Visual Legacy Productions

How to make Stand-out Business Videos in Today’s Market

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:29:20 GMT

To anyone born after 2000, using videos as part of a business’ digital marketing strategy seems like a run-of-the mill tactic. Build a website, use social media and search engine marketing, create videos – obviously! But not many years ago, most small businesses could not afford or did not have the skills to produce videos for their brand. In this blog, we will discuss how the impact of business videos has changed over the last couple decades and how you can still use them to your advantage in today’s market.

Growth and Impact of Videos

In the year 2000, creating business videos was new and exciting. Only big industries with a matching marketing budget, forward-thinking and trendy companies, or cheesy local businesses really capitalized on incorporating video. Technology improved over the next couple decades, shifting business videos from “rare and impactful no matter the quality” to “commonplace and expected.” This snapshot of their growth on Youtube from a Yahoo!finance article displays the rapid growth in just a few years.

In these early days of video, it didn’t take much for a business video to speak loudly. The first videos to become effective or viral on Youtube seem like commonplace content today. In fact, if you are not using video somehow or somewhere, you are likely behind the curve in effectively communicating to clients or your employees. It isn’t just big brands producing high quality video content now that any small business has access to a decent video camera in smart phones and video editing software. AI usage opens another door of opportunity. We live in a world where it is expected for a company to use video somewhere, rather than the exception. Stats from Wyzeowl show just how commonplace video marketing continues to be, consistently hovering around the upper 80 percentages.

Types of Videos and Their Uses

Before we delve into how to make good videos, let’s cover what types are currently most used.

Wyzowl shows the three most common types of business videos are “Live Action,” “Animated,” and “Screen Recorded.” Live action videos are all over social media and have a relatively low entry bar. If you have something to say, you can set up your phone and record yourself sharing your talking points. Quality and effectiveness vary widely. Animated videos are harder to make and take someone with editing and/or animating skills. Screen recordings are very common for explainer videos and often used to educate employees. In fact, “Explainer” videos, which can be many different styles, are the top type of video at 73%. There are dozens of other types of business videos used internally or externally which could fall under these categories.

With 89% of businesses using video in 2025 (Wyzowl), can small businesses make videos stand out in today’s noisy markets? We believe you can if your content and quality remain exceptional!

Curating Valuable Content

If a person navigates to an explainer video on your website, they likely have a question or problem they need an answer to. This is an easy win for your company to have a 24/7 representative helping your customer. Videos aimed at creating brand awareness need to focus on capturing interest quickly and showcasing the viewer’s need for your service or product. Some video campaigns will require a lot of creativity to reach that goal (e.g. video ads), while others, such as staff training videos, communicate recurring messages. Quality content doesn’t have to be flashy, unique or mind-blowing, but it does need to be able to “be the solution” when your client comes looking or when you reveal the problem.

If you don’t know where to start on creating videos for your company, think about places of redundancy where a video can be used many times: onboarding videos, training videos, product demos, or even testimonials. Once you start looking at the needs of your company, ideas of where communication could be improved through video start to take off!

Creating Quality Videos

You don’t need to be able to win academy awards to make a great video that works well for your company. However, you do need to create something of good quality or you will be ignored, at best, or even do damage to your brand. To combat our generation’s short attention spans, it must be eye-catching. To be heard above the noise of the market, it must quickly tell the viewer why they need to give their time to watching and how they will benefit. If viewers are annoyed or bored, they will click away. So, good visuals, sound and lighting are just as important as the message.

If budget is your problem, DIY videos may work for you. Thankfully, Think With Google reveals viewers still believe that content “relating to their passions is 1.6% more important than whether content has high production quality.”

If your spokesperson has plenty of charisma and your message is clear, live videos on social media are easy to create. See our blogs on lighting and tips to creating your own videos. You can also use screen recordings as simple training videos for employees.

Think critically about the abilities of your team. Do you have the skills to communicate, plan, film, edit, and share a video? Do you have the time? Just as businesses contract out certain tasks if they can’t hire an in-house person, video production companies like Visual Legacy Productions can take on the heavy lifting to get the job done. In fact, about half of companies use in-house creators, while 45% hire out some or all of their video work to professionals ( Wyzowl ). At Visual Legacy Productions, we help experts in their fields communicate their stories effectively through video. Making a business video doesn’t have to be daunting, nor should it seem futile, trying to meet a marketing standard without garnering results. The right video in the right place can still give your company a voice so that you can be seen, heard, and understood.

Behind the Scenes in Modern America

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 01:51:46 GMT

These three documentaries showcase parts of modern America that are often behind-the-scenes for most citizens. While many documentaries focus solely on failures and fears, these approach with positive insight, hopeful solutions, and the connection of the human element.

Farmland

 Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p3BZwJ4xt0heck the list regularly

Secrets of the Mega Land Fill

View the whole documentary on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vifruk3eSs

Abandoned

Learn more via these links: https://www.vicetv.com/en_us/video/abandoned-trailer/57add35b80aaee0644ed7c0c

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=291569037875021

Making Thoughts Visual: Infographic / Kinetic Typography Videos

Wed, 08 May 2024 19:31:00 GMT

With 65% of the general population classified as visual learners, ¹ businesses often struggle to quickly communicate complex, scientific, or “boring” ideas to their audience. Infographic and Kinetic Typography videos are a very popular form of solving that dilemma. By combining visual aids with text and audio, information that seemed lifeless before, suddenly comes across as “visual.”

First of all, what are infographic and kinetic typography videos? Static infographics can use a variety of visual learning tools like diagrams, charts, maps, shapes and icons to communicate a clear, structured concept. Videos use the same strategy by using the same visuals, but appearing on screen in sequence with optional audio. Kinetic Typography is when the words themselves move like actors in the story, appearing when they’re spoken, growing or diminishing or moving to illustrate the point.

Screenshot of a video using kinetic typography to highlight and explain a point

Video Examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ri7JMP9KdE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fsH8qxDDY4

At Visual Legacy Productions, we like to call this style of visual communication “ Animated Infographics ” to highlight the movement. These videos can stay strictly to one form, eg. only kinetic typography, or combine a variety of visual storytelling aids such as the above mentioned elements of

Still image from video using illustrations and kinetic typography

infographics, illustrations, still images, or even video. While there are many methods for visualizing concepts, we’ll call this style of video “Animated Infographics” for the remainder of this blog.

What Animated Infographic Videos are Great

Example of a simple infographic from Venngage

Infographics simplify complex concepts, offer practical solutions or steps, are great for answering FAQs.
Highlight key words for better memory retention.
Make messaging able to be received without audio turned on.
Bring text to life: more engaging, memorable, and easily digestible/understandable.
Makes sharing more likely: because it’s more engaging, people are more likely to think others will benefit.
Multipurpose/Reusable: They often introduce big picture ideas and key concepts, and are therefore able to be used in a wide variety of places (webpages, social media posts) and uses (new customers or established clients), again and again (reusable)!
Good for SEO: Videos can be linked or embedded on other websites, blogs, or posts.
Raises your brand’s voice: Speaks according to your expertise, with your branding!

Animated Infographics are an excellent choice of video to produce for their wide variety of uses and ability to communicate. Infographic and Kinetic Typography videos simplify the concept, combine data with visuals for clear understanding, and thus help viewers actually remember the content. They truly bring abstract thoughts and ideas into visual reality!

Bradford, William C., Reaching the Visual Learner: Teaching Property Through Art (September 1, 2011). The Law Teacher Vol. 11, 2004, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=587201

Another great resource: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/teamwork/how-to-work-4-different-learning-types

A Family Legacy Update – Chuck’s Story

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 19:44:00 GMT

When we filmed Chuck’s personal documentary , we knew he had an incredible story of resilience and self-discovery. When we placed it on our website as a video example, none of us realized how much his video would allow for more discovery! The Barrett family shared this touching update with us and both families’ gave us their gracious permission to tell their story.

It started with a phone call.

Bryan answered his phone and a man asked, “Do you know Chuck Barrett and is he still alive?” The man on the line introduced himself as Omar and explained he believed he was Chuck’s half-brother. “We’ve been looking for him for years. We share the same father!”

Chuck had been adopted as a two-year old from Cuba by an American couple. Because his adoptive father was a famous baseball player, his adoption had been noted in magazines from the time and books about the baseball era. Tragically, Chuck’s new family life fell apart after his adoptive parents divorced and his adoptive mother later lost custody of him due to abuse. Chuck grew up knowing nothing about his Cuban parents except brief mentions he’d found in documents. By the time Chuck and his wife Mary recorded his personal documentary in 2016, they had discovered a few familial connections. He had a brother and sister on his adoptive father’s side and his birth mother Delia, had given him up for adoption because she could not support him.

A Cuban article featuring Chuck’s adoption by the Barretts.

Now seven years later, Chuck and Mary discovered missing pieces of his Cuban family, pieces he’d always wished he knew. In an excited and warm first phone call, Chuck met not only his half-brother Omar, but his two half-sisters, Cecilia, and Susi.

“They said over and over that they have known about Chuck (known to them as Pedro) for 50+ years as their father, Nicasio, (Chuck’s birth father and theirs) talked about Pedro alot and had pictures of him as a baby and toddler.”

More to the Story

Nicasio was eighteen when he and Chuck’s mother, Delia, met in Cuba. When Delia became pregnant, she wanted Nicasio to marry her. Delia was older than him and had other children. Nicasio felt he was too young and too poor to take on the responsibility and refused to marry Delia. However, after Chuck was born Nicasio took in his baby son to live with him and his parents for two years. Though she was angry with Nicasio, Delia would come take Chuck for visitations even though she couldn’t provide for Chuck full-time. Then she began to take him away for days at a time. During these disappearances, she would take Chuck to an orphanage where they gave him meals and a place to stay. She would leave him there and return for him multiple times. It was during one of those orphanage stays that Red and Lee Barrett saw him.

A family photo of their father Nicasio.

Red Barrett was a popular American baseball player. He and his wife Lee wanted to start a family and while spending the season down in Cuba, visited an orphanage. Sounding like a fairytale story, the wealthy American couple choose to adopt the poor sweet toddler. But Delia was the one who surrendered Chuck to the orphanage, not Nicasio. So the Barretts contacted Chuck’s father to see if he would sign a release form to allow them to adopt him. Nicasio still felt unable to properly care for his son and believed the American couple could give Chuck a better life.

“He did ask them to bring him back for visits and THEY DID…. They took him to see him twice a year for 2 years! Then the visits stopped. That is when Lee and Red Barrett got a divorce and Chuck went with Lee.”

Red Barrett, Chuck’s adoptive father.

The Reconnection

Now Chuck got to meet the family he never knew he had: first over the phone and then in person. They laughed and talked over one another, enjoyed lots of Cuban food, and showered Chuck with warmth and affection. They also shared in each other’s successes and heartache, thrilled at their similarities and saddened that their father had not lived to see the reunion. At the same time, after learning about the abuse Chuck went through, the family was glad their father never found out.

“It would have really bothered him to know that, Susi said, as he expressed lots of love for Pedro and sadness at never seeing him again.”

The rest of Chuck’s father’s family had moved to the United States in 1966 and built successful lives in Michigan. Over the years, they tried looking for their lost brother. Chuck’s half-sister Susi had even called Oprah Winfrey once to see if she could help them find him. Then one night a cousin tried typing Chuck’s name in Google and his Legacy video popped up.

“She was so excited she called the whole family in the middle of the night!”

A family legacy video, or in this case a personal documentary, shares your personal story and family heritage with generations to come. These personal videos also connect us to the past. Chuck’s update on his family discovery is a very tangible example of how this happens: it answered questions of the past and gives new life to the next generations in their family. While most families won’t have such a dramatic outcome, the connection that videos provide by intertwining information with visual elements and the voice of the storyteller makes these family stories come to life.

Top 7 Ways Over-Marketing is Hurting Your Business

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 01:09:00 GMT

Over-marketing is not simply inundating your audience with advertisements. It’s more unclear, has darker elements, and is trickier to avoid than one might think.

What is over-marketing and is that really possible?

Definitions on a simple internet search range from simple to thought-provoking:

To market excessively (com)
When you cross the thin line between promoting and pretending, then you go from the authority, to the next bla blaing guy” (com)
Marketing practices that go beyond what is considered ethical, respectful, or effective (Quora)

Over-marketing seems to occur when you overstep the invisible line of acceptable and detrimental. You think you’re staying top-of-mind, but they think you’re spamming. You think you’re luring them in with exciting announcements, but they think your claims are misleading. “This marketing blast will finally convince them to take action” you tell yourself, but they are only convinced they will never use your annoying company.

Other than unsubscribes and unfollows, how can you know when you’ve crossed the line? Even better, how can you know you’re getting too close in time to rethink your marketing?

We can use the above definitions as a starting point. If your attempts to get views, subscribes, or sales leading to these results, you may be over-marketing.

1. Over-marketing is a waste of Resources

You put out time, energy, and hard-earned money to keep sales moving. If you are reaching the right people with the right message, the right time for them to switch from leads to conversions may come. If you have over-marketed your audience the cost-benefit has swung too hard toward the cost.

2. Over-marketing creates annoyance

They might recognize you as an expert or an essential business interaction, but it is a necessary evil. Any little deviation from your best work becomes open season for criticizing your company. It’s step one in a bad relationship.

3. Over-marketing Breeds Avoidance

Because your marketing interactions are undesirable, dealings are avoided. You might get some jobs from these clients still, but only after badgering or when they are in dire straits… and that experience doesn’t leave them with a great feeling.

How to Avoid this Negative Sequence

This next list with solutions can be applied to any aspect of marketing: emails, social media ads, mailers, etc. Since we’re a video company, I would be remis if I didn’t also mention how a well-made, well-placed video can also be a part of your solution.

1. Avoid Irrelevance – A key to prevent boring or annoying your potential client is to bring them information they will actually use or enjoy. If you make up an excuse to market your clients, they’ll probably not buy into your pitch. If it’s a concept way out of their realm of focus, you’ll be nothing more than noise. Instead, focus on real and relatable issues. Research your target population to see what they are currently facing and never fall into the trap of thinking you know it all. Thoughtfully themed videos can communicate your message in clear, concise, and engaging ways, but if the information isn’t what your audience is looking for, your efforts will be wasted.

2. Avoid Overselling – Instead of putting customers in high-pressure situations or forcing their need, listen to what their actual needs are and invite them into their ideal scenario through your services. If you aren’t sure where the balance is between identifying their need and pressuring them, review your points of contact and put yourself in their shoes. Would your interactions feel like help or haranguing? In addition to content, the tone, wording, length, and even delivery are important aspects of a marketing video to think about when avoiding coming across as overselling to your audience.

3. Avoid Spamming – Unwanted phone calls, unsolicited emails, anything without the recipient’s consent could fall into this category. Again, be relevant to everyone. Make it easy for contacts to unsubscribe, or even better, change their email preferences. Pay attention to customer feedback and metrics and make changes accordingly.

4. Avoid Being Intrusive – If your video pops up and annoyingly covers over the content your marketed audience was looking at, add to that suddenly blaring audio automatically, many people will scramble to close the viewer and will harbor irritation towards your intrusive marketing. Be visible and inviting with your placement and message. Also, instead of capturing your customer’s information in order to make them part of a marketing campaign, ask for permission. You may receive a lot of rejections, but the people who grant you permission to receive emails, texts, calls, mailings, etc. are going to be the ones who will be making the purchases. You are less intrusive and your marketing dollars are more effective, a win-win!

