A Lively Report

If you watched Grease: Live last night, you loved it, hated it or came somewhere in between. I've read reviews from theatre nerds, film buffs and video geeks. And I agree with most of them.

From a theatre standpoint (I have been involved in theatre since I was 9 years old), they did a very nice job. There were some stand-out performances (Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens to name two) and some not so great performances (I won't go into details there). There were iconic moments (when Frenchy meets Frenchy, and Boys II Men) and some let downs (why did they change Sandy's last name...Sandra Dee just doesn't have the same double meaning when her name is Sandy Young). **edit - the original movie had her as Sandy Olson...it was the stage show where her last name did in fact start with a D...Dombrowski**

But this post is more about the production from a live television point-of-view. It was AMAZING. The steady-cam work was top notch. There wasn't a moment of shaky camera work (ok, there was one shot that was obviously not ready yet).

The size of the set was incredible. 100 cast members and 200 crew members pulled together for an almost flawless event. Ok, there was some audio trouble. But isn't that why we watch live events? To see what might go wrong? Did you catch a wrong name in the sleepover-party scene? My son was very excited to see a "professional" goof. In a 3-hour live event that has so many moving parts, 1 minute of lost audio and some crackles are (almost) overlooked. I'm sure the production team doesn't think so, though. I'd sure hate to be in that production booth at the time!

It's not like goofs don't happen in live theatre...just in front of a much smaller audience. My husband and I saw a production of Cabaret on Broadway in the historic Studio 54 where they actually had to stop the show because the Emcee had to leave the show and the understudy had to come in! It happens - we are all human after all. (Side note, he was fine, just had an injury that had to be seen by a doctor.)

Grease: Live comes just days after the EVP crew orchestrated coverage of a 7-camera event. While it wasn't being broadcast live, we were recording it happened live. I just love the feel of working a live event - I guess that's why I do what I do, both in video production and in community theatre. Here are 5 things that I feel make a live event go off with minimal goofs.

1.  Communication. There is nothing more important than communication. Not only do the crew members need to communicate with each other, but the cast members need to communicate with the crew members and vice-versa. It is extremely important that every single member of the production be on the same page and have the same goal in mind. Everyone should know what is happening, when there is a delay, when there is a last minute change, who is doing what and when and how the producer and director envision the full event coming together.

2. Team Work. If all 100 cast members and over 200 crew members were each in it for themselves, the production would be a hot mess. You could see the comradery between the cast members in the final scene when it was all over and they were just relieved that they made it! You saw the real people having real emotions, not the characters "acting". This comradery has to extend beyond the leads. Each person involved in the production has to be part of the team. Everyone has their role and it contributes to the whole. No matter what the role - producer or stage sweeper, everyone has an important job. And if each team member treats all other team members with respect, then the production will show it.

3. Preparation. Of course, the old saying fits here - how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice. No production can go off without a hitch without endless hours of practice! I heard somewhere that 1 minute of production of a stage show requires an hour of rehearsal. You can do the math...and not every production requires the same amount of preparation, but you can be certain that ANY live performance requires SOME preparation.

4. Patience. Thing will go wrong. Let me say that again. Things will go wrong. Nothing is ever 100% perfect. You must have patience when doing a live production and stay cool when things do go wrong so that you can fix them immediately. If the audio crew gave up and got frustrated when the audio went out on Grease: Live, the we would have missed the last hour of the production! Patience and a cool head are important.

5. Have Fun! Anyone in production - whether on stage, television, movies, or somewhere else - does it because they love it! It's easy to get caught up in the frustration of the small things going wrong or the personality clashes that inevitably come with creative types, but the important thing is to take a step back and remember why you are doing this. Have fun! When the EVP crew did the live event last week, I had a blast! Yes, things went wrong. Yes, it was stressful at times, but all-in-all, the rush of having to get it right the first time made my adrenaline pump and I had an amazing night.


Darcie King
Executive Producer
E Video Productions, LLC
darcie@evideoproductions.net
732-349-4762

And in case you are a theatre nerd or video geek like me - here are some interesting stats from Variety.com

Run time of the show: 3-hour broadcast

Days of rehearsal: 52

Number of song/dance numbers in the musical: 23

Number of stages: 2 sound stages, plus the entire Warner Bros. backlot and built-out exterior locations throughout the lot

Number of sets: 21 

Number of cameras: 20

Number of cast members: 24 principal cast members, 20 ensemble and dancers

Number of extras: 60

Number of live audience members: 650

Number of costumes: More than 600 — 407 for principal cast, Boyz II Men, DNCE and Jessie J; 226 for background ensemble and dancers

Breakdown of costumes: 60% vintage; 40% custom made

Number of quick changes during live show: 392 quick changes — just for principal cast alone!

