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Highlight Video – How to Promote your Conference

As a videographer I learned that Conferences are one of the most effective venues for networking.  Conferences can be very large with hundreds/thousands of participants or they can be small but intimate.  Regardless of their size, industry colleagues drop their guard and are often are open to engage and network, and those of use running a business can always use more networking.

Highlight Video will be your Key Promotional Tool

Given the importance of a business conference, what is the most effective method of promoting a conference?  I am going to be biased here, but I truly believe it is through a video. Yes, posting pictures on social media can get some engagement, however most people will not look past 4-5 pictures, unless they are looking for something or someone specific.  A well produced video is far more effective.

One key element of a conference highlight video are sound bites.  Sound bites are different than a full video interview. As a videographer, when I film an interview I will spend 30 minutes staging my shot, setting up the lighting, and testing perfect sound conditions for the subject.  When I film interviews, I often film them with multiple cameras. When you film sound bites at a conference you simply do not have such luxury. At a conference you are looking for a volume of responses, so you grab someone and ask them 1-2 questions using a single camera.  The advantage, however, is that you will likely capture the excitement of the moment. If the speaker is excited to be at the conference, it will be captured on the video. Additionally, in short interviews subjects rarely get nervous, whereas a full interview with multiple cameras and lights often intimidate folks.

Me filming a video at a Chicago Conference

Capture the Energy with a Video

A well filmed video will also capture the energy of the conference.  After filming a number of conference videos I have learned that it is crucial to show that people are interacting.  Therefore, I look for scenes when people are talking, laughing, exchanging business cards, shaking hands, pointing to charts/posters, and exchanging documents.  Although many conferences span over many hours, a skilled videographer will capture these moments and edit the highlight video in such a way to show how much interaction goes on among conference participants, sponsors and at times even the speakers.  

Show off Your Location

Last but not least, if a conference takes place at an attractive location, few shots should be dedicated to showing this off.  For example, if a conference is located in New York, few shots outside the conference will be helpful. If the conference is near a beach this is a good time to bring that drone and maybe fly over the beach.  You can read more about when to use drones in my previous article by clicking here.

Above is my favorite conference highlight video I did a few years ago. This particular video took some planning and we had two speakers with prepared speeches.  Notice, to keep the momentum going we decided to film a walking interview. This helps the video move and tells a visual story of what the conference is like.

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Does the Camera Matter to a Videographer?

As a Videographer, does the camera make a big difference me?  What is the best camera for professional video production?  How much do I have to spend on a camera to produce professional looking videos?  As a professional videographer and a filmmaker I get these questions all the time.  Given that nowadays everyone is doing some type of video and most want to have that professional video look. But how is a professional video look achieved?  Is it really in the camera or something else?   

How much Should I Spent on a Video Production Camera

I am writing this article for the amateur who wants to know how to improve their video. So When I will be discussing pluses/minuses of different camera gear I will focus on generalizations.  Pros argue about cameras and their qualities all the time, and they compare specs like 8 bit 420 vs 10 bit 444. You can find 100s articles and youtube videos comparing footage side by side. We are going to skip such details for this discussion.

So, why do some video production cameras cost $30k and some are under $1k?  On paper, many of these cameras produce the same specifications.  For example, my Iphone can now film 4k video. Why spend thousands of dollars on a video production camera?  Let’s start with sensor size. More expensive will have large sensors. These larger sensors have two major advantage.  Dynamic range and color information. Dynamic range refers to the amount of information between black and white tones in video/film.  For example, movies are shot on cameras that have a very high dynamic range, and that is often most visible on skin tones. In movies transitions between dark and light parts of the skin tones tend to smooth.  In contrast, most news footage or something shot maybe with a gopro or phone will have skin tones that are flat, and hence are missing that cinematic look.

Another advantage of larger sensors is the shallow depth of field.  Shallow depth field allows you to focus on the subject while everything in the background becomes out of focus. The out of focus area is often referred to Bokeh and it gives that cinematic feel, especially when framing people in the shots.

Interchangeable lenses is the other plus with the more professional cameras.  A camera on the phone for example has only one fixed lens. However, changing a lens on a professional camera allows me to film something farway or frame a very wide shot. 

What do the Pros use for Video Production

So What is the best video or film camera?  This is once again complicated. For example cameras that are used on movies sets like these RED or ARRI produce amazing images.  However, they are also more expensive than most cars. In addition, they are large and often require a crew to operate. They often are not good with low light as they are meant on production sets where the crew spends hours setting up perfect lighting.  Hence, unless there is a $5k a day budget for production, even most professional videographers will not used this type of gear.

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Arri Alexa, camera most often used in films

Mirrorless Revolution for Video Production

In the last several years there has been a revolution in the mirrorless camera.  These cameras most often have large sensors and interchangeable lenses. The prices will range $1k-$3K.  For that price they produce very good dynamic range and color information discussed earlier. Yes, the color and dynamic range on camera like RED will be superior, but the quality of RED might be 10% better yet at 10x the cost.  In addition, mirrorless cameras are small and much more mobile and they often perform well in low light.  

