Video Communication Says Better

Writen by Bogdana Baska

There are many ways to share your thoughts, feelings and information with your friends, customers, colleagues and relatives. It is a bit difficult to communicate when the person is very far away staying in some other country or state. But technology has advanced so much that it is now possible to interact with people all over the world with much ease. Thanks to the advent of the Internet, emails can now connect people from different countries in just seconds. What is more interesting is that it is now possible to communicate better than plain email. Yes, now we have the video emailing technology.

Video communication through video emails helps you to communicate better as you can see the person and talk as if you are right in front of him or her.

Video communication is better than plain emailing because with it you can feel the presence of the person right in front of you and you may be able to express your thoughts better. Video emailing can be of great use for the Internet marketing. With the help of video emails you can convince your customers better about your products or services. It would be just like meeting your customer right at his place. Video emails can also help to prevent as misconceptions or misinterpretations that ruin relationships. Long distance calls are very expensive Video emails help you to stay connected with your loved ones.

Video technology also helps you to enhance the performance of your business and you can gain huge profits. There is an innovative technology what is known as video blogging. Video blog is a web blog, which is used as a communication vehicle. These video blogs also include supporting text and images. Video blogging is now the fastest growing technology in the field of Internet marketing. Video blogs help you to grasp the attention of your customer faster than a plain email because we are all living in a visual society. We get attracted to a product when we are able to see it personally. You can now use video blogging to promote your website, to boost up your Internet marketing by using video emails instead of simple newsletters. You can use videos to build up your customer list and reap huge profits. You can also send your customer a video blog to show how to use a product.

Video technology has now made it possible to communicate with your loved ones through video emails and also through video chatting. Communication is always better through videos because we understand a lot of things through the facial gestures and body language of the person. This helps to build a strong relationship and bonding. With faster computers and Internet connections, video technology is the next revolution of this decade. Video technology has now made it possible to communicate with your loved ones through video emails and also through video chatting and that too free of cost. Communication is always better through videos because we understand a lot of things through the facial gestures and body language of the person. This helps to build a strong relationship and bonding. It is now possible for you to stay connected with their cell phones, computers, iPods through video chatting and emails. Hello World Company boasts the first fully integrated system of video communication and it offers various facilities such as hello mail, hello instant messenger and hello live. Hello mail offers its users the facility of sending videotexts and messages. Hello instant messenger is the hottest messenger tool, which allows you to send video clips and messages to your friends. This facility is available along with the hello mail. Hello live is a web casting tool which helps you to broadcast to more than 100 viewers at a time and this would be of great help to the small business owners. With faster computers and Internet connections, video technology is the next revolution of this decade.

Visit me at: http://www.getworldpassport.com/TOUR/?ID=bogdana

Streaming Video Revolution

Writen by Rey Ybarra

This year will be remembered as the year the Internet Video Revolution has taken over the Internet and simultaneously left many people wondering what streaming videos are all about.

For the first time in history, advertisers are spending more money for Internet advertising than for Television advertising. With the advent of Google Video and Mac Video websites, the Internet has now provided a way for individuals, businesses and video techies to showcase their videos via the Internet.

159 million Americans own cell phones with video capabilities. 58 thousand Mac Ipods are being sold every day and we are spending twice the amount of time on the Internet than watching TV.

I always tell my audience when I give a lecture about this topic to go into an Apple store and see who is in it! Take a good look around and watch what technology is being used and who is using it. And that technology is streaming video. I am amazed at how many business owners, expo promoters and webmasters are up in the air when it comes to this subject of streaming video and how it is changing the way we do business and how website are now being converted into their own TV sites.

A great indicator of this is to see what companies are using streaming media and how they are using it on their websites. So the next time you log on, take a good look around and learn from these companies if you have not done so.

And just a quick note, a streaming video commercial about your product or service can help increase your sales by as much as 85%.

Rey Ybarra hosts and produces the http://www.Optimalhealthtv.com, http://www.healthexpotv.com and the http://www.websitestreaming.com Internet TV websites featuring streaming media! He lectures at many of the major expos and events about the importance of producing streaming video for your websites. Rey is considered by his peers to be one of the most prepared talk show hosts and knowledgeable speakers/lecuturers in the field of streaming media.

Five Ways To Profit From Using Video Online

Writen by Liz Micik

The newest media wave to hit the online shore is video. Individual emails abound with links to "the funniest video ever," or blurry clips of new babies or birthday parties.

Businesses, on the other hand, have largely been left standing on the shore, scratching their heads and wondering if there's any real value to be earned from diving into making their own live video broadcasts, video emails or video on demand infommercials. Here are just five of the many ways video adds to the bottom line of any company.

1. People remember more of your message.
While people generally remember 10% of what they read and 20% of what they hear. But, they'll remember as much as 50% of what they see and hear together. Before anyone can act on your message, they need to process and remember it.

2. Increase responses by up to 30%.
A call to action is much easier to follow if it is actively delivered. Sound and motion are powerful action drivers, especially when they are delivered by your sincere enthusiasm and passion for your topic. Companies who have made the switch to video email and on- demand broadcasts have reported response rates jump as much as 30% following a broadcast.

3. Build your credibility.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. When you cut through the technological barriers of the Internet and put yourself online, you put "your self on the line" as far as viewers are concerned. The time it would normally take you to build a relationship with a potential customer can be dramatically shortened as a result.

4. The cost savings are obvious.
Anytime you can avoid the high costs of sending someone on the road to meet with clients or attend a meeting, the bottom line savings are immediate and obvious. In addition to any costs associated with attending a meeting, you need to factor in travel costs covering airfares to taxis and tolls, hotel costs, meal expenses, and even your internal costs to process the expense paperwork.

5. Soft cost savings multiply returns.
Spare yourself the productivity drain and the physical and mental tolls travel takes on your company's road warriors and you could enjoy "soft" cost savings that dwarf your hard dollar travel costs. Want an example? Look at your own calendar for the past month and count up just the hours you spent traveling to and from meetings. Multiply that by your hourly wage, and then by the number of employees in your firm.

If reasons like these don't help you convince the reluctant decision makers in your company to add video to your communications mix, please be patient with them. Historically they are in good company.

There were many who claimed the smeary images on hard to handle rolls of paper called "faxes" could never function in place of an original document. And who, they asked, would ever want to spend more time typing an email message when they could so easily pick up a telephone and place a call?

Liz Micik has spent 25 years helping companies use the right market, right message, and right media to get the results they want. She turns your video learning curve into a fast and easy profit curve in her newest book, "Cue the Director: 10 Simple Steps to Online Video Success." Visit http://www.powerpresenters.com to learn more and have free weekly video tips emailed to you.

Turn Your Website Into A Tv Site

Writen by Rey Ybarra

Converting your website into your own TV station is now possible with streaming video! If you are a business owner with a product or service and you are on a tight budget (which most of us who own businesses usually are) then producing a streaming video infomercial can be done for a fraction of the cost of producing a regular TV commercial.

The benefits of having a commercial on your website are incredible. Some of the benefits are:

A streaming commercial is your salesman 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Saves you thousands of dollars in production costs.

Increases sales of your product and service by as much as 85%.

Separates you from your competition.

Is upload able to your Ipod, Blackberry or cell phone.

Makes your website come alive.

And that is just the beginning! Keep in mind that 159 million Americans have and use cell phones. 58 thousand Mac Ipods are being sold everyday and major companies like Google and Apple have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into streaming media video services and they are even showing old television shows for viewing or uploading for these devices for new generations to enjoy.

If they are doing it, you should be too! Get the word out about your business, product and service and create a streaming video commercial on your website.

Rey Ybarra produces the http://www.websitestreaming.com website providing streaming media for websites. He lectures about the subject at many of major expos in the Southern California market and produces the Optimal Health Internet TV program. You may contact Rey at Rey.Ybarra@websitestreaming.com or at 818-464-3726.

Video Email The New Way To Communicate

Writen by Terry Till

The Internet is now a thriving means of communication and for everyone around the globe to receive the most up to date information at the click of a mouse button. Sending an email is now accepted as the quickest and easiest way to converse with your friends and family or business acquaintances and everyday millions of emails are sent worldwide. However, as in all aspects of life today even this form of communication is fast becoming the "old hat" system and the new kid on the block is now high streaming video email.

Basically video emailing gives you the opportunity to still email at lightning speed to your friends, family and business acquaintances but now also allows you to include a high quality video message. Although this concept has been available for a short time this form of communicating usually involved high cost software and the need to include large file attachments within your email thus making it generally prohibitive to the mass audiences.