Record quick changes during one single number: Danny and Doody each have 5 costume changes during the song “Magic Changes”

Quickest quick change: 11 seconds for Rizzo, Frenchy and Jan

Number of people in the control room during the live show: at least 40

Number of staff members working the set the night of the show: More than 200

• 13 camera operators
• 15 stage managers
• 11 audio mixers
• 25 audio assistants
• 7 communications directors
• 15 camera utilities
• 30 costumers
• 36 riggers and electricians

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 

The Reality of Realism

Over the past few weeks, our team has been working on an anti-heroin series of videos for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office aimed at students and parents. The reality of the topic is tough. I know I personally had to stop when writing the scripts to compose myself. Everyone on our team wrote at least one script. A few of them are based on reality. One of mine, is based on someone that I was close to. The reality is that heroin kills, and the job of educating teenagers about this is not an easy one.

When you have to spend weeks reviewing scripts, gathering props, scouting locations, auditioning talent and eventually shooting and editing the videos, words like "where did the syringe go?" and "did you bring the drugs with you?" start to seem like every day conversations. But the fact is, these are NOT every day conversations in the lives of most people, yet they ARE every day conversations in the lives of some. When I stop to think about that, I get sad. I think about how we can laugh about the fact that I have learned how to use face-paint to draw track marks on someone's arm. But when I think about the many young people that are living with REAL track marks, I want to throw up.

Every time we take on a new project, we learn something about a topic we never really thought we'd ever explore - installing a boiler in a Manhattan high-rise for one. But this topic...it really scares me. This is our third project with an anti-heroin focus. I really hope we are doing something to help this epidemic. I hope that someone sees one of our videos and thinks "I don't want to be that person" and stays away from this garbage. Or someone who is using, watches a video and gets help. If that's what we can do through video, then we've done something good. And that's what matters. That's reality.

The reality is it can affect any one of us. As our videos will show you (still in production - so nothing to see yet), heroin addiction doesn't discriminate by race, income, location or gender. One title - "No One Is Immune To Drug Addiction" rings true through all of our videos. The lesson to be learned is: pay attention. It took submerging myself in this topic for the past few weeks to really open my eyes to what is happening. Of course, I always knew there was a problem. I've never been one to try drugs or "experiment." But it has affected me in my life. And it took getting this close to it to truly understand its effect.

So, this blog post may not be production related. It is different from most of my other "self promotion" or "DIY Video" type posts, but it is important for me to get these words out there. Students in Monmouth County and elsewhere will have an opportunity to make a choice...they can watch these videos and realize the reality of heroin, or they can chose to ignore it. Hopefully, we're creating something that cannot be ignored.

Darcie King
Executive Producer
E Video Productions, LLC

Before the video....what you need to know.

It always amazes me how different each of our clients can be! One will come prepared with an arm-full of clippings, brochures, etc. and say "here - make a video out of this." Others will say "I want a video, but I don't know what I want in it." And then there are those that bring a completed script and direct us every step of the way to get the exact vision that is in their head. What do we prefer? All of the above!

We love the challenge of starting from nothing and we love the challenge of working with someone that knows exactly what they want, and it is our job to achieve it!

Either way, there are just a few key things that, if done prior to beginning the video, help ensure a smooth experience every time.

1. Even if you have no idea what you want in your video, take a few moments to jot down some thoughts about your company. You know your company better than anyone else, so what comes to mind when you start to talk to a potential client? What are the key ideas that you want to get across in your elevator pitch? Jot those things down. Even just 3 bullet points will help our script writers capture your vision.

2. Send us everything at once. If you are collecting info for your video - graphics, talking points, photos, etc., try to send them at once. If they come piece by piece, it is easier for one to get missed. When they come at once, and prior to starting your project, we will have everything we need in one place to ensure we don't miss a single point!

3. Talk to your project manager. Make sure they understand your vision, even if you don't think you have one! You'd be amazing at how a simple conversation with your project manager can help you clearly define your vision. Our PM's are trained to ask the right questions that help you navigate through your thoughts and ideas.

