HYPER-CHARGE YOUR WORKFLOW ON SET

The light is fading; the client is waiting... efficiency on set is always at a premium.  Speed and ease of setup is especially important to me because most of the time I’m working alone, without a sound engineer, grip, or production assistant.  My clients don’t want me to spend two hours setting up, but they do want me to pay attention to them.  So tools that help me maintain the highest quality while focusing on them are game-changers.  Here are five of them.

 

Number 5:

A boom pole holder.  I know this sounds really slight, but I love how easy this is to use.  I used to just put my boom directly into my grip head, but then I was always worried that the grip would damage the pole if over-tightened.  Which it did on occasion. It became a balancing act between tightening it enough to hold the pole, but not enough to damage it.  And if you’re not using grip heads, they’re awesome in terms of simplicity, strength, and reliability.  When you add the simplicity of the boom pole holder, you’ve got a professional, streamlined process that lets you focus on other things.

 

Number 4:  Tripod.  I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this one, because when it come to a speed tool, it doesn’t matter what kind of tripod.  You should buy the tripod that best fits your needs and the style you shoot. But what I have found is HAVING the tripod there gives me a portable table to place my camera, freeing up my hands to do other work without worrying about my baby getting dirty or trampled.  This means I try to bring a tripod even when I know there won’t be any tripod shots.  I’ll just bring a small portable one.  Even a mini, table-top tripod is helpful if you have to travel light.

 

Number 3:  Arca Plates.  Now it doesn’t have to be Arca, they are high quality quick release plates that are a little less expensive.  The key here is to buy an abundance of them and use one system across all of your equipment.  I have Arca plates permanently attached to my tripods, gimbal, and cage, allowing me to move the camera around with a minimum of fuss.  The permanent plates mean I can move my camera from tripod to a fully balanced gimbal in about 30 seconds, and to a cage in about 10. $40 bucks in Arca plates will save you hours in the field.

 

Number 2:  Xume filter holders.  Now these are kind of pricey.  I’m honestly surprised that there aren’t inexpensive Chinese knock-offs of the Xume, because they can’t cost much to make, they’re simple, and very useful.  The annoyance of filters is that they take time to put on, especially if the threads on your lens or filter get damaged.  If you’re in a hurry, it’s sometimes easier to crank up the shutter speed to keep your aperture setting, but that’s just not optimum. If you’ve watched my Tilta Mini Matte Box review, you know that I also use these for my matte box, too—though with the caveat that you have to be gentle with it attached, and not all of the magnets are equally strong.  

In the Xume system, you need one attachment for your camera lens, and another for your filter.  I’ve got holders on the three lenses I use the most, and on two filters.  The lens attachment is about $35, and the filter attachment is another $15.  This means I’ve dropped roughly $135 into this system, but I have to say it’s been worth it for me.  The one bummer is that it can be difficult to get your lens cap back on, depending on the style and the individual cap. They sell lens magnetic caps, but that’s another 15.

Number 1:  The number one thing that speeds up my workflow on set isn’t sexy, it’s not going to impress my client or getting anyone excited.  But this one tool speeds up my workflow more than any other, and saves me from headaches in the field:  it’s how I pack my bag.  It’s not about a specific technique, it’s about always packing it the same way, or as close to the same as possible.  This means I always know exactly where my tools are.  I can grab them quickly, I can pack them quickly because I’m not trying figure out their best placement, and I can also see that they’re packed at the end of the shoot.  

This is really about good prep, and that principle applies to a number of things that can speed up your workflow and raise the quality of your work.  “Prep”… is scouting your location before the shoot date so you can strategize the setup and what to bring.  Prep is getting your client prepared before they show up.  Prep is knowing the sequence of events so you can have the right tools ready.  It’s a shot list for a narrative piece, or a storyboard if that helps you understand the set-up better.  It’s coordinating your crew if you’re lucky enough to have one.  And all it costs is the time it takes to do your prep.