Thankfully even this has now been improved by considerable measures and a leader in this field is Myvideotalk who have solved this problem and have made the software available to all at remarkably low cost. Even more impressive and of great importance, Myvideotalk have developed a system that allows you to send high quality streaming videos without the need for large file attachments or complicated operating software.

Also in a quest to keep at the sharp end of innovation the company has now also made available the group video conferencing software which allows multiple users to communicate with each other by video connection and thus enable people from all around the world to now not only talk to each other but see each other in a group environment.

As a means of Internet marketing this now really does give the individual online businessperson a real advantage to convey their business to the mass audience around the world and never has there been such a fantastic opportunity to build a business by talking face to face with prospects and established business associates.

This truly does mean that the phrase "isn't it a small world" is becoming more and more of a reality for us all.

Terry Till

http://www.myemailvideo.co.uk

Tips From A San Diego Video Production Preinterview Your Subjects

Writen by Kurt Snider

One of the best ways to improve your on-camera interviews is by conducting mini-interviews with your subjects before the camera rolls. This was really helpful for a recent San Diego video production. An apprehensive, nervous CEO became a solid, confident presenter on tape largely because our producer spent time preparing him.

Ideally, this is done in person with the subject a few weeks or days before your video production. That way, they'll become comfortable with your interview style and you'll have an idea what they'll look and sound like on tape. It will also give you an opportunity to evaluate their chances of performing as required for the program. It may be possible to schedule some quick media training or suggest other ways to enhance their performance. This could include the addition of a teleprompter or a hair/makeup stylist.

If time doesn't permit a personal visit, a phone conversation is the next best thing. This is when you can determine whether your subject is long-winded, lacks energy, etc., so that you can find a better interview subject. You can help your subject to be succinct and clear (i.e., "Am I understanding you correctly when you say..." or "Do you mean to say..."). It will also give you the chance to help the subject gather their thoughts. Busy professionals often wait until the last minute to scan briefing notes and then sit down and want the interview over in five minutes. The client then wonders why the program wasn't successful.

Pre-interviews can also help you formulate better questions because you'll know what your subject is going to say. At the very least, take a few minutes before the camera rolls, while the crew is setting up, for a mini pre-interview to find out what your subject will say and to help him or her relax. The worst thing to do is to sit in the room during setup. There are too many distractions. The client will be listening to where the audio guy went on vacation instead of discussing the subject at hand with you. This is the time to take control, isolate the client from handlers if possible, and accomplish your goal of making the subject comfortable with you and their material.

Kurt Snider is the owner of Solana Productions, an Emmy award winning video production company with offices located in San Diego, Los Angeles and Seattle. For more information, please visit http://www.solanaproductions.com

What You Need To Know If Your Company Wants To Produce A Video

Writen by Greg Coon

Studies show that people remember merely 20% of what they hear, and only 30% of what they see, and an incredible 70% what they hear and see. * With this in mind, it's no wonder why video is such a powerful communications tool.

So your company has decided they need a video. Where do you start? What questions do you ask? How can you make sure the final product is what you are expecting? This article will give you the tools you'll need to have a professional video project you can be proud of.

First, let's talk about money. As with most things, you get what you pay for. Especially with video production, if you make a decision to hire a production company solely by picking the lowest quoted bid, you will probably end up with a video that is much less than what you expected. Remember, this video represents your company. Do you want your video to look like a high school A/V project? On the other hand, there is no reason to go crazy and spend ungodly amounts of money. It's important to find a company that gives a fair bid for the type of video you need and can produce your project in a professional manner.

Two Decisions

To start your video project, there are two decisions that you will need to make. First, do you want to hire an independent producer or a production company? Second, you will need to decide if you wish to receive your bid for production as a "Package Price" or "Piece Meal".

Independent Producer or Production Company?

Independent producers usually work for themselves and do not own any equipment. They generally rely on outside production companies to supply their equipment and crew needs. This means that if you have an immediate need, the producer is dependent on someone else to help service you. However, unless the independent producer is very busy, you should get good personal attention.

By hiring a production company, you can get a producer who is part of the production company that has the equipment and crew resources in-house. They can generally respond immediately to your needs. Depending on the scope of your project, a production company will either use an in-house producer or hire a freelance producer to coordinate your project.

Either way you decide, be sure you have an experienced producer to manage your project.

Two Ways to Hire

There are two ways of hiring a producer or production company to create your video: "Package Price" and "Piece Meal".

"Package Price"

A package price for the entire project is the way many videos are negotiated. For most situations it is the most logical. The client knows exactly how much to budget for, and the production company knows how much money they will have to work with.

If you choose this route, be sure to have a very clear bid with exactly what each side will be responsible for. The advantage for this is if the company requires to do more work than initially planned to finish what is described in the bid, they are obligated to do whatever it takes to complete the project. However, it is very important to understand that if you, as the client, request more than what is described in the bid, you would be expected to pay extra for your request.

"Piece Meal"

The other way to produce your video is "piece meal". Hire your production company by the day, or by the hour. This way, whenever someone is working on your project, you are paying for their time and only the time they are working on your project. Your producer should be able to give you hourly and daily rates and to estimate the total cost for the project according to your needs.

Your Producer

Whether you hire an independent producer or a production company, you should have an experienced video producer coordinate your entire project. Your producer should be available to you at any time to answer questions and to consult with you about any part of the production. Don't scrimp on your producer; they could make or break the entire project, and they should not be learning on your nickel.

Your producer's job is to manage the project from beginning to end. They are responsible for coordinating the scriptwriting, pre-production, shooting, and editing. Depending on where you live and his or her experience, you can expect to pay your producer between $350 to $1000 a day.

Scriptwriting

Scriptwriting is usually charged by a finished minute rate. For example, if your script is 10 minutes long and you are charged $200 per finished minute, your cost for a complete script should be $2000. A complete script should include all voice tracks and equally important, the video shot descriptions that match the voice track.

Shooting

Shooting is usually charged by the day. Depending on your needs, your shoot may be as small as hiring one cameraman with gear, all the way to having a complete crew that may include a cameraman, lighting director, audio technician, production assistant, teleprompter operator, make-up artist etc. Rates vary depending on your location, but it is standard to hire a strong two-person news style crew for $1,000 - $1500 per day, including professional camera gear, audio and a lighting package. On smaller projects, the shooter can also act as the producer.

Editing

Editing is almost always charged by the hour. For most all projects, a high-end digital (non-linear) editing system will handle your project beautifully. Depending on the system, you should pay between $100 - $200 an hour for editing, including an experienced editor that can make suggestions on how to make your project even better. Finding a Production Company

Looking under "Video Production" in the Yellow page directories is generally a good way to find a local production company. Remember: just because the size of an ad is bigger for one company than another, it doesn't mean the production company is better.

Personal referrals sometimes are your best bet. But remember that this video will represent your company, so be sure you are referred to a professional video producer with experience and not cousin Billy who has a consumer camera and wants to get into the video business.

You can also search the Internet. One of the best sources for lists of production companies on the web is at www.mandy.com. There are many others sites with lists, but this one seems to be the best. Using search engines like Google to find production companies that have a presence on the web is also a very good source.

Awards

Has the production company won any awards for the videos they have produced? There are regional and national awards that producers can enter their projects. If your production company has won some critical acclaim, it's a good chance that they would be a good company to produce your video.

Quality and Format

Other than the producer's expertise, the quality of the final product depends largely on the equipment used to shoot, light and edit the video. For most corporate video projects (marketing, training, communications, etc.), commercials and television programs, the Betacam SP or DVCAM formats are the smartest choices because of their widespread compatibility. There are a number of new excellent broadcast digital video formats, like DVCAM, that are just now emerging on the market. From a client's point of view, Betacam SP or DVCAM or one of the new professional digital video formats (DVCPRO, Betacam SX, Digital Beta) will give you broadcast quality images. Even though Mini DV is quite an incredible format for the prosumer market, it doesn't have quite the quality of the professional formats.

Meeting the Producer

When you initially talk with your producer, be sure to ask some questions. But more importantly, the producer should ask you most of the questions and listen to what you want. This is your company's video and it's up to the producer to try to get in your head to give you a product that you want, not what the producer wants. Be aware if the producer tells you what you need without listening to what you are saying. At the same time, ask the producer for recommendations that would enhance the project beyond your video knowledge.

Set up a time to meet with the prospective producer. Meeting at your location is usually most beneficial. If you want a marketing or training video for your widget, it would be important for the producer to see the widget. Bring copies of videos you would like to emulate and tell your producer what you like and don't like about these videos. Be sure the producer brings sample tapes similar to the project you want to do. Look at past projects your producer has completed. You should also call the producer's past clients to get feedback on their professionalism, work quality, and personality to understand what is was like to work with them.

