Just FLIP it!

Our intern, Evan, took some time to bring you this sophisticated PSA about how to properly use your smart phone to take video to preserve your precious memories this holiday season.

Written & Performed by: Evan Grysko
Directed & Edited by: Patrick Brask
Camera by: Bradley Hawthorne

Darcie King
Executive Producer
E Video Productions, LLC
Facebook.com/evideoproductions
@evpDarcie @evpStudios 

Apollo Relocation Services

Apollo Relocation Services

DP/Editor: Kris King
Producer: Darcie King
Grip: Pat Brask
Intern: Andy D
PM: Meghan Caputo

Location: Red Bank, NJ

Whether you are looking to tell people about what you do or let your happy customers speak for themselves, EVP can customize any video to what YOU NEED! Here’s how Apollo Relocation Services told their story through video.

Apollo Relocation Services is a licensed, bonded and insured moving service provider. They help ease the stress of long distance moving by providing its clients with professional, courteous, and meticulous customer care. Whether a residential move, military move, corporate relocation, or a last minute move, Apollo will help from origin to destination worry-free.




Patricia A. Hilton
patty@evideoproductins.net
Production Secretary

Attract. Convert. Retain. 3 Videos You Need In Your Portfolio

Attract. Convert. Retain.

3 Videos You Need In Your Portfolio

1. High-Impact Attention Grabber – 30-60 seconds

2. Company Overview – 3-5 minutes

3. Customer Welcome Video – 1-3 minutes

Many of our clients come to us with a specific need in mind, but there are still plenty of customers that know they need video, but aren’t sure of exactly what their need is.  We have consulted numerous clients through the years on the best videos for their business, and while each company’s specific needs may vary, we have found three videos that are successful across the board. The individual content varies by industry & specific client needs, but this list can give you an idea of where you as a company should begin your Video Marketing journey.

The first video we recommend is a 30 to 60 second Attention Grabber. There are many terms for this “High-Impact” “Sizzle Reel” “Promo” “Demo” – whichever term you choose, this is a short, fast-paced overview video consisting primarily of high-energy music and dynamic graphics. Take your elevator pitch, add some rockin’ music and voila – your first marketing video. Of course, there are many keys to making a successful attention grabbing video that will depend on the intended usage, expected viewer response and target audience, but those can all be determined in your pre-production meeting. For now, just deciding to do one of these videos is your first step. Jot down some bullet points that you feel are necessary to get across in this quick introductory video.

The second video we recommend is a 3-5 minute CompanyOverview. This video is one of our favorites – it’s where we get to meet you & your team & watch you in action! Typically, we love to interview the owner or key personnel on your staff and shoot b-roll around your facility. If you don’t have an exciting facility or office, that’s OK! We can always use stock footage or graphics to fill the screen. There is also an awesome opportunity here for customer testimonials. The first thing you need to ask yourself when selecting this type of video is “what sets us apart from the competition?”

The final video that is important in an emerging video marketing portfolio is a Customer Welcome Video. Now that you’ve attracted attention, converted that lead into a sale, how do you ensure they have the best experience with your company possible? A Welcome Video can let them know what to expect in the early stages of working with you and can introduce them to the key people or processes that they need to know. While this video is not aimed at attracting new business, RETAINING customers is key to marketing success! When approaching a Customer Welcome Video, consider the main questions a new customer may have and aim at answering them quickly and concisely.

You don’t have to stick to these three videos when you begin building your portfolio. What other ideas do you think are important to have to Attract, Convert & Retain customers?

Darcie King

Executive Producer

E Video Productions, LLC

TS6 - The Backyard Pool

Tori Stories #6- The Backyard Pool

As the season is changing from hot to cold, Tori is still at it with her creative story telling! This time the princesses are back in a brand new adventure as they try to cool off in the backyard pool.

Oh, to be young again and have such a wonderful imagination! Don’t you wish you could come up with creative stories like that? EVP can help you in many ways!

Story telling, script writing, shooting, production, etc., we do it all!
  
Unsure of what you want? Let EVP guide you through the process from start to finish. WE want YOUR business to show its capabilities. Through video we can achieve this!