Now there are a number of other things that help speed up my workflow:  wireless mics, like the Rode Go are great, though wireless systems always come with a slightly degraded sound quality compared to a wired system.  Dual recording is a must for solo operators like me.  Battery powered lights or a large battery pack like this one can save time and make for a more flexible system.  A small hip bag means I can carry an extra lens, my filters, and have a place to put my camera if I DIDN’T bring a tripod.  Even your choice of camera make a difference when it comes to working quickly in the field.

So those are a few of my favorites. If you have a tool or tip for speeding up your workflow in the field, leave a comment below.

A Focus Pull-Whip for High Speed Video

How do you pull focus perfectly from A to B in less than 1/20th of a second?  Faster than the wrist can rotate?  The technique is eye-opening, and surprising part is that any filmmaker can do it... it's a zero-budget tool.

I love filmmakers who are constantly innovating and pushing limits.  It's rare to find one, though, working at the top of his field where mistakes can cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Director/Cinematographer Matthew Rosen is one of those people, and he's generous enough to share many of his techniques for doing the seemingly impossible.

Rosen accomplishes the feat with a simple strip of gaffer tape.  The trick is that the camera needs to be positioned at the exact end of the lens's focal range.  (Though, I imagine if you were using a focus pull wheel with an hard stop, you could work anywhere within the range.)  Check out his video to see it in action, and by all means subscribe to him on YouTube.  The content comes slowly, but each tutorial is a real gem from a working professional.

RVLVR Clutch Handle for Z Cam Review

The Z Cam is an impressive new camera on the market, and it has the added flexibility of being able to be controlled via Sony LANC cable. But, it’s new, so there aren’t many controllers on the market, and this is where the RVLVR Labs comes in.

The RVLVR Clutch handle is a beautiful looking grip, and it comes in two wood tones and they seem to be experimenting with others.  It’s also not cheap, with the least expensive model clocking in at a unnerving $350.  That's a handle that costs 17.5% of the camera it attaches to (in this case, the E2, though other Z Cam models are both more and less expensive).  The handle attaches via a rosette, so you’ll need to get a rosette adapter for your rig.  RVLVR Labs offers a slim line version for 40 bucks, though it appears to be designed to attach directly to the camera, and less elegantly to a rig.

The RVLVR has two flywheels.  Click either of the wheels and you can switch to another parameter, making it possible to control four parameters from the handle... Shutter, Aperture, ISO, and Focus for example.  They recently created an app to let you customize these options, and this includes the ability to have the click itself be a function.  If you choose this, then the flywheel only adjust one function because the click acts as the second.  I've got my front flywheel to control the Shutter speed, and if I click it will magnify the image. This new app satisfies one of my biggest complaints with the grip, which was not enough flexibility, so I'm really pleased that the folks a RVLVR released this upgrade.

What do I think of the RVLVR Clutch handle?  It’s beautiful, as I mentioned.  The functionality of the record button and flywheels are great.  It’s also very light, which is a mixed blessing.  I honestly thought it was made of plastic when I first picked it up.  That lightness goes away when attached to the camera, of course, because now they’re a combined weight.  And there’s an argument to be made for keeping the handle, and thus the rig, as light as possible.  With the Z Cam E2 fully rigged out, it gets heavy.  So after my initial dismay, I found I felt just fine about the weight.  But the lightness primed me to be more critical of the flywheels.  These feel a bit loose and flimsy, and it makes me a little concerned about durability.  Only time will tell, really, so keep an eye on those user reviews.

So do I recommend the RVLVR Clutch handle?  Well, if you come from the DSLR or Mirrorless world, you’re going to find this type of control almost essential for the Z Cam.  It can be frustrating to have to use the on-camera controls, and it's a considerably slower process.  Without a control handle, you have to re-grip the camera to change perameters, press once to enter into the right mode, then multiple times to find your setting, and then hit "OK" to return to the preview screen.  That's an awkward 5 seconds, and if you're rushed it's easy to make mistakes with the physical buttons on the E2, which are a little springy.  Currently the RVLVR handle is the only one on the market that offers control of the camera from where you hold it, so if want that level of control, it's the way to go.  With four parameters under your fingertips, you've actually got a little more control than the Mirrorless shooter standing next to you.   So, yes, I'm going to say yes, I’d recommend it for the functionality and the visual craftsmanship.