Q and A

Your producer should listen to what your company's goals are regarding the video, ask a lot of questions, then give suggestions for the best way to produce your video within your budget. Often, your production company won't know anything about your business and vice-versa.

Questions to Ask Your Producer

What can I do to keep my costs down?

A good producer will help you keep the project within your budget. Some of the more common ways to save money are:

• shorten the length of the program,
• use fewer professional actors, and
• keep the shoot days to a minimum.

Holding a pre-production meeting to coordinate the project could save hundreds of dollars. If the shoot is scheduled at your company's location, try to do everything possible to facilitate the videotaping process. For example, if you are creating a marketing or training video for your widget, let your manufacturing line take direction from the video producers and allow disruption of their work.

What kind of experience does the producer have?

The experience of the producer relates directly to the quality of the finished product. Be sure to see examples of video work that the producer has personally produced.

Are there any extra charges?

Ask up front if there will be any extra charges. Some common extra charges: taxes, tape costs, mileage, travel expenses and duplications. It's important to understand that if you, as a client, make changes to the project that require additional work from the production company not originally agreed upon in the proposal, expect extra charges to apply. What will you need from me?

You, or a representative from your company, will need to be an accessible contact person to help coordinate approvals, schedule shoots, and answer questions to help make the production process as smooth as possible.

Questions Your Producer Should Ask You

What do you like and dislike about other videos?

What do you want to achieve with this video?

Who is the target audience?

What do you want the audience to do after watching the video?

How will the tape be shown?

How many shoot locations are there?

Will we be shooting during business hours?

If we are shooting during business hours, are there any logistical concerns?

How long does the video need to be?

Will a company executive need to be on camera?

Do you need a professional on-camera talent or voice-over?

Who will write the script?

Will you need extra graphics or animations in the video?

Are there any other materials that need to be included in the video, such as photographs?

Final Points to Remember

An important point to remember, especially if you are a rookie at using video, is that communications is key to the success of your video. Your production company should be available at any time to answer any questions you may have. Your producer should be kept informed of the project's status and what the next steps are.

Television is a huge part of our lives and we are very accustomed to top quality programming. Today's audiences are sophisticated and expect broadcast quality video productions. If your video is anything less, your message and image will suffer greatly.

Remember to ask questions, be sure you are asked a lot of questions, and go with your gut feeling. Chances are you will end up with a great product and have a fun time in the process.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions. Greg Coon

Eyecon Video Productions
Dallas, Texas
214-368-3932
Toll Free (877) 704-1517
greg@eyeconvideo.com
http://www.eyeconvideo.com
*Source: Harvard Business Review

Greg Coon is the President of Eyecon Video Productions, a professional video production company based in Dallas, Texas.

Looking For An Innovative Way To Explode Your Sales Video Software Benefits Amp What To Look For

Writen by Mary Van Scoyk

Insider's Scoop On How To Skyrocket Your Sales Plus Decrease Your Advertising Costs.

If there is one constant between anyone who does business, or ever sells anything, it's the big question; "How do I stand out above the crowd when I'm trying to reach my customers?" It is a question that has been asked ever since the human race started advertising and selling. It is only just now coming to the forefront about the amazing benefits and results of using video to do this.

Users Report Dramatic Increase In Sales With Use

The Internet is a wonderful way to advertise items, but has its advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage of the Internet is that it can be impersonal. It is a well-known fact that customers will buy more when they feel appreciated, trusting of the advertiser, and receive that "personal sales touch". If you have an item for sale, potential buyers are much more likely to pull out their card to purchase if they are able to see the item as though they were right there with it.

The advantage, of course, of the Internet is the ability to reach tremendous volume of customers, which simply cannot be duplicated on a one-to-one sales relationship.

The advantages of personal sales, and the volume of the Internet are now combined with the use of video software.. An advertiser can record a video with quality audio, either off-line, or online, edit it, and send the personal video to the prospective customer, post it on a web page, or in an ad. There are generally also options to allow for real-time, face-to-face Streaming Video, with two, or even multiple parties.

What to Look For In Video Software;

Although there are already video capabilities on the Internet, there are several key points that you should look for;

• No file attachments in an email, which reduces virus concerns for customers.
• You don't want one that has long download times--I have received ones like that, and I get tired of waiting and don't bother with it--your customers will too! Ideally, you want one that doesn't even require a download.
• High quality video & audio, with the abilities to import, upload, and edit outside videos. Also ideal is the ability to record video off-line, then post it online.
• Uses universally accepted Windows Media Player.
• Allows areas of the screen to be linked to a web page.

Newer versions of video software that have quality, and are user-friendly, are sure to revolutionize the ways we communicate on the internet. It is applicable for all; from family members wanting to send a personal video, all the way up to major corporate needs.

Use It Now, and Be "Heads Above The Rest" In Your Sales and Customer Response

The probability of this type of software revolutionizing the way we do business on the Internet is almost certainly without dispute. It can be used by the everyday person to show a video of a car, boat, or motorcycle for sale, yet is a valuable tool for business promotion. The advertiser can send video links for practically anything; personal emails to prospective customers, or even message videos within their E-zines. The possibilities are endless; some of the first ones coming to mind are;

• Antiques-Crafts-Art, or other similar display
• Car Dealerships/sales
• Motorcycle, RV, boat sales
• Real Estate
• Animals with high quality bloodlines for sale or breeding; such as horses, dogs, cats, etc.
• Possibilities only limited by your imagination!

It is, of course, quite apparent that this tool is likely to become the "new standard" for Internet business and advertising within a very short time, probably a matter of only months. The ones who jump at this tool first, are the ones who are going to be "ahead of the crowd", exploding their sales, and setting this new standard for advertising.

Mary Van Scoyk has been working on business and marketing online since 2000. After getting enough of the "big city" lifestyle, she escaped to the quiet farm country of the Midwest cornfields. She has published the website, http://www.thegoodliferesources.com/ where she also publishes an online newsletter with tips about how make a business succeed online.

Creating Value With Streaming Video Content

Writen by John Howarth

Having a corporate or promotional video for your company is often viewed as something of an expensive luxury – useful, but rarely considered to be an essential marketing tool. Whilst many businesses can understand the benefits of having a corporate video, all too often they are put off by the perceived cost and subsequently find it hard to justify commercially. Furthermore, the process of making a video can at times, appear complex and intimidating, with an array of technical terms and processes.

Streaming video provides a number of useful opportunities for maximising the potential of an existing corporate video. And compared to other distribution media such as DVD or CD-ROMs it also offers a cost-effective solution for broadcasting a new corporate presentation to a wider audience.

Although streaming video is certainly not a new concept and has been around for some time, it's now easier than ever to add streaming video content to your website. The technology required to enable video streaming is widely available, it's relatively inexpensive and with the dramatic growth in high speed, broadband internet connections, a growing number of internet users can now view high quality, streaming video on their computers.

In this article, leading corporate video & business television producer, John Howarth, explains some of the ways in which streaming video content can be made to work effectively for your business and produce tangible results.

Provide Compelling Content

Try to provide content that creates a real interest for the viewer. Instead of simply informing them of your key corporate values – the typical narrative being 'how successful we are, the great products & services we offer, our featured clients' - why not turn the message into something that is actually useful and engaging to watch.

Take for example a company that manufactures kitchen products. Whilst you could produce a video to establish company values by highlighting such areas as quality of craftsmanship and original design of the product, this information is almost certainly available more easily on the web pages. It could be far more interesting for the viewer to provide them with a series of recipes, which feature the products being used in context.

Another technique is to provide content that is not centrally focused to your company's core products & services. For example, your company sponsors a sports event or art exhibition. How about showing some clips from the event, with company branding around it? By using more recognisable and popular content, you are creating a wider 'reach' for the video, with the added possibility of gaining increased website traffic.

Re-Package Content

Lets say you already have a corporate video, it's around ten minutes long and you currently distribute it on a video tape format or DVD. The most obvious solution would be to have it transferred to a streaming format in it's entirety and loaded up onto your website. Whilst a ten minute corporate video sequence may be useful as a backdrop display in a trade exhibition or screened to a captive audience in a conference, it's often far too long to use as a streaming video clip on your website. Who really has the time to sit and watch a corporate video clip for this length of time? It's often far more useful to break the sequence down into a series of individual clips or re-edit into a shorter, condensed version that has greater impact.

Following on from this, you might also want to distribute streaming video clips around different areas on your website. This way, the clips featured can be targeted to match – and complement - the page content. For example, on a page detailing company clients and case studies, the video clip could feature customer testimonials; situated on a contact details page, the video sequence could feature some generic shots of company locations and building exterior shots.

