or turn a trending conversation into a moving joke.
So what is it about the GIF that has so much appeal? And regardless of your preferred pronunciation, how can brands leverage this trend to their advantage?
People love âem
You want your branded content reaching millennials - and the top three criteria millennials crave in branded content is that itâs brief, entertaining and funny.
Lo and behold, enter the GIF.
GIFs are short. They get to the point in a matter of seconds. And the sole purpose of a GIF is to entertain.
Theyâre effective
The brain processes visual data 600,000 times faster than text. In fact, 72% of email marketers who use GIFs report higher click rates. When youâre hoping to stick out of usersâ crowded inboxes, grabbing their attention fast is key.
Using GIFs allows you to make your point without asking anyone to commit any effort or time (both of which are short in the modern consumer).
Theyâre shareable
With Twitterâs recent support of the GIF, itâs easier than ever to reach your audience through this means. Brands eagerly hopped onto this trend, utilizing GIFs to creatively showcase product features, get âcheekyâ with their audience or encourage their followers to engage with them.
Integrating GIFs on social allows your brand to target the brief & entertaining criteria your consumers are craving â on the platforms theyâre already on.
So, when a problem comes along? GIF it. GIF it good.Â
We wanted to showcase what summer looks like across the Notch Video community - so we threw out a challenge: pitch us your summer video idea and weâll fund the best ones. Â
We heard a lot of amazing pitches. Some were crazy â so crazy we couldnât say no to them :)
After a month of #setlife photos from coast to coast, weâre excited to kick off the Notch Video Summer Series with 1 minute and 9 seconds of quirkiness from the east coast.
Filmmaker Kevin Fraser pitched us this:
My friend Zac is a suit salesman, entrepreneur, artist and man about town. Every year you know the long winter is over in Nova Scotia when you see Zac, in his flossiest dress clothes, start bicycling to work.
We were already hooked â but then it got better.
This shoot I'm doing in June is to get everyone pumped up for another short profile documentary I'm making about Zac attempting to set a new word record for fastest bowtie tie. Imagine the shot looking down at moving pavement, the camera tilts up to find Zac riding his bike, looking fly as ever! Zac then takes his hands off the bars and ties his bowtie whilst cruising down a street of colorful East Coast houses lit by the rising sun.
So, wondering what Kevin Fraserâs Halifax summer looks like? Look no further.
Hereâs Zac. Riding his bicycle. While tying a bowtie. Â
"When we say acquire in 4K, it's really just about future-proofing yourself" - Why shoot in 4k?
The Notch Video community of video creators are a talented bunch. We asked them to answer a few questions about what it takes to make great videos⌠this series explores their answers.Â
Jason Osterday is a Cinematographer/Digital Image Technician from Savannah, Georgia. Find out more about work he's done with Mirror Image Pictures & Meddin Studios.
Early in June we introduced the Notch Video summer series: pitch us your summer video ideas and weâll fund the best ones.
We got some amazing responses. From an east coast sea-to-plate experience to Toronto-by-GoPro to a guy who ties his bow-tie while riding his bike to work (right?)... weâre pretty excited to start rolling these out :-)
Stay tuned and check out what summer looks like across the Notch Video community - Coming [very] soon!
 Photo cred: Format Films - stay tuned for what's on the menu :-)Â
How Much did that video cost? By Nâtchidjè Doumbia of Great Things Studios
âHow much does a video cost?â is the most common question we get. So, weâve asked video creators to identify a video they like & let us know what they thought it would cost to produce. The only catch: ITâS NOT THEIR VIDEO (so all posts are merely an estimate by each video creator on what they thought a similar video might cost). Enjoy the series! Â
So, how much did that video cost?
This is definitely right, especially in this day and age where any Joe Blow could hit the nearest electronic store, buy an HDSLR and claim itself a Videographer.
Bentley Motors last âdocu-commercialâ is proof that great content and great people can create exceptional work.Â
$300 000 Luxury car commercial shot on the iPhone 5s? Yes!
Bentley had one goal: show how their luxury car - the Bently Mulsanne - integrates technologies, performance and luxury all together to create an effective user experience. How? Integrated iPads Air in the rear seats. Yes sir - use the in-car technology and connectivity to create a whole video!
Letâs analyze what we have real quick.
Scripting & Scouting
Very simple script. Two Bentley brand representative talking about their vision and passion for the product while taking a ride in the city (obviously inside a Bentley Mulsanne.)
Scouting looks pretty simple - a couple streets and bridge scenes to give that urban look and show car versatility. Weâre assuming half planned, half on-site findings.