5. Avoid Creating Clickbait – It’s ok to be excited and try to grab your viewers’ attention, but over sensationalizing your titles can water down your message. It’s not ok to start with a big promise and under deliver (I’m looking at you promoted videos that promise fantastic insight but 5 precious minutes later have given viewers nothing but a disappointing build up to a course for purchase). Whatever you do, clearly introduce your message within and then deliver on the promised information. Stay away from all-inclusive statements, cliché phrases, and blown-out claims. They can cheapen your message, detract from your credibility, and create skepticism. This article can help you refine your edge to make your message sharp and not chintzy.

6. Avoid Exploitation – Avoid manipulation and stick with honesty. Instead of taking advantage of their ignorance in the subject of your expertise, position yourself as their trusted guide. Being trustworthy will always be worth it and will build a stronger, more enduring business relationship in the long run. Protect their information and their interests and you’ll also be protecting yours.

7. Avoid Deception – Making up (or paying for) testimonials represents what you hope your work is creating, but it isn’t reality. Instead, ask previous clients for their endorsements and reviews. Absolutely make promotion videos with your star clients, but make sure they are representative of the kind of business result or interaction promised to each of your clients. If you don’t have any reviews or testimonials from past customers, try offering your services at discount in order to build up your credibility. If you get back poor reviews, take that as a sign you have work to do on your business!

To sum it up, be honest, be relevant, be considerate… and maybe get someone to help you review your marketing with an outsider’s perspective. Videos can be used in marketing campaigns in ways that keep your massage fresh and entertaining. This can also help you avoid over-selling to your audience. Visit our Clients page or YouTube channel for examples of video for businesses.

Personal Biographies – Legacy Interviews

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:34:00 GMT

Personal Biographies are at the core of Visual Legacy Productions. Our dream to help families tell their story is why our website url is “tell my story!”

Most families never consider the multi-generational value of capturing their story – until it’s too late. Suddenly, they find themselves asking “Why didn’t I ask Mom about that?” “Why didn’t we record Dad telling those stories?” “I wish you could have met her.” “Gosh, I really miss his voice.” A video can’t bring back a loved-one, but it can capture a moment to be preserved and revisited time and again.

Who are they for?

Everyone. If you are the patriarch/matriarch of your family, consider recording your story, memories, values, and life lessons for the next generations. If your parents are getting up in age, get them on camera and their legacy captured before memories fade and they can’t physically participate. Even if you’re a younger adult, consider setting up an interview for your loved-ones or yourself. Sometimes waiting for “the right time” is too late.

Because we believe this is so important, we recently revised our website to streamline the storytelling options for families considering a video. Side-by-side charts easily highlight the differences between Legacy Interviews and Personal Documentaries. Legacy Interviews can be further broken up into several levels for families to choose from to match their needs.

Comparison of storytelling options on the Personal Biographies website page

What does getting ready for the interview look like?

The edit: piecing everything together

The client’s responsibilities are almost over, but first they provide us with their personal photos they would like included. Personal photographs bring to life the stories shared! We can also add other storytelling elements like home video or including maps to show locations of places described. As to the content that was recorded, we leave that as pure as possible, cutting out only long pauses or mistakes. None

Title Screen to a Legacy Interview

of your stories will be removed unless you want them to be. This means the finished video length will be close to the actual length of the interview. Legacy Interviews also get a title screen and intro music!

Finally, the client receives their finished video via a secure link. You can download your video, stream it, or share the link with family and friends to view. You will be able to watch it on your phone, tablet, computer, or “smart” TV. So, grab your loved-ones, some popcorn (and possibly some tissues) and re-live favorite memories, listen to grand-dad’s laugh, relish mom’s smile, and enjoy the telling of your story.

Visit our Legacy Interviews page to learn more and watch the Matthias video trailer.

For the Birds – New Perspectives on a Topic You Think You Know

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:33:00 GMT

You don’t have to be into bird-watching to enjoy these three films about feathered friends! Each of these documentary picks reveals a new perspective about these well-known birds. Discover a new appreciation for the creatures as well as the people who interact with them.

My Life as a Turkey

You can view the whole video here on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/82069929

Chicken People

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ZShxa6wJ0

March of the Penguins

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY8YvreAFl4

The Difference Between a Legacy Interview and Personal Documentary

Tue, 31 May 2022 15:11:00 GMT

Helping people capture their stories is near and dear to our heart. Most families don’t think of catching these precious memories on video until it’s too late. So it’s no wonder that the few who do think ahead still struggle knowing where to even start! While there are limitless ways one could capture these memories for future generations, we’ll focus on our two main storytelling processes: Legacy Interviews and Personal Documentaries. What are the differences and benefits of each, and what does that mean for you? We’ll answer those questions in the rest of this blog.

How They are Similar

How They are Different

Legacy Interviews are a simple telling of your story. Personal Documentaries take it to the next level as a finely crafted version of your story.

started with. To see examples, check out our trailers for Personal Documentaries.

Which is Better?

different or a mix, contact us so we can curate the perfect combo for you.

For more information on differences, visit https://tellmystory.us/personal-services/

For other personal video production ideas, visit our YouTube channel.

3 Reasons to Transition Your Live Presentations into Video Presentations

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:07:00 GMT

Since its early days of use, video has increasingly enabled speakers to present their material to more people in more locations. While there are elements about a presenter standing in front of a live audience that are irreplaceable, often times live presentations can become a limitation. Case and point, businesses and organizations who already had good digital delivery systems were ahead of the game when Covid related shut-downs took effect. Whether business is back to normal for you or not, there are three big reasons why you might want to consider not only continuing with digitally delivered presentations, but to increase their percentage of use.

First of all, let’s take care of some definitions. What do we mean by “presentations” or “digital delivery?”

Live presentation = An event where a speaker meets with an audience at a location and shares planned and curated information with them about a certain topic. This could be a pep talk, continuing education course, break-out session, etc.

Video Presentation = The video recording of a speaker’s presentation about a certain topic. This can be played and viewed by audiences anywhere, anytime.

Digital Delivery = The “physicalness” of a video presentation is often shared through a downloadable file or link. It’s another term to describe how information can be shared in a way other than live, in-person.

How it Works

When you have a production company like us help you transition your live presentation into one suitable for video, it can be produced in a couple different ways.

A: We film your live presentation being given to an audience so that you have a digital copy to share.

In this example, the full presentation on the Problem of Mold was edited down into a 2-minute snapshot of the problem and solution.

 B: We film your live production in a studio so that the viewer feels like they have your one-one-one attention. We add your graphics, slides, or PowerPoint presentation materials to the video to create a complete presentation.

Presentations like this one for Financial Health Institute can transform a class room presentation and exercises into an engaging online course.

If you want to expand your reach and influence more people, video may be the best method to help you overcome the obstacles of time limitations, lack of funds, and insufficient trained presenters to meet demand. Adding digitally delivered presentations and courses to your offerings means you’ll be able to free yourself from limitations in the market and impact more lives!

22 Ways to Boost Sales with Video in 2022

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 00:36:00 GMT

As you prepare your branding and marketing strategies for 2022, you’ll want to make sure you get it right with your business videos. These 22 stats will help guide you with ways to make the wisest, most effective use of those videos. Get ready to boost your sales with video!

1. The Internet Highway

How busy is the internet getting with videos? According to Social Media Week , as 2022 gets underway, video will account for more than 82% of all internet traffic… That’s a 52% increase over last two years! (Wyzowl)

2. Know Your Competition

3. Watch Your Tone

4. Get it Right

With the bombardment of images and pitches vying for consumers’ attention, two criteria stand-out in importance. According to consumers, the top traits for engaging video are a clear messaging/storyline and authenticity. (lemonlight)

5. Memory-Maker

Images and videos are absorbed into our memories better and more quickly. It’s not just the short term either. People who view videos retain 95% of the information. ( Social Media Week )

6. Video – Your Channel for Discovery

How are people learning about new products today? According to Animoto , the #1 way consumers discovered a brand they later purchased from was through video ads. And if you could choose only one social platform on which to post your video content, where would it be? Well, that’s pretty evenly split according to these Lemonlight pollers: 26%-LinkedIn, 25%-Facebook, 24%-YouTube. Each platform has its strengths. The key is that your videos are out there to be found and seen!

7. All Hail King YouTube

YouTube rules over the other video-sharing platforms in a lot of areas. With over a billion hours streamed per day, 90% of people say they discover new brands or products on YouTube. ( Google ) Many sales come through YouTube too, with 87% of people saying when shopping or browsing on YouTube, they feel they can make a decision of whether to make a purchase more quickly or not. ( Google )

8. Lord of the Facebook

Facebook actually has a larger base of active users than YouTube. If you’re going to take advantage of that, you’ll want to apply these tips to be more viewable. Square videos may have been necessary a few years ago, but vertical is the trend now. While most video producers film on their phones horizontally (landscape), 75% of viewer are watching on their phones vertically. ( Social Media Week) Vertical videos work well for live and casual-style talking head videos. In addition to views, a SocialInsider report revealed videos shot in landscape garner the average engagement rate of .25%. Vertical videos are ahead at .35%.

The optimal length of a video to drive engagement continues to hover between 2-5 minutes. ( Social Insider )

9. Text for Silent Viewing

Captioning videos on social media (and websites) is essential. Many viewers have their sound off or turned down as they scroll by your content. According to Verizon, 83% of viewers watch without sound across all devices. To gain a quick understanding of video content, viewers also rely on good descriptions. In this case, better actually corresponds with longer. Descriptions on Facebook Videos with over 300 characters had the highest average engagement rate at .39%. (SocialInsider) Captioning and descriptions ensure followers catch your message without inconveniencing them with sound… especially when they’re supposed to be working. Videos designed for silent viewing (image/text based) or with captions are 70% more likely to retain viewers on LinkedIn to the end.

10. Engagement

You may be surprised to discover that informative videos beat out entertaining ones for “most engaging” by 44% to 37%. Promotional videos came in last with 19%. (Renderforest) I think that shows consumers want value from what they see, and if that can be done in a fun, engaging way – all the better!

11. Not just leads

While business videos are good for generating leads, their ability to make qualified leads is even better news to marketers. In fact, while 84% of marketers say video content generates more leads (Wyzowl), 66% believe video allows them to generate more “qualified leads.” (Optinmonster) This is because consumers gain a better understanding of your company’s products or services.

12. Conversions

When qualified leads grow up, they become conversions. A good video strategy won’t just get them in the door; it helps guide them to the purchase. A website landing page that includes a video increases conversions by 80% and 84% of consumers were convinced to buy a product/service after watching a brand video. (Wyzowl)

13. ROI

With a bit of upfront work, videos can produce some good Return on Investment including boosting website traffic, increasing time spent, generating leads, increasing understanding of a product or service, and improving customer support. 78% of marketers said video has directly increased sales (Wyzowl) and marketers who utilize video marketing strategies grow revenue 49% faster than businesses that don’t.

14. What Makes them Effective?

Video offers the unique ability to showcase in-depth or “boring” information in understandable ways like with animations, graphs, and graphics. A Wyzowl report shared that the vast majority of people (69%) would prefer to watch a short video to learn about a product or service over text, infographics, manuals, webinars, or sales calls/demos.

15. B2B

If you’re aiming for Business to Business marketing, videos can be a great way of generating leads and providing value. In fact, 62% of marketers think video is an effective tool for B2B marketing (Event Manager Blog). While not the favorite for casual social media scrollers, webinars are very helpful for B2B. A report by on24 revealed the conversion rate of webinars was as high as 55%.

16. Explainers

Want to give value to your clients? Create explainer videos. Whether a customer is researching a product or looking for support, explainers take the guesswork away from decision-making and establish your credibility. In fact, 94% of respondents said video helped them make a purchase decision. (lemonlight) And according to another study, 96% of consumers watch an explainer video for more info about products or services. (Wyzowl) With percentages like those, it’s no wonder explainer videos beat out regular social media videos, presentations, sales, and ads for the most common marketing videos at 73%. (Wyzowl)

17. Personalized Videos

Personalized marketing helps the needs and desires of consumers. A survey with MarketingCharts discovered 48% of respondents found videos personalized to products they owned or were interested in to be helpful in their decision-making process.

You may have already been using video to your advantage in emails and targeting them with content they’d find helpful, but have you considered making the actual video personalized? When viewers open a video that is addressed specifically to them, they are more likely going to take an interest. In fact, a personalized video could retain viewers 35% more often than a generic video! (WebsitePlanet)

18. Live Video

Streaming of live content has increased a lot since it started being a “thing” across social platforms a few years ago. Live videos encourage more engagement and longer views, and not just for content producer with tons of followers. Social Insider reported that Facebook users with under 10k fans (which includes many small businesses) were met with a 1.59% average engagement rate for live videos versus .92% for pre-recorded videos. That’s higher engagement than user categories with more fans! You can expect the impact of live videos will continue to grow in 2022. In fact, Eventbrite shared that 96% of event planners will stream their events live this year. It’s not just for events either. The live video market is expected to grow to $184.27 billion by 2027.

19. Interactive Video

If you have the vision and capacity for it, interactive video is an investment into future markets. Obviously, engagement and viewing time benefit greatly from the interaction, but it’s not just good for keeping short attention-spans from getting bored. Interactive videos have the capability for being heavyweights in guiding visitors to and through your website, increasing traffic, leads, and sales. Currently, 29% of marketers aim to make 10-20% of their content interactive within two years. (Wyzowl)

20. VR and AR

According to the Boston Consulting Group, it looks like Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are about to boom! As retail marketers tap into its potential for virtual shopping and demo experiences, VR and AR are expected to double in global market growth between 2021 and 2022, multiplying to a whopping $296.9 billion in 2024.

21. Bang for your Buck

Everything costs money and video is no exception. Decide what your video marketing needs are and then you may have a better idea how to best invest those marketing dollars. According to Lean Labs, these are the average costs for three levels of video production:

Don’t worry if you don’t have a big budget to drop on your video needs – you’re in good company. Research through Lemonlight showed that 62% of respondents planned to spend under $2,500 on their next video. It is possible to create a great video marketing campaign at an affordable price!

22. Challenges to Getting Started

There are a lot of reasons businesses struggle getting started with their marketing videos. I bet some have come to mind while reading this blog! A survey with Wave.Video showed the reasons below were among the top answers:

Looking to outsource the burden of producing your video? We pride ourselves in affordable, professional video production for small businesses. Contact us to learn more information.

For more stats, visit:

https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/social-media-facts-statistics

https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics/

https://www.lemonlight.com/blog/67-video-marketing-stats-you-need-to-know-for-2022/

https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/

How to Function as a One-Person Film Crew

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 17:29:00 GMT

You won’t always have a film studio available to you. You may need to travel and carry all of your own gear. Due to project scope and/or funding, you might need to function in multiple roles such as director, producer, camera operator, location sound, gaffer…the list goes on.

How does one do it all excellently and not kill oneself trying to be a one-person film crew? These are tactics that I have developed over several decades of my videography career for filming solo.

Plan ahead

Travel Light

If you are carrying everything yourself, you’re going to need to travel light. Be strategic when buying and planning what equipment to bring. While the needs of each shoot are different, this is a basic checklist of items that are essential.

Setting up on the Day

5 Ways Video Helps Communicate Your Business Better

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 20:48:00 GMT

It doesn’t matter how good your products or services are, if you don’t communicate them well to potential clients they could go elsewhere. Amidst the array of tools at your disposal to communicate your brand, video is a stand-out representative. In this blog, we’ll discuss five ways video can help you communicate your business better.