Brand The Video

Whatever streaming video clips you use, try to ensure they are branded with your corporate identity. This could be a small logo in the top corner of the screen or a 'picture frame' wrapped around the moving images. Taking it a step further, you may want to add an introduction sequence with animated corporate logos at the beginning and end of every sequence. Another option is to create an HTML or Flash 'player' customised with your corporate identity. The video clip would then play within this frame and could be complemented by some animated product or service information around it.

When reviewing website statistics, it is frequently pages featuring streaming video content that are the most 'sticky' and have the longest viewing times by site visitors. Use this factor to your advantage - it's an ideal opportunity to get your core brand values, products and services across to the site visitor.

About The Author

John Howarth is creative director of Blue Tuna Limited, a leading UK-based corporate communications & multi-media production agency. Past projects include live streaming for leading online bookmaker, Blue Square and the launch of the UK's of the first club soccer channel, Boro TV for NTL.

www.bluetuna.tv

Rerecord Other Video Files Without Getting The Black Screen

Writen by P Ericsson

Have you ever wanted to re-record movies, music videos or other stuff playing on the web?

Well, the problem is that these players use video overlay. A video overlay is invisible to Windows capture programs because it is handled by a special video hardware. So, when you try to record you only see a solid black block. This is the overlay.

So, if you want to re-record what you see playing on the web or in Microsoft Media Player, RealMedia RealPlayer, Apple's Quick Time Player etc. you can use video screen capture software and temporarily turn off the overlay. Now, there are two ways to do it:

• You can disable the graphics hardware acceleration globally for all applications,

or

• You can disable the graphics hardware acceleration for a particular application.

We are going to concentrate on the second method.

And, it is very easy to do! If you want to learn the first method we will provide you a resource on how where to get the information on how to do this at the end of this article.

Apple Quick Time Player

From the menu select "Edit > Preferences > Quick Time Preferences". You will then in the "QuickTime Settings" window. Select "Video Settings" from the list menu at the top and then click "Safe Mode (GDI Only)". Then close "QuickTime Settings". And finally, close everything completely and re-start QuickTime Player.

Microsoft MediaPlayer

Select the Tools menu, then Options , click the Performance tab and slide the Video Performance - Hardware Acceleration tab down, all the way to None . Note that this does not work for DVD playback.

RealMedia RealPlayer

Select Tools > Preferences > Hardware and at the bottom you will see ' Video card compatibility' Move the slider over to 'Most Reliable'.

That is all there is to it!

If you want to learn how to disable the graphics hardware acceleration globally for all applications which is very easy to do, you can find where this information is available in the Resource Box.

P Ericsson and his team at Easy Screen Capture Video provide some great tips on how to create professional quality videos in real time easily without having to be a multi-media expert. Another benefit is that it does not involve a lot of time or money to do.

When Online Videos Attack

Writen by Tim Priebe

With recent services like YouTube.com and Google Videos, having videos on your website is all the rage. People can put videos on their website without having the videos actually take up room on their own server. And YouTube.com and Google Videos make it fairly simple, if you know any HTML at all, to copy and paste a little bit of code onto your site.

But the power to easily put such videos of your site does not mean it's always appropriate to do so. Let's look at a case where it is appropriate, then a case where it isn't appropriate.

Scott Ginsberg wears a nametag 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. He is the world's foremost expert on approachability. He is also an international public speaker. Now on any website, you want to show off your product. As one of Scott's biggest areas of his business is his public speaking, it only makes sense that he has a couple of videos on his site. He has one that is accessible from his main menu on every page, and another that is a bit more buried in his site.

For Scott's type of work, having a couple of videos on his site makes sense. Note that he does not go overboard on the videos. The quality of the videos is professional, and does not detract from his site. Also, he is the subject of the videos. Seeing Scott makes his seem more approachable. Before you even meet him, you can hear him talk and interact with other people.

Let's talk about a web designer's site. I'm not going to bash any of my fellow designers by talking about a specific site, rather I will generically discuss a sample case.

There is really no reason for any videos to be on a web designer's site. Their site is there to provide information about that web designer, including portfolio, client feedback and services offered. The only thing in there that could really even potentially be done with a video is client feedback. But doing so is unnecessary and would be tacky.

Why would it be tacky? Good taste on a web designer's website is more important than it is on other sites. Video testimonials, while possibly appropriate imbedded within a longer video, are overkill on a web design site. Simple written testimonials will work much better in our case here, and would be much more tasteful.

So how do you determine if videos will work for your specific site? First off, look at other sites in your industry/niche. If many or most of them do have videos, chances are that a few will be fine. Don't go overboard, and look at the kind of videos that are provided on those other sites.

Of course, just because no one in your industry has put a video on their site does not mean it is a bad idea. You may be the trend setter. If so, make sure you have some sort of method for tracking how many times the video is watched versus how many people visit your website. If hardly anyone ends up watching it, you may need to go ahead and take it down.

But if the ratio is much better, than you may have just started a trend. It may be a great idea to have videos on your site.

One final note. Videos in blogs tend to be more acceptable and appropriate than other places. Just make sure that the videos are appropriate for your intended audience. There's no need to put a video of a kid falling off a skateboard on your business site (I'm sure it's happened). Instead, put videos that instruct and will benefit your blog's readers. If your blog is of a somewhat humorous tone, an occasional funny video won't hurt.

Tim is the owner and senior web designer at T&S Web Design. His company has developed and maintained website for dozens of small businesses and organizations. Tim also maintains a blog with free website advice for small business owners, GetASiteOnline.com

Boost Your Online Sales With Audio And Video Support

Writen by Natalie Aranda

Have you ever noticed when you are shopping at most any retail store there is background music being played and if you need help understanding how a product works or need aid in purchasing the correct equipment there is always a person near by to help you?

This is what your ecommerce or online sales website needs to achieve that comfortable atmosphere where visitors to your online store will enjoy shopping. When you make your store online comfortable with audio or video your customers are apt to stay longer on your website and that means a better chance of a sale.

Using audio in the form of quiet listening music will aid in keeping your customers online and enjoying shopping at your ecommerce store. They will feel comfortable and at ease which will allow them to browse your store and buy.

Another way in which audio on your website can aid in getting you more sales is when you can personally talk about a certain product and how it works, what it does, and just how the item can make their life easier. You will then be transforming your website into the feel of a retail store, with salesmen that offer their help to customers. Your customers will appreciate this extra feature and will also be able to learn about the products through listening instead of just seeing a product on a page.

Go the next step, add a video of how to use the product, how to install, or construct the product and show the many uses on the video of what the product can do for your customers. Now, you not only have a salesperson explaining the product, but you also have a technician showing how to use the product.

People are more apt to purchase products if they can tell that your website has real people behind the pages. Using audio and video will give your website that extra touch and your trustworthiness will go up as well. You will be providing your customers with a nice setting for shopping, a salesperson that can aid them with their purchase and a technician that guide them through the installation process.

Using audio and video on your ecommerce website to increase sales is a must. You will be giving the consumer what they want and deserve in our high tech world and they will not have to go to a retail store to have their needs met.

Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation

You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She's been experinenting Audio & Video Editing with MP3 Converter, and MP3 Encoder on a ecommerce guide website.

Yahoo Jumps On Video Bandwagon

Writen by Jim Edwards

Despite Google's "Wall Street Darling" status, Yahoo! still rates as the most popular cyber-destination, getting more visitors than any other single website on the Internet.

With the recent surge in production and consumption of online video, it's no wonder that Yahoo! wants a piece of the action, especially with the intense interest from marketers eager to find the best way to cash-in with video advertising.

Though Yahoo! cataloged online video long before Google's entry into the online video market, a massive redesign of Yahoo!'s video interface indicates they want a bigger piece of the online video pie.

When you log onto http://Video.Yahoo.com, it looks pretty much like every other online video search engine, such as YouTube.com or Video.Google.com

You can search for videos by keywords as well as log in and upload your own videos right through your web browser to share with others online.

You can also easily share the videos with your friends in a number of ways, including: posting it on your blog; sending an email with a link; and adding it to your publicly available favorites for others to see.

However, despite the similarities, Yahoo! Video does carry some variations worth discussing.

Hosted vs. Linked Video

Virtually every single other major video directory on the web hosts all the video that gets displayed on their sites.

Google Video, iFilm, YouTube and others all force the user to upload video to their servers before inclusion in the directory.

Yahoo! Video does both. Users can either upload their videos through their web browsers to the Yahoo! servers or wait for Yahoo! to find the videos and include them in their directory.

The fact that Yahoo! includes remotely hosted videos in their search results means you have a better chance of finding the videos you want, since you get more potential choices with each search.