With the advent of Z Cam’s flagship line of 6k and 8k cameras, there are going to be other companies making handle controls in the near future.  I’d expect RVLVR to have some competition within the year.  To stay competitive, I really hope RVLR Labs tightens up the controller wheels and stress tests the unit to make sure it can survive being banged around a bag, set, and field.  If they can improve feel of the handle, I think they can keep their price tag… at least for the time being.

Want one?  You buy directly from RVLVR.

Info about the app bit scarce at the moment (they shared it on Z Cam's Facebook page) but you can download it here.

After posting the YouTube version of this review, Nick over at RVLVR (pronounced  Revolver, I'm told) reached out to talk about the dial issue.  It's great to see they have this on their radar and are taking steps!  Not many companies are that responsive.  He also shared that the wiggle in wheel is actual a manufacturing design that allows it to click, and not simply loose components.  That's a little reassuring.

F.64 Backpack Review - The Best in Big

I'm not hatin' on you, but here's the truth:  my bag be better than your bag.

If you love big bags (and who doesn’t) then my absolute favorite is the F.64 Large Format camera backpack. It is the best big bag at any price, and it costs less than any other bag in it’s size range.  

As a one-man production band, I like to keep my gear compact, and as easy to carry as possible.  This means one backpack for all my camera and audio gear, a rolling bag for lights, and a separate golf bag for stands and sticks.  I can get my full camera setup, complete with back up camera, three lenses, gimbal, audio gear, and drone into the F.64.  Or three cameras and four lenses.  Or... you get the idea: it's big and it's flexible.

I kept my eye on the F.64 for almost 3 years before I sprang for one.  It’s designed for large format film cameras.  This not only means more space, but it somehow avoided the rat-race of bag pricing.  This well-made backpack comes in at the phenomenal price of roughly $140 bucks.  I honestly can’t tell you how much more room you get for the dollar.  The Mindshift Gear 26L, for example, give you 20% packing space and costs $100 more.  Don't even talk to me about Manfrotto packs.  The base unit comes with two side bags, and you can purchase more for about $20 each. 

The zippers are pretty strong, the shoulder straps are probably not comfy enough for long hikes, but they’re great for getting your gear short distances. Much of the bag is double-stitched for sturdiness, and I expect it to last a least a decade. I'm told that the backpack minus-the-side-bags qualifies as a carry on, but it pushes the limit so you might want to check with your airline just to be sure.  Not all airlines (or all airplanes) have the same size limit.  How big is it?

The Specs:  

• Exterior: 23"x14"x7"
• Interior Lower compartment:  13"x13"x6"
• Interior Upper compartment:  8"x13"x6
• Maximum volume: 8.5lbs
• Bag weight:  6.3lbs

What’s it missing?  Well, there’s one aspect of the bag that may give some of you pause:  It doesn’t have a slot for a laptop.  Depending on how you shoot and what other bags you carry, this may be a deal-breaker.  For day-to-day work, I find that I never take my laptop.  Unless I'm re-creating a studio setup for a client (extremely rare), it's just too cumbersome.  For longer trips, though, the lack of laptop space could be an issue.  It also doesn’t have a tripod holder, if you like that sort of thing.  I don’t, because they’re usually not very good for larger sticks, and smaller ones are easy enough to strap onto the side of the bag.

 You can’t find them very many places, but B&H and Amazon both carry them.  And like any product that starts to get noticed on YouTube, supplies may not last that long.  Honestly, I almost want to buy a second bag just for the future.  I’m not an affiliate, so I don’t get anything by it, just tell you what works for me.

Be Brave

There are a lot of tools we use as photographers and filmmakers, but the most common one-- regardless of whether you're a Canon, Nikon, Sony, or Pentax shooter-- is definitely the web.  So if this feels a little off-topic to you, consider what you're staring at right now.

That's right.  A browser.  Unfortunately, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer all track and sell your user data.  And to add insult to the injury, this process slows down your browsing experience.  So I switched to Brave, the browser with the motto: "You Are Not a Product."

Amen, brother. 

They do not track your usage.  They do not allow other companies to track your usage.  And they block ads that slow you down. They even keep a tally of how many ads and trackers they've blocked, as well as how much time you've saved by not loading ads. Find them at: https://brave.com.