Scripting fees & administrative = $2000
Director
Director cost is really dependent on notoriety, portfolio and so on. Letâs assume that for such a simple project, cost would have been on the low side.
Director costs = $5000
Camera & Equipement
Camera used? The iPhone + accessories. For such a production youâre likely better off just using your own iPhone or buying new ones at $500 apiece. Theyâd likely also need:
A couple camera handle kits like the Kickstarter BeastGrip: $225
Lens adaptor for a better photography choice (Fisheye, etc.) All 37mm mount:Â $500
And letâs not forget the incredible Movi M5 that goes for around $5000 â letâs assume they already owned or rented.
This video was likely shot in a day, starting early morning 6am and finishing around 5pm to start editing.
Equipment cost total = $6000
Post
According to the directors of this video, this spot was edited in the Bentley Mulsane with the iPad Air, using iMovie and the FiLMiC Pro app. No Premiere, nor after effects, nor Nuke, etc. Just IMovie and great editors. B&W color grading was likely used to give that classy look⌠and hide iPhone color science.
6 hours of editing at $300/h
Half a day of editing cost = $1800
Music
Music was probably licensed from a major music online library.
Music licensing for the video = $300
Transportation & location
Transport and commodity for a micro team of 3 for a full day = $500
As you can see, the content here is key - not the gears. Iâm sure Bentley has the money to have an Arri Alexa camera crew and Galaxy Cranes - but this is not the point here. When you have a great product and/or services, good content and good videographers, tools come secondary.
In my opinion, this spot stands as proof that content-marketing is the future of marketing.
How the Molson Canadian Beer Fridge owned Canada Day
Like an open beer gradually warming on the arm of a Muskoka Chair, a marketerâs Canada Day content enjoys a relatively short shelf life.
Although marketers can score significant buzz with an on-point campaign that stirs the patriotic feelings of Canadians, often that buzz is swept away along with the empties from the long weekend on July 2.
How can you leverage this holiday to make a splash that doesn't end up in the trash (er, recycling)?Â
Itâs been a good year for marketers hoping to capitalize on Canadiansâ willingness to bask in the collective glow of national pride.
Everything from Canadaâs performance at the Winter Olympics to the Raptorsâ #WeTheNorth movement to Toronto becoming the first Canadian city to host the World Pride festival has Canadians feeling all warm and fuzzy about their home and native land.
Indeed, Canadians are eager to continue celebrating their country on Canada Day and beyond - only this time, from the comfort of their sweatpants and waterfront cottage.
What is one of the countryâs most successful brands doing to leverage this national holiday?
The Molson Canadian beer fridge which became a staple of Olympic broadcasts has returned to Canada after some worldly travels. Only now, instead of using your Canadian passport to open the fridge, you need to sing our national anthem â as loud and as proud as possible. Â
This spot, which was released first thing on Monday morning in the week leading up to Canada Day, quickly made its mark in leading our Canadian celebration because it was first on the scene and flat-out led the pack.
This spot kicked off the week and got people thinking about Canada Day before they had even started to look ahead to the long weekend. This enabled Molson to accomplish a few crucial things:
Set the bar
Other brands will inevitably be releasing some Canada Day content of their own over the course of this week â but getting ahead of the game enabled Molson to establish itself as the frontrunner. When consumers think of Canada Day, they now think Molson. In effect, Molson kicked off the countdown to the Canada Day long weekend for thousands of Canadians.
Build hype
Molson brought Canada Day (& the beer fridge) to the forefront of consumersâ minds. It got consumers thinking: âWhere will the beer fridge appear next? Will I see it in person?â This is a strong example of using video as a tool to ignite anticipation surrounding an event rather than simply to celebrate that event.
Align with the Canada Day audience
Unlike many campaigns, this one was very clearly created from the ground up for an online audience. Check the run time on the video: it takes at least a minute to sing the national anthem in full. This story could only live as on online video â aligning perfectly with the shirtless dockside-sitting guy scrolling through his mobile.
With so many long weekends still to come this summer, how can your brand help get Canadians in the mood to celebrate?Â
"Filmmaking is collaboration, and without a great team you don't stand a chance."
Every month we feature one crew from our awesome community of video creators to get a look at how they got started and why they love the industry as much as we do.Â
This month we're sharing Zach Graber's story in two ways. Check out his video & read on to find out how he broke into the biz.Â
How long have you been around?
I have been working in this industry in different capacities for about 15 years.