However, it also means a greater chance of going on a wild goose chase when a video file no longer exists on a remote server.

Video File Formats

Almost every single other video directory converts uploaded videos to the FLV file format before making them available for viewing.

This enables both Mac and PC users to view videos using the free Flash browser plug-in.

On the other hand, since they both host and link to video, Yahoo! Video makes available multiple file formats, including FLV, WMV (Windows Media Video), MPEG and more.

Since all of these formats don't work on every computer and operating system, I believe this will cause confusion among users.

And, based on my experience, confusion causes people to look elsewhere for what they want.

Overall, Yahoo!'s video service looks more like a "me too" effort than a serious attempt at innovation.

Yahoo! does not include video in their main search results page, the advertising on the video results page is not targeted, and the multiple file formats will create frustration for some users.

Despite any shortcomings, if you publish online video, of course make sure you submit your video to Yahoo! simply because the Web's most popular site is bound to get you some extra visitors.

Copyright 2006 Jim Edwards

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making videos posted onlineWithout Being a Computer Geek or Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!" => http://www.WebsiteVideoSecrets.com

Live Webcasts Of Carnival

Writen by Aleem Khan

This week some Independent Senators complained that their Parliamentary Committees were left out of Government's plan to broadcast live sittings. Government allocated some $10 million to this end. Now, how do you spend $10 million on live broadcasts? I don't know. What I do know is that it would be a lot more affordable to webcast the sittings of Parliament and you wouldn't have to exclude anyone. In fact the whole thing could be controlled remotely.

Set up the cameras, the webhosting, design the website and you're live for 1 billion Internet users around the world, not just 1.6 million who live here. How would you fund it? Well, I can't see it costing anywhere near $1 million, but let's just say it does. There are at least two ways you can fund it.

First, it would be difficult to think that after the government justified a budget of $10 million to broadcast the sittings of Parliament only, the same government would turn around and say it will cost nothing additional to broadcast the sittings of the Parliamentary Committees too. So Government is likely to be willing to spend some more. The second method is a lot simpler: sell ads. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a couple of companies with deep pockets that want to get on the good side of Parliamentarians by making them familiar faces on the World Wide Web. Who knows, Trinidad & Tobago might end up being the first Parliament ever to webcast everything. Yea for transparency!

Now, on to Carnival. As some of you may have read in past Internet Opportunities, Breaking News sells "Live Help" software that allows website owners to monitor traffic on their websites in real time. This is a lot more than just stats. "Live Help" software actually allows you to know when someone is on your site, from whence they came and what they're looking for. You don't get to see who the person is but you do see an I.P. address moving around.

Over the Carnival weekend, I made an amazing discovery. People were searching for "Carnival Webcam." Now, here comes the freebie. We did a search and "CarnivalWebcam.com" and "CarnivalWebcast.com" are available for registration. Go to the International Internet Authority and see for yourself. So next year, if you're a Carnival person (because I'm not), you might want to register these names and set up a website webcasting Carnival live. There are a lot of people overseas thirsty to see the action, the market of homesick Trinbagonians who can't tell their bosses, "Doh ask meh to wuk for Carnaval!"

Aleem Khan, a senior partner at Breaking News, is one of the few people in the world with a four letter domain name bn.gs. He is an accredited Agent of the International Internet Authority who speaks Spanish, French and English.

Seven Tips On Making A Successful Video Production

Writen by Marie-Claire Ross

Producing a video for your company can be an exciting and potentially stressful experience. There's more to it than simply assigning a video production company to the task and crossing your fingers.

To get the most from your video production dollars, we'll take a look at seven top tips for making your corporate video a success.

1. Start with Results. The first step is to work out exactly what you want your video to achieve. Is it to train staff on a new procedure or is to increase interest at trade shows? Design your video concept around the desired result. Often clients get caught up with showing off their company that the main message gets lost.

2. Write a brief. Once you know what you want to achieve, work out what you want to show and explain in your video. Formulate a brief that specifies your objectives, target audience, the countries your video will be viewed in and any required languages. A list of all the shots that you need is also helpful. Will the bulk of the shots be at your premises and do you need your CEO to talk to camera? Video production companies will try to calculate how many days filming are required to work out the cost, so it's important to know how much needs to be filmed at the outset.

3. Know your image. What sort of image do you want to present to your customers? While watching your corporate video, your customers will be left with an impression of what type of business you are and what to expect when doing business with you. If your television program happens to be radically down-market than your up-market product suggests, then you create cognitive dissonance in your prospects. This will mean that your viewers will be left with an uneasy feeling that something isn't quite right with your company and will automatically distrust your message. To avoid this, make sure the quality of production reflects the quality of your product/service. This can involve using a professional camera operator with broadcast quality gear to having a graphic artist design maps and titles.

4. Messages. One of the key areas to work out is what communication messages you need to get across. Work out the 4-6 key messages and develop the video around these. If you have too many messages people will tune out. Essentially, make sure you give information that your audience wants to know (not what you think they ought to know).

5. Script. The script provides the backbone to any video project. It's always worthwhile spending extra time refining the script. As a rule of thumb, it needs to be completed before any filming begins. The best kind of script is short and sharp and revolves around your main messages. The quicker you can get your message across, the better the result. Avoid putting everything into the script, as wall to wall voiceover is quite tiring (and boring) to watch.

6. Assign a contact person. A designated person from your firm will need to be available to work with the video production company. The production house will need script information and approval, help in organising shoots, copies of your logo and other relevant materials and someone to view a draft of the video and then finalise. This person will also need to make sure that the look and feel of the video best represents your company.

7. Get expert advice. A good production company will be able to advise you on the best format for your needs such as the music, the filming, editing style and how the schedule will run. They will also be able to take your brief and come back with a range of suitable suggestions. Don't stress about the technical issues. That's the job of your producer.

(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2005. All rights reserved.

Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organisations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at http://www.digicast.com.au

Interview With A Quotvideo Virginquot

Writen by Marie-Claire Ross

Shani Alexander is the founder of Relocations Made Easy (www.relocations-made-easy.com) which produces an interactive website and CDROM tool that advises people on how to make a stress free relocation to a new city.

To create her interactive product, Shani needed camera vision of herself explaining to viewers how the product worked in front of a cityscape backdrop.

We interviewed her to find out her experience of using a video production company for the first time.

1. Why did you decide that you needed a video component in your website tool?

I am selling a virtual personal service product and the video component was needed to introduce a real person from which my virtual product could springboard.

The video component showed a real person, a company owner. It gave the personal touch and introduced what the customer was going to receive from their purchase.

2. What were you looking for in a video production company?

I really needed a company that could understand what I was trying to achieve. I really needed them to get inside my head and make real what I was imagining, what I was dreaming up.

It had to be cost effective with no cost blowouts. It also needed to be applied to the media I was using - the internet and CDROM. I needed clear picture quality that could be viewed across those mediums without any picture quality loss.

3. How difficult was it to compare proposals between the four providers?

Everyone told me how it is difficult to compare. All the production houses said they could do the same thing, but the prices were extremely different.

When I spoke to Digicast they went to great lengths to explain the type of camera that they used. Whilst I would have liked to think that everyone could produce the same job, I realised that the big differences in prices reflected the different types of camera quality being used.

Digicast also took me on board as if I was a client already. They gave me suggestions about how to do the shoot the best way and started treating me like a client before I even made the decision to go with them. From there, we were able to develop a relationship and work together on the project.

4. As someone new to being filmed, how did you find your shoot?

I found it really long, really tiring and boring! I was really surprised at how dependent you are on the weather to be right – you have to keep waiting for the right light and the sky. It can add hours to the shoot.

Andrew Ross from Digicast who filmed me was incredibly professional. He's passionate, technical and knows what he is doing and has to keep the poor person on the other end of the camera still interested. He did a good job managing that. I really thought he worked well with me as the presenter. Andrew got me to look at the vision on the shoot and gave me options as to how we could re-shoot it to make it better. He controlled everything but I didn't feel like a pawn. His suggestions were worthwhile.

5. What did you learn about the television production process?

I really learnt something from it and I can now look at all the different shows on television and see how good, and bad, those presenters are. I have a healthy respect for an industry I took for granted before. It was a fantastic experience at the end of it all.

6. What advice would you give to anyone looking at starring in their own video?

I advise anyone who wants to take this on to do lots of preparation.

Digicast gave me some suggestions before the shoot about how I could get myself ready and get the most out of the day. I took those to heart and I did put a lot of preparation into the script. I re-edited the script, timed it, practised it and rehearsed it in front of a lot of people beforehand.