1 – Show, Don’t Tell

In writing, the phrase “show, don’t tell” encourages writers to paint a picture of what they want readers to deduce, instead of simply telling them information. Relying mostly on direct “telling” elements can be efficient when developing your message on paper. However, “show, don’t tell” rises to a whole new level when used in the context of video. For example, instead of merely telling your customer about your high-quality roofing work, visuals of newly installed roofs reveal not only new shingles, but also orderly attention to detail over unique roof structures. Rather than tell viewers about your high customer ratings, including footage with the satisfied client brings the story to life. When there is a visual that can communicate an idea better, clearer, and more efficiently, use it!

2 – Memorable

Hand-in-hand with the “show” philosophy, studies have shown that visuals lead to higher recall rates of information over written words alone.1 Businesses have only moments to capture attention or communicate information. Graphics, icons, and other images illustrate concepts in ways that are easy for the human mind to interpret. Seeing a person or hearing their voice helps viewers connect with a company on a more human, personal level. Video takes advantage of multiple strategies at once to engage with the viewer. Using sight, the concept is engrained through visuals and by reading informative text. Sound also lends to absorption of information through narration, enhancing music or sound effects.

3 – Time to Prepare the Best Presentation

Knowing that your video message carries the potential to make a lasting impression, you want to put your best foot forward. When communicating face to face with someone about your business, it can be easy to forget parts of your branding message. Or maybe the way you say something comes out sounding wrong. Not everyone is a perfect on-the-spot communicator all the time! Creating a video presentation eliminates those problems by giving time to prepare. Before filming, you can consider the important talking points that need to be included. And if during filming, a light-hearted joke feels flat, just edit it out.

4 – One and Done

Once you have your presentation down, you get to tell it to every potential client—again and again. Or, you could have a video do the work for you. Business videos can repeat basic information in a personal, professional, and concise way for viewers landing on your website homepage or stand in as an engaging introduction during live events and meetings. Brand videos enable you to focus on other work that needs your expert attention.

5 – Always Accessible

Last but certainly not least, business videos can be accessible even when you aren’t. A good website video takes care of customers off business hours. The marketing video on social media keeps your brand top of mind when your client is relaxing at home. Through a good video, your company can have a voice any time, any day, anywhere.

Using videos for your business takes a little work up front, but the pay-off is a video that can work for you in a big way. Your ability to communicate concepts is compounded by the power of visuals. With your message quickly understood, it can also be easily ingrained in the viewer’s memory and recalled when needed. Video production allows time to prepare the right information and delivery for your message. And once you have that business video, your brand can be communicated over and over no matter where you are.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2009-04-photos-words-memory-recall.html

For examples, explore our Business Videos .

Inspiring People – Documentary Review

Fri, 28 May 2021 18:31:00 GMT

For this documentary review, we’ll look at films that unveil inspiring people. While heavily focused on Americans and the United States’ influence, the legacies of these individuals impact and inspire people around the world even today. Some are mostly unknown while others are famous, but not truly known by most. Each documentary uses different methods for storytelling but manages to bring their subjects to life!

Discovering Your Values

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 16:26:00 GMT

Your values shape your story, but what are they?

Earlier, in Part 1 of this blog, we discussed the intrinsic worth of an individual’s personal story. The lessons you learn, the conflicts, and joys, are part of your legacy. They bring the facts of a personal history to life and share insight with the listener. By recognizing one’s life through the lens of storytelling, you are better equipped to pick out the values you live by.

If you haven’t been living your life to a code of values before now, it doesn’t mean it’s too late to start. In fact, you have likely been living according to deeply-held values without recognizing them! A little soul searching can help define the values you live by and how they’ve influenced your life.

What Made you You?

Family Background
What was your childhood like (what did you do, where did you live, etc.)?
What did you think of your life when you were a child vs. how you see it now?
Who were your relatives?
What are some lessons or values you learned from loved-ones?
What was difficult while growing up?

Becoming an Adult
What career did you pursue and why?
What was dating/getting married like?
What did you learn from your experiences that you wish you’d known sooner?
When did you start to feel like a real adult?
What was difficult?
What did you love from this time?

The Later Years

Where did you go in your career and why?
What are some successes from this time?
Are there areas where you struggled?
What was difficult about raising children and what was most rewarding?
What has your family or friends enjoyed doing together?
How did current events effect you (historical, social, political, economic, etc.)?

Establishing Your Values
What are some of your core values? How did they impact your life decisions?
What have been some of your biggest lessons learned?
What are you most proud of?
What are you grateful for?
What warning would you give to younger generations?
What dreams to you have for your/your family’s future?
What is something you overcame?
What do you want to be remembered for?

Making Sense of Your Story

The above questions are great for prompting stories and sharing a heritage. If you allow the layers to peel back, you can also discover the values that drove your own character development. Do this and you’ll start to recognize how your story developed through the impact of influencers, the conflict of life, and by living according to your values. Perhaps struggling with bullies as a child led to a strong value of justice that showed up time and again in later life. One may see how their grandfather’s work-ethic led to their own. Maybe the pursuit of financial security required giving up a sense of freedom, but led to great achievement. These values and the lessons you learned are integral to your legacy and how it affects others.

In striving to know yourself, you will be better able to communicate the things you value to people around you. Through the lens of story, you can discover the arc of conflict and success, making even quiet lives reveal their shine. By determining your values, you establish a truly impactful personal legacy.

Many lists of great interview questions exist online (also good for triggering your own thoughts!) Here is one: https://www.thoughtco.com/fifty-questions-for-family-history-interviews-1420705

For a great list of personal values and guide to defining your own, visit: https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-are-personal-values–cms-31561

How to Recognize Your Story

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 23:52:00 GMT

How do You Discover the Value of Your Story When You Don’t Think You Have a One?

How will they remember me? This is a question we all face at some point. Whether we envision lingering acknowledgment of talents or failures, anecdotal stories or life values, that question arises at some point – even to people who don’t feel like they have much of a story.

If you do not recognize your personal story, this question can quickly be disregarded as pointless, vain, or simply out of your control. Perhaps you think you don’t have a story to tell, it’s nobody’s business, or dwelling on it is not worthwhile. Others strive to ensure their memories will last through wills, endowments, personal influence, or through their work. They too risk missing out on passing along the values that built their success and can influence following generations.

The Structure of a Story

First of all, let’s establish that your personal story is valuable, intrinsically, because it is yours and your life has meaning and purpose. To recognize the journey, it’s struggles as well as successes, makes the end result richer.

Unfortunately, many of us spend most of our life not paying attention to our own grand story. Good stories include certain key elements: a hero, goals, and conflict to reach those goals. You are the hero of your personal story. Your character and values are forged through conflict in life. Conflict can range from small things like learning your preferences, or big challenges like difficult relationships or drastic events. Similarly, goals can range from seemingly insignificant to ones that represent a life well-lived to you.

Viewing your life from the heights of a narrative can transform dreary struggles of life into epic tales. A young adult unsure of his career becomes a story of self-discovery. The mother can take courage when looking back to the previous struggles in life’s chapters and take hope when looking forward to the dreams for her children. Each season of life which passes carries its own set of conflicts and feats. If we pay attention, we can enjoy the hard-won riches of character development and recognize the achievement of our goals.

Another element of a good “hero’s journey” story is the guide – an older, wiser person who can give the hero the help they need to succeed. Look back on your life, and you’ll see influencers like parents, teachers, or inspirational speakers and writers acting as guides. As one continues through life, opportunities increase to play the part of a wise guide to others. Suddenly your story isn’t just about you. The wisdom and life experiences of guides is vital to the success of those younger, less equipped, and less experienced. When you recognize your own story and values, you are able to use them to help others.

Each person makes choices according to the values they hold dear. Recognizing yours will help you not only live your life with clarity and self-awareness, but also clearly share them with others. In Part 2 , we will discuss how to discover your values.

2020 – A Year in Review

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:54:00 GMT

2020 was a difficult year for many businesses and industries, and certainly unusual for most! As we look back at what was accomplished last year, we are amazed at how long-ago last January seems and thankful for the opportunities this year provided.

Getting Work Done

When our nation and the world shut down and video production slowed, we discovered the time to update our website. We’d made only one big update in the last

New look & updated branding for the website.

last five years, so it was time! Not only was it good to refine our pages and services, but we also revamped our branding to reflect a clearer picture of how our services assist clients.

2020 also marked the conclusion of the long production journey for the documentary, Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy that Bryan had begun over 20 years ago with his friend Mike Moehring of New Destiny Films. The video was picked up by Exploration Films and is available through their website and on Amazon Prime . Originally several premieres were planned across the United States and perhaps even Europe. The Mid-Atlantic – Eurasia Business Council planned several anniversary events to honor Carl Lutz. During the events a sneak peak of the documentary would be shown and the directors/producers would speak. Most of these events were cancelled or moved to Zoom, though a small premiere was held in Kentucky. In all, we’re glad to have it finished and available for the public to see!

Dangerous Diplomacy premiere in Kentucky.

Working with Clients

Some of our clients tightened their belts and slowed down their video marketing. Others discovered their sudden need to transition live programs to digital delivery. Bryan’s previous employer, Rachel’s Challenge, was one of those companies. Due to the advent of schools shutting down, they had to quickly turn the idea of making their live trainings for students also available in digital format into reality. Meanwhile, our friends at Financial Health Institute jumped on the opportunity to increase their use of video for digital services.

Partnering with Brandt Ronat to interview Joe Killian, CEO of Hospice of St. Francis.

For projects that require only editing, work has continued relatively normal. Bryan’s trips out to Colorado to film clients have scaled back this year, but those jobs have been supplemented by a slow increase of opportunities down in Florida. Bryan joined the Titusville Chamber of Commerce and has begun to build business connections and friendships. He has enjoyed working with Brandt Ronat and Co to help produce videos for their clients. His drone and licensure to fly have been useful to showcase the amenities of scenic hotels like Beachside and the Crowne Plaza through visual tour promos.

Bryan films at Beachside Hotel.

In Conclusion

2020 was a year full of contrasts. It contained periods of quiet to focus on backseat projects and periods of high intensity to get final products out. In a year of much unknown, we have seen our needs provided for. Though there has been physical separation, we have also enjoyed forming new relationships and reconnecting with old friends. Video has given us the ability to connect with others, even as we use it to help our clients connect with theirs. We look forward to being a part of telling more of your stories in 2021.

Drone shot of an airboat for the Titusville Chamber of Commerce.

Tutorials: Videos that Teach

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 22:01:00 GMT

Tutorials, as well as How-To and FAQ videos, answer questions. They educate, explain, and inspire. Ranging in length from about 2-10 minutes, they are easy for viewers to gain instructions in one sitting. Short instructional videos can be a creative tool for any professional or business. We’ll talk about how you can come up with your own ideas below.

Benefits of Teaching through Video

Using video to educate your clients has several benefits. First of all, video can be available 24/7. Most businesses have set work hours and appointment schedules to keep. A person has limited time and physical reach. However, through video your expertise is ready to meet curious viewers any time or place they want answers.

How-To Video on Seasonal Maintenance.

Video is also conducive to learning because of its format. Reading an explanation can be helpful, but actually seeing it improves learning for many. Watching a professional make household repairs while he explains each step seems more understandable to many DIYers. In fact, 65% of people use YouTube to help them fix something or solve a problem. ( Google )

A teaching video doesn’t have to give out without the possibility of a return on investment. Many potential customers use videos to help them make purchasing decisions. How does this product work? What do other clients think? Will this actually do what I need it to? Rather than spend time, energy, and hard-earned cash pursuing those answers, nearly 50% of internet users look for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store. ( Hubspot ) By having videos available, customers feel confident in the results of their purchase.

FAQ for Insurance Policy Holders

Creating Tutorials

Before you start making your own video tutorial, you’ll need to know what to teach! Consider your clients’ needs. What simple fix would make their lives easier? Is there a common set of questions you continually address? Are they missing out on the fullness of what your products or services provide? A car mechanic can show viewers how to choose the right kind of brake pads or how to install them. Or he could show them how to recognize when they are wearing out. There may be obvious needs

Cooking Tutorial Video on Making Crab Cakes

that clients are aware of, but also some that are unrealized until you point them out.

Once you have the content, you can work on the video practicalities. A how-to video on watercolor painting would require close-ups of products and technique. That instructor may choose to film with a good camera and record voiceover. Meanwhile, a real estate agent may want to create a Frequently Asked Questions segment to let her clients know what to expect during the process. If we at Visual Legacy Productions were filming for her, we might use an interview where she lists out the steps and add text graphics or b-roll illustrations.

The most important practical parts of making these videos is to ensure quality. Viewers need to see the details and hear your instructions clearly. You may have the greatest tips on the market, but if you are not able to share this valuable information in an understandable way, it will be lost. Getting started can feel intimidating, but connecting with clients by providing tutorials builds trust and loyalty. We believe that is a worthwhile endeavor!

If you need help, contact us! Our mission is to make you seen, heard, and understood.

To see examples of How-to and FAQ videos, visit our website or Youtube .

“Why Did it Take You so Long?” – The Unexpected Benefits

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 18:33:00 GMT

Pt. 4 from Behind the Scenes Stories from making Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy

This spring, Visual Legacy Productions and New Destiny Films finally celebrated the release of the documentary we’d worked on for about two decades— Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy . It tells the inspiring story of how one courageous man used his position to save tens of thousands of Jewish lives in the face of Nazi extermination during WWII. You may wonder why the journey to finally make this story available for the world to see took so long. In this segment of our blog series, we’ll share five reasons why the impact of time passing ended up being for good. Indeed, while the delay seemed like a loss at first, it ended up having some unexpected benefits.

In a meeting with co-producers/directors Mike Moehring, Bryan Boorujy and writer Chris Easterly, they recalled some of their early hopes, struggles and joys of making Carl Lutz’s story come to life. When they began to pursue making this film, they were joined by a handful of other highly-interested and invested individuals.

Agnes and Erik Hirschi circa 2001

Chris: We’re fortunate to have a good relationship with Agnes Hirschi, Carl Lutz’ step-daughter. She’s been a real support and ally for the project.

Agnes has been an integral part of accurately portraying not just the diplomatic side of Carl Lutz, but the human side. Since the team first began working with her to now, she has continued to represent her step-father as the world slowly recognizes the great impact he made.

Mike: One of her questions was “why did it take you so long?” And you know, in some ways maybe it wasn’t supposed to be ready until today. Maybe there are just other reasons, other things that are involved.

Advancing Technology

One of those reasons delay was a benefit is the advancement of technology. Cameras got better. Editing and animating software improved. Historical societies have transferred photos and documents to digital archives, making accessing their information easier than ever before. Filming with a drone was a far-fetched dream until recently, but now these advancements made a marked improvement to the quality of telling Carl Lutz’ story.

Production team in Budapest by Carl Lutz memorial.

Filming re-enactment in Denver, 2017

Reenactments

Another change that time brought was the way documentaries are made for modern audiences and the use of reenactments.

Mike: I think the reenactments add so much more to the story. And I think in some ways too, it’s almost what’s expected… You have documentaries out there now that are just all reenactments. And so, I think in some ways the studio—the networks and such… they expect to have a

certain amount of current shooting and editing styles. Had we done this and finished this 20 years ago, it still would have been a great story. But I think it’s much better now.

Visas For Life exhibit at UN in New York

Distribution

Distribution was another element that underwent considerable change. At the beginning, Chris wished he could turn the story into a narrative feature. Mike and Bryan pursued creating a series of six mini documentaries, each focusing on different hidden heroes of the Holocaust. When finishing one proved harder than they’d thought, they changed the idea to “Hidden Heroes of History” and pitched their ideas to different companies and public broadcast stations.