4. Define your involvement. We welcome clients to be as involved as they'd like. However, it helps us to know what to expect from you throughout the project. Will you be hands on all the way through? Would you prefer to let us do our thing & you tweak later? Or would you prefer to be completely hands off and let us take care of it all? Defining that helps our staff understand how much you would like to be contacted or notified throughout the process so that we don't infringe on your valuable time or leave you out when you'd prefer to be here.

If you are creating your own videos or working with one of your staff members to do so, following these steps will also help you in capturing your vision in every project you do!

Darcie King
Executive Producer
E Video Productions, LLC
www.EVideoProductions.net
darcie@evideoproductions.net

Do You Know What We Do? Part 1...

So often when people ask us what we do, and we tell them "video production," we get a quizzical look and maybe a comment like “you mean weddings?” Well, yes, Wedding Videography is an important part of the video industry, but that is not the entire industry. Our business cards read “TV Commercials & Programming, Video Marketing (or our older cards read ‘internet advertising’) and Internal Communications.” But what do those words mean? In this series, we will explore each area & explain in depth what exactly it is that we do.

TV COMMERCIALS & PROGRAMMING

I think this is the easiest concept of the three to understand, yet, the most complicated of our areas of focus! TV Commercials are just that – commercials produced with the intent of airing on local cable or national network TV. TV Commercials make up a small portion of our production work. Typically a client comes to us for another type of video and decides to repurpose it as a TV commercial. Either way, TV commercials have precise specifications that we must follow, especially for length of the video, and are usually delivered directly to the cable or network station.

TV Programming is a little more abstract. This area includes documentaries, scripted TV shows and reality shows. We won a Telly award for our work on a documentary about Mantoloking NJ after Superstorm Sandy. We also produced a reality-type promotional video for the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce’s Wedding Road Show in 2014. We are currently in production of a scripted TV show – Surviving Sam and in pre-production stage of a food-based reality show. We are open to any and all television program ideas, including internet TV, documentaries and good old-fashioned television scripts. Check out this teaser video for Surviving Sam….

One last piece that fits best into this category is content for the web that is purchased by the end user. Perhaps it is a series of training videos, or topics on a specific subject. If the content is on the web as a way to generate income, it is less promotional in nature and more programming.  We produce videos of this type for companies like Pangaro Global Training and BrandTwist – both selling their expertise through a series of videos.

Stay tuned next week when we will explore our work in VIDEO MARKETING!

Darcie King

Owner, E Video Productions, LLC

darcie@evideoproductions.net

www.EVideoProductions.net

(732) 349-4762

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

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!

EVP News: Teaming up with JSWA 2nd year in a row!

We are very excited to be teaming up with the Jersey Shore Wedding Association for the 2nd year in a row to provide coverage of their Fabulous Fall Bridal Show! Take a peak at last year's video.



We love teaming up with organizations like this. Not only is it a nice afternoon out, but it gives us an opportunity to get to know other businesses in the area! And, when it comes to JSWA, we are doubly excited since our sister company Always In Motion Pictures also is an exhibitor!

So if you are free on Sunday, October 28, and are planning a wedding or event, stop by Captain's Inn in Forked River and look for our crew with the camera roaming around!

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

Best of both worlds!

So you want to DIY video. You've watched the HGTV shows where contractors have to come in and fix what DIY'ers have done to their homes, but you say "not me!" You're a techie at heart, and can set up & produce your own in-house videos! Well, as a professional videographer, I'm here to tell you that...well...it can be done! What, you're surprised I said that? Well, it's true, it can be done. In certain circumstances, we believe that it's better for you to do it yourself rather than have a professional on your regular payroll. When you're looking for something regularly scheduled, reoccurring and immediate, it may be more cost effective to purchase the right equipment, train your staff and do it yourself! But that doesn't mean doing it alone the entire way. Sometimes you really do need the beat of both worlds. What does that mean? Well, perhaps you are capable of hitting "record" or even clipping on a lapel mic yourself, but do you really know the best settings for your camera or the best way to capture the available lighting? Hiring a production crew to walk you through purchasing and setup will save you on many hassles down the road! You can even hire a professional to train your employees on how to trouble shoot, change shots and even do basic editing. This might just be the most cost effective way for you to have video available at your fingertips on a regular basis. Places like churches, temples, non-profits, education facilities, etc. may have a regular need for video, but not a budget to accommodate a weekly crew. So consider what your needs are and if a consultation with a professional videographer might just help you get your DIY project off to a better start! Darcie King E Video Productions http://www.evideoproductions.net darcie@evideoproductions.net (609) 242-3760 Facebook: EVideoProductions Twitter: @evpDarcie

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!