For most professional video projects I have to be mobile and don’t have the entire day to set up one scene with larger gear.  Therefore, my workhorse for several years has been this camera ; Sony A7sii. In fact most of the work on my website was produced using this camera. Here is a link to my video work

https://www.nichevisuals.com/video.html

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Sony a7sii, a mirrorless camera with very high quality video capabilities.

Importance of Video Post Production

Lastly, there are many improvements that can be made to the quality of image in post production.  Talented videographers and filmmakers know how to use color grading and color corrections during the post production to create the desired video look.  Digital footage is very flexible and many changes can be applied to correct the look. Below is a comparison of footage that is graded vs no graded.

In conclusion, a fortune does not have to be spent to create professional looking videos.  The evolution of the mirrorless camera has changed the game. In addition, skill and practice is also needed in the post production in order to achieve that professional video look.

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Drone Videogrpaher – Video Production in the Sky

In the last several years there has been madness around drone video production and photography.  As a videographer, I am constantly asked for drone video footage. At times the drone video footage is appropriate, but at other times the use of a drone is only reflective of an appetite for the latest fad.  In this article I will discuss when it is appropriate to use drone for filming or video/photo production, few simple safety rules and regulations, and how to get those cinematic shots.

When to Use drone videography

Clearly, drone footage is highly desirable, and it certainly adds production value simply unavailable to a low budget filmmaker or videographer just a decade ago.  However, I can think of only a handful of films in which drone footage was an actual scene. One being Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario”, where the scene is a convoy of agents crossing the border.

Drone video footage is most effective as an establishing shot or a transition.  Realistically, a drone video in the final edit will unlikely be longer than 10-15 seconds.  Majority, of scenes in films and corporate / event video productions are composed of medium shots where people either talk to each other or physically interact.  For such shots a good camera on a tripod or gimbal will do. A good example of an establishing shot is the clip below

Within a few seconds the viewer has a good idea that the film will take place in a city and during winter.  Without a drone, the same information would have to be described using several shots.

An example of a good transition is the clip below where we show few trucks leaving their base and going out on an assignment. 

The shots prior to he drone shots convey the story of workers getting ready and shots after the drone shot convey a story of these men at work.  The drone shot gives a completely different perspective than the other shots, hence it serves its role as an ideal transition.

Commercial vs Recreational Drone Videography

There are two uses of a drone that clearly have to be distinguished when talking about rules.  One is commercial work, where the aerial videographer is getting paid for his/her work. In such a case, the drone operator needs to be certified through FAA (part 107) as an unmanned pilot.  For recreational use, such as filming one’s vacation or private party, the pilot only needs to register the drone with FAA and the cost is currently only $5. The FAA has a list of rules that need to be abided by all unmanned pilots.  In this article I will point out to three main ones; flight is restricted to only 400 ft, pilot cannot fly 5 miles from the airport, and a drone cannot be flown over people (unless they are crew and have shelter to hide). The first two rules are usually programmed in the drone control application.  In other words, the drone will recognize airport controlled air space and will not fly there, and it will not fly over 400 ft. However, the last rule, flying over people is the one that is most often violated by the recreational drone pilots. It is very important to know that the last mentioned rule is also the one that the FAA is most strict about and heavy fines can result from flying over people.  Rember, you can get away with it during the operation but the footage does not lie.

In addition to FAA rules, each city/county has its own rules that may restrict drone flight.  As Chicago Aerial commercial videographer I understand that city only allows me to fly over the property for which I have written permission to fly over.  In a busy city this creates real restrictions. It is also important to mention that drones operate on the same frequency that are used by most wifi systems.  Hence flying in highly populated areas with corporate offices (Chicago downtown i.e.) create real risk. There is potential that the drone could lose its frequency and fly away.

Think Simple When Using Drone for Videography

Once the rules are considered and the effectiveness of aerial shot is understood, a drone is a great tool for video and film production.  If there was going to be one lesson that I have learned as a filmmaker and a videographer that I would like to pass on to in this article is that of simplicity.  Simply, the viewer should be focused on the scene that is framed not to the motion of the drone. Beginner aerial videographers tend to fly too much around the subject they are filming.  For example, the first 35 seconds of this clip we have at least 5 changes of direction and pace which in my opinion are disruptive to the viewer.

Yes the effect is cool and the scenery is gorgeous but the abrupt changes in the flight path speeding up and slowing down (in post production) takes me out of the viewing experience.  I am more focused on what the drone is doing than the actual scenery. However, lets consider the following drone clip:

In this video we have a change of direction but there is a poetic simplicity to it.  First 18 seconds the shot is framed around the human subject and then gently moves to frame the waterfall.  This is a well thought out drone shot that frames two subjects continuously (man and waterfall) with no interruption.  The last shot is likely most cinematic (1:34 to the end) where the drones simply flies slowly forward.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drones are a fantastic tool for filmmaking and video production.  However, the footage is mostly effective as an establishing shot and transitions in the majority of film/video productions.  Lastly, drones have potential for high risk and therefore many rules have to be followed in order to assure safety in capturing those stunning shots. 

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