Bryan: I went to a big convention and we showed our 10-minute trailer and … 80% of the respondents were favorable to showing our show. Some of them wanted just a one-off, but some of them wanted the whole series.

In the end though, none of those partnerships worked out. Mike and Bryan realized they would need to focus all their energy on this particular story, the heroic deeds of Carl Lutz, if they wished to see it completed. This focused, simple vision freed them up from needing to secure funding and bring in more storylines. If they could just sell this one story, future installments could be considered.

In the time that passed, a new distribution option became available—streaming over the internet.

Chris: 20 years ago we talked about “maybe it’d be great if we could get it on the History Channel or we could get it on a PBS station,” but then maybe a few thousand people would have seen it and then it goes away. But now, potentially millions of people can see it.

Re-enactment scene with Carl’s “assistants”

Personal Growth

This category includes a variety of benefits. Families grew up and created opportunities for children and wives to participate not just in encouragement, but production and acting. Each of the men matured in not only in years, but also in their craft.

Chris: You know you grow as a writer, and a filmmaker…. The cool thing to me is that [as I]… went back into the script just to look

at it and make tweaks, I was just struck by how powerful the story is and that it just holds up. …In terms of the story it didn’t matter if you released it 20 years ago, or now, or ten years from now. It’s kind of an evergreen, powerful story.

Mike Moehring filming Carl Lutz memorial in Budapest

Readiness of the World

The final benefit of releasing in 2020 is that the world seems yet again willing to hear the story of Carl Lutz’ moral courage to stand up for what he knew was right in direct odds with his own government in the middle of Nazi-occupied Budapest. Enough time has passed that viewers are returning to narratives about WWII. Recognition of Carl Lutz has increased across the globe, exposing more people to a man whose actions inspire us to stand for what is right in our own generation. Indeed, it is a story we need to hear.

Bryan: Well, even Agnes told us, “You know what, people weren’t ready to hear it back then. But they are definitely ready to hear it now.”

So it seems that the series of events that delayed and threatened to inhibit the story from being told, produced unexpected benefits in the end by allowing for time and technology to give the story rebirth with a greater potential. It is our hope, that

this documentary will honor the courage of Carl Lutz and the lives of the tens of thousands of people saved through his intervention. But just as important, if not more so, we hope that his story will inspire others to do what they can, wherever they are, to ensure hope for today’s world.

Quotes from a production team Zoom meeting with Producers/Directors Bryan Boorujy and Michael Moehring, writer Chris Easterly, and Erika Prather.

How to Finish a Documentary

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 21:19:00 GMT

Pt. 3 from Behind the Scenes Stories from making Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy

Over 15 years had passed from when Mike Moehring and Bryan Boorujy began to create a film telling about the life and accomplishments of Carl Lutz, Swiss diplomat and rescuer of tens of thousands of Jews. They had yet to finish making the documentary after years of delays and set-backs. In 2015, the duo decided to push forward and complete the story without additional funding.

Interviews had been conducted years before and the script slowly refined over time. During research, they discovered several sources for archival video footage and personal and professional photographs. While personal sources freely offered what they had about Lutz’ story to aid the documentary, government and historical sources usually charged a fee. Bryan and Mike kept tally, hoping any profits off the final product would recoup their expenses. In the end, they determined not to allow the price-tag to hinder them from making the film with excellence.

Reenacting the Obuda Brickyard Scene

Creating Reenactments

There were many areas of the story for which they could not find footage or photos to illustrate. Creating reenactments to fill this void would be another big hurdle. In a recent interview with the production team, Bryan recalled how it felt when they marked out the list of needed scenes.

Bryan: It was like, “Oh my gosh, how are we going to do all these?” but one by one we got them done and we had some pretty awesome locations and helpful people.

Mike: Yeah, we really did. We had great locations. We had great people that we worked with. I think the reenactments add so much more to the story.

Mike filmed the first reenactment, young Lutz at the train station, at the Durham Museum in Omaha. In Colorado, a construction materials business allowed the team to film a group of volunteer actors and historical reenactors, and to even bring in a WWII motorcycle for the Obuda brickyard scene. The Grant-Humphreys Mansion in Denver gave the team access to film the variety of indoor scenes in exchange for a visual tour . Through the generosity of these businesses, reenactors, and friends, the world of Carl Lutz came to life.

Mike and Bryan discuss the scene with the actors playing Lutz and a Nazi officer.

In the early days of making the documentary, there had been several interested distributors though none had been able to commit at the time. Now that the finished product was in hand, the team was surprised to find themselves come full circle. The very first footage to be shot had been edited in borrowed space at a buddy’s studio. That same man now owned Exploration Films, the company who is finally distributing Dangerous Diplomacy.

As younger men, Mike and Bryan had heard tales of video makers taking decades to complete projects. The narratives seemed preposterous at the time, but 20 years later those stories make sense. They had encountered eager helpers and rejection, personal setbacks and distractions, but now they could move on with the satisfaction of a realized dream. And in the end, finishing it in 2020 has its advantages.

Continue the story in Part 4: “Why Did it Take You so Long?” – The Unexpected Benefits

The Finishing Touches

Now that the visual content was gathered, a large chunk of time was necessary to piece it all together. Many creatives prefer to jump into a project all the way instead of dedicating a couple hours here and there. As an editor, Bryan had that same need for full commitment to a project, and so he was able to complete the editing while between paid projects.

Bryan’s daughter, Erika, helped make the 3D photos and maps. Bryan scoured music libraries to create the perfect score. A friend of Mike’s recorded the narration. Finally, the documentary was ready for Mike to contact the list of possible distributors.

Starting a Documentary

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:07:00 GMT

Pt. 2 from Behind the Scenes Stories from making Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy

It feels good to finish a project, doesn’t it? Especially one you’ve worked on for a long time. This spring, we at New Destiny Films and Visual Legacy Productions celebrated the release of the documentary we’d worked on for about two decades— Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy. You can watch the trailer here to discover how this courageous man used his position to save tens of thousands of Jewish lives in the face of Nazi extermination during WWII.

Mike and Bryan would soon discover that while many were eager to help share the story of Carl Lutz, there would ensue a long line of set-backs.

Mike and Bryan with Agnes Hirschi and Theo Tschuy.

A Promising Start

 Bryan: We just kind of jumped in. Once we met with Theo Tschuy, the guy who was the main biographer, and [w]hen we met Agnes Hirschi, Carl Lutz’ step-daughter, they were all excited about us telling the story…. We used every source we could find. And a lot of it came through the interviews that we shot.

The team would make two trips to Europe during the process. The first trip was in the winter of 1999. Joining Mike and Bryan was Ben Nachman, a Survivors of the Shoah interviewer who Mike had worked extensively with in America. The trio lugged bulky video equipment across snowy Switzerland to meet with several interviewees including: Agnes Hirschi, Enrico Mandel-Mantello, and Theo Tschuy. From these interviews, they garnered a large part of research and key interviews.

Ben, Theo, Agnes, and Mike look through a photograph album.

Eighteen months passed before they made a second trip in 2000. This time it was summer and writer Chris Easterly travelled with Mike and Bryan. In Switzerland, they filmed the grassy slopes and quaint villages of Lutz’ home and in the capital, Bern, they were able to interview Harald Feller, one of Lutz’ contemporary diplomats. They also travelled to Budapest, where they filmed testimonies of several people who were saved by Lutz.

In 2002, the team finished their primary interviews with Holocaust expert Randolph Braham and former US diplomat Jock Shirley, who actually spent time with Carl Lutz in Budapest during the war.

Bryan: We’ve met a lot of interesting people along the way and that’s one of my favorite things about this whole project. On all the trips we’ve met some amazing people.

Bryan stands with the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary at the Swiss Embassy in Budapest.

Delays and Disappointments

While people learning about the project seemed excited and willing to help, obstacles to the project quickly became apparent.

Bryan: Part of the problem was we had high hopes of getting a famous person to do the narration, which takes money. We had high hopes of an original score being written for the soundtrack. Plus, a lot of the stock footage we needed cost money. So, it [was] like, “well, we really can’t finish it without money.”

Bryan: Mike, how many times did we hear, “Man, this is a great project. You should have no problem getting funding!”

Mike: Oh yeah! You know, we had a lot of people–a lot of what we thought were green lights for funding. Seemed like a lot of people were very interested. But that vanished the closer we got to the individual, or corporation, or company signing the actual check. So that was disheartening.

Two different co-production agreements were made in hopes that it would provide the necessary funding, but in the end that never materialized.

Mike: There’s only a certain amount you can do with the limited amount of resources and …we wanted this to be done in the right way. And in a good way! It just took time to do all of that. A very long time.

Funding was just the beginning. Time was another issue. Both producers were busy working “real” jobs in order to provide for their families, so the thought of working a second job to complete the documentary was daunting.

Visas for Life exhibit honoring diplomats who rescued Jews.

The journey toward completing the documentary kept getting side-tracked. “How are we going to get this done?” they wondered. In between working day-jobs, raising families, personal trials, and funding that never seemed to pull through, these filmmakers were in danger of losing their dream and the legacy of Carl Lutz was at risk of being lost to time. Yet, while completion didn’t occur when they’d originally hoped, it would come. In 2015 they reached the decision to finish the documentary whether another penny came in or not.

(Continue to Part 3 ” How to Finish a Documentary ” to learn the rest of our story.)

Quotes from a production team Zoom meeting with Producers/Directors Bryan Boorujy and Michael Moehring, writer Chris Easterly, and Erika Prather.

“Dangerous Diplomacy: The Story of Carl Lutz, Rescuer of 62,000 Hungarian Jews” by Theo Tschuy.

Discovering a Hidden Hero

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:26:00 GMT

Pt. 1 of Behind the Scenes Stories from making Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy

By Erika Prather

This spring, New Destiny Films and Visual Legacy Productions celebrated the release of the documentary Carl Lutz: Dangerous Diplomacy with our partners and the many people who supported it’s making over the last two decades. It’s an inspiring story of how one courageous man used his position to save tens of thousands of Jewish lives in the face of Nazi extermination during WWII. However, this hero has remained hidden from history. Most people have never even heard his name.

I was a little kid in the 1990s when my father, Bryan Boorujy, and his friend Mike Moehring began working on the documentary. While production ebbed and flowed over the following years ( see Pt. 2, “Starting a Documentary” ), I became quite familiar

with the gist of Lutz’ story. Then as an adult, working with Visual Legacy Productions, I joined the team effort in finishing up reenactments, editing, and graphics. All this time spent with the documentary and yet when we gathered together on a video call to discuss the Behind the Scenes stories, I realized I didn’t know how our connection to Lutz’ story had begun.

Therefore, I started by asking, “How did you first hear about Lutz’ story? And what actually inspired you to write and make this documentary?”

Mike: Working with the Survivors of the Shoah Foundation years ago, which was a Steven Spielberg event to document as many holocaust survivors as possible, I did over 60 of them here in the Midwest/Omaha area. I actually started hearing stories of other diplomats first that were doing things that were protecting, saving, hiding Jews from going off to Auschwitz and other places.

Over in Colorado, Bryan also filmed Shoah interviews. The two friends shared with each other the stories they were hearing. Among the diplomats they learned about were Chiune Sugihara from Japan and Sousa Mendes from Portugal, who also saved thousands by issuing visas.

Bryan: We loved the idea of people who used their positions to do something good and something heroic. So to hear these kind of stories was amazing.

Bryan Boorujy and Mike Moehring stand with Shoah interviewer Ben Nachman, by a lake in Switzerland.

Mike: We kept sharing ideas and sharing stories, and I came across an individual that had been protected by Carl Lutz. From there I noticed there were stories being done of these other diplomats already… but nobody was doing Carl Lutz. And finding out that nobody else was really doing anything on it, I thought, “This story is really very good. [A] very, very compelling story and it needs to be told.” Fortunately, Bryan agreed with me and we jumped on it!

Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz had just as great if not a greater impact and yet no one was doing anything about his story. Mike and Bryan eagerly began the process of building connections and finding sources.

From a Writer’s Perspective

In those early days, the screenwriter they’d been using got a new day job and could no longer help with the documentary. That’s when a mutual friend introduced them to a young writer, Chris. He was an assistant to the writing team for the TV show Touched by an Angel and had written a feature screenplay about a World War II pilot. While that story went nowhere, it opened the door to this new opportunity.

Bryan: So why did you do it, Chris, other than you needed the money?

Chris: Um, I needed the money…[laughs] no! When you sent it to me—I just love storytelling whether it’s a film, tv, books, blogs, you know. And so, when you come across a great story, it’s like a gift. You just sent me the material, I think it was Theo’s book1, and I read it. It just kind of blew me away. This has all the

Mike Moehring and Chris Easterly stand with Lutz biographer Theo Tschuy in Bern, Switzerland.

elements of a great documentary. It’s got heroes and villains, sacrifice, and it was true.

I was in my 20s then and so I knew about the holocaust but, beyond through textbooks in high school and that kind of thing, I had seen Schindler’s List. That was kind of the extent of it! So reading Theo’s book and the material you all presented me was kind of my entry into learning about the holocaust; how horrible it was, but also it was a cool way to learn about it because it was through the lens of Carl Lutz, this guy who did these amazing things. So, there were terrible things happening, but you realize too that the best of humanity would come out.

Discovering the hidden hero of Carl Lutz resonated in these storytellers in a way that would fuel their drive to finish this documentary in spite of many setbacks and delays. Lutz’ story needed to be told; not only because he deserved honor and recognition, not only because thousands of people who are alive today can trace their heritage to someone he saved, but because Lutz’ story reminds us that each person has the ability to use what they have to do what is right and impact history.

Quotes from a production team Zoom meeting with Producers/Directors Bryan Boorujy and Michael Moehring, writer Chris Easterly, and Erika Prather.

“Dangerous Diplomacy: The Story of Carl Lutz, Rescuer of 62,000 Hungarian Jews” by Theo Tschuy.

3 Keys to Protect Your Family Legacy

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 18:04:00 GMT

Looming sickness and quarantine prompts many of us to fear for vulnerable loved ones or wonder what they are supposed to do while stuck at home. Are there ways to combine entertainment with productive activities? In the midst of social distancing, can we connect with our older and susceptible loved ones? How can we protect our families not just from illness, but from losing touch with the fore-bearers of our heritage we too often take for granted? I’d submit that there are ways of doing so and will outline some ideas below.

What You Should Have Been Doing All Along

There is nothing like the onset of a pandemic virus to give us the wake-up call that there is more we should be doing. That call comes whether you’re doing pretty well at recording your personal/family history, or have thus far avoided the pile of old photos and that “tell me about our family” conversation with your aging relatives. If we wait too long to protect those memories and have those meaningful conversations, we run the risk of losing them forever.

Let me give you our family’s example. Years ago, we videotaped interviews with the patriarchs/matriarchs from both sides of the family to capture their memories of the family heritage and elements of their own story. Our printed photographs are arranged in albums for events and different childhoods or boxed according to years. Other relatives put together binders of genealogy information. We’d done pretty well caring for our family’s unique story, but recent events triggered the question, “Is there anything else we should be doing?”

Archive of Family Photos, Written Genealogy Info, and Video Interviews

Then the other night, I suddenly remembered a box of slides hidden away in storage. I know they are of my grandparents and their family when the kids were mostly still at home, but I have never seen them. What a perfect time to not only go through them, but make them available to my elderly grandparents and the rest of the relatives who would love to re-live the memories. For us younger ones, it is a chance to see something of our parents’ lives that we’ve never known before. The slides present an opportunity to bless those loved-ones that we value, but don’t and can’t always take the time to honor with our attention.