I even hired a professional to give me a training session on hand gestures and facial expressions. My preparation even extended to my personal grooming and I had my hair coloured beforehand and bought a new suit.

I also went to a lot of trouble to get the right location. We had to let the City of Melbourne know beforehand about the shoot. The liaising with the council was a much bigger component than I imagined. I checked out the site with a council employee and took some digital shots which I then emailed to Digicast. It was a real team effort to work out the right place to shoot.

7. Would you do it again?

You bet. I'm hoping I don't need to, as I should get a few years of mileage out of it. After all, it was made to be timeless and dateless. But I'd do it again because I achieved what I set out to achieve. I'm very happy about the experience and I would do it again if I needed to.

About The Author

(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2004. All rights reserved.

Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organisations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted on 0500 800 234 (Australia wide) or at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at www.digicast.com.au.

Google Video Viewer Tweaked For Nongoogle Content

Writen by Walter Vandenhoute

'DVD Jon', a Norwegian programmer, has tweaked Google video to make it play clips that are not on Google's servers.

Google Video ( http://video.google.com ) is a web-based video search service that lets people use keywords to search for videos from numerous suppliers.

To watch videos on Google Video, a browser plugin is necessary. Google Video Viewer can be downloaded here: http://video.google.com/video_download.html.

Google has restricted his Video Viewer to only play back files that are stored on video.google.com. The Google Video Viewer is based on the open-source VLC player ( http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ ) which is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, ...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.

When you download and run the patch of Jon Lech Johansen ( http://nanocrew.net/?p=114 ) to remove this restriction, you can also watch with the Google Video Viewer non-Google hosted videos! Running the patch requires a .NET runtime.

People are advised NOT to install this Video Viewer patch, according Google, as "It could result in security vulnerabilities on their computer and may disrupt their computer's ability to access Google Video". But why should we believe Google? Google is protecting his Video Viewer, but when you can use it for other content, why shouldn't you do it? Give it a try and post your feedback on the wallies.info blog.

Url: http://nanocrew.net/?p=114

For feedback on this article, please visit http://www.wallies.info/blog/item/170/index.html

Walter V. is a self-employed internet entrepreneur and founder-webmaster of several websites, including wallies.info :: A snappy blog about snappy blue things :: blog | wiki | forum | links - http://wallies.info mblo.gs :: A snappy moblog community - http://mblo.gs

Video Production Explained

Writen by James Hunter

Video is a powerful marketing medium with the ability to communicate concise, precise and controlled information with a positive effect. A well-constructed video fires the imagination, increases the energy level and ensure that all feel part of your event. It will engage the emotions, focus the attention and enable each individual to visualise his/her role as part of the team.

Videos strength lies in its simple ability to transport people to locations, illustrate concepts and convey far more than mere words, spoken or printed, ever can. Video is an effective and memorable way of communicating. Core messages and themes are reinforced using other forms of communication. Video footage has a long shelf life when used imaginatively in multimedia CD-ROMs, Websites, DVD and CD-Brochure formats.

Video has been revolutionised by the onset of digital shooting and editing. Shooting in broadcast quality used to involve cumbersome and expensive camera equipment, combined with analogue editing which required the copying of sections and consequent loss of quality with each successive generation. The process was time consuming, complicated and linear. Modern digital cameras are capable of shooting in broadcast quality. Editing is now carried out in a non-linear way on desktop computers; changes may be made at will, stored and reviewed at any time and in any order. The advantages are similar to those gained by using a computer word processor over that of a mechanical typewriter and carbon copy paper for duplicates. Not only is digital editing highly flexible, but the medium enables an ever-expanding range of graphical effects to be applied – without loss of quality or corruption of the original footage. In consequence, the costs associated with making and producing a video have dropped dramatically. What was once the preserve of the large, rich and expansive corporation is now available and affordable to a much wider market – with the consequent advantages that this provides to internal company communications and team building along with external advantages in the selling of products or services to your market place.

The stages required to produce a video vary depending on the style and content; generally:

• PRE-PRODUCTION involves briefing, research, location finding, administration, booking of facilities and writing a treatment outline (video content, description and approach to be adopted). After approval a shooting script including both narration and camera shots will be written.
• SHOOTING follows the approved script and involves a camera crew and a director going to location/s to interview participants and shoot footage to illustrate, illuminate and reinforce the script. If required studio shoots are undertaken where controlled lighting and effects are employed - a product demonstration, for example is typically shot in this way.
• POST-PRODUCTION includes recording of guide narration (using an edited script, which may change from the shooting script because of interviewee's comments etc.). Footage is edited to the guide narration, graphic and video effects generated and music and titles added. The resulting edit master is then client approved and amended as necessary. A final "voice over" is then effected incorporating final changes. The final master tape is complete and ready for duplication.
• DUPLICATION is the transfer of masters onto the final format – which can be all or any of VHS, Betacam, Laserdisk, Digibeta, DVD, Mpeg, Avi and more. The final product is then packaged and presented in an appropriate way with print material for labels, inserts and sleeves.

  James Hunter works for Status AV, one of the foremost video production companies in the UK.

Profiting From Google Video

Writen by Robin Porter

Google video is now a fast growing repository of video clips of all shapes and sizes, and has opened up some new strategies for Ecommerce website owners to profit from. Here we will explore how you can use this service to generate customers.

Google video (www.video.google.com) and You Tube (www.youtube.com) are the two main video clip websites. Here, you can search and watch video clips on thousands of different subjects – from trailers, through to tutorials through to peoples plain old funny home video clips.

That's all very well, but how can you, as an online retailer, profit from this?

- Tutorials and short "how to" tips

You could record short clips (most are under 5 minutes) of tips or tutorials relating to your field. Here are several examples.

Golf: Search for golf tips and you will find a plethora of choice, from tips on chipping from the rough, playing bunker shots, curing that slice and much more. If you are selling anything golf related, make your own video or enlist the aid of your local golf pro.

Fly fishing: Here we find tips of fly tying, finding the best locations, casting and much more.

Dog training: this search returns lots of video clips on different training techniques, including police dog training.

If you are in the sports, recreation or hobby markets, there are lots of opportunities for you to upload "how to" type videos. I even came across a lap dancing video, uploaded by a company that sells pole dancing equipment!

- Product comparisons

In marketplaces such as audio visual, there is ample opportunity to compare different products or product types. For instance, what are the benefits and advantages of Plasma televisions versus LCD tvs? In the fitness industry, what are the different training supplements available and what would suit you best? For clothing retailers, how about a premiere of this seasons latest fashions?

- Product user guides

Again this one works well in technical marketplaces such as audio-visual and computers. For instance, How to set up your home audio system, what you need to view High definition TV, how to set up a wireless home network.

Or something a bit simpler . . food retailers, how about some quick and easy recipes using the ingredients you sell?

Equestrian retailers .. how about clips on correct saddle care, how to fit a saddle, or reviews of timesaving accessories.

- Funny clips

Perhaps you can make (or obtain! ) a funny clip relating to your marketplace. Funny skiing accidents (for ski shops), hilarious banger racing clips (for motor part retailers) or crazy baby antics (for baby wear and equipment retailers). The funnier they are, the more likely they will get passed around the Internet.

Getting traffic

There are several ways these videos can get you traffic. First you need to "brand" your video, by adding graphics to it. You could be technical and add a graphic banner at the bottom quoting a short message and your website address, if you have video editing software. Alternatively, just make the last shots of your video a close up of your web address on a sign or the front of your premises.

Users who search and find your videos, will then have your website promoted to them.

One extremely powerful benefit is the viral factor – the passing round of video clips by email by friends who have the same interests. This works extremely well if you have an original, funny clip – you could find your visits "take off" if the clip is passed around the Internet.

Additionally, many content based sites are able to feature video clips from Google, thereby giving you a free advertisement on their site if they decide to use yours.

How to record and upload your video

You can use digital cameras, camcorders or even mobile phones to record the videos, and the quality does not have to be massively high, so long as its clear enough to see.

To upload video clips to google, you need to go to www.video.google.com and select the upload link at the top. If you don't already have an account (for adwords, adsense ,gmail or other Google services), you can create one free of charge. Currently Google accepts AVI, MPEG, Quicktime, Real, and Windows Media formats.

As well as Google, the other main video clip repository is www.youtube .com which accepts formats from most digital cameras, camcorders and cellphones using .AVI, .MOV, and .MPG file formats.

There are massive opportunities right now, for online retailers to get in early on the video clip boom, and promote their products, services and business to a wide audience. Get videoing!