How did you get started in video production? What's your story?Â
I first broke into the business working at a recording studio. I cut my teeth doing car dealership radio spots - and on a few rare occasions, I would mix a bluegrass or hiphop album. Â From there I moved to NYC and worked at a large advertising agency as a video editor. Â Or nights and weekends I started learning motion graphics and visual effects and eventually landed some freelance jobs on some feature films. Â Those experiences really pushed me to get more involved in the film industry, so I left the city and went to film school. Â After I got out I started working on feature films in the camera department, which lead to me shooting my own stuff.
What do you love about this industry?
I love a group of creative people coming together to make something. Â It could be anything from a high art film to a mayonnaise commercial I just love working with passionate people who love creating beautiful images.
What do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions people have about production?Â
I think people get too wrapped up in celebrity and getting to work with notable people. Â If you want to get into the film industry to be around famous people you will never be fulfilled. This is a shockingly hard business to work in, and if you are not in it for the right reasons you wonât last long.
"I never go to a shoot withoutâŚ"
A great Key Grip and Gaffer. Â Filmmaking is a collaboration, and without a great team you donât stand a chance.
What advice would you offer to filmmakers looking to break into industry? Â
Unless you are a genius, you have a lot of bad movies to make before you get yourself dialed in.  You need to start making those movies as soon as possible.  Get those bad movies out of your system early so by the time you have established yourself and people are paying attention you have found your voice and refined your work.  (aka shoot, shoot, shootâŚ)
How Much did that video Cost? By Jan Keck, Cinematographer
âHow much does a video cost?â is the most common question we get. So, weâve asked video creators to identify a video they like & let us know what they thought it would cost to produce. The only catch: ITâS NOT THEIR VIDEO (so all posts are merely an estimate by each video creator on what they thought a similar video might cost). Enjoy the series! Â
So, how much did that video cost?
Instead of cleaning the savory dusting off of his own fingers, his senior co-worker tells him to stick it in the industrial looking hole beside him, as that is âonly for Doritosâ. The hole looks menacing, leading the mind to wonder â is this going to go for shock value? Is the manâs finger going to be ripped off? Is it going to get stuck? Where does the hole lead? And then we find out. And then we laugh.
The timing was just right â not too long as to become stale, not so quick that it loses people. The actorâs commitment really holds attention, raises tension, and pays off huge. Special nod goes to the one shot you almost miss, where the senior worker feeds his sidekick like an animal, accented with a large crunch (as if things werenât weird enough). The simple camera shots move quickly, and look great.
As part of the Doritos âCrash the Superbowlâ competition for the 2014 Superbowl, the ad sat alongside other competitors â and although in the end the spot was not chosen, we still love it all the same.
But how much did it cost?
Since this was shot on spec, the team probably didnât have a lot of money going into the project. The name of the game is getting anything for free that you can. That being said, this looks fairly professional, so lets assume that even going out of pocket, this production company has some money to play around with. It could have had potential to go viral even without the Doritos name behind it, so the company probably saw it as a win-win. For the sake of the argument to find out how much this video cost, letâs assume everyone involved was paid an average industry rate.
LOCATIONS
As far as production itself, everything could have been shot in one day.
Assuming that they used two locations â the mechanic shop and the office - they could get by spending about $1000 on location. It could have been less if there was a useable office in the garage, as is sometimes the case.
ACTORS
We counted four actors â and assuming the shoot was ACTRA (Canadaâs version of SAG) â those performers would be costing close to $2,800. If it was non-union, as spec commercials tend to be, it could have cost as little as $800.
CREW
According to the credits on their website they had a crew of around 16 people, which are: Director, Casting Director, 1st AD, DOP, Art Director, Camera Assist
Gaffer, Best Boy, Grip, Sound Recordist, Standby Props, Makeup Artist, Art Assist / Runner, Model Maker, Colour Grading, Online Editor. My ballpark would be $7k for the whole crew for the one production day.
EQUIPMENT
This is a difficult category as I assume they shot the video with gear that they already own. If they had rented a RED camera including lenses, camera support, dolly and sound and lighting kit, it could be around $3,500. They probably also used a lot of the existing lighting in the garage as you can see some of the neon-tubes in the background and just added some KinoFlos to better light the actors.
OTHER
Doritos provided contestants with a tool-kit, with pre-approved music and animation, so those aspects would not be factored in.
Props budget would be fairly low, if you could dress the office using items from the location. The âwall holeâ prop would run you $50 for the drywall and white paint. For costumes, you could try your luck at a thrift shop, and if you donât get lucky, pick up a couple of mechanic garbs from any surplus store for $30 each.
MARKETING
As an agency that does both production and marketing for online content, we at BIG3 Video Agency would definitely want to throw in an added push. The aim would be to get this in front of the right people, with a call to action to vote in the ongoing SuperBowl ad contest.