What can you do? Think about areas that you’ve been waiting to tackle or simply forgotten about. Here are some to consider:

Have a Plan of Action

Organize your collection into categories
Determine which ones you will put your efforts toward
Avoid being overwhelmed by starting with broad categories instead of individual items
Decide how deeply you want to go, ie. organize in rough topics or labeling each item

Spring Cleaning the Archives

Organize &/or Clean Out

Photos: slides, prints, digital, etc.
Home videos or other recordings
Keepsakes
Papers: letters, cards, documents, files, etc.

Take Preventative Measures

Transfer home videos to viewable format (VHS to DVD or digital format)
Scan documents, photos, or other items you wish to keep or share
Write down timelines, genealogies, special memories, etc.
Record an interview with aged family members (video chat if under quarantine)

Protect Your Familial Connection

We often don’t realize our blessings until they are threatened. While we all gain a better appreciation for the value of good heath, toilet paper, enjoying entertainment with crowds of like-minded enthusiasts, or travelling across the globe, let us not forget the people part of our own story. Whether you do any of these things to show interest and appreciation in an elder’s story, to preserve your own memories, or to curate a family narrative for future generations, the effort you make will reap a reward of satisfaction, peace of mind, and personal connection.

Take advantage of this enforced time apart to take care of these activities that we so often push aside to “someday.” Now is the time!

Follow steps to record your own video within our blog: https://tellmystory.us/2019/11/25/the-gift-of-a-family-legacy/

For interview question ideas: https://www.familytreemagazine.com/premium/20-questions/

2019 in Review

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 21:41:00 GMT

Days morph into weeks, weeks into months, and soon we’re looking at 2019 in the rearview mirror. Before we slip through January 2020, let’s take a moment to review and appreciate the opportunities, growth, and client/friendships of last year.

Fruit from the Quiet Time

With the move to Florida in 2018, VLP had the opportunity to have quieter seasons in 2019. We were able to spend a good amount of time on projects that had great purpose, but were typically pushed to the back burner because paying clients get first priority. Foremost of projects in this category was the documentary

about Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat who saved tens of thousands of lives during the Holocaust. After nearly two decades since the dream began of telling this story, it is done! We’ll share more information once it is available on the marketplace and able to be viewed by the public.

Stability of Good Connections

Approximately every six weeks Bryan travelled back to Denver for a very busy week filming projects for some of our Colorado-based clients. Getting to work with these long-time connections and great clients was a blessing. Projects included Brand Essence videos and promotional content for small businesses, training material, event videos and featured stories, as well as visual renderings for poetry and vlogs. We love getting to be a part of telling our clients’ unique stories!

Reestablished in Florida

As the Lutz documentary wrapped up, Bryan started networking more with the local business community. A couple projects in the area have included a visual tour for the International Palms Resort in Cocoa Beach and helping film content for the MVP Sportsplex in Orlando. Bryan has also been able to start acquiring beautiful aerials of the Florida coastline with his drone. While we sometimes miss those Colorado sunsets, there’s something magical about views like this for a morning walk!

Visual Tour for International Palms Resort, Cocoa Beach, FL

Race Promo for MVP/RDV Sportsplex, Orlando, FL

Drone Photo of Sunrise in Titusville, FL

We’re excited to see what new connections and opportunities will surface in Florida, and yet so grateful that we’re able to continue working with our friends in Colorado. Wrapping up projects always leaves us with a satisfied feeling. The anticipation of new projects, new ideas and challenges, and the stories ahead brings excitement. As 2020 continues, we hope our paths connect with yours and that we’re able to partner with you to better tell your business or personal stories.

If you would like to see video examples or get more info on any of the projects mentioned above, you can check out our website, website tellmystory.us , YouTube , Facebook, or ask us to send you a specific link.

Testimonial for Brand Essence Video

Animated Images & Graphics for Visual Poem

Interview for Company Culture Video

The Gift of a Family Legacy

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 22:36:00 GMT

Family holiday gatherings are looming. You want this year to be meaningful, or maybe you’re looking for a special gift, or perhaps simply trying to think of a clever way to keep everyone engaged and entertained. Creating a family legacy could be your answer!

Legacy stories are records of your family; your heritage, favorite memories, struggles and successes, family values or more. Doing the storytelling can be cathartic and bring old memories to life again. Once recorded, the history, traditions, and values are safely passed on to younger generations.

Why a Family Legacy is Perfect this Holiday Gathering

First, recording your family legacy is a meaningful and entertaining past-time. Whether your family usually sits around regaling the old days or not, storytelling with purpose in mind creates the opportunity. The structure of interviews can provide guidance where needed. Recording one-on-one or as couples provides individual attention and the opportunity to go where the interviewee feels is important. Yet, recording small groups of relatives can also be entertaining as memories are jogged, and comments and stories bounce around.

When it comes to gift giving, the finished product is a personal video that every family member can hold onto. While one or a few may pay for filming/editing services or by doing it themselves, ultimately, everyone who participates gives into the story, and everyone receives. A family legacy can be valuable to all since each person is a part of the grand story in some way!

Does a Family legacy have to include everyone? Absolutely not. Another great way to tell a family story is to gather it from the perspective of the patriarch/matriarch of the family. Or perhaps surprise them by having the children and grandchildren share their memories and what they learned. There are many ways to tell your family story, preserving it for the future and honoring the past.

Three Ways to Do It!

Actually creating a family legacy can be as simple or encompassing as you want. For illustration purposes, I will reference some of our products. Let’s start small.

DIY Video

Have a game plan. Use a good quality video-camera or cell phone. Place the camera on a tripod or stationary surface about head level of the people talking. Use a microphone, or if using the built-in camera mic is necessary, make sure the area is quiet and the interviewee speaks loud enough. Next, Find a well-lit room that is set apart from the commotion of the rest of the party. Some things to look for in an interview spot: seating for both the interviewer and the interviewee(s), an attractive background, and make sure the people on camera are not back lit by bright lights or windows. If you want to edit the recorded video to remove pauses, mistakes, or down to a watchable length, free or cheap apps for phones or computers can handle minor edits. Burn the final video to a DVD, upload it to your private YouTube, or share the file any other way you like.

Legacy Interview

Most people want something simple, concise, and highlighting the most important aspects of their family story. When you hire a company like us to create the video, we take care of the heavy lifting which results in a professional quality video. Our film team comes to you and takes care of the lighting, sound, and questions so that family members can be as comfortable as possible. Interviews are more like conversations. Depending on the quality you want for your end result, editing, music, and titles make watching your story more enjoyable. Photos from your family archive are strongly recommended for they bring your history to life!

Legacy Interview examples: https://tellmystory.us/legacy-interviews/

Family Legacy with Tribute to Grandparents: https://vimeo.com/237134906/b45a850919

Personal Documentary

Some families have a story that cannot be told to its fullness with the straightforward process of a Legacy Interview. They may need or want elements like archival footage, a soundtrack, multiple interviews and locations or more. These components turn an interview into a documentary. When your story is that big, capturing it in a Personal Documentary is definitely worthwhile!

Personal Documentary examples: https://tellmystory.us/personal-documentaries/

Big or small, each family has a history and a future—a story worth telling. As you prepare for annual reunions, seeing extended relatives, or cozy gatherings, consider that value of your collective story. Appreciate the heritage that led to where you are today, strengthen the values that build for tomorrow, and connect with the people who, through blood or heart, live your family legacy with you.

5 Steps (& Warnings) to Make Your Slideshow Top Notch

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 17:50:00 GMT

With all the easy-to-use slideshow programs out there, many people are able to create photo and video montages who weren’t able to before. You’d think that with these movie-making magic programs available to the average Joe, anything you create will look like a big budget film. However, there is still a huge difference between a montage that looks like it was made by an amateur versus a professional. How can you make sure your presentation gives the quality impression that you want? If you’re willing to put in the effort instead of having a professional create your next slideshow-style presentation, you’ll want to pay heed to these five steps.

Audience Awareness ( Length and Content )

Before you put together any type of video or presentation, you’ll want to determine who you are telling your story to. This will affect what type of content you use and the overall length of the montage. Family and friends are willing to watch longer and lesser-dynamic content. Grandpa and Grandma may love to watch your baby’s every little development, but your Facebook friends would appreciate only a highlight reel of their first year. Your office party may enjoy the collage that includes a photo of a manager asleep at his desk, but you want the video you share with your clients to show you on your A-game.

Image Quality ( and Sound )

One of the biggest differences between a montage that looks professional instead of amateur is the quality of the images and sound. Thankfully, most cameras on phones today record with excellent quality. Yet the operator still needs to be careful about lighting, framing, and focus. Use the best equipment possible and shoot with thoughtfulness. Pay attention to distracting details in the background and extra noise on videos. Make sure to use large image sizes so that the show isn’t ruined by pixelated photographs once the montage is shown on large screens.

Easy on the Eyes ( Timing and Camera Movement )

If you have a ton of great images and limited time to show them, what do you do? Speed up the video? No. The best way to trim time is to cut out the images that aren’t as strong in telling your story. Use only the best and clearest in communicating your point. Sometimes speeding up a segment does add to the story, but use fast motion thoughtfully. Jumping to the next picture on beat with the music can add to the strength of the presentation, but sometimes an image is too powerful to cut away from so soon. Also, be careful with camera movement. Instead of feeling edgy and like the viewer is right there, it can often be dizzying and leave you wishing you could readjust poor camera framing to let you actually see what’s happening.

Accessorize ( Transitions and Graphics )

All too often someone shows a slide show of the great work their ministry, non-profit, or outreach is doing, but one can hardly watch to join in celebrating the good news—all because someone thought fancy motion would look cool and be exciting. Just like camera movement can give you a headache, so can crazy transitions. Too many busy transitions too quickly can distract the viewer from actually seeing the important content. Graphics and titles should be there to enhance the story. If the photos or videos are busy and cut quickly, keep the captions simple so that the viewer can both see the images and read the information.

The Sound of Music ( and Audio )

Finally, make sure your sound enhances the images and message. If it’s just a photo montage, you can leave the music at a comfortable volume the whole time, but if a video includes important sound and dialogue, make sure to lower the background music to sufficient levels. Choose a music style that your intended audience won’t be irritated by or matches your brand essence. Remember to include artist attribution if using music that requires it. The right songs can turn a slideshow into an emotional experience, driving your message home.

As you go through putting your next slideshow together, make sure to go through each of the five steps. Check to make sure all the images tell your best story and that the length doesn’t wear out your viewers. Use the best possible images, that communicate quality and the beauty of your story. When zooming and cutting to different clips, make sure the viewer is encouraged to actually see what they are supposed to. Add transitions and captions that enrich the story and pace well. Finally, make sure any audio is audible and the music enhances the emotion you are trying to evoke. With these thoughtful steps taken, your presentation won’t look like a novice attempt, but will be able to communicate clearly.

Need ideas, direction, or a professional to take over your slideshow story? Check out our Photo/Video Montage segment or contact us with your questions.

Visual Tour: Your Business’ Best Foot Forward

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 15:48:00 GMT

Competition can be fierce. Finding ways to set yourself apart, or keep from being out-shined, are key to turning potential customers into committed patrons. Utilizing a Visual Tour could be one of the ways your business steps out of the shadows with your best foot forward.

How Would Your Business Benefit?

Brochures, ads, images, reviews and social media are just a few ways businesses try to get out the word of who they are. With so many options out there for your customers to choose from, many businesses rely on their internet presence to do the convincing for them. You want to make things as clear, inviting, and easy for them as possible.

The “less is more” strategy can be used well in marketing, but by the same token, not enough information can cost you a potential customer. Many of us have found ourselves looking up some product or company online only to be disappointed by the lack of information on their website. Rather than put ourselves through the trouble of making contact and waiting for an answer, we clicked away to another, more amiable, source.

Grant-Humphries Mansion, Denver, CO – Visual Tour

Visual Tours help answer questions and make informed decisions easier to reach. Through video, viewers get to see an active representation of what you have to offer. The event planner can peruse the grounds without having to make the physical trip. The vacationers can get a feel for your vibe and not worry about having to cancel upon arrival. Future participants see and hear first-hand the benefits, while other clients start to build trust in your capability to take care of them without having met in person. Essentially, Visual Tours bring your business to life!

Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County – Visual Tour

At some point, a business wants potential customers to make the call, set up the appointment, or go through with a purchase. How much better to have them be interested and ready to commit?

What Makes a Visual Tour?

International Palms Resort, Cocoa Beach, FL – Visual Tour

A Visual Tour can be as unique as the business it represents! However, they do hold some commonalities. Blending virtual tours and pure promotional videos, these videos help potential customers get a better view of what you have to offer. Utilizing active cameras and aerials from drones, they can walk through the grounds. The live nature of video lets viewers see how you intend spaces and amenities to be used and encourages their imaginations to place themselves in the scenario. Music compliments the feel and ties the virtual experience together.

The cameras and editing are there to help you tell your business story. Your team and values support the daily mission, but can’t be felt unless experienced. Your video and the story it tells acts as that first introduction to what customers will experience in person. A Visual Tour is the icing on the cake, putting live images to the amenities, services, or products being offered.

You can see Visual Tour examples here .

Video Isn’t for You

Thu, 09 May 2019 16:43:00 GMT

When people hear about legacy videos, we too often hear things like, “That’s great, but I don’t like being in front of a camera” or “I wouldn’t know what to say.” Some people feel nervous or shy, others don’t think they have anything worthwhile to share. We get it. We too prefer being behind the camera than in front of it. But if you’ve thought that video just isn’t for you, you’re right. Your video – your story – isn’t for you.

A legacy video is about your story, but your fulfilment isn’t the main reason you record it. Your family, children, and future generations are the reason why you get in front of a camera and share your story. They are the ones who will wish they’d asked you more about where your ancestors came from. They are the ones who will wonder what you were like and why you valued what you did. They are the ones who will struggle to recall the memories you think will never fade. Your video isn’t for you, it’s for others.

Excuses to following through with recording your story might seem justifiable, but when they are considered from an “others first” mentality their strength fades. Let’s consider several common arguments people often use to avoid the discomfort of what they think they’ll feel.

“I don’t have a story.”

Some people have exciting histories and stories that sound like a movie. Other people lead quieter lives and can fall into the trap of thinking they have no story worth sharing at all. However, friends and family members would most likely disagree. Talking with people who know you can help clarify the key moments and values that make your story. The interviewer also helps guide the process

by asking questions to help reveal your unique and valuable story.

“I’m not good on camera.”

Similarly, many people feel they would be too uncomfortable or that they don’t have the gift of good storytelling. Even though these may be true, they don’t have to cut you off from telling your story. Interviews done in a relaxed, conversational style help you engage as you normally would with a friend. This is for your loved ones-there is no need to perform. If you happen to be someone who greatly struggles sharing your thoughts and feelings,

encouragement from friends and family who love and enjoy your story can really help!

“There’s no way I’d cover everything the way I’d want to.”

Sometimes the task or a person’s vision can seem so large and daunting that it keeps one from trying. For that I offer three statements of advice: Make it a priority, let go of perfectionism, and just get started. Take the steps to gather the information and photos you want to include, yet don’t feel as though you have to include everything. Your legacy video will give an essence of your story. If you have more that you want to record or pass on later, you can certainly do it. The point is to make sure there is something tangible for

your loved ones, and to be honest they’ll probably be happier with a 2 hour video than a 5 hour one!

“I don’t have the resources now. I can do that later.”