Check out all the Tori Stories Episodes Here
 

Patty Hilton
patty@evideoproductions.net
Production Secretary

Tori Stories Episode 5 - The Haunted House

Tori Stories Episode 5- The Haunted House

At some point in your life you deal with the hassles of finding a home to live in. Do I want a garage? Do we really need a pool? I need to have at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms! The list goes on and on.

Here is a fun little take on how Ghost, Skeleton, Zombie, Frankenstein and Spider go house haunting to find the perfect location with all of their want-list items.

Yes, we do like to have fun in the workplace here at EVP! What about your business? Should you be showing WHO you are or WHAT you do? Sometimes, it’s a little of both. We can help you get noticed in ways you never even thought of before!

Through video, you can show your clients, customers, etc.,who you are and what you can provide for them. You can connect with them on a different level than you would passing out flyers or mailing out business information. EVP can help you find the right way for your unique business!

For more Tori Stories Episodes- Click Here

Patricia A. Hilton
Production Secretary
patty@evideoproductions.net
E Video Productions LLC

Beach Weddings Redefined - Flowers for your day

Client: Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce

DP: Kris King

Editor: Pat Brask

Shot on Location: Shot at Several Locations in LBI

PM: Michele Carnesi

Producer: Darcie King

Beach Weddings Redefined- Flowers For Your Day

E Video Productions LLC produced this video as part of a

series highlighting the LBI Region as a location for destination weddings on
the Jersey Shore. Our team worked in conjunction with Rock The Aisle to capture
Do-It-Yourself tips that brides could learn throughout the day.

What information does your company have to offer potential clients? Do you have tips
and tricks that could help differentiate you and show your expertise in your
area? Through video, you can show your potential customers that you are a
leader in your industry, while highlighting your services and employees in a
unique way.

Watch more videos like this here: Wedding Road Show, LBI

Patricia A. Hilton
Production Secretary
patty@evideoproductions.net

Social Media: Videos on the Rise

First off, what is Social Media?

It can be defined as websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts.

With that in mind, how many people and businesses that you know use social media? I know for a fact it is more than the number of fingers and toes combined. What better way to have conversations with your customers and get your point across with not only pictures but with video as well? And that’s what a lot of businesses have started to do.

By posting videos to your social media you build relationships, get in touch with the world and find a greater reach for your business. Here are some statistics of how video works in social media:

·      More than 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube each minute.

·      Video is the fastest-growing ad format, with spending rising 41.4% this year and an anticipated 40% again next year.

·      Video ad sharing has increased 50x since 2006.

·      72.1 million US smart phone users watched video on their devices at least monthly in 2013. This is expected to rise to 86.8 million, more than ¼ of US population, in 2014.
Click here for more Statistic Information 

Your customers can be reached worldwide with just one uploaded video. Social media gives you the tools to upload, share or retweet  to show other people in different countries what is going happening at your company. This is why I believe video is the best social media tool for any business out there. People are more apt to look and see what a video has in store than to click on a link to a website. Often people would rather watch a short video to get to know you and your team, than read a long “who are we” page.

As many social media users know, what you post can end up in another country in a matter of hours, even minutes. We might not know what a certain business has to offer until someone shares it on Facebook.  A video that may have been created for another purpose continues to drive up the ROI through social media sharing. It is important for businesses to stay on top of current trends in social media – and right now, video is the one to watch. 

Patricia A. Hilton

Marketing Assistant

patty@evideoproductions.net

Where do trends go when they die?

If you have kids, or have ever met a kid, you are sure to have heard the constant stream of questions... "Do goldfish go to heaven?" "How does a caterpillar sleep?" "Why can't I see my own face?" You know how it goes. Well, I have one to add...where do trends go when they die? Is there an island somewhere full of Rubik's Cubes and Parachute Pants? Perhaps it's something like the Island of Misfit Toys from the Rudolph movie we all watch at Christmas time.

I have to confess something. I am not a trend follower. It often takes me a long time to develop a liking for a trend. Sometimes I hop on the band wagon late in the game and ride it until it's bitter end. Sometimes I avoid it all together and never get caught up in the hype. And every once in a while, I find that diamond in the rough and embrace it before it even becomes a trend.