What makes you FASCINATING?

If you're a business owner or marketer, by now you probably know you need a USP - unique selling point. This USP helps differentiate you from your competitors. That's almost as boring as the 4 P's of Marketing. That and a bag of chips will get you a bag of chips.

In today's marketplace, you need something more. Traditional marketing terms won't help you grab hold of a target audience that is also the target of about 1000 other marketing messages in a single minute. You need to focus on what makes you FASCINATING! Fascinating is a neat word, isn't it? It brings to mind images that just amaze you. Isn't that how you want people to think of your company? You want them to be totally blown over & amazed by what you are offering them. How can you figure out what makes you fascinating? Well, what are you most passionate about? When you start small talk with someone, and your company or organization enters into the conversation, what do you typically end up talking about? THAT'S IT! That's what makes you fascinating!

A video is key in showing just how fascinating you are. Through video, you can tell & show the true fascination, as well as engage your potential clients through emotion. Video reaches more senses than most other forms of marketing! They can hear how fascinating you are, see how fascinating you are and feel how fascinating you are. They can even hear from others just how fascinating you really are (through testimonials). Don't just consider your USP. Consider what makes you fascinating.

What makes Grace Initiatives fascinating? Watch the video below:


Darcie King
darcie@evideoproductions.net
EVideoProductions.net
12MonthsofVideo.com
@evpDarcie

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

Manna man oh man!

Kris' trip to Haiti will produce around five or so videos. Here is the first one. 

2012 Haiti trip with Calvary Baptist Church - Pemberton, NJ - We delivered over 100 boxes of manna packs to the people of Dame-Marie, Haiti. Manna Packs provide all the nutrients in one meal pack for a family of six for a price of roughly 7 cents a pack.

 

A Messed Up Family Vacation

Day 6

Today was a travel day. We started out with a very early breakfast at 6 am. After going to sleep around 2, the ladies who cooked our meal began cooking at 4! God bless them!

After breakfast, we began to load the trucks in the first light of the morning. We loaded to the beautiful music sung by the early morning worshipers.

Once we finished, we piled into the church with the pastor, his wife and the important people of the church. We all formed the "goodbye circle", which was actually more like an amoeba. The pastor gave us all blessings and wished us Bon Voyage and we all said good bye.

We didn't sleep much this week and it finally caught up with us today. Several of us, including myself, got pretty car sick. The terrible condition of the roads was the main culprit.

If you read yesterday, you know that we had to leave early so as to pass a section of the road where they would be doing blasting after their lunch break. We made it.

We stopped for lunch on top of the mountain to eat tuna fish sandwiches made for us by the ladies of the church. I have never had tuna fish sandwiches made with mayo AND ketchup! That was interesting especially because Haitian ketchup is spicier than its American cousin.

After lunch, the ride was much smoother. We arrived at Zongalay, the RMI retreat center, at around 3. It's a beautiful place that overlooks the Caribbean Sea. We unloaded our bags and found rooms. I am in the "motel" section where you get your own room. Pretty sweat!

As some of the team went for a dip in the Caribbean, I promptly feel asleep for 2.5 hours until Jeremy woke me for dinner. We had beef, mashed potatoes and green beans. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the goat, but this was heaven. Oh, by the way, half of Don Gone came back with Emanuel Paul, a Haitian born American citizen.

After diner, we convened in the gazebo to "debrief". We talked about the low and high points for each of us and what to expect when we get back home. My low was the first night when I just couldn't sleep even though I was dead tired. My other low was my first bucket shower. (I quickly got over that.) My high point was the grand welcome we received when we got to Dame Marie.

After that, a few of the guys, including myself, and Alissa sat and played poker right up until I started to write this, which is technically day 7 already!

Tomorrow, we leave here around 1 and head back to Les Cayes to the RMI guest house where we can visit local vendors. I can't wait to see what I can pick up.