Finally, don’t deceive yourself into putting it off—it can easily become too late. If finances or time are tight, go with simplicity. Older people obviously run at a higher risk of passing away or losing their capability to recall the information they would want to pass on. Many also believe that legacy videos are only for old people who have lived a “full life.” Yet younger people have plenty of things to share. Values and vision can be shared for children to grow into, milestones can be celebrated, and dozens of other worthwhile ideas can be captured. If there is something you want to say, it is best to do it today!

It is easy to become focused on oneself and the obstacles to recording a family legacy, but widening one’s perspective to the viewers brings clarity. The right technology, support, and mindset, ease discomfort and enable everyday people to become excellent storytellers. But again, it’s not for you, it’s for ones around you.

Learn more about our different packages to tell your story on our Legacy Interviews page or contact us for more information.

Movies and the Men Behind Them

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 17:48:00 GMT

Storytelling is a powerful tool. The stories we tell affect how we believe and act. We see this when writers release books that captivate audiences, leaders cast vision to rally crowds for a common goal, and when educators teach lessons that reach our hearts in addition to our minds. Moviemakers are also some of the great storytellers of our time. Their work not only entertains but also adjusts our mindsets, dares us to dream, pushes our boundaries, and opens our minds and hearts. Good or bad, that’s how storytelling works. These four documentaries tell the stories of men in the movie-making (or television) business; their goals, struggles, and successes.

Five Came Back

When I saw this documentary on Netflix, I was curious because it’s about filmmakers and it’s a historical documentary—two things I find interesting. I was unaware of how truly excellent it would be. When current directors like Spielberg, Greengrass, and Coppola were introduced to the screen to walk the viewer through the journey of the film’s five directors, I had my first inkling this was going to be excellent.

Five Came Back tells the journey of five successful Hollywood directors who chose to leave business as usual and use their abilities as filmmakers to aid in the WWII war effort. Clips from the directors’ movies and their war

footage are plentiful. Rather than show a sequence of their actions and films, the modern filmmakers expose the inner journeys and how it impacted their lives. The five directors wrestled with how to use cinema in the war and resulted in reenactments, propaganda, training, and documenting in unanticipated ways. Through it all, these men worked their storytelling genius to capture both the beauty of humanity and the terrible gruesomeness of the war they saw around them.

I’d originally intended on watching the mini-series one episode at a time, but once started I wanted to know how their stories would unfold. There went the whole afternoon. Five Came Back is excellent for its ability to tell history in a deeper and honest way. These men weren’t perfect. Neither was the world around them. But just as they saw, one of the great reasons we record history is so that we can work to stop perpetuating the bad and focus instead on building a better future.

See more in the trailer for Five Came Back.

Walt: The Man Behind the Myth

Although most of us know of Walt Disney because of growing up with his movies, this film explores who he was. Narrated by Dick van Dyke, the storyline is brought to life with archived footage or photos and interviews with employees, family, and even Walt himself. Following Walt through his career, one sees his ingenuity, persistence, and high standards. He was a future-thinking man, pushing the boundaries of possibility. This in-depth look into Walt reveals just how much he impacted storytelling, animation, movie-making, and later, family entertainment through his parks.

One of my favorite quotes from Walt, is “We shouldn’t just be thinking of this as a cartoon. We have worlds to conquer here.” Cartoons were but a fraction of the ground he wanted

to conquer. The fear of failure didn’t stop him, but he also scrutinized plans and drafts to make them as best as they could be. He was an exacting boss, yet managed to inspire teams of artists, writers, and others to accomplish dreams no one else had attempted. He pushed the limits of technology with color, sound, animation, and even retelling stories with live action.

While Walt Disney obviously achieved success, he also faced his share of setbacks. Rejection, health, money problems, wars, betrayal, and fires threatened to destroy his vision. Time moved Walt from creative and ambitious to legacy-driven. His dedication speech at Disney Land concluded, “with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” He spoke of the park that day, but it’s true of his other work as well. This documentary shows us once again how creative visionaries with the tenacity to keep moving forward can impact so many facets of our lives.

See more in the trailer for Walt: The Man Behind the Myth

The Kid Stays in the Picture

There is a cool effect that some documentaries use to make old photos look 3-dimensional. It’s called The Kid Stays in the Picture effect because of its heavy use in its namesake film. I wondered what this documentary was about and discovered it didn’t tell the story of a child, but a man named Robert Evans. Created with the classic Hollywood feel, this autobiography follows the career and life of Evans from businessman, to actor, to producer and vice president of Paramount Pictures. Evans himself narrates the film and it’s almost entirely covered with vintage film, clips from his movies, and many photos which received the 3D treatment.

His storytelling mixed with animated visuals keeps the story engaging. Evans was full of drive, but also business acumen, an eye for art, and the down-and-dirty lifestyle by

which so many in Hollywood win and lose. One sees that he reached both the pinnacle of success and the dregs of despair. While you learn his personal story, it is interwoven with the growth of Paramount and the changes in movies over the decades covered. At a critical point at the end of the 1960’s, Evans explained his goal for Paramount by saying, “We at Paramount don’t look at ourselves as passive backers of film. We look at ourselves as a creative force unto our self. And that is why Paramount is going to be paramount to the industry in the 70’s.” They did just that with blockbuster films like Rosemary’s Baby , Love Story , and T he Godfather , which pushed the edges of what was typically considered a successful script.

Robert Evans had a powerful hand in producing films for the late 20th century and continues to create films today. Unlike some of the other moviemakers highlighted in this blog, Evans’ film is gritty and reveals the darker sides of his story. I was surprised to come across a documentary that was rated R, but it was for good reason. The F-word lightly peppered some of the dialogue and nudity was shown during a movie clip and photo. The adult content limits the viewership of The Kid Stays in the Picture , but shows a genuine demonstration of the world Evans lived in and created.

See more in the trailer for The Kid Stays in the Picture.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor

While Fred Rogers didn’t make movies, he impacted generations through television. Mr. Rogers’ strongest focus was on children and it became his mission to use mass media to help children through the difficult transitions of life. This documentary is not just sentimental to adults who grew up watching his show, but an inspiring revelation of Mr. Rogers’ authenticity, values, and endurance.

Interviews with an array of his friends, family, and co-workers gives the viewer insight into Mr. Rogers as he truly was. The film also relies heavily on archived interviews with Mr. Rogers and clips from his shows. The production is simple and straightforward, just how Fred liked to make his shows. For being gentle, quiet, and simplistic, the concepts tackled on “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” were often difficult or divisive topics. He wanted to equip children with the understanding and control needed to deal with deep emotions, learning and mistakes, fear, racism, self-value, war, love of self and others, and even death.

With his background in childhood development, television production, and foundational faith, Mr. Rogers didn’t preach, but communicated straight into his viewers’ hearts. He believed, “television has the opportunity to build neighborhoods out of our entire country.”

We continue to live in a time struggling with hate vs. love, tolerance vs. belief; our entertainment and media perpetuates violence and destruction. Mr. Rogers was a rare example of a man who held firm his beliefs and yet truly extended his arms wide in acceptance. His closing phrase, “I like you just the way you are” wasn’t shallow justification or entitlement, but an impartation of each person’s intrinsic value. He chose to use television to tell stories that would help his viewers navigate through the darkness of our world. “Try your best to make goodness attractive,” he once said. “That’s one of the toughest assignments you’ll ever be given.” Tough, yes. And worth it.

See more in the trailer for Won’t You Be My Neighbor.

Each of the men from the four documentaries believed the stories they made into movies were worthwhile. Ambition and creativity helped build their success even though each faced personal struggles and doubts. Not only can we learn from their work, but these documentaries allow us to learn from their lives.

2018 in Review

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 18:59:00 GMT

As 2018 closes out, we finish our third year as an active business. It still feels so new, and yet a lot happens in that amount of time! It’s amazing to see how many of our clients have come to us through the grapevine. Not just business to business, but from business to family and generation to generation, as with our friends in the McDermott family. We are so grateful for friends and clients who made new connections possible!

Series of Segments

While personally 2018 was punctuated with transition, projects with our clients were pleasantly rhythmic. It was a joy to regularly partner with several companies and teams this year. We absorbed an educator’s treasure trove of wisdom through several series of teaching videos for Marzano Research. There were so many incredible speakers and professionals to meet while filming for Advance Your Reach workshops. A few companies expanded their skills with acting in more entertaining videos: vehicle comparisons for H.M Brown Showdowns and internal training videos for Land Title styled after “The Office.”

Variety of Videos

Local, small businesses have unique needs and audiences for their videos. The variety this year included a physical therapist, mortgage broker, property managers, soccer development academy, realtors, and speakers. One highlight was partnering with several Douglas County organizations to help teens struggling with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. By showing what happens when you reach out for help, the video works to eliminate the fear of the unknown as a barrier.

Working with Others

Bryan can do most shoots himself, but some projects need multiple camera operators. Several local videographer friends of Bryan partnered up for projects throughout the year. Erika was able to fly out a couple times to help. It was nice to get back behind the camera and work with her dad instead of the normal editing routine. Bryan also travelled a bit for work, both in the United States and to Africa. We love living in an age with global networks and video equipment getting more compact for travel!

It is such an honor to be able to come along side businesses and families to help them share their stories in a way that is creative and long-reaching! We are grateful to our clients’ trust in us and the relationships that are built along the way. We hope that 2019 treats each of you well, and that you will feel welcome to reach out to us for any of your family’s or business’ video needs.

If you would like to see video examples or get more info on any of the projects mentioned above, you can check out our website, Youtube , Facebook , or ask us to send you a specific link.

Video for the Win!

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 18:26:00 GMT

It seems as though every time we look up the stats of video for businesses and marketing, it has continued to gain momentum. Early this year, Mark Zuckerburg announced that Facebook and their family of apps were going to continue to focus on promoting video first, as it is a “megatrend.” True to his word, we’ve noticed an uptick in videos shared on the homepage and have discovered the world of Facebook Video. Video is entertaining and informing viewers all across social media, email, and websites.

While videos are great for capturing attention and communicating, they are transitioning into more of a necessity then a bonus. Good use of video can be a winning element of your marketing strategy! We’ve all heard before how they boost SEO and increase time spent on websites, but there are several more ways they help turn casual searchers into loyal customers.

Credibility

When a business has a good presence on their social media, they cast the flavor of their choice into first impressions. With good social media presence, they appear like experts in their field, personal with their followers, and honest in their craft. Not only that, they set

themselves apart as being with the times. According to a report by Animoto, 58% of the survey respondents considered brands that produce video content to be more trustworthy. But businesses don’t have to make the customer take their word for it. Reviews and testimonials speak even more loudly. These 2018 stats were pulled together revealing “ 23% online shoppers are influenced by social media recommendations, and 84% of online shoppers in the USA review at least one social media site before making a purchase.”

Ease of Information

Have you ever found yourself searching on a website which struggled to load the content, or considered purchasing an item only to find out there were extra steps or hidden costs? How quickly did you say, “forget it,” and seek out a more amiable resource? If you’re like many online searchers or shoppers, not long at all. More and more, consumers want the ability to get all of their

information before they commit to buy. And they want to do so without having to talk to humans or wait. This can be seen in that “Nearly 50% of internet users look for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store.” ( Google ) Some of the more effective types of videos for marketing to consumers’ need for information include tutorial videos and demonstration videos. For example, demonstration videos were helpful to “80% of consumers” looking to make purchases. ( Blue Corona ) Show them how you can fulfill their need.

Warning to the Wise

As a reminder, a great video starts with great content. Viewers are looking for expert information, personal connection, sharable entertainment, and a great deal. “43% of people want to see more video content from marketers.” ( HubSpot ) This is the time to show what you have with the world! With that said, you still can’t shove it in people’s faces. Another statistic from HubSpot warns that “82% of consumers have closed a browser or exited a webpage because of an autoplaying online video ad.” Half of your viewers will skip online video ads. Meanwhile “two-thirds of consumers prefer video under 60 seconds.” ( Insivia ) To combat for their attention, give them value for their time . And remember, “85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound” ( Digiday ), so make it easy for passersby through added subtitles.

The Win

You may have noted several key words pop up periodically: personal, value, informative…. These are the elements of good storytelling. That’s the essence of what good video marketing does. Videos allow marketers to connect with consumers and create an emotion—trust, motivation, and safety to name a few. Instead of clamoring for them to make a purchase, good storytelling inspires. Instead of selling, share, invite. Through your business’ stories, you lay the ground work for happy and loyal customers. A passing consumer easily gains information through tutorials and informational videos. Reviews and testimonials settle questions and doubts. Short video length and subtitles deliver the valuable content customers are looking for. Best of all, once your videos are sent out on social media, emails, and your website, they continue to share your story with every play.

For more information:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing

Remembrance Days – Are They Worthwhile?

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 22:51:00 GMT

September is full of days that beckon us to remember and to appreciate. VJ Day and 9/11 Remembrance Day remind us of victories and loss, sacrifice and heroes. We appreciate the hard work that allows us to celebrate Labor Day and Citizenship Day. We recall our roots on Grandparents Day, Step Family Day, and Native American Day, while also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. But is it even worth your time to pay special attention to them?

A casual acknowledgement may not have much impact, and can actually end up deflating the deeper concepts. Some educators believe we ought to teach children how to think critically about memorials rather than rote, empty observance.1 If we were to take a little time to dig in, we would gather not only appreciation, but also a clearer world view.

Remember Sacrifice

VJ Day and the rest of the WWI & WWII commemorations are stories quickly fading into the unobserved past. They seem like a world away. Yet a brief study of history or humanity would quickly remind us how easily situations and choices can arise again. Remembrance days shouldn’t solely mourn lost lives and celebrate heroes. If we let them, they could teach us politics and philosophy, or remind us of hope and reconciliation. September 11th reaches closer to the memories of our hearts and minds. For some, it’s a chance to honor the memories of those who

Allied military personnel in Paris celebrating V-J Day. Photo by Public Domain.

perished that day or in the conflicts since. For the children born since then, it is important for them to sympathize with the loss, but also recognize how this event catapulted the world into what we see today.

Remember Service

Labor Day pays tribute to the hard work of American workers. We like to take advantage of not only a day of rest and enjoyment, but a long weekend! We enjoy leisure due to the fruits of the labor of many people. Hard work provides for the needs of the laborer and creates purpose and achievement. Workers’ contributions build a better world for each of us. Meanwhile Constitution Day and Citizenship day remind us of our nation’s unique system

Rockefeller Center Construction Site on September 20, 1932

which strives to give each person a chance to better their lives. Through these rights given at birth or naturalization, a person has the ability to engage in serving our country and enjoying the benefits.

Remember Your Source

September is also filled with days honoring one’s family and ethnic roots. Grandparents Day and Step Family Day are relatable to many. These days encourage us to recognize and appreciate the values and heritage that were passed along from generations and married-in family. Native American Day and Hispanic Heritage Month are part of the observances that bring up questions of diversity and representation. Some results can end up negative if they do not encourage deeper understanding and growth. Rather than focusing on only a few themes that stereotype

Immigrants on board a ship arriving in New York. About 1910. (Photo by Franz Hubmann/Imagno/Getty Images)

or propagate friction, it’s a good idea to bring out a variety of topics. We grow by understanding and appreciating the diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We celebrate our shared values and victories. These stories of our sources can help us continue together with a better future.

It’s easy to let the month fly by without appreciating the value of each observance. The stories behind commemorations teach subsequent generations a community’s history, social and political customs. The stories we tell of events and our heritage give us a better appreciation for the people who went before us. They explain the world we know today. This month, look into the deeper meanings of these holidays yourself to celebrate your foundation and honor the life-changing events of the past!

