Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

In Production News – Birmingham

 

Production News

Here you can see who we are working with and what the exciting new projects will be all about.

  • Melville – Corporate Video promoting the servies that they provide

Post production News

  • Melville Christmas Party – In house promo video for Melville
  • Faces of Birmingham’s New Library – A series of videos showcasing various people who use the libraries around Birmingham and how they will use the new library.
  • 3 WHEELS NORTH – Feature Length Documentary seeking out why people just pack up and go travelling for the rest of their lives.
  • PHYSIO WORLD – New promo to showcase their sponsorship of Olympic hurdler Sara McGreavy

App Development

You can keep track on all the amazing App development work, which is going on and find out the links to these apps should you wish you get them from itunes.

  • EUROPE SOLUTIONS LTD – Recruitment app to help keep their candidates updated on various job opportunities.
  • @Verdant Vision Ltd – An in house app to help with production management

 

Hints and Tips for using our Camera Kit

We hope our step by step guides will help you to get to grips with out kit, should you choose to hire from us or even your own equipment if you are new to film making. Feel free to send in questions and we will do all we can to help you solve your equipment issues.

 
Hints and Tips

Using the Panasonic HVX 200

Setting up the camera

1. Turn on the camera and press the menu button.
2. The first option “Scene File” allows the user to change the frame rate when combined with the scene file button at the back of the camera.
3. “Camera Setup” is where you can choose between 4:3 and 16:9. Always choose Squeeze if you want to film in 16:9. The other two options are 4:3.
4. The next option to choose is the “Recording Set up” option. Here you can choose the format you want to record in. “Rec format” allows you to choose from DV 576/25p right up to 1080i/50i. “Rec Mode” allows you to choose between DVC PRO 50, DVCPRO or DV depending on which “Rec format” has been chosen.
5. Once you have set up the format and set it as 16:9 you are ready to start making changes to the Firestore.

 
Hints and Tips

Using the Firestore FS100

Setting up the Firestore

1. Firstly connect the Firestore to the camera via the fire wire port on the side of the camera and the dv i/o port on the Firestore (not the port named computer).
2. Turn on the Firestore by holding down the on button for approximately 3 seconds.
3. Once the Firestore is on press the right arrow and make sure the cache option is selected. This means the Firestore is run for 6 secs before it starts recording and will run for 6 secs after you have finished recording.
4. Go back up to the top of the menu (Clicking the left button will bring you straight to the top) and press right again and choose the DVCPR50 option.
5. Go back to the top of the menu and select right and choose your DV format. Depending on your system you can choose between P2, QuickTime, AVI etc. If you choose QuickTime be warned that it will not work on a pc. The best file may be P2, which creates an mxf file, so make sure that your editor can handle those files as well. There are a couple of downloads for Premier and Final Cut, which will allow easy use of mxf’s.
6. Once that is all in place go back to the beginning screen, where you will see the time code an battery life etc
7. You are now ready to start filming. Please note that when you are recording the time code on the camera does not change and only the time code on the Firestore will change.

 
Hints and Tips

Using the Firestore FS100

Play Back from the Firestore

1. When you have finished recording press the stop button on the Firestore so that you see “STOP” in the top left hand corner of the Firestore.
2. On the camera at the back you will need to change the camera to MCR/VCR mode by pressing the soft button beside “MCR”
3. On the camera viewfinder you will see a number of thumbnails.
4. On top of the camera you will need to press the “Audio Dub/Thumbnails” button and you will see the thumbnails change to a full screen on the viewfinder
5. You can then play through the footage by pressing the play button on the Firestore. You can fast forward or skip shots by using the controls on the Firestore:
6. To go back to recording again make sure you press stop on the Firestore so that you can see “STOP” in the top left hand corner of the camera. Then press the soft button at the back of the camera beside “MCR” so that the light under “CAMERA” is on. You are now ready to continue recording and it will automatically start from the end of your recorded footage.

 
Hints and Tips

Using the Firestore FS100

Organising the Firestore after recording.

1. Press the stop button on the Firestore and press the right option button till you see utilities. If you are filming it in a P2 format then choose organise P2 and this will organise all the files into folders and will be easier to access for editing.
2. Disconnect the Firestore from the camera and connect it to your computer using the “Computer” port on the Firestore.
3. Select the right button till you get to HDD Mode and choose DD Drive
4. The Firestore will appear as an extra hard drive which you can simply double click and select all the files and drag and drop to a designated folder on your computer. It takes approximately 40mins to export a full Firestore if it is plugged in to the mains and may take around 70 – 80 mins if it is not plugged in.
5. You will find all the footage and sound in the Contents folder but drag over everything on the Firestore, as there are a few bits of data that you may need from the other folders.
6. Once everything has been exported to your computer then the scary bit of deleting all the footage on the Firestore must take place. Once you are back to the main menu on the Firestore then select the right button till you get to Utilities an choose format. This will delete all the footage and you have an empty Firestore again.

 
 

A Clients Guide

Part One: Introduction:

So you have decided that you need video to promote yourself, your company or your product. However with so many production companies and freelancers all providing the same service and so many ways to show your video it can prove to be a bit of a mine field.