Until then, I leave you with the quote of the night:

"I feel like I am on a messed up family vacation."
- Alissa

My view at the retreat center:

Haitian Coastline:

Kris King
www.evideoproductions.net
kris@evideoproductions.net
www.twitter.com/evp_kris
www.facebook.com/evideoproductions

Bondje Beni Ou! (God Bless You)

Day 5

Today was the hottest day of the trip by far! And the longest shooting day of the trip. I think it was around 98. The day began as a group of people were sing the most beautiful song at 5:00. I just laid there in bed listening. I knew I should have tried to at least jump up and get audio of it, but it was a little early for my taste. So I just enjoyed the song.

The first thing we did today was visit one of the other churches in the district. It was a short ride so we sat in the back of the pickups. That was a bad idea. Very rocky roads without cushions does not a comfy ride make.

The name of the church was Malaya. It's a very small church but it has a lot of heart. From a video perspective, it was a beautiful church. They are about to begin to build a new building, though, because the one they have is very close to breaking apart.

The people in the church greeted us with open arms and wide smiles. We all did our greetings again. This time I remembered my daughter!! (See honey, told you I'd make it up to you!) After the service, we handed out candy and toys to the kids. Never under estimate the power of a pixy stick.

Do you remember the goats I talked about yesterday? Well, there was another goat that was already at the church. All the goats we donated were female. But this one was a man and he was out of his mind. The poor guy was tied up, and there were 20 female goats just out of his reach. He seemed a bit frustrated.  With the look in his eyes, he was dubbed "Don Juan de Haiti".

Later on, a group of us went out to another district church to install one of the water filters. Now, I thought that in Dame Marie, we were in the middle of nowhere. Turns out that I was wrong. We were actually 40 minutes east of nowhere.

At the pastors house, we installed the brand new filter. These filters can supply the water needs of a family of 10 for 10 years! That's efficiency!

While we were waiting for the first bucket of water to filter through, we were standing outside under a papaya tree. I looked up and saw a ripe papaya. I casually mention how yellow and ready it was. Next thing I know, a guy comes over with a pole and knocks it down for us!

That was the single most incredible papaya I have ever had. Jeremy took a picture of me with papaya all over my face! Thanks pal!

One of the other members of our team had been saying he wanted a fresh coconut all week. Pastor Glass mentioned it after seeing ripe coconuts around. Then we hear a few thuds. So I grabbed the camera and ran towards the sound.

Up at the top of a 75 foot coconut tree was a 70 year old man knocking down fresh coconut! They sliced them open with their machete creating a small hole, trough which we drank the coconut water. (A side note....Kris has ALSO always wanted to go on Survivor. He wanted to audition for the first season. I (Darcie) talked him out of it!)  All I can say is "ridiculous"! Once the water was gone, he fully opened them and we ate the meat. Best coconut ever!

By the time we got back, we did not have enough time to go and visit some of the widows who live in town. That was very unfortunate because Pastor Glass has a huge place in his heart for them.

Around 5, some one noticed that Don Juan was missing. Then dinner rolled around and we found him again. Don Juan is now Don Gone!

Later that evening we started our farewell service. It was a bitter sweet service. They were very happy to have had us for the week. But we were all sad to be saying goodbye. We each got up and gave our thank you's and goodbyes. Plus we, as a group, sang a few songs for the people of Dame Marie.  We all discovered throughout the week that we all love to sing. So we thought that it would be nice to share God's gifts to us, with them.

Pastor Glass' message was fantastic. I felt bad, though, because it was late and most of the kids conked out. One of them fell asleep on Jeremy.

After the service, we were greeted by most of the congregation. They all gave us there goodbye and "Bondje beni ou" (God bless you!)

It's sad, it's our last night in Dame Marie. Tomorrow we shove off at 7 so we can try to get over the mountains before they close the roads for blasting from 12-6. We are headed for the retreat center in Zongalay. We will be there for one night, then a night in Les Cayes, then we jet on home.

I will miss everyone here and all the things we did together. But I am, however looking forward to seeing my family, a hot shower an my own bed. Until tomorrow, Bondje beni ou!

Lunchtime!

Jaka, or stinky fruit - tastes like fruity gum!

Last morning in Dame Marie.