There are many trends in video that come & go. Those crazy stock animations that you see in EVERY corporate video - falling $$$$$$, techno wave forms, etc. Man those drive me crazy! How about the lady who walks out of the corner of your screen and starts talking to you out of no where! I never invited her to speak, did you? And where's the darn mute button when you need it? White board videos are on my list of trends that can go away now. If you don't know what a white board video is - it's those videos that look like someone is drawing it by hand. At times it is hand drawn, other times it is computer generated. Either way, they were cool when they started, but now are so overused, I don't see a use for them anymore.

What trends will stay? Well, that's a tricky question. If it is truly a trend, it will come, stay for a while, and then go away again. Some trends do better than others. The DVD for example became so main stream that I don't think anyone really considers it a trend anymore. It may not be the current content delivery method of choice for most people, but I think everyone can agree it was definitely worth any investment you put into it, whether as a consumer or a producer.

The best test on whether or not you should jump into a trend is this...does it use tried & true methods,  did it come in like a lion, and is it accessible to all of your target audience?

DOES IT USE TRIED & TRUE METHODS?

There is no substitution for good video. Whether you're introducing a new type of animation or a new piece of equipment, if it is trying to replace good quality video, then it probably won't last long. The only video producers that are here to stay are the ones that offer a good, quality service time after time. They know how to embrace new trends, but not succumb to them completely. They don't give up their regular work to work exclusively in the newest animation technique. They continue to produce good videos and incorporate the newest trend in where necessary.

DID IT COME IN LIKE A LION?

When a new item hits the market and the market explodes, don't expect it to last forever. Give it time and the excitement will die down. This past Christmas, the Frozen Ice Castle play set was impossible to find. It was selling for 3 times it's cost on Ebay. Now, just 2 months later, you can get it delivered tomorrow if you'd like. At Christmas, EVERYONE wanted it and every child swore they would play with it every day if they had it for their very own. Now, eh. It's sorta fun. Same thing with video. When the trend comes in like a lion, EVERYONE needs to have a video like that and they're willing to pay a premium to get just the right one and be one of the first to have it. But months later, their video is now obsolete and no one really cares that they were the first. Be careful when hiring someone to do a "trendy" video for you - make sure you consider its shelf life before you buy.

IS IT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

It's one thing to stay in front of your competition, but it's another to completely ostracize half of your target audience.  When a new format comes into play, it might boast better clarity, faster speeds, or perhaps it will cook you a 4 course dinner. However, if only 2% of your audience has the ability to play that format, will it really work?

As I said before, the best way to stay on top of trends is to always make sure you have a good, solid base. When looking to do a video, or any other project, make sure quality comes before the current trend.

Darcie King
Owner, E Video Productions, LLC
www.EVideoProductions.net
darcie@evideoproductions.net
732-349-4762

Video Marketing, Pregnancy, and Grace Initiatives… Helping to make a difference.

 Pregnant teenagers, a dedicated woman and video marketing...a local non-profit organization is using a popular internet marketing trend in a unique way to educate & inform her audiences.

E Video Productions makes it happen to get their point across in a touching video. 

How am I going to provide for my child? Am I going to be a good mom? These questions come to mind for anyone having a child or wants to have one. But they become more real for a young teen pregnant. Who do they go to when they need help, encouragement or even just a little hope? Well, if you live in or near Ocean County there is hope for these young women. Grace Initiatives provides this to women ages 11-21.

What they offer is:

·      Confidential Counseling

·      Life-skills Education

·      Job-skills Classes

·      Housing options

Everyone needs help now and again especially when you are young, scared and do not know where to go or what to do. Most young girls do not have a support system and Grace Initiatives provides this. They empower these women and give them hope. Whether it is providing knowledge of nurturing a child or learning life-skills to help them out in the future. Just by reading their website, it gives you the feeling of them really taking a deep appreciation in helping young women.

Their founding mission contained three objectives:

     1) To recruit and train qualified families that will volunteer to provide shelter and care for unwed, pregnant women while they prepare for the birth of their baby.