Robin Porter is CEO of a Uk Ecommerce web site design company and advises web site owners on ecommerce website marketing

Video Production Tips Improve Eye Contact To Improve Your Results

Writen by Steve Singleton

The Eyes Have It
Remember your high school speech class? Your teacher told you that eye contact is extremely critical to making a good speech. The more you look down, or over your audience's heads, or to the side of the room instead of eyeballing them, the less effective your speech, presentation, or monologue is.

You know this is true. How often have you listened closely to a teacher who lectures to the class without ever looking up? How powerful is the preacher who reads his sermon and never connects eye to eye, with you or anyone else?

One important key to effective video marketing is to establish good eye contact immediately and maintain it throughout your video shoot.

Tips for Improving Eye Contact
Here are a few pointers to help you along the way toward creating dynamic video marketing clips.

1. Get used to looking directly at the eye of the camera. It's going to feel weird at first, but with some practice you can get used to it.
2. Imagine you are talking with a good friend, and that the camera is his or her eyes. The more natural you can be talking with your friend in normal conversational tone, the more natural your video will come across.
3. Avoid himming and hawing on camera. You have to make yourself painfully aware of all the times you say "um" and "uh." Many people do this only when they are intimidated by the all-seeing eye of the video camera. Two or three brief pauses in which you are silent are a hundred times better than saying "uh" even once.
4. Have a good idea of what you want to say. The best videos you can produce are when you consistently look right into the camera and speak from the heart. Once more, practice will make you better and better at extemporizing.
5. If you have trouble speaking extemporaneously (having a general message in mind, but making up the actual words you'll use as you go along), you will have to find a useful alternative. For example…
1. You can memorize your script. This can be very effective if you have a good memory or practice enough to get your wording "down cold." The danger is that you will miss a few words and have trouble getting back on track. Your mind can easily go blank as you stare into the camera. Another danger is that you will remember all of your lines, but won't deliver it naturally. You may tend to rush or develop a "sing-songy" delivery that destroys your effectiveness.
2. You can use notecards or a printed script. You can look down, quickly read the next thing you will say, and then look into the camera again. Many news anchors use this method. If you develop the art of glancing down only once in a while, this method can still be very effective.
3. You can create a script that you are reading off the computer screen as it scrolls just below the camera. Vertical scrolling software is available on the web for free, as well as software for scrolling for which you pay a reasonable shareware fee. Of course, you can only glance down at the script and then look up again, but if you are able to do it skillfully, you can be quite effective.
4. You can purchase a teleprompter that enables you to read your script as it scrolls right in front of the camera. The advantage of a teleprompter is that you can read and look at the camera simultaneously. The disadvantage is that teleprompters can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
5. You can make your own teleprompter for less than $80 and use free scrolling software available on the web. This is the solution I have chosen, and I am very satisfied with it. You still have to develop the skill of reading effectively, but at least you have continual eye contact.

Hold 'Em with Your Eyes
Whichever option you choose, you will find that as you video production experience grows and your eye contact becomes more frequent and more natural, your video marketing will double and triple in its effectiveness.

* * *

Copyright ©2006 Steve Singleton

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free "DeeperStudy Newsletter" or "DeeperStudy Blog."

Google Video The Monster

Writen by Tyler Moore

It's hard to compete against the Mountain View giant and its competitors should worry.

Google video has had compound growth in these past few months and sites like Youtube have something to fear. Youtube has just started to turn a profit in March and with bandwidth expenses estimated at 1 million dollars per month they better keep making a profit or they could fall flat on their face.

Fans are loyal and with the one username fits all, Google services are convenient and easy to use. Google has just made getting videos on the web easier. Instead of downloading their video upload software you can access it straight from your web browser. A long overdue feature they should have had from the beginning.

Another shortcoming besides not having the web uploaded from the start is a lack of a rating system. If Google were to implement a video rating system it may be the end of other video sites.

Google is also winning the hearts of Hollywood with its paid videos and vigorous human verified filtering system, so no copy written or inappropriate content can be published. This may be a breath of fresh air for other video sites where you can find music videos and other less conservative videos at no charge.

While Google is potentially putting other sites out of business they do offer something for the small website; it's called the "embed video" option, where sites can copy a piece of code and it will display the selected video on their site. This greatly reduces bandwidth for the website, which in turn reduces cost.

Google's arm is too strong and reach too far for the little guys to compete head to head, instead they should walk side by side and bask in the success of what some experts call the new frontier: Videos on the web.

http://www.vewgle.com - The video forum.

View and Discuss Videos.

Look Into My Eyes New Webcam Technology

Writen by Robert Palmer

If a new webcam technology from Microsoft get the go-ahead, then instant messaging could get a whole lot more interesting.

Currently under development at the Microsoft research labs in Cambridge, England, the new webcam, i2i consists of two lenses, which carefully follows an individual's movement. Using an exclusively developed algorithm to cleverly blend what each lens is seeing, resulting in the creation of an accurate stereo "cylopean" image.

All very technical, but for the 18.5 million people (source Microsoft) who regularly use webcams while they are using instant messengers, i2i means that it will appear as if users are looking into each others eyes.

Antonio Criminisi, lead researcher of Microsoft's Machine Learning and Perception Group, said.

"We were able to come up with an algorithm that was able to take two images and capture a corresponding map in 3D. Using this powerful technology, we can now synthetically create an image as if the person is looking straight into your eyes."

According to Dr Criminisi, the biggest challenge for the backroom boys at Microsoft was in calculating how the visual brain works. In particular, how it sees and sorts out colors, shapes and distances.

"Essentially, what we have done is replace human eyes with cameras and the human brain with a computer."

The real magic behind this technology is the newly developed stereo algorithm, which makes it possible to accurately reconstruct a 3D, geometric image in real time and on a standard computer. Fundamentally, this is the same technology which was used to recreate the stunning 3D images of the Martian surface, which were beamed back by the NASA rover.

With the ability to generate realistic looking background images in order that users can pretend they are somewhere other than where they really are! Commenting, Dr Criminisi said.

"This is important for privacy, as I may not want you to see how untidy my bedroom is."

A feature likely to capture the teens market is that of Smart Icons. Instead of typing in the usual pictorial emotion e.g. :) i2i can superimpose free floating, 3D ones which can then be instructed to float freely around a person's head or anywhere else for that matter.

While Dr Criminisi admits there are still issues to iron out before the project is passed on to Microsoft Development, he is pleased with what has been achieved in under two years. Dr Criminisi's team is already experimenting with code which enables users to create their own wrap-around avatar, 3D face and then have it move as if it were their own.

About The Author

Robert Palmer is CEO of deskNET Communications (www.desknet.co.uk) providers of the first, viable alternative to opt-in email marketing and newsletter publishing. eMail: info@desknet.co.uk

Copyright © 2004 deskNET Communications - UK

Working With Royalty Free Music

Writen by Alan Steward

When creating Multi-Media Content, Flash or Video Clips for a client's web site or CD Rom Project, the last thing you want is to get him in trouble with the law. If there's a need for music in a project, using royalty free music is essential.

Here are some general music tips that you may find useful:

1) Finding the right kind of music

There are hundreds of choices when it comes to royalty free music and making the right decision can be hard. After all, most TV production companies have music supervisors on staff whose only job it is to select appropriate music for projects. Selecting music is an art in itself. In general, you will find that your clients would prefer to use something they heard on the radio, something from their favorite album etc. Unfortunately, that's copyrighted stuff and licensing an N Sync song for your next 'how to' video or CD-Rom may cost you a fortune. What you want to do is find buyout music that sounds similar to today's popular music. It's a little harder to find than your typical 'canned' music. A lot royalty free music may sound like music from a 70's sitcom or worse, a cheap porno flick.

A good place to check out is http://www.buyoutmusictracks.com All their tracks are created by established record producers with grammy and gold record credits so you get music that sounds as up-to-date as what you may hear on the radio.

Our tip: Always use music that sounds just a little more energetic than you think you may need. You may listen to the music over and over while you're putting together your project while the end user may only hear it a few times.

2) Less is not more in production music

When you are looking for background music for a project, choose music with some impact. I know it is supposed to be background music but if you choose high energy tracks, your whole project will leave more of an impression. Listen to a sampling of today's TV commercials and you'll find that most of them use very powerful music. You want your work to create an impact and keep viewer's attention and a strong, powerful soundtrack can do that.

3) When 'legal' music is not legal

The usage license on your buyout music CD may be very liberal but it is not a license to steal. You can use royalty free music on all of your projects and as you have the legal right to use the music, your customers can be assured not to get into legal troubles.

However, that license is only extended to you, the purchaser. You cannot transfer that license by copying your CD and giving it to somebody else or by selling the CD. This may be news to you but there's no such thing as a 'used buyout music CD' If you don't purchase the music from the producers of the music, it won't be legal still. So, next time you browse Ebay for royalty free music, make sure you are buying a new CD, not a used one or it will be useless to you.