Aiming Your Videos for Your Audience

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:38:00 GMT

Where do you start when you decide to make a business video? The same place you begin when telling a story, making a presentation, or selling a product: define your audience. The ways to use video for your business are endless. Deciding the intended audience sets up a multitude of other decisions from content, to length, to viewing platform. This blog will help start the process of deciding what should be seen by whom.

The first decision is whether the video is for people on the outside of your business sphere or already inside it. Is it aimed outward at the crowds of potential clients and followers or inward at your employees, customers, and fans? Those two audiences are the pillars on which every type of video will stand.

Outward Audience

Videos that focus on the outward audience include brand videos, product videos, explainers, promotional videos, testimonials, and reviews (just to name a few). These focus on showcasing products, services, and businesses to potential clients. A brand video (like our Brand Essence videos) nurtures a relationship with viewers by sharing a company’s story and values, while a product video focuses on what they have to offer.

Explainer videos can show how a product works and answer questions. Testimonials can be stories of customers’ experiences or even employees. Reviews mix those two by sharing an experience of using a product and how well it did or did not function. Promotional videos include more than just commercials. They range in length and can promote new releases, up-coming seminars or events, exciting updates, or product highlights. Each of these types of videos aims toward a larger crowd of viewers to pique their interest, raise brand awareness, and ultimately lead them to want more.

Inward Audience

The other pillar of business videos is for the inward audience. These communicate with people who are already a part of your team; employees, past and present clients, fans, and contacts. New employees, members, and customers benefit from on-boarding videos and ongoing training videos. Emails become more personal by incorporating video messages. Topical education and network news are shared through episodic videos like vlogs, podcasts, and webinars. The inward videos strengthen a company’s relationship with their people and promote growth.

The In-Between

The two pillars are linked together by a third category of videos. These are often social in nature and include videos that promote events, company culture, sharing presentations, learning tutorials, behind the scenes views, and live streaming. Any of the types of videos mentioned point to either outward and inward audiences. Many times they reach both! Things like upcoming events and interesting presentations or live streams are shared by your audience of “team” members to the “crowd.” Company culture and behind the scenes videos also invite outside people into your business circle while encouraging buy-in from your clients, employees, and friends.

If the image of two pillars doesn’t fly with you, you can also picture the categories of video audiences as two sides of a doorway. Outward videos aim to attract new leads from the masses and inward videos help the people who already know and support your business. The videos in the middle go between the inside and outside. Those social videos like to mingle with the crowds outside, but also have their home inside your company.

Audience Defines the Rest

Once you have figured out your target audience, it is easier to look at what you have to offer and share through video. To increase conversion of website traffic into clients, a good brand essence video shows who your business is and not just what you do. Subscribers looking to learn more in your field of expertise can look forward to training videos and webinars. Curious job-seekers will be attracted to the company culture through videos posted highlighting recent events.

Video length is another element quickly decided from knowing the audience. An on-boarding video will range much longer in length than a review because an employee needs to know the ins and outs of the process. A potential purchaser only needs to know a summary of the reviewer’s findings. A promotional on the same product would run even shorter to keep the viewer’s attention and tell them just enough to pursue more information.

The two pillars of video audiences support a host of business video ideas. The endless possibility of options can be overwhelming. However, when you know your story, your product or service, and your audience, using video for your business becomes not only possible, but powerful!

Summer of Action Videos

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 22:05:00 GMT

Summer sunshine peaks over the horizon early. You’re up too, ready to get in some “me time” before heading off to work. You’re looking forward to your special time in the mountains, on the trails, at the golf course, or in the studio… Summer days are full of activity! The balance of hobbies and work is punctuated by what you love to do. Your summer goals could include enjoying some R&R with your family or increasing your work productivity. How often do we capture and share those things, inviting our friends and clients to see what it is that we do? This blog will discuss how action videos can be used both personally and for your business.

First of all, what is an Action Video? According to our Action Stories webpage , the goal is to capture your passion. This could range greatly and doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical activity like sports, but also the arts and sciences. One of the key elements of these stories is that a variety of cameras, shots, and editing show a bigger, more exciting picture of your activity of choice than a simple description.

Leisure

When I think of an action video, my first imagination usually looks like taking advantage of all that the Colorado outdoors offer. I wouldn’t be far off when it comes to the highly active lifestyle of many Coloradans. Many people are passionate about their sports skills, hiking 14ers, or fly-fishing. Rather than just telling friends about your skillful moves, arduous climbs, and peaceful moments, an action video recreates it visually and emotionally.

Even though we live with camera phones and constantly post on social media, we find that those tools don’t actually help us remember the moments like we thought. This is just one reason why having a beautiful video created can encapsulate the experience while leaving the living to you. Both the mountain biker and the runner in our Action Story samples realized they will not always be able to enjoy those past-

times at the same caliber. Someday, those videos will be the best way to recall the struggles, sights, sounds, and satisfaction they encountered. Capturing the essence of your glory days or crowning victory becomes an expression of yourself that becomes a personal treasure.

Working

The Action Stories on our website tend to be for more personal use, but the principle of “show, don’t tell” carries over into business videos as well. As a professional, you can be just as active. What better way to show potential clients what you do and the quality of your service than to show them?

While not a technically an “Action Story,” Brand Essence videos carry more personality when they show your clients your passions outside of work. Sharing your activity of preference invites a connection based on common interest as well as your service. But you also can also keep the action strictly professional! Skilled tradesmen can show their handiwork. Following a professional to glimpse the

process of their day gives legs to an otherwise unknown quality of service. You work hard to promote business and deliver quality products. Adding the element of action to business videos helps that hard work go further.

The very purpose of video is to show life. Those things that wake you up excited in the morning are worth capturing. Work doesn’t have to be boring or impersonal. Recreation isn’t vanity or a waste of time. Allow action videos to celebrate your passions and hard work this summer!

Scripted Videos for Businesses

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 21:43:00 GMT

Not too long ago, our company didn’t have a teleprompter. Now we have three. We love the natural way people speak when they share their story unscripted and through interviews. However, there are some great advantages to following bullet points or a script.

We use scripted videos when the client has a lot of specific information that they want to communicate. Coming up with the structure, flow, and important terms ahead of time allows the person speaking on camera to present with more ease. A teleprompter can also help reduce the amount of retakes caused by figuring out how and what you want to say. There are many ways to use pre-planned talking points to enhance the story your business is trying to tell. The next three companies serve as examples.

Vlogs

Land Title Guarantee Company is the largest locally-owned title company in Colorado. With 50,000 closings every year, they work with a lot of realtors. The Land Title marketing team provides many resources and reports to realtors, but emails easily get lost in busy inboxes. One way to stay top-of-

mind and relevant is through vlogs. Slides provide industry information while the host strings together numbers and charts into a story of the marketplace that any realtor could grasp. The structure of a scripted vlog amplifies the power of the expert insight and visuals.

Long Presentations

Many teachers and schools have become more effective due to the work and materials provided by Marzano Research. Now, years of research by Dr. Bob Marzano and his team at Marzano Research is increasingly made available worldwide through videos online.

new and deeper concepts. These too, use slides for structure and graphic visuals while allowing the presenters room to elaborate.

Short & Structured

Some people don’t have long educational pieces to communicate. Instead, they need to summarize and convince the viewer quickly and succinctly. Advance Your Reach works with public speakers to hone-in their abilities to research, find, and book more

speaking engagements. Of the tools and principles they acquire, the speakers also create a Why Me video. These videos help public speakers interact with meeting planners. They are strategic and quickly communicate what problems they solve and how it helps the audience. Every word is important and following a script allows the presenter to focus on how they deliver and not their next statement.

Scripted videos can be an invaluable tool for telling your story. They allow for preplanning and smoother presentations. The next time you have detailed or educational information that you need to share, you may want to consider a scripted video.

The post Scripted Videos for Businesses appeared first on Visual Legacy Productions .

Video for Real Estate

Fri, 04 May 2018 14:14:00 GMT

There is no denying that we live in an increasingly digital world. People are more interested in attaining information on their own via the internet before speaking to a person or seeing an item in person. This trend goes for real estate as well.

Online databases circulate house listings and make them available for the world to see. This is critical and expected for real estate transactions, but how does one take listing homes to the next level and stand out above the noise of everything else clamoring for our attention? Video is an ideal tool. Video allows

a potential buyer to see more than photos can relay. They make the dream home come to life. They also make an engaging platform to share pertinent information with clients. Here are some ideas on how to use video to bring that extra dimension to marketing homes and staying top-of-mind.

Video Listings

A video listing can look like many things, but at the end of the day it leaves the potential buyer with a better impression of the property they are interested in. It could look like a virtual tour or the realtor could highlight key features of the property. Perhaps a

deeper view of the listing’s great location to shopping or outdoor recreation would increase interest. Drone footage shows off exteriors in a new way and gives a bigger impression of location and views. Finally, sometimes having a broker on camera and on location is the element that makes a virtual encounter not only more real, but personal. Clients are able to feel as if they can more accurately judge real estate themselves, resulting in inquiries that are better educated from the get-go.

Vlogs/Reoccurring Videos

Realtors are great at finding helpful and interesting ways to keeps themselves top of mind. Aside from social networking skills and fun events to invite clients to, they also provide up-to-date market information. Unfortunately, emails with the latest statistics

don’t have the best opening rate. Videos can help with that. Many viewers are more likely to click on and watch a short video with helpful and interesting bits of information. Graphics in addition to graphs as well as music, photos, and interesting filming locations all add life to the information or story trying to be communicated. Done right, vlogs not only present information in a memorable way, but add to the real estate broker’s professionalism.

These two broad ideas help inspire new ways video can be used to advance real estate marketing. They improve not only showing off listed properties, but promoting the agent through useful and interesting information. There are lots of ideas on how to use video for real estate. Each agent will have their own goals and intricacies of what they want to promote and how. Armed with video and their vision, they are able to better equip clients and potential buyers with what they need to make their real estate transactions.

The Powerful Heart of a Personal Narrative

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 13:47:00 GMT

There are times when we are reminded of an innate desire to share who we are with others; to create and leave a personal narrative. Few events touch heartstrings so notably as observing the passing of a loved-one. Early in March a dear woman finished her fight against cancer. Later we paused to remember a grandma on what would have been her birthday. In the midst of it all, International Women’s Day brought forward a multitude of stories about women who left their mark on the hearts of people around them. These women’s legacies remind me why it’s so important not only to live one’s life to the full, but to share it.

Each of the two women mentioned above had recorded something about their life’s journey for the benefit of future generations. It brings me comfort and joy to know their great-great-grandchildren will know them not just by name, but by sight and story. By story I mean the essence of who they were communicated through moments of their lives. Their struggles, values, joys, and character all came through in their interviews. Those are the qualities that resonate.

How Memories Live On

As a company built on the value of family, personal narratives are always near and dear. But how does one tell their own or someone else’s story in a succinct and impactful way? How do you connect a person to viewers who may not have even met them? We believe it’s through a heart-felt connection.

Often times when people think of passing on their story or family history, they think they have to give facts like names, dates, and locations. However, it’s the feelings and the stories that tend to empower and endure.

Let’s say I were to ask you to share one of your favorite memories of your grandmother. If you did not know her well, you may tell me her name and where she lived. You may even know a fact like where she worked for a time. But if you knew her, the memories would be more meaningful. Perhaps your grandma always made sure there were treats to eat – not only showing us her

sweet-tooth, but her giving nature. Possibly her hobby was to collect what you consider junk, but it came from a thrifty personality that saw beauty and purpose in all manner of things. Maybe you experienced something hilarious together that revealed your similar sense of humor. These types of stories would not only tell me more about who your grandmother was, but are also relatable qualities.

Narrative of the Heart

The women we remembered last month not only lived well, but shared that life. The tales of early marriage conflicts were laughed about, but also taught patience and grace. She used her business savvy to prepare her own family for the world. Her endurance and innovation through hardship encouraged the next generation

with theirs. Her deep faith was not only hers, but lived out before others.

Genealogical facts still have their place, however passing a story changes a list of names into real friends and family. The insight gained through others’ personal narratives give us wisdom and strength in our own circumstances. In the words of Bruce Feiler in his 2013 New York Times article1, “The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.” Take advantage of the time you have now to not only live in such a way that impacts future generations, but pass those values on to others.

1.” https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html

4 Benefits of Web Videos in 2018

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 22:34:00 GMT

The wide usage of business/web videos has continued to grow until it is an expectation if you want your products or message to be taken seriously in 2018. There are dozens of reasons why many businesses and customers value video. Whether one prefers its ability to quickly deliver a message, entertain or stir pathos, increase your SEO reach, or encourage trust between a company and its customers, the reasons can be boiled down to three main benefits.

Videos Save Time

While text is still vital to communication, there are times when videos can convey your message better and quicker. It is said that one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words ( Forrester ). Our brains are able to pick up far more by seeing and hearing than by reading alone. Not only can we receive far more

information on both the conscious and subconscious level, but “viewers retain 95 % of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10 % when reading it in text” ( Insivia ). This may be in part to the fact that 55% of people pay close attention when consuming videos — more than all other types of content. ( HubSpot )

According to a survey by Wyzowl conducted in December 2017, if “both video and text are available on the same page, 72 % of people would rather use video to learn about a product or service.” But it isn’t just the consumers who are choosing video over text. 59 % of senior executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic on the same page, they prefer to watch video ( Digital Information World ). If you have the ability to have both text and video, it’s a good idea to take advantage of both of their strengths.

Videos Retain Viewers Longer

Video has the ability to maintain our attention and activate our emotions better than written words. Whether you instill trust in your company or product or produce pure entertainment, the result is viewers staying on your webpage longer. In fact, 80 % of

marketers say video has increased dwell time on their website ( Wyzowl ).

Getting viewers to stay on your page longer has good effects. Traffic increases your SEO, and the more time spent engaging with your brand message, the more likely you will see conversion. A study by Eye View found that “including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80%”!

Do beware of making sure your video message has content that people actually want to view and that it isn’t too long for your purpose and audience. 33 % of viewers will stop watching a video after 30 seconds, 45 % by one minute, and 60 % by two minutes ( Ad Age ). Also take note that 82 % of consumers have closed a browser or exited a webpage because of an auto-playing online video ad ( HubSpot ). Videos can communicate a lot, but only if people want to watch them.

As mentioned above, videos can boost your search engine optimization. This is for both videos embedded in your website and posted to YouTube or social media. Since Google owns YouTube, it only makes sense that their analytics work well for the algorithms deciding where your website shows up in online searches. The difference is substantial with “companies using video enjoy[ing] 41 % more web traffic from search than non-users” ( smallbiztrends ).

In addition to brand essence videos, social videos, and specific messages or invites, the top three most effective types of video content are customer testimonials ( 51 %), tutorial videos ( 50 %), and demonstration videos ( 49 %) ( CURATA ). Those top three types of videos are important since they reflect consumers’ desire to research into credibility, quality, and the “right fit” of a company or product. ThinkWithGoogle found that almost 50 % of internet users look for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store. Your videos are a simple but powerful first step in engaging with your clients.

Videos Increase ROI

Videos help answer questions before your potential client has to ask them. This reduces the chance of them walking away and taking their business elsewhere. According to the Wyzowl survey, 95 % of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service and 81 % of people have been convinced to buy after watching a brand’s video.

Consumers like seeing what they are getting into without having to contact anyone; marketers like seeing the results! In fact, 51.9 % of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI ( HUBSPOT ).