     2) To establish a group home for up to 6 unwed, pregnant women that would provide shelter, meals, care, counseling and life skills for residents to prepare their future.

     3) To conduct training seminars for individuals and nonprofit organization that wish to provide maternity housing similar to ours through families in their communities.

With these objectives they have grown to do what they set out for. There will always be questions and doubts, but having a great support system will help with this. With providing a video, Grace Initiatives have giving an insight into some of their client’s minds. (Below is a link to see the video and more information about Grace Initiatives.) http://www.graceinitiatives.org        

Rhonda Tomko, one of the founders of Grace Initiatives, uses this video for many purposes. I recently had a brief discussion with her. She discussed why and where she uses the video. One of the most important ways they use the video is they use it on their donor website, at the bottom of every email (in her signature) and whenever she gives speaking engagements. Whether the engagements are at churches, community groups, etc. She goes on to say that the video works for them because, “ It shows our clients speaking in short engaging statements, expresses emotions, and tells a story of each of our clients.”

What Grace Initiatives does for these young women can give hope to anyone out there wanting to help out in their communities. E Video Productions helped them find a way to get their views a crossed.  And this is how using video to market your company or non-profit organization can let any audiences know who you are and what you are trying to do in the community or just in your businesses.

Patty Hilton

Intern: E Video Productions

patricia.a.hilton@gmail.com

The Fire of 2014

To most of you, when you hear "The Fire of 2014", nothing really comes to mind. But to us at E Video Productions, we have a very vivid memory. At midnight on the morning of May 16, 2014, we received a phone call that the building next door to our studio at 17 Washington Street in Downtown Toms River was on fire. Kris quickly ran out the door and over to the studio to see this:

If you look on the right side of each photo, you can see a white roof. That is where our studio is. We are located in the building directly next door to 38 Robbins Street building that burned down. And we are on the second (top) floor. If the fire, which primarily destroyed the top floor of its building, had jumped roofs, it would have been our roof it jumped to. The fire department, however, did an amazing job containing the 3-alarm fire and did not allow it to jump to our roof. And more importantly, no one was hurt. We thanked God that we were spared. And we are still very thankful for all God has done for us over this time. However, we weren't as spared as we initially thought….

The next day, we arrived to this scene: 

ServPro showed up almost immediately and began cleaning out our Landlords downstairs. They eventually come up to our Studio & began the drying process. There is also scaffolding almost directly outside our door, down the street and around the corner. 

It was then that we started to figure out the reality of our situation. During the fire, the fire department opened our front and back doors for access to the fire. Our studio, complete with our computers that were running and video equipment, filled with smoke. (This was evident when we turned our computer on and it immediately spit smoke.) 

Then we found out that at some point during the fire, a piece of the building next door crumbled and fell on our roof, creating a nice-sized hole. Cue the roof full of water from the fire hoses (which is responsible for the fire not spreading to our roof) and the torrential downpours that started about 12 hours after the fire and created a not-so-exotic waterfall in our studio…right on top of our primary light kit. Yup. That continued for about 24 hours. And guess what, you can't repair a hole in the roof while it's raining, or at least that's what we were told. At some point, ServPro did go up and fill it with tar, which created a beautiful mosaic of tar spots on our equipment, furniture and rugs directly under the hold. Guess what, the tar didn't work. The waterfall continued.  

This picture shows a closeup of our roof (the white horizontal bar) and the piece of roof next door that crumbled. 

This picture shows the bubbles in our paint from the extreme heat of the fire next door. That bucket is catching part of our waterfall.

This is a battery that was next to our light kit. Electronics and water don't mix.

The one thing I remember most about this whole situation was walking into the studio when we were finally allowed in and the smell. The smell! It was a combination of serious smoke, mildew and tar. If you had walked in and smelled that, you would have condemned it right then and there. But we were told we could move back in! Consider the waterfall an added bonus. (Ok, so we weren't really told about the bonus, but you get my point). Luckily, our landlords understood that we couldn't be in there with all of our electronic equipment and a hole in the ceiling. They were having their own issues as well as their business is right below us. But here's the issue...