This has been one of the most painless switches I could have imagined.  If you use a lot of add ons and plugins, Brave may not be for you.  In order to keep your browser secure, they don't have any.  I also still use one of those other crappy browsers for YouTube and Google searches, just to make sure they can't someone infiltrate the system.  But since we're on the topic, stop Googling stuff.  Use DuckDuckGo.  They don't track your searches.

Yes, your email company is still tracking you, as are Facebook, Instagram and others, but at least this cuts down on the sheer volume of data you're handing over to marketers.

Still don't believe that this is a topic for a photography blog? Look at the photo credit (lower left hand corner) for the top image.  If you don't know Serge Ramelli, you should.

Production Hack: The Foam Washer

Okay, this is a simple hack, even dull by most standards, but it's the hack tool I use more than any other.  Because it's almost always attached some piece of gear, and it actually works.

I had connections that slip.  Turn. Droop.  Fall off.  Too many 1/4 inch screws don't have sufficiently sticky pads to keep things from slipping/twisting/spinning.  When I attach two pieces of equipment together, I want them to stick.  In place.  You know, like a locking washer would do.  But we don't have locking washers in photography, we have pads that harden and become smooth.  So here's a $7 solution.

Hurricane Images Interview Demo

In the beginning I thought demo reels were a waste of time-- both as a producer and a viewer.  Showing just the best bits, there's so much more that determines whether a video is good-- story, editing, and performances.  As a photographer, I would post links to the top 20 images from a single wedding, so that couples could get a real sense of that to expect.

But lately I've decided that they do have some purpose.  Yes, there's showing your very best bits quickly and concisely, but more helpful I think is to show "boring" things in interesting ways. 

Unless your interested in the subject matter, interviews are pretty boring.  But they're also the centerpiece of many commercial videos and documentaries.  They're vital to Kickstarter/Indiegogo/MicroVentrues campaigns, tutorials, and company intros.  If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or artists, you should be paying close attention to the quality of the interview technique.

We created our Interview Video Reel so that prospective clients could quickly see what our work, and learn a little bit about what makes an interview stand out from the technical standpoint.

Video Hack: smallest tripod, smallest light stand

Sometimes we work in cramped places.  Back when I discovered this hack, practically no one was using suction cups in photography/video production.  In fact, the one you see here was designed for glass workers.  It can grip up to 70 pounds.  It cost roughly $50.  I most recently used it in Hurricane Images Biomonitoring CA video.  Beware of the cheapo units, check the weight rating, and look for one with an indicator that shows when it's losing suction.  Mine has a red line on the pump.

New Visions

This blog (in its on-again, off-again manner) has been many things.  Four years ago, it started as a chronicle of 100 days of photographic learning.  It morphed into a journal of my process of becoming a professional photographer/videographer with its "Going Pro" series.  (We've reached our 1 year anniversary as a company, in what is still a work in progress.)  With a more active Hurricane Images blog, which focuses on posts designed to help potential business clients, this humble highlight of blown images has become more difficult to focus on, and bring into focus.

Moving forward into year 2 of Hurricane Images and year 4 of this blog, my intention is to have this be a place for photographers and videographers: a home for tips, reviews (though I try to buy as little equipment as possible), and techniques and approaches for both hobbyists and professionals.  Let's see if we can move our craft forward.

So here's to the new year.

How to Evaluate A Video Proposal

You’ve committed to making a video, estimated the cost of your production, and posted a request for proposals.  Within the hour a handful appear in your Inbox… the question is... how to choose?  You may like the videos that the company produces, but you still need to know the cost.  The numbers seem... squishy.

Unfortunately, there’s no standard format for production proposals; quotes can come in different forms and formats.  All of them have strengths and weaknesses, but some are riskier than others.  A good video proposal should give you either a precise cost or a specific range of costs based on preferences you control, as well as information that describes the video in a way that's consistent with your vision. 