So here at @Warblefly Productions we have decided to write a little weekly guide to help you decide the type of video and company that best suits you. It may even turn out that you don’t need a video after all but hopefully you will realise the importance a video can make when everything is so accessible via Phones, web or TV.

Gradually over the next few weeks we will go through a variety of elements including, what is video production, explaining the different types of video that can be used, the actual process, some technical terms and finally a guide on price. Feel free to dip in and out of this guide at any time and if you have suggestions or questions then get in touch.

 
Clients Guide to Video Production 1

1. – Why do you need video?

It has been proven that potential customers are 72% more likely to purchase a product or service when video production is used. They also make their buying decisions faster. 89% of consumers will view a video the same day it is received, and 94% will pass the video tape/cd/dvd along to a friend or relative. Moreover, response rates for video production promotions are 6 times greater than those for printed direct mail. It’s also a well-known fact in industry circles that Video production is more cost effective than any other generic medium. Are you convinced yet?

 
The Door Gallery

2. So what is Video Production?

Essentially, video production companies produce videos for a wide range of videos and these can be used in such a variety of ways. However video production is now becoming so accessible that anybody can go down to the local shop and buy a good HD camera, film an event and then edit it on some free software that has been provided with the computer. However one needs to recognise the amount of skill that goes in to creating professional videos. So many times we have been called in to help a company who have tried to make the video themselves but it hasn’t been up to scratch. Even now I still see amazing websites which have been let down by DIY video productions. Although it may save money initially a bad video can reflect poorly on whatever it is promoting. Not only that but if you add up the hours spent by you making the video, it may actually have cost you more!
A good quality video should be able to sell your services, win that pitch, encourage investors to go with you, inspire people and generally want to get to know more about you. There are many ways to do this but essentially it boils down to:

• Client Creates Video Brief
• We produce ideas/script/storyboards
• Liaise with clients
• Create production team, which can range from as little as 3 people up to Hollywood film numbers
• The video is shot on HD Cameras (we no longer use tapes so it is all on hard drives)
• It is edited and a rough cut is produced
• We liaise with clients
• Sound, Visual effects and minor adjustments are made so that final version is presented to client.

 
The Door Gallery

3. What are the different types of video you can use?

This list is pretty exhaustive and will grow and grow as technology continues to advance. So below we have put together a list of the most popular uses for video at the moment:

1. Business-to-Business Video – Business Video, DVD & Stream
Business-to-Business videos are usually about winning deals or large ongoing contracts. It is delivered in a serious vein and needs to look impressive and remove any fragment of doubt in your ability to deliver the goods.

2. Business to Consumer video.
You have seen this in a lot of stores particularly Woolworths when it was up and running. They are often used to promote seasonal products or specific individual products. They can be viewed as a very long advert by some people as they are often to the point, snappy and are easy to remember but they may last up to 2 minutes as opposed to a TV commercial lasting 30 seconds.

3. Corporate Video, DVD & Stream
Corporate videos are seen as the classic video for a big organisation. It is often viewed on DVD but with technology getting better they will often be seen on the companies website or even on various social media websites. It is created to show what the company does and often where you are seeking to move towards in the future. These can often also be called company videos, which tend to be made for SME’s but there is nothing wrong with the names being interchanged with one another as they both seek to provide the same message.

4. Conference Video, DVD & Stream
The conference video can be produced in two ways. One is to actually create a video to either open up the show or to be shown at some point during the conference whilst the second way is to create a video during the conference. The former often being used to grab the attendees attention whilst the latter being used to interview attendees, grabbing vox pops and general shots of the audience to be later edited and delivered either on DVD or for the website.

5. Construction Video, DVD & Stream
The use of construction videos is becoming more and more important and often expected by clients. The construction projects are often huge and will need to have some sort of video to accompany a tender. These can be delivered as a 3D animated sequence showing a fly through a building or over a piece of land to give the clients a visual realisation of how the build will look when finished. These will often be accompanied with up beat music and sometimes a voice over to reveal certain key messages.

6. Customer Testimonial Video, DVD & Stream
You may see a lot of commercials at the moment are using this style of video to help promote their product. Think of a famous toothpaste brand and you will see they use their customers to talk about how goo a product it is to use. This type of video doesn’t just need to be used for TV commercials but can also be used for various types of videos and can either be to form all or part of your video. When using this type of video though it is important to remember that your customers may not be able to fit in to your schedule so often the shoot will have to accommodate theirs.

7. Exhibition Video, DVD & Stream
If you have ever attended exhibitions you will find that Companies will usually be selling their products or services or both. A Video for an exhibition needs to be self-explanatory without the need of having any voice over or interviews, as often the volume is played very low. The message needs to be to the point and short, as many attendees will not be standing around for long to look at it. This video will need to rely more on graphics, animation of text to get the message across.

8. Factory /Facilities Tour Video, DVD & Stream
If you have made a new investment in a premises or some machinery then manufacturers love the use of DVD in order to promote it. It can also be used to show a tour of the factory for clients who are based overseas wondering about your capabilities. The key part of the DVD is to show you have the ability to meet demand and carry out high levels of production. Often voice over driven, which allows for easier translation, it will provide peace of mind to your buyers willing to invest in you.