Now you know that our Studio is where that white roof extends between the burnt building and the Charneys building. See that support beam on our roof? There are a whole bunch of those that are bolted into our roof. Their function? To make sure the building next door does not fall down on our roof. While I appreciate the gesture, those beams are making it impossible for us to move back into our Studio.

We don't ask for much. Higher ceilings so we can light properly. An open floor plan to allow for movement. And a clean, dry space to do a few video shoots. Well, Meatloaf did say 2 out of 3 ain't bad, right? Here's where we are:

1. Per ServPro's instructions, we should replace the rugs & paint. Our Landlord will be doing this for us, but not until the roof no longer leaks (what is the point of a new rug, when the waterfall is still active?). 

2. The Landlord is replacing the roof (which, FYI was just replaced 3 weeks before the fire, ironic, huh?). However, they can't do that until those darn support beams are down. You say I should inquire about getting them to support that building in another way? Great idea. However, I already asked and was told there's no other way.

3. The support beams will come down when the building is demolished. So that's my answer, right? Well, here's the question I've been asking since May 16: When will the building be demolished? There's a meeting this Wednesday to discuss. I'm still not holding my breath for answers. 

I've been asking this question for seven weeks now. Here is the answer I've been getting since May 16: It should start sometime next week. They must mean the philosophical "next week" (the week we're in is always "this week" - we can never actually be in "next" week), because each week, I'm given the same answer. Here are some of my other favorite answers from various "officials" and people "in the know":

Q: Can we get an update on when the building will be coming down?

A: There was a fire? We haven't been told yet.

A: We can't answer that, you need to talk to the fire inspector.

FYI - Fire inspectors response: we turned that report in WEEKS ago.

A: There's a business in that location? 

(NO, we just go there every day to play checkers). 

And this was my favorite:

Q: I was wondering who I can talk to that can answer some of my questions about the building that burned down on Robbins St.

A: What, do you rent there for free? You gotta have someone you pay some sort of rent that you can go to with these questions instead of calling me!

*Sigh* I guess I'll have to see what answers Wednesday brings me. At least I feel like something may be happening. A meeting is something, right?

Another part of this whole situation that I love is the hubbub online of Capone's Restaurant being condemned, closed, burned down, etc. There was a Capone's banner on the building that burned. That's because Capone's USED TO be in that spot. However, now they are in the same building as us, right below us, sharing our frustration with SEVEN weeks and no answers. However, they are open, and operating in part of their space. The building was not condemned (otherwise we would not be talking about getting back in upstairs). The damage was superficial…but enough to keep us out until a time when repairs can be made. 

We need to get back into our Studio. There is no temporary space that can fulfill all of our needs. Our Studio is unique, and perfect for us. If the township, building owners, or anyone else with a say would only give us an approximate timeline, we could do what we need to do. But each week, we sit in our temporary office location contemplating moving into somewhere that better accommodates us. But when we are told we should have answers "next week," we decide to wait it out a few more days…only to be disappointed again with non-answers and fingers pointed in different directions. 

We are not completely down, our mobile studio has been bustling with work and our editing team has been keeping up with deadlines. But new work is hard to bring in when we're not operating at 100% and we are tired of the games.  We are ready to settle back into our new & improved studio and continue GROWING our business…because, of course, we are in business to GROW, not sit back and wait. But first, let's get this "Landmark Toms River Building" as an APP article calls it, down. 

*****UPDATE*****

We received information that demolition will take place once permit is approved…sometime after July 19. It will take 1-2 weeks (if all goes well), during which time we are not allowed in our studio. After that our landlord will be able to do the repairs necessary to get us back in there. Based on all of that, it's looking like we'll be back in mid to late August. Yay for answers, but it's disappointing to have missed our entire first summer in Downtown Toms River. 

Thanks to everyone that has reached out with support, words of encouragement and advice! We truly appreciate it all!

Tips for your video tips!