There are three main types of production proposals:

The first is  a Rate Card.  Rate cards provide the hourly rate for an activity, sometimes with an estimate of how long the activity will take.  Unfortunately, they’re often a poor estimate of the final cost, and they present the greatest financial risk to the client.  Worse, they can signal that the production company doesn’t stand by the quality of their work.  Not only are time overruns frequent on every project, but edits and changes based on your feedback will come at a price.  However, there are times when a rate proposal is the best choice. If both you and the vendor agree that there will be a lot of back and forth on the project, than an hourly rate may be the most reasonable approach.

In most cases, though, I recommend one of the two other proposal types.  For the skinny on these, jump on over to our main blog at Hurricane Images Inc. and read our guide to evaluating proposals. 

What Does a Corporate Video Cost?

What's it going to be? A Yugo or a Lexus?

This is the most pressing question most companies have when it comes to producing a video.  Frustratingly, that question is roughly the same as:  "What's it going to be? A Yugo or a Lexus?"

That's probably an overly judgmental comparison.  In truth, though, the car buying comparison is one you hear a lot when it comes to the question of "how much will this video cost?"  A not-so-practical friend says, "I've saved some money-- what kind of car should I get?"  The answer, of course, is impossible without knowing how much money they've saved.  And what kind of car they want.  A $500 beater may be exactly what they need; or a $50,000 Tesla might be the only car that suffices.

Even though you can't answer that oh-so-common question, there are six factors that go into the cost of your video.  The most predictable of which is the cost of filming.

#1:  Filming

Your  filming costs depends on two things: the number of days and the size of the crew.  If the production elements are well planned or coordinated in advance by you—or the shoot only involves one person on camera—you may well get away with a single videographer setting the lights, recording audio, and doing the camera work.  For a mid-range production, a one-person shoot will cost between $125-$200 an hour, or $500-$1,000 a day.  This includes all of your equipment costs.  As the shoot becomes more complicated, more crew is added to organize the day.  Each crew member will range from $350/day to $700/day for a corporate video shoot.  A mistake companies sometimes make is trying to estimate the number of hours by the amount of time they anticipate filming.  Not only are the filming hour usually underestimated, but the cost of prep, travel, setup, and break-down are typically forgotten.  Most shoots will include not just the main subject, but 2-4 hours of B-roll as well.

But filming may not be the biggest cost you face when you hire a production company.  Read up on the other five factors on our company blog, Hurricane Images Inc. Blog, as well as tips and tricks for reducing your costs and getting the best deal possible.

Going Pro: It's a wrap

Ian Robin Walker

Okay, clearly it's been a long time since I posted to this series, and the reason is largely about success.  While I do hope/plan/aspire to continue with the odd post on videography/photography business, product reviews, and technique, for now I'm putting a peg in this topic.  You can also check my other (even slower moving) blog at Hurricane Images Inc.  This is a client facing blog-- rather than this peer facing blog-- and there's a lot you can borrow from that.

I wrote that the end of this series is due to the success of my own process of turning pro.  I mean this in an "in progress" kind of way.  Since jettisoning my regular employment four months ago, I've been working continuously.  I've not consistently earned what I need each month-- I don't expect that to happen for another eight months-- but earnings have exceeded expectations this first trimester... even as turn-around times have proved painfully longer than expected.  My projects have included small jobs for big companies like BitDefender, Silicon Valley Air Experts, and The California Department of Public Health, and large jobs for small outfits like Davis Properties and Rocket Interview.  Balancing 45 hour work weeks with raising an infant (and keeping my sanity) has pushed writing projects like this to the side.

I started this post with a picture of yours truly, though, which is pretty unlike me.  Why?  It's a reminder that ultimately you  are your brand.  If you look at some of the most successful media producers out there-- from Philip Bloom to Casey Neistat to (one of my personal favorites) Brandon Li-- you realize how distinctive their personal style is.  Not just their artwork, but their personalities and how they put themselves forward.  Everyone, regardless of where they are in their career, should reevaluate their online presence and branding every six months.  This includes cleaning up the website, checking that you're still appearing on other sites and searches, and retooling your communications.  So if you're bored right now, get to it.