4) You get what you pay for

While we're on the topic of Ebay: You may find offers for entire 4 or 6 CD libraries for $75 or other ridiculously low prices on Ebay. The truth is, these CDs may not even be worth that low price.

One good quality royalty free music CD will cost you between $29 and $69 (some even more) If it's less than that, here's what you are likely to get:

1. Discontinued titles that have been around for 10, 20 or more and not only sound dated but may also have already found its way unto hundreds or thousands of other projects during the years to make your own project sound dated.

2. Homegrown CDs that are created in somebody's bedroom studio. You can easily recognize these CDs as they usually don't have any 'real' instruments on it, only synthesized stuff. You can clearly hear the difference between those CDs and something produced in a real studio with real musicians. Our tip: Check out http://www.buyoutmusictracks.com for music. Each of their CDs is only $29.95 and each title contains between 30 and 48 real studio recorded tracks.

5) CD or Download?

With the event of high speed internet, you don't really have to wait anymore to receive your Royalty Free Music CD in the mail. If you need tracks fast, you can now download buyout music from the net. You can choose only the tracks you need and get to use them within minutes. Single downloadable tracks usually cost a little more money per track than buying a whole CD. On the other hand, you don't have to buy a whole CD if you only need one or two tracks.

My advice, if you are buying music to 'keep on the shelf' for future projects and for your customers to choose from, buy physical CDs. If you need just one or two 'perfect' tracks or if you are on a deadline, downloadable purchases may be perfect for you. I don't know if I have to mention it, but purchasing a Mariah Carey track from Itunes or Napster for a buck does not entitle you to use the music. You have to download your music from a buyout music company so the track is licensed to you.

6) Make your own

You may think, 'are you crazy? I'm not a musician' You don't have to be a music genius anymore these days. Programs like Acid and Apple's Garageband allow you to create original music by using 'loops' Loops are pre-made musical chunks of drums, bass, guitar, strings, whatever, that you can put together like a mosaic to create your own music soundtrack.

The advantage is clear. By creating your own music with a loops program you can make absolutely sure that nobody else is using the exact same music on their project. This will give you 'original' music at Buyout Music Prices. All you need is a good musical ear and a couple of loops CDs to get you started. You can find lots of loops CDs and more info at http://www.acidmusicloops.com Their Groove Construction Kits are a great way to get started with music loops. And here's the best news, you can download the Acid program for free. Just visit http://www.musicleads.net/articles/freestuff.html for free (and legal) downloads of Acid, Protools and many other great music and sound tools.

I hope that these tips were useful to you. You are free to use or re-print this article in your newsletter, ezine, or on your web site.

About The Author

Alan Steward - www.musicleads.net

Alan Steward is a producer and engineer with many credits in the Music, Video and Television production world.

Google Infomercials And The Billion Channel Internet

Writen by Titus Hoskins

Very recently, Google within its Adsense advertising program, introduced video ads to the world wide web. Companies, businesses and advertisers now have the option of using online video ads to sell their products and attract potential clients.

In addition to text and image ads, advertisers can now place video ads on participating websites throughout the web. These video ads will be offered in three formats: Medium Rectangle (300 X 250), Large Rectangle (336 X 280), and Square (250 X 250). Those websites or webmasters participating in the Adsense program will be paid in two ways: contextually-targeted ads on a cost-per-click basis or site-targeted ads on a cost-per-thousand-impression basis.

The video ads will be displayed on the websites in a static state, if the visitor clicks the ad the video will play once within the allowed space -- you can click replay to repeat the ad. You can also click the displayed URL or ad to go to the advertisers's website.

In short, Google has brought commercials to the web.

Google video ads may play a significant role in the whole web marketing process. Giving visitors the option of hearing the advertiser's sales pitch/messages without leaving the host website. In our fast paced, hurried world this may be a welcomed addition to any website. You can learn more about Google video ads here: https://adwords.google.com

At first glance, this move by Google into video ads may seem like only the next logical step in the online advertising process, just another way to better serve their patrons. However, in a broader context, these video ads may prove to have much more significance for the world wide web.

Video ads will no doubt prove to be another stepping stone in the gradual evolution of the web into a Billion Channel Universe. Helping to turn each website on the web into an information channel ; much more similar to a TV channel than a webpage. And much more aligned with infomercials than commercials.

Nothing stays the same, not even the web.

As downloading times decrease and video clips/streaming becomes the rule rather than the exception, all websites will be turned into information channels. Highly targeted interactive channels providing or serving up the one thing that matters most on the web -- information.

When the introduction of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and the rapid proliferation of wireless services and devices around the globe; one may even argue the rudimentary groundwork or framework for a billion channel network already exists and already broadcasting their messages or signals out to all interested parties.

Depending on your point of view, this can conjure up a frightening image... a billion infomercials blasting their messages 24/7/365, bombarding us with sales pitches like there's no tomorrow.

However, with Google video ads and with this hypothetical billion channel scenario, there is one big distinction that must not be ignored. One distinction that changes everything.

All these channels will have targeted visitors who have voluntarily and of their own free-will searched out these channels or websites for further information. They WANT to view the information. They MAKE the choice to click the ads.

From a marketing perspective, this makes all the difference in the world. A targeted prospect is in the right mindset to hear your sales pitch. A targeted prospect is much more likely to buy your product or service. A targeted prospect will have a much more positive effect on your bottom line.

As with any form of marketing, it is the effective methods or techniques that get readily adapted by competitive businesses staying one step ahead of the mainstream. Whether it is using audio or video ads on their websites, savvy online marketers will explore and exploit any new medium very quickly. Google's video ads may prove extremely lucrative for those marketers.

Seeing The Big Picture

On a larger scale, video ads, infomercials or webfomercials may also help in turning the web into a billion channel universe where any subject imaginable or even unimaginable are offered up for your viewing pleasure. Depending on your feelings this may be: an obscene commercialization of the web, a marketer's paradise, or a shopper's dream come true. Take your pick.

Regardless of these differing viewpoints... marketers, small business owners, and ordinary webmasters should realize that the introduction of video to their sites does offer many marketing opportunities that can't be ignored. It is one more powerful marketing tool they can use to increase sales and raise conversion rates. Proceed without video at your own risk.

Get ready for the Billion Channel Internet and could you please pass the Google remote.

The author owns and runs numerous sites on the web, including two sites on Internet Marketing. To learn how to place video on your own website click this link for several Free reports and videos: Online Infomercials. For all the latest marketing tools you need to run your online business try: Internet Marketing Tools. Copyright © 2006 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

How Video Can Be Used Effectively Online

Writen by Marie-Claire Ross

A powerful way to convey your communication messages to your audience is to be able to have your promotional video available on your website.

Yet, we have probably all experienced visiting a website and clicking on a video only to have to been irritated that the content is not viewable or that the sound is inaudible. The result is we leave the website in frustration.

So how do you make sure the video content on your website can be watched by your audience? It all boils down to how you want your viewers to access your video file and the level of video quality you want your movie to be played at.

There are two different ways of sharing your video file on the web:

1. Streamable Video

This is where the viewer is able to download sections of your video (otherwise known as "streaming"), while the video is playing. The main benefit of this method is that the user does not have to spend time downloading the complete video before viewing.

There are three major streaming video formats – RealVideo (RM), QuickTime (MOV) and Windows Media (WMV). These are playable on Real Player, QuickTime Player and Windows Media Player respectively. Windows Media Player is widely available on most PC's, as it is part of Windows Operating System. The other players need to be installed.

The only negative with streamable video is that the quality of the video is dependent upon Internet connection. In addition, it has the annoying habit of dropping video frames because the streaming software has to adjust the data rate based on the speed of your Internet connection, in order to keep playing the video.

2. Download and Play

This is where the viewer needs to download the entire video first, then play it on their video player application. The main advantage is that the video quality is not affected by Internet connection speed.

However, it can take some time for the video to download if the file is large.

So which format do you choose?

In a world where first impressions always count, it is extremely important for companies to appear professional and trustworthy at all times. Marketing videos with poor picture quality are likely to reflect a poor quality company in the mind of the viewer. Consequently, we always recommend the download and play option. This is because it allows for high quality video content to be viewed.

However, as you don't want viewers to give up on downloading your video, we only recommend that short video clips are inserted onto your website.

This means your website users will be able to download a short video at a high quality picture resolution that will portray your company in the best possible way.

(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2004. All rights reserved.

Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organisations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted on 0500 800 234 (Australia wide) or at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at http://www.digicast.com.au.