The creators were smart in creating a dedicated website, where they ask people to vote once per day on all their devices, and of course leveraging social media on Facebook, Twitter and also Reddit to drive people to vote for them.
The organic views turned out to be huge, but it wouldnât hurt to get the ball rolling with a targeted 1 month Facebook or YouTube advertising campaign when they uploaded the video. Since the demographic is young and social, these are the best places to get them to check out the video and of course vote for them in the contest. We would have spent maybe $1000 on a campaign targeting young guys.Â
RESULTS
Looking at their impressive social stats it was a pretty close call in the competition. Although their video made it into the final round they just came in short of winning the competition. Â
Views: 4,106,254
FB Likes: 44.2K
FB Shares: 51.4K
FB comments: 34.3K
YT Likes: 10.5K
YT comments: 945
Tweets: 3,415
Reddit Votes: 4,787
With results like this it was no surprise that the filmmakers ended up getting signed on for a web series on ABC, backed by Doritos after the Superbowl.
SUMMARY
In summation â this is pretty close to the work we do here at BIG3 â fun, funny, and fairly easy to shoot. The demographic is already primed for weird, funny things online, as they search for them daily (as do we). Itâs an easy sell.
The production team could have made huge profit off of the prize money if they had won, so they probably invested a lot of their free time to produce and promote the video. We estimate they probably spent around $2,500 for the video if they got people to volunteer their time and use mostly owned equipment, but had they produced this spot as a web commercial for Doritos it could have cost around $15,500 plus a markup, (which, for a Superbowl spot, could be very high.)
For Doritoâs, the huge prize money they would be forking over would only be a Âź of what they are actually paying to get the 30sec spot on air during the 2014 Superbowl â a cool $4 million (on average). On top of that they got several spots that earned a ton of impressions online. The whole thing is a win/win!
Jan Keck is the cinematographer at Big3 Video Agency. Learn more about them here, here & here :-)Â
"If your next video isn't better than your last video, you're doing something wrong" - how to work your way up
The Notch Video community of video creators are a talented bunch. We asked them to answer a few questions about what it takes to make great videos... this series explores their answers.Â
Austin Saya is a director from Savannah, Georgia. Learn more about him on his site (& check out his beauty Instagram feed while you're at it!)
Our latest project with Samsung was an exercise (pun intended) in using a celebrity to tell an authentic story while still hitting important and specific product features.
Here, fItness guru Tracy Anderson shares product features of the Gear Fit & GalaxyS5 and how these can help you in working towards and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
This was an especially fun video to work on! What do you think of it? We'd love to hear your thoughts - [email protected] :-)
How Much did that Video Cost? By Amir Azimi, Executive Producer
âHow much does a video cost?â is the most common question we get. So, weâve asked video creators to identify a video they like & let us know what they thought it would cost to produce. The only catch: ITâS NOT THEIR VIDEO (so all posts are merely an estimate by each video creator on what they thought a similar video might cost). Enjoy the series!Â
So, how much did that video cost?
âTools of the Tradeâ is a PSA produced for the African Wildlife Foundation, which stars Jackie Chan and Spike the Rhino. For those who donât know, Spike the Rhino is a famous rhino who was a victim of poaching and was rescued. He has been in several movies and television shows, even appearing in a Super bowl commercial.
Jackie Chan, like a lot of other celebs donates his time, face, and name to some great causes. This PSA actually did not cost anything - well, barely anything. I believe all of the production services were âin kind donationsâ made by the production and special effects companies. Most likely the only direct expenses would have been for Jackie Chanâs transportation and lodging â and the transport of Spike.
However, we are going to assume that there were realistic expenses and give you the value of everything involved. This is a very CGI heavy production and includes a wild animal and a celebrity â if this was a typical production, the rates could have been roughly as follows:
Scripting = $2500
Studio = $4000
Director = $10,000
Crew = $9,000
Camera Department = $5000
Package truck (Lighting / Grip) = $2500
Talent fees = $50,000
Talent Transport & rider = $15,000
Animal, Transport & wrangler = $17,000
Post Production = $8,000
CGI (this style is typically around $3,000/second) = $30,000
Sound Mix = $4500
Production fees, Pre-Production, Insurance and Licenses = $12,000
Total: $169,500
Learn more about Brothers on Fire Productions here.Â
"Keep shooting , and when you find you have down time, shoot some more" - Creators Talking to Creators
The Notch Video community of creators are a talented bunch. We've asked them to answer a few questions on camera using their own gear in their own setup.Â