Going Pro: Conversations about taking it to the next level

Photographer Ming Thein recently posted a discussion on his blog about the process of turning pro.  If you don't know him, his architectural photography is quietly phenomenal, with a subtle Miksang influence and flawless post production technique.  He writes a good blog, too.

www.HurricaneImagesInc.com

For a unique perspective he shares this post with Robin Wong, a photog who's mid-stream in his journey of turning pro, and together they reflect on both the pitfalls and the tricks to being successful.  On point that can't be emphasized enough is how to think about and manage cash flow. 

"The reality is that most material work tends to be planned anywhere from one to six months in advance, and some clients may not pay for a month or two after that – which means your cash flow cycle should really be six months to a year once everything is stable."

An even bigger take-away in the piece is using smaller short-term jobs with quicker turnaround with the larger "meat" of your work.  This can sometimes mean taking on jobs that don't typify your work.  Ming may take the job, but he doesn't add it to his portfolio.

"Everything I’ve done up to this point has that question at the heart of it: is it core to what I want to shoot and what I want to be as a photographer? If no, unless I really, really need the money, I don’t do the job – and even then, I don’t tell anybody about it. So the answer is – let’s call it ‘identity building’ – must happen directly or indirectly, all the time. In practical terms, this means 3-4 hours a day answering email, making content for the site, maintaining the other social media channels (FB, IG, Twitter) etc. And that’s of course on top of the actual shooting and admin and logistics."

It's a long read, but a good one for anyone thinking about the leap.

Do you really cut on the blink?

Celebrated film editor Walter Murch famously said that you should almost always cut on the actor’s blink; and less famously explained that you never cut on the actual blink, but sometimes before and only when it made sense for other reasons.  What I’ve never heard explained is why that technique so often works: it’s because unlike people in daily life, people on camera usually blink intentionally.
 

For actors, dialogue and physical movement are both considered actions. Script analysis reveals each character's objective, and the various actions they take to obtain their goal.  They speak in order to reach their goal, to convince another character do something.  Actors will identify the beats (or sub actions) that determined when an action is complete.  The action, for example, may be to intimidate the other person.  They'll accomplish this by probing their vulnerabilities, insinuating that harm might come to them, and escalating to a blunt threat.  Each sub-action (probe, insinuate, threaten) is a beat that makes up the action, and they'll only give up on a sub-action when it's clear their not reaching their objective.  They’ll push through each beat with 100% intensity until its done.  Then they’ll blink.  It's a divider, a rest, before they begin their next action.  The actor’s “beat,” therefore often coincide with cuts.  What this means is that you can often predict when an actor will blink just by analyzing the script for beats.  Though you'd never want to edit so blindly, you could almost edit without watching the actor at all.

Actors are trained to do analyze beats and actions (Stanislavsky is the most famous teacher of this technique), but non-actors also do a gentler version of action-blink when they know a camera is pointed their direction.  People tend to become more directed on camera.  No one wants to ramble or fumble or stare meaninglessly into space.  So they make sure there’s a reason for everything they say.  An action.

A blink is a “rest” on several levels: resting the eyes, arresting the action.  As editors, though, we often want to keep forward motion of the action, which is another reason why cutting just before the blink works.  It keeps the action moving at top pace.  What’s fascinating (and rarely seen in movies) is when an actor blinks as an action, rather than a rest.  Takeshi Kitano in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is a wonderful example of that, in a film that's getting a second life of sorts.  Next time you watch a movie, look at when the actor blinks, what it means, and why the editor chose to cut or not cut.

Going Pro: Facebook or Twitter? Or Instagram? Or Tumblr?

The only social media tool I advocate for one hundred percent is blogging.  Which, of course, isn’t really a social media platform at all.  Which is probably why it's so useful.  It allows you to target your audience and craft a detailed message and a precise brand over time.  So even if you only post monthly, write a blog.

But what about the rest?  What follows is just my opinion and anyone who tells you they know the right answer is just a dingbat.  And take everything I write with a grain of salt because I’m not a social media type of person.  On a personal level I shy away from these services, engaging with them as little as possible even as I use them as a professional. 