Kris King
www.EVideoProductions.net
kris@evideoproductions.net
www.twitter.com/evp_Kris
www.facebook.com/evideoproductions

Rule #1: Always Carry a Flashlight

Day 3

I woke up today at around 5 am to the bleating of sheep, crowing of rosters, clucking of chickens and the banter of the Haitian women who prepare our meals, in the dark, outside, with just charcoal. They are a cheerful bunch who are full of the Holy Spirit and a zest for life unmatched in my 36 years.

It was dark as I went outside. It's amazing just how many stars you can see when there is no light pollution.

Breakfast consisted of a pumpkin based hot soup. Not what I would normally have ordered out, but man it was good!! There is also fresh squeezed lemonade at every meal. Kinda like boardwalk lemonade only WAY better.

Then it was off to Sunday morning church service. This was something I wasn't prepared for. I knew it was coming, but it knocked me over like a strong gust of wind. At the start of service there had to be 400 people in the church. Then more came, and more, oh, and more! They kept bringing in chairs to keep up with the arrivals. They filled the aisles and people even sat in the window sills.

The Haitian people like their service loud!!! Rocking band and loud singing. Just imagine what 500+ people singing in a language you barely understand is like. Hands waiving, people feeling the Spirit and general love and happiness. Just amazing... and the footage is incredible.

Then we were asked to give our personal greetings. This is something that is a tradition in Haiti. Each one of us stood up in front of all those people and introduced ourselves and gave greetings from our church and families. I have got to give Krissy props though, she did hers completely in Creole! She got a standing ovation for her efforts.

Note to self: learn Creole.

When I did mine, I gave my greetings from my church, my wife Darcie and then I played the message from my 7-year-old son Ryan that I recorded on my iPhone. The congregation loved it! I got so caught up in listening the the translator repeating what I was saying, I forgot to mention my daughter!!! Sorry honey! I'll make it up to you at the other district churches we will visit.

The service lasted three hours. But it was so engaging and emotional, I didn't even notice the length. I only realized it was going that long when my battery on my camera began to get really low on power. Somehow my arm never got tired holding the camera for that long.

After a tremendous lunch where we exacted our revenge on the chickens, roosters and goat, we took a couple of footballs and frisbees out onto the street. Within seconds kids were coming out of the woodwork! They were everywhere! One of the group members, Joe, seized the opportunity to talk to the kids about Jesus. Then we chucked the footballs and threw the frisbees with the kids for a while. It's actually easier to teach a kid how to throw a football without speaking the same language than you'd think it would be. When you speak the same language, you tend to over complicate your direction. When all you can do is pantomime, there is a lot less garbage in the message.

The one thing I have noticed is that Haitian people's eyes are so expressive. When I zoom in tight to these children's faces, you can almost see what they are thinking. Then when I turn the LCD panel around, their faces light up and they giggle.

Then we took a stroll down to the beach where I was able to get some great footage of the shoreline and some of the tin houses that are typical of Haitian architecture. The shore is littered with conch shells. Conch is a staple food here and it's really quite good! It's kinda like shrimp and scallops got together and had a tasty delicious kid.

Sunday afternoon we were on a break and we were sitting in the shade relaxing when we heard drumming off in the distance. It was getting closer so we ran out to the front of the church to see what the ruckus was (can you describe the ruckus sir?). And that, my friends, is why I always have the camera in my hands.

Turns out their Carnival (car knee val) is coming up soon. It's actually a voodoo carnival. Voodoo is the biggest religion in Haiti.

Sunday evening brought us our second service of the day. This time there were more people if you can believe it! Best part of the service was when the generator that supplies the church and parsonage's power, took it's ball and went home. Everyone just kept on singing a cappella.  It was really cool. Little cell phone flashlights started popping up all over the church plus I had my flashlight in my pocket. (Thanks honey!!) You tend to start carrying it around when the power comes and goes as it pleases. Just ask me about seeing the footage when I get back.

This place just blows my mind every time I turn around. I could live here. It's that awesome. Although I can't wait to take a shower that doesn't consist of a bucket of cold water and a cup.

Kris King
www.EVideoProductions.net
kris@evideoproductions.net
www.Twitter.com/evp_Kris
www.facebook.com/evideoproductions

If you have a message you'd like to get to Kris, please email darcie@evideoproductions.net and I will get it to him! 

Bonsoi!

Day 2

After a rough night sleep because of intermittent power and a stuffy room with 11 people in it, we set off for Dame Marie. We had four trucks, 18 people and a ton of stuff.