Don’t forget to utilize the power of social media to generate business. If your video is interesting, viewers won’t mind that it was produced by a business. Not only will people watch, but 76 % of people say they would share a branded video with their friends if it was entertaining ( Wyzowl ). That’s “ 1200 % more shares than text and images combined” all because of a good social video ( SmallbizTrends . ) These social videos can instill brand awareness into new people as well as present opportunities to buy your product. According to Tubular Insights , 64 % of consumers purchase after watching branded social videos.

With these numbers in mind, it’s easy to see how video has become a benefit and integral part of life for 2018. When you consider your own business videos for this year, remember to take full advantage of this powerful medium of communication!

DIY Lighting & 6 Mistakes You Can Avoid

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 23:38:00 GMT

One of the most painful things we see all too often, is a homemade video that looks homemade. If it weren’t for all the distractions of low quality, we’d be able to focus on the informative content! Most people recognize the importance of video for marketing and personal sharing. If you want to allow your message to have its full impact, here are six simple tips for making sure your DIY lighting is helping and not hindering.

First let’s cover some basics.

For a video, you need three essential elements: a video recording device (like your phone), sound, and lighting. If you have an actual camera-great! Set up a tripod or hold it stable to reduce shaking. If you use a smart phone-same thing. Set it on selfie mode, but place it on a stand or brace your arm to reduce the bobbles. If you plan on using the in-camera mic, try to eliminate any background noise. You may also want to get closer to the camera so that your audience can actually hear you. With both camera and sound, you are typically stuck with the quality of your recording device unless you make an additional purchase.

Now onto lighting.

Lighting is the aspect of recording that you do have some control over!

1. One big mistake people often make is with backlighting. The view might be pretty out your window, but the camera can’t pick up the bright scene behind you and the subject in the foreground. Turn on lights, but keep the main light in front of you so that you are highlighted.

(The bright background caused a silhouette. If we were to look from the opposite direction, the outdoor light would

nicely illuminate the scene.)

2. Cameras can struggle adjusting the white balance if there is a mixture of indoor and outdoor lighting. If you can’t adjust your camera, you can help it by using one type of lighting.

(The big windows in the dentist office illuminated the scene, so the harsh overhead lights were turned off.)

3. Whether you use a studio light or an office lamp, adjust the angle and intensity so that you do not create harsh shadows on your face. Be as picky as Goldilocks: not too bright, not too dark. You may have to move things around to have the right amount of light on your face, but it is worth it.

(A window cast strong shadows on the young

women’s faces. If they faced the window they would have been evenly lit – and limited the yellow-green indoor lighting.)

4. Background does affect lighting. Just like windows can be too bright behind the subject, plain white walls are less than ideal. They are flat and boring, and don’t have that sharp look like studio-produced whites.

(Having something in the background – but blurred by the depth of field – creates interest and avoids walls that are either too bright or dull colored.)

6. You can add a pop of light and even out shadows on the subject while filming outside by using a reflector. Don’t have a reflector? Even an automobile sun reflector or white paper can help!

(In the bright sunlight, the reflector filled in the shadows on her face, causing her to look evenly lit and smooth features.)

Now to get started.

Lighting is just one aspect of filming that can make or break your video. Continue learning more about things like where to place your subject in the screen, depth of field, more lighting techniques, and mics for better sound quality. With some new skills and techniques and just a few upgrades, you can avoid simple mistakes and set your DIY videos up for better success!

VLP 2017 Review

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:33:00 GMT

Dear VLP friends and family,

Thank you for joining us throughout 2017! Whether we got to work together or you paused scrolling through your feed to view one of our posts, thank you for your time and support. We have been blessed to connect with so many new friends and clients in addition to our longer-established relationships. Here is a brief review of this past year.

Our Clients

Each client has a unique story and different video needs. The variety certainly keeps things interesting! Last year a large portion of our services was to realtors and other professions that work with real estate. While that hasn’t changed, this year we have noticed the trend swaying in favor of attorneys and law. Filming at live events has also increased and we’ve attended many speaker workshops, training sessions, and even a few concerts.

Some of the stories this year have been told to educate social workers helping their clients achieve financial health. Another revealed a family seeking to adopt a child. We were able to help produce videos for several companies who wanted to tell their story on their websites. Getting to hear so many memories as we told their company story is such a privilege. The music video for 13 Stripes and 50 Stars enabled us to change our pace and head outside, while producing recipe videos for the Palm Restaurants was a flurry of sights and smells.

One project has been on our queue since long before Visual Legacy Productions. Years ago, Bryan and Mike Moehring began the journey of telling the story of an unknown hero during the WWII Holocaust. This year a big step forward was made when we were able to film most of the reenactment scenes needed to tell this inspiring story. But like most self-produced films, it must wait on the back shelf again till resources are right to complete the next task.

Surprises in 2017

One can never guess how the year will turn out as you go into it. 2017 brought a lot of change for our family; some of it expected and some of it not! But change isn’t always a bad thing. One of those surprises was when Erika decided she had met the man she wanted to marry. When they decided on a short engagement, wedding preparations overwhelmed Erika’s normal workload. Luckily, she had an amazing boss who allowed her extra time off! The one downside of the marriage? Erika would move to Indiana. But not all change is bad, remember? Even though Erika can no longer work as an employee of Visual Legacy Productions, she is still doing editing as a contracted worker. This shift of positions fits Erika’s schedule great and has allowed Nancy to attend more meetings and events when Bryan needs help. And for those times when Bryan heads to a job by himself, he has invested into equipment-carrying help that doesn’t ask for a paycheck!

We look forward to sharing new stories with you next year. Please remember to follow us on social media and let us know if we can help you tell your story!

Why You Should Upgrade Your Newsletter to a Digital Yearbook

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 16:17:00 GMT

With hectic schedules pushed to new levels each year, many people are looking for ways to save time and money. It’s no surprise that more people are seeking alternatives like e-cards1 and generic Facebook posts. While over 2 billion Christmas cards were sent through the US mail years ago, that number is down 30%2. But an e-greeting can’t replace the stories and updates that you want to share.

The Good and the Bad

We all certainly remember good and bad newsletters. Some were boring, others like books, and some were too personal or brag-fests. Some newsletters however, we looked forward to each year. Clever writing, simple to read and understand, interesting snapshots, and photos you want to keep. The internet is filled with the do’s and don’ts of newsletter writing, but even still, not everyone is cut out for writing. And besides, we have smartphones full of photos to share. What about those? Instead of printing and mailing dozens of personal letters, there has to be a better way to match the technology and pace of life today.

What is a Digital Yearbook?

How does one blend the personal touch of a newsletter with the convenience of internet and the abundance of photos taken throughout the year? Make your newsletter digital! I like to call it a Digital Yearbook because it takes snapshots from your year

and displays them in a logical but entertaining way. Photos tell your story and need only captions to bring them to life. Like a slideshow, home videos can be integrated as well to share your highlights. The benefit of this style is that it is not only able to be delivered as a link, but saved electronically. Music, transitions, and graphics make your family’s highlights engaging to watch. You don’t even have to make a Digital Yearbook yourself, as professionals can use what you give them to create your story for you. For a sample, click here .

The holiday season has always been a time of connecting with loved ones. While beautiful cards are a key part of my Christmas décor, photos and newsletters capture more personal interest. They tell the story of the past year. “Look how the kids have grown!” “Wow, he got a promotion!” “What a fascinating vacation!” Not everyone is on social

media or shares a brief anecdote of their year. Well-written newsletters provided that. Now, a Digital Yearbook can take your story to the next level.

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/37010/file-13884805-pdf/docs/christmas_card_infographic.pdf

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-you-got-so-few-christmas-cards-this-year-2014-12-23

Three Documentaries that Challenge

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:21:00 GMT

Merchants of Doubt

We came across this documentary because it was made by the same producers as Food, Inc. Knowing the creators, we figured that this documentary challenged society as we know it, but honestly had no idea what it was about. Even reading the back didn’t really give clues as to the content. We figured we’d give it a chance.

Immediately, we were impressed with the graphics that were used and the quality of production. The abundant use of archival footage really brought the past to life and placed the viewer into the setting. While several topics were discussed, they did a good job of not only jumping back and forth as the storyline progressed, but subtly tying it back to the origin.

Speaking of content, what was Merchants of Doubt actually about? This documentary tackled several big industries and how they deceived and manipulated the public for their own benefit. The big three discussed were tobacco, flame retardants, and finally, climate change. While the producer’s bias is clearly evident,

they included some interviews with several opponents…even if it was to place them in a discrediting light. I was honestly amazed at how many interviews they were able to acquire since their opposition should have known who they were.

Suffice it to say that we watched the entire film. I tend to be a cynic and think both sides of the argument can be politically influenced rather than purely scientific. However, while I may not have agreed with everything they did and said, or how they presented the information, it was engaging and enjoyable to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8ii9zGFDtc

City in the Sky

We love shows that allow us to learn. From History to Science, a well-told story answers questions about topics you may not have even considered. Even if you are not thrilled by planes, airports and the process are something most of us have experienced. This three-part series carries you off to thoroughly explore how the commercial airline industry functions!

PBS and BBC combine their powers to bring viewers like you on a behind the scenes tour of the many aspects of the aviation world. As each episode focuses on a part of the journey, excellent graphics enlighten your understanding of details and statistics. The creators travelled across the

globe to show how the industry copes with extremes and talk to people in charge of some of the best procedures and newest innovations. Some of the topics you might expect: transporting baggage, plane maintenance, and control towers. You will also discover unseen, but essential, jobs that keep us flying on time and without incident. The high-quality production and scope of the story leave you with more appreciation and perspective than you may have expected.

You may wonder why this is a “documentary that challenges.” The aviation industry has always faced obstacles from the day man looked into the sky and wanted until fly till now. But the City in the Sky doesn’t wade through the history of flight. Instead, it shows how we function as the global network we know today. It shows how we tackle the immense numbers of cargo and passengers, navigate the bustling highways of the sky, and continue improving for the future. The sky is a city many of us have journeyed through, and thanks to the diligent work of so many, we will continue to visit again and again.

http://www.pbs.org/city-in-the-sky/home/

Babies Behind Bars

While searching for documentaries on Netflix, Babies Behind Bars stood out to me from all the other films about prisons. Instead of dealing with hardened criminals and the penal system, this promised to show the struggles of motherhood in an unfriendly environment. I admit I had never thought about the issue of women being sent to prison while pregnant and had no idea what would happen to the babies born there.

Babies Behind Bars seems like it was created on a lower budget than the other two documentaries in this blog. You can tell it was originally made for television because of the built-in cuts for commercial breaks and reprisals of the story. The workers, but especially the inmates, were open about what they saw and felt. This made for a raw and enlightening portrayal of what motherhood behind bars is like.

Made in 2011, the filmmakers explored the pioneering program to keep infants with their incarcerated mothers called Wee Ones. Prisoners who met certain requirements had the opportunity to stay with their babies in a special dorm instead of having to give them up just 24

hours after birth. The program had only been around a few years at the time of filming and the jury was still out on whether the prisoners who participated achieved lower recidivism rates (the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend) and if their children fared better in society. I was able to find an article from just a month ago claiming that women who went through the Wee Ones program do indeed have lower recidivism results: 18% compared to 35%.

This documentary had a lot to do with change. First, this women’s prison in Indiana is the only place where this program has been allowed. A couple people mention in the film that it had been a struggle to get the Wee Ones program approved. Proponents of Wee Ones hope to see the good results bring change to more women’s prisons, but of course the biggest change hoped for in this documentary is the transformation of convicted criminals to healthy mothers and members of society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adALD-8rHi4

2013 Study of Wee Ones: https://www.uindy.edu/documents/Assessing_Outcomes_for_Wee_Ones_Nursery_at_Indiana_Womens_Prison.pdf

What to be Aware of this October

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:50:00 GMT

October. Brightly colored leaves that contrast the gray sky. Crisp air and frosty mornings. Building anticipation of costumes and candy. Pumpkin Spice everything. October is special in our memories for many things, but few of us are likely aware of all the awarenesses we ought to be aware of. ��

What Makes You Aware?

Awarenesses are like the beginning descriptions of October; some of them you relate to, some you love, others you hate. If you live in the south, you may not look forward to crisp air and turning leaves, because it is an unlikely experience. Some people mourn the loss of Summer while others rejoice. Everyone has their own favorite thing, and that is what we tend to focus on. Take a moment to read each awareness as you scroll through this list of causes in October.

AIDs Awareness Month (National and declared by President Reagan)
Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Blindness Awareness Month
Celiac Disease Awareness Month
Co-op Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
Global ADHD Awareness Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
Head Start Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
National Critical Illness Awareness Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Moth

National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Liver Awareness Month
National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National RSV Awareness Month
National Sarcastic Awareness Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
National SIDS Awareness Month
Rhett Syndrome Awareness Month
Squirrel Awareness Month
Workplace Politics Awareness Month

Notice that we would rally behind some causes, ignore others, and hopefully look up more information on still others. The ones that stand out most as we glance over the list are likely ones connected to a personal story. Perhaps a loved-one battled a listed disease, perhaps you’ve dealt first-hand with a condition, or maybe you were reminded of a story about a critter in the attic. The key to turning any of these combinations of letters arranged into meaningful and memorable influencers is their story.

Awareness Grows Through Story

Without Story there is no passion. Without a connection to our hearts, we gloss over the names of things that mean everything to the person beside us. Stories answer the questions we never thought to ask. Why was it important? How did it make you feel? How did it change the world as you knew it? Your experiences, but also the tale of someone else’s experience, create emotional connections. Those connections make information real and memorable. Stories are the tool that unite us because they make

empty phrases relatable images in our hearts and minds. As we go into this month and the approaching holidays, it is the perfect opportunity to listen to someone’s story. Pay attention to your friends and acquaintances. See what they are passionate about and ask why. Likely there is a story at the base of it. Asking questions and listening to their story will widen your own interest in the topic and deepen your connection to the person. This October, enjoy your Fall favorites, but also raise your awareness and understanding.

Movement Trends in Cinematography

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 15:35:00 GMT

Have you noticed the cinematography trend of filming with the handheld look? It has become popular for it’s “in the moment” and gritty feel. Slight motion, racking focus, and edgy framing lend to high-paced action and suspense as well as to films that want to feel more real-time and raw. However, just because something is a popular trend doesn’t mean it should be used for everything. Here are some thoughts on movement by professional cinematographers.

Movement from the Masters

Darius Khondji, Se7en

We designed the sequence to combine wide shots with close shots, and gliding steadicam shots with brutal shots – not steadicam, just the operator running with the camera. I held a second camera myself and I occasionally would literally throw myself on the floor with the camera. So we were mixing steadicam shots with locked-off shots and dolly moves, this constant melange helps give the scene its rhythm.

– Darius Khondji

How you film is part of the storyteller’s voice. Usually, a cinematographer would advise picking the tone and sticking with it (framing style, lighting, coloring, etc.) But if we see only fixed shots or every shot has movement, the viewer bores and wears out pretty quickly. Khondji mixed a variety of these elements in order to better communicate the feeling of the scene. It’s rhythm. They didn’t make crazy cuts to be cool, but to draw the viewer into the moment. And it just so happened we like the result and call it “cool.”

Jan De Bont, Speed

I really like handheld and not necessarily in a chase. Even in straight dramatic scenes just with two people talking. It gives you real intensity, just by looking a little rough.

– Jan De Bont

De Bont brings up the artistry of cinematography. It’s about a feeling. The very nature of slight movement lends action to otherwise static and potentially boring scenes. Going handheld with the camera shouldn’t be reserved only for action sequences like chase scenes, but can be used to instill vibrancy where a fixed shot could fall short.

Harris Savides, The Game