For business purposes, I am not a fan of Facebook.  Yes, Facebook is by far the most popular social media platform;  according to the PEW Research Center, nearly 70% of Americans have a Facebook page with higher earners being more likely to participate.  Yes, Facebook is second only to Google in advertising buys.  But it’s really social, and that's a problem for businesses.  It’s for your friends, and it’s a clumsy tool for getting out a brand or message.  You may have "Liked" a business of Facebook, but do you really visit their page on a weekly or even monthly basis?  I visit my favorite blogs daily.  That's engagement.  Facebook will also filter out posts that are targeted to potential clients; unless you pay for a boosted post, they’ll never see them.  Because you don’t have a relationship with them.  To me, this is a bad communication model, dependent on paid advertising which is exactly the opposite of what people engage on Facebook to see.  Facebook is a good tool for events.  This is because you're reaching out to your friends and distant friends and really not a friend but somehow you got connected friends.  My theatre production company has a page and we use it for every production, posting rehearsal notes, images, and events.  Hurricane Images Inc. has a page and I completely ignore it. 

Instagram is the next most popular medium, trailing at roughly 30% of Americans.  I like Instagram for its quick engagement and because it is a visual medium.  It’s one of the tools I use, though I don’t dedicate much time to it.  That’s because you can’t really control who you’re talking to, and you can’t provide a whole lot of information about yourself or your service.  You can generate a feel about your company, but you can’t direct it to you customers or be specific about who you are.  If you use it, have fun, and curate your posts/images ruthlessly to make sure they are your finest.  As with many things, there are a rare number of individuals who have managed to parlay Instagram activity into business success, but unless you love using Instagram it's a poor investment.

 

Twitter.  Twitter's numbers are surprisingly low given its status as a social media tool.  Roughly 20% of Americans use it, with the highest engagement being among 18-29 year olds.  Which may or may not be your client.  Twitter should be a better tool than it is (and perhaps I'll figure out how to use it more effectively).  It allows you to post images, link to video, and deliver a pithy message.  The problem is that you can't control your geographic target, and most production companies end up tweeting about things that only interest other production companies... not their clients.  Twitter distills one of the essential problems of social media as a marketing tool:  you end up posting about your activities and your interests.  Your reader is "you."

 

LinkedIn is not one of the social media platforms people talk about when discussing social media marketing, but you absolutely should be engaged here.  Twenty-five percent of adults use LinkedIn, making it a rival of Instagram in terms of reach, and they use it specifically for businesses.  The challenge is figuring out how to be social on LinkedIn.  It takes more work.  You should participate in groups, be sparing (as in monthly) with your updates, praise and highlight your clients, and write carefully crafted articles and responses.  No one wants to hear about you every day, which is its own type of blessing.

 

My bottom line is this:  Blog and use LinkedIn.  Look for ways to link the two.  Use one other type of social media largely for fun.  Don't try to engage on all of the platforms, it's too time-consuming.  Pick 2-3 and do it well.

Going Pro: Client Journeys - Promotional Video

As a part of this series I’m describing a few of my early client journeys in time-condensed form. Clients arrive at your doorstep in different ways—and when you’re just starting out, that’s give you time to develop your approach, and hone your skills.

Going Pro: Meeting the Paparazzi

It’s sounds idiotic when you say it out loud, but so much of pregnancy, having a child, is nothing like you imagined from books and movies.  The first sonogram, for instance, isn’t done on a Vaseline-smeared belly eagerly looking for fingers and toes.  That comes later.  It comes now, as a matter of fact.  And it isn’t a quick snapshot.  It’s a paparazzi affair that takes 25 minutes, photographing from every conceivable angle, measuring everything that can be discerned.  The technician is part photog, part judo master—manipulating the belly (and the little one inside) for the best shots.  And they say the photographer should never touch the model.  

It’s as exciting from Mom and Dad as it appears in the movies, but in a different way.  That little heartbeat has been with us for months, so the sense of life-- the reality of the change to come has been ever present.  But the blurry, mysterious images on the screen convey a glimpse of the future, a first contact via a strange language of abstract shapes and barely recognizable features.  We're worlds apart, and we've been signaling our presence to each other through rubs, kicks, and soft voices.  But until now we've been speaking across a galaxy.  And this brings us closer.