One of the best ways to promote your business is to demonstrate your expertise in your subject. A person doesn't want to hire a contractor that can just get the job done...they want someone that will get the job done RIGHT...the first time! They want an EXPERT. How can you show them that you are an expert? One great way is to provide video tips throughout your website. There are a couple different ways that you can go about this. First, you can have a media page that provides numerous links to videos and articles that you have produced and written showing your knowledge on a wide range of subjects. This is great when you want to show a wide base of expertise or have potential clients that don't know exactly what service they are looking for and need to view a variety to get an idea of what you can do to help them. A second way of using video tips is to sprinkle them throughout your website where they fit best. For example, a party planner might have tips on throwing an amazing birthday part on their Birthday page, tips for a calm bride on their Wedding page and ways to ensure a fun event on their Bar/Bat Mitzvah page. By positioning yourself as an expert, you not only market yourself as the top of your field, but you ensure that your clients know you and how you can best help them. Check out this clip below from one of our clients. He is certainly an expert in his field - marketing. Here he gives you tips for creating your website. It is professionally done and complete with graphics that enhance the message.



Darcie King
E Video Productions
http://www.evideoproductions.net
darcie@evideoproductions.net
http://www.facebook.com/evideoproductions
http://www.twitter.com/evpDarcie
http://www.youtube.com/evideopr

Video Spotlight: Weddings for Heroes

Sometimes an opportunity comes along that you just can't pass up! This happened earlier this year when Kris and I found out about an amazing organization - Weddings for Heroes. This group began in 2012 as a way to provide free weddings to those that have served our country! I have great respect for the amazing service men & women that have gone above & beyond to protect my freedoms. Many of them have suffered personal losses and have sacrificed more than just their time. When we found a way to use what we do for a living to give back, we jumped at the opportunity! We were very excited to donate our videography services to their inaugural wedding in May of this year. Below is a highlight of what we were able to capture at the beautiful Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, NJ. Darcie King E Video Productions and Always In Motion Pictures Twitter: @evpDarcie Facebook: evideoproductions & alwaysinmotionpictures

Video Spotlight: Video Marketing Solutions

We were tired of using the ol' "shoemakes' kids" excuse. (You know...the shoemaker's kids are the only ones in town without shoes.) So we finally did it - we produced our OWN marketing video! It's not easy being your own client. First of all, you know what you are capable of, so you hold yourself to a higher standard. :) Second of all, it's very easy to push your project back when a client has a tight deadline. So finally, after months (ok, years!) of working on this, it's done! Kris and I may look a little younger, but heck, look at the politician's publicity photos and we're alot closer than they are! :) This video features a combination of techniques. It incorporates graphic animations, kinetic type and interview driven voice-over by both key employees and client testimonials. It also includes screen captures to show our work in action. It primarily features on-location interview shots utilizing our mobile studio set-up. There is a shot from our studio showcasing our more dramatic black background. At just under 3 minutes in length, it's long enough to provide you with all the information you need, but short enough that it remains watchable. We'd love your feedback! Please share your comments after you view our video!

Kinetic Type

We are getting lot of request for Kinetic Type videos, but they come with all sorts of names and strange descriptions. Kinetic Type is a graphics based video where words on the screen are animated in a way that they are choreographed to a voice-over and/or music. Not everything the voice-over says is on the screen - just key words to get the point across. It can be mixed with traditional graphics and live-action video. Kinetic Type videos are a great way to convey an abstract concept or jazz up a (sorry, I have to say it) boring subject. This type of video, especially with just graphics & production music, are much more affordable than most people think! Compared to a 3-day shoot with professional voice-over, a simple Kinetic Type video is less than a third the cost! As a matter of fact, our monthly video division - 12 Months of Video - has a new package that includes TWELVE quick videos that can feature Kinetic Type for only $75 per month! Here are a couple examples of Kinetic Type videos to get your creative juices flowing! Darcie King E Video Productions darcie@evideoproductions.net (609) 242-3760 Darcie is available for speaking engagements and would love to write articles on Video Marketing for your publications! Please contact her today!

Articles from Sandpapers past...

I wrote this article for the Sandpaper (a local newspaper), and it appeared a while back. Unfortunately, I somehow completely missed that issue! But I've found it and now can share it with you here.

Darcie King
evideoproductions.net
darcie@evideoproductions.net
(609) 242-3760