There is only one road to Dame Marie and there is only pavement occasionally. It is mostly very rocky and dusty. The truck I was in was a Toyota Hilux. I am guessing that most of you have never heard of that model. That's because it's not available in the US - it wouldn't pass emissions. But, its the only truck to have ever made it to North Pole! So it's fine here.

The truck carrying all the supplies has four tires on the rear axle. About half way to Dame Marie, at the top of a mountain, the two tires on the passenger side went flat - no spare of course!

It was fixed by taking one tire from the left side and putting it on the right. That took over an hour. Just going to prove that God never gives you more than you can handle.

The rest of the trip had so many things to see - beautiful green forests, Caribbean Sea views from the mountains, the mountains themselves, random goats and cows tied up on the sides of the road and naked people bathing in the river.

It took over 6 hours to get to Dame Marie but it was worth the wait. When we finally arrived in town we were greeted by, well, the town! The children's brigade was in full uniform with a color guard and drum line. The ladies from the church were all dressed up and each greeted us with a "Bonsoi" (good evening) and a hug and kiss, all 50-something of them.

It was truly overwhelming! All of us were almost in tears with the amount of love that was pouring out of the residents of Dame Marie! We all walked a mile back into town together lead by the youth brigade and ladies of the church, singing the whole way!

We all piled into the church for a greeting from the pastor and the deacons. Even though there is a cultural difference and a language barrier, we all worship the same God and believe the same things and THAT is awesome and all you need.

We then sat down to a fantastic meal that consisted of (all homemade from scratch) rice and beans, fried plantains, lobster, conch, cabbage, this amazing fish and a scalloped potato-like dish. All in all it was a fantastic day.

Kris
www.evideoproductions.net
kris@evideoproductions.net
www.twitter.com/evp_kris

Kris also texted me today something that I wanted to share. He said "a parade for the upcoming Carnival just went by the church. It was pretty awesome. After it went by, I turned to Ryan (another Forked River Baptist Church member on the trip) and said 'and that is why the camera is always in my hands!' He was joking earlier that he hadn't seen me when I wasn't shooting with either the NX5 or my cell." Now, that's the Kris we all know & love! :) Just further proof that he will have some AMAZING footage when he gets back! Below is a collection of some of the stuff he's sent me.

Before he left, he asked our son, Ryan, to make a video about himself to show to the kids down there. Ryan asked for Kris to get a video of someone down there for him to see. Here it is:

Kris and the team also got some down time to sing together. You can see Jeremy playing guitar, Elyssa singing and you can hear Kris in the background singing.

Darcie King
www.Evideoproductions.net
darcie@evideoproductions.net
www.facebook.com/evideoproductions
www.facebook.com/12monthsofvideo
www.twitter.com/evpDarcie

But wait, there's more!

I know you've all been to a trade show somewhere where there's a large both at the end of an aisle with a man or woman talking through what sounds like a McDonald's drive through microphone. "Wah, wah, wah, wah, when you use it this way you can, wah, wah, and then the benefits are wah, wah." It's over modulated, too close to their mouth and too loud for your sensitive ears already bombarded with tons of trade show noise. If you can get close enough, you can see how that amazing rag really does soak up a soda bottle full of water! But often times, you are stuck behind a really tall guy and can't see a thing. There must be a better way to demonstrate a product.

Yes, you finally figured it out! You can do an infomercial on TV! You get quality microphones so people can actually hear what you're saying. You get a live studio audience to "ooh and ahh" at the end of every sentence. The production studio edits together a beautiful package that is high quality and ready for TV. You sit back and wait for your return. Uh oh. You spent so much money on producing your infomercial that the only people able to see the amazing stain fighting power of your product are those suffering from insomnia at 3am. Their eyes are glazed over and they're feverishly looking for reruns of Three's Company. You think there's nothing else you can do to demonstrate your amazing product.

But wait, there's more!

There's another way to demonstrate your product directly to your target audience. A promotional video. This video can be shown at a trade show (with high quality production value shown on a top of the line HDTV), displayed on your website (fully optimized to appear on the first page of Google) or used in social media (for a truly viral experience that is as beneficial as word of mouth advertising). A product demo video can be cost effective if produced correctly and free to display. You can show the benefits, the product in use in a real situation, testimonials, and much more. For an example of a product demo, check this out:



Darcie King
E Video Productions
12 Months of Video