Another unexpected reality:  having a child is work:  from the medications to the constant doctor’s visits to the classes… and reading up on the side.  It seems impossible to get anything else done, which I guess is a good prelude to parenthood itself.  How will I get anything done once he/she is here?

Going Pro: Client Journeys

Clients arrive at your doorstep in unexpected ways—when you’re just starting out, the variance is even greater.  The professionalism of your clients, the types of products, and the trajectory of the process varies wildly.  As a new company, that’s a good thing.  You need to develop your approach to working with clients, as well as define your strengths and weaknesses.  But the arrival-- and sometimes departure-- of clients can be mystifying and stressful.  We expect the process to unfold a certain way, and it often doesn't.

 

So as a part of this series I’ll present a few of my early client journeys in time-condensed form, from initial contact to conclusion. 

If you’ve been following these posts, you’ll notice that I’ve already included a couple client journeys: my first “client” was imaginary… a promotional video for Schools for Africa that still features prominently in my portfolio.  My second client was a pro bono piece for a non-profit.

Going Pro: Unapologetic Construction

Some time ago I read  that you should never apologize for inactivity on your blog.  You don't owe your readers a post; there's no invisible contract.  And I agree, though it's awfully hard to do sometimes.  Like not returning a phone call from a friend, you feel guilty.

So what's up with the last three weeks?  In a word: crazytown.  I've been creating a sound design for a theatre festival, shooting and editing a commercial for one client and a Kickstarter video for another, wrapping up that other pesky job, and building a small production studio in our yard.  The last was a job that was supposed to take 3-4 days but took two weeks.  Two weeks in which I couldn't efficiently set up my equipment; two weeks where everything outside my home was covered in dust.

The interior floors and paint still need to be don; plus whatever small photo/video studio elements need to be built it.

It's been 90 hour weeks.  With the studio unavailable to me I missed my Kickstarter video deadline by two days and the still images for the video commercial by five days.  It's the first time I've ever missed a deadline.  So when do you apologize for inactivity?  I sure apologized to them for missing the deadlines.  I provided an encouraging update on what had been accomplished thus far, explained my situation clearly without annoying details, set a new deadline for the final delivery.

Hopefully I'm back on track now.

Going Pro: Ceci N'est Pas Mon Blog

This is not my blog.  Not Hurricane Images’s blog.  The blog belongs to Hurricane Images, but it is not our blog, which you can find here in its nascent form.

Why isn’t this my blog?  Because you are not my client.  My number one rule for posting on Hurricane Images’s blog is that the content is for my clients and potential clients.  So many photographers and videographers post info for their peers—which is great, and often more enjoyable for the writer… and it can even help with raising your website’s SEO.  But it’s not an effective marketing approach.  If you want your blog to be a marketing tool, write for your clients.

Blogs aren’t simply a marketing tool, though.  They are the product that needs to be marketed.  There are tens of thousands of photographer-bloggers.  Maybe thirty of the top writers are easily discovered via search engines and the like.  The bottom thirty-thousand writers feel like they’re toiling in obscure darkness, read only by trolling bots.  If you’re going to go to the trouble of writing, promote your work.  Cross market your blog.  Announce it on your website, Facebook page, Twitter, or whatever other social media platforms you use.  Visit forums and (when appropriate) let people know you’ve talked about that issue on your blog.  List your blog on your email signature. 

Keep track of which posts get the most visits (almost all blogging platforms offer this).  Let the most popular items guide your blog, but not dictate its direction.  Gear review is often the most read posts on this blog, but I use them sparingly because that's not what I want to be known for.  From time to time, re-publish your top posts.

A few tips to keep in mind.

• Content is king; make good content
• Reference and link to your web pages often
• Link to other folks good works, too.  You can summarize if you credit and link.  
• Don't have your image right at the top of your page.  It looks great but search engines can't read them.  
• When you link, use the title of the page as the link (rather than writing “here”); it’s better SEO optimization
• Optimize your images; they should have titles and company name
• Post frequently – twice weekly or more in the beginning
• If you post infrequently (less than weekly) disable the auto date function. 
• Never apologize for not posting frequently; you don’t owe your reader anything beyond good content
• If someone engages/comments, engage back.  Immediately.