9. Public Information Video, DVD & Stream
Local authorities wanting to raise public awareness about a particular initiative often produce this type of video. It can be interactive allowing the audience to view various information from the DVD menu or it can be one self-contained video using voice over to get the message across. 
The use of various languages needs to be taken in to account as well especially if it need to reach a multi cultural background.

10. Video Blog
Video blogs are becoming more and more popular as the broadband becomes more accessible. What you will find with a lot of the videos out there is that they are mainly DIY productions as they are quite simple to do if you have your own camera and a computer with editing software on. Video blogs are a great way to keep employees or clients informed about future developments but the message may be missed if the production value of the video is not up to scratch. The best way to get around this is to get in touch with a local video production company and see if they can do it for you or even train you so you can still keep costs down.

 

Clients Guide to Video Production 1

4. – Choosing the right Video Production Company

All the information you will need to make sure the video company you choose can deliver exactly what you want will be arriving on these pages next week.

 
 

Gym Rat Heroes

Gymrat Heroes aims to deliver the best information and tuition, mixed with a healthy dose of real-life people-based drama, to show you techniques and ideas to achieve your goals – to bring out your inner Hero. Our delivery is much like a magazine, but our articles are delivered to you via video and digital media for maximum, long-lasting impact.

24th Decemebr 2010

Once more on 12th December 2010, the next Sprawl n Brawl Fight Night took place over at the Ivy Leaf in Sheldon, Birmingham.

This fourth event had the biggest turn-out yet, with a crowd barely able to fit into the venue! One fighter in particular had an impressive entourage of supporters!

The line up was as follows:

  • Rhys Parker VS Olie Stevenson
  • Tim Menzies VS Tihamer Lore
  • Ross Feasey VS Connor Jones
  • Indi Sangah VS Kyle Vidal
  • Oli Shepperd VS Elliot Grant
  • Lewis Day VS Andy Smith
  • Adam Baleman VS Adam Menzies
  • Dom Fidler VS Suhail

Feel free to watch the fights in full in the videos here: Sprawl and Brawl Fight Night

24th Decemebr 2010

On 12th December 2010, another mixed martial arts fight night was held at the Ivy Leaf in Birmingham.

Before the official fights of the evening began, the crowd were warmed up with some off-the-schedule bouts – thirteen of them to be exact. Some of these were as impressive as the real fights!

The line-up was as follows:

Josh Yarnell VS Darren Hogan
Chris Chew VS Imran Khan
John Richter VS Brett Morton
Nick Burrows VS Omari Cohen
Gareth Haines VS Coughey
Rory Foster VS Josh Holmes
Alex Feary VS Hakeim Mallic
Balal Miah VS Mikey Heaven
Dave Lane VS Jamie Hales
Dennis McGrath VS Yasin Khan
Justin Springer VS Shaun Leumi
Chris Ryan VS Martin Leidner
Damien Bracey VS Chris Miah

Feel free to watch the fights in full in the videos here: GymRatHeroes.com

Have a watch of the fights in the videos below (PLEASE NOTE: Apologies guys, the camera was playing up during these bouts, so there is some parts missing – but we captured everything we could!):

30th November 2010

Want to know some good techniques to hit just about all of the body to some degree? Want to hit your back muscles especially?

Well, that’s exactly what Steve takes Raminder through in this intense training session. Follow along, watch, and implement it for yourself.

Watch the video here: GymRatHeroes.com

30th November 2010

We catch up with Chris Rice of Sprawl n Brawl to discuss what training the lads are currently doing, how the team’s fights went, and what bearing their fight results has upon their future training.

Aside from that…. are some of the lads trying to start a new fashion trend?!

Watch the video here: GymRatHeroes.com

19th November 2010

We were lucky enough to obtain another World Exclusive interview, this time with Marc Goddard, UFC referee.

Steve talks to Marc about how he got in to the Mixed Martial Arts world, and what his history is in terms of his training and his own fights. Marc touches on where he began his referee role. He enlightens us on the medical checks and health and safety aspect of UK MMA.

Who did Marc challenge as a fighter? What demons did he have to deal with?
What sort of training did Marc do that was 7 years ahead of the game?
Who does Marc consider to be the top MMA fighters?
What was the best UFC fight he has refereed?

These questions and more are answered in the video here.

 

Raleigh – Post Production

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Delcam Promo

 

In Production

To keep you up to date on all the productions we are working on at the moment we will be providing information here.  We are often producing a number of projects at the same time so we shall try our best to keep this page as up to date as we can.

 

Delcam Advert
Purpose: Viral video as well as marketing
Format: 3D Animation
Duration: Approximately 3 minutes

 

Nehemiah Foundation

 
© 2010 @Verdant Vision Ltd... Bringing Media to life - Video Production Birmingham
Video Production, Corporate Video Birmingham, Commercials Birmingham, Camera Hire Birmingham, Z1 Hire, Panasonic AG-AF101 Hire, Letus hire, 5D Hire, Ipad App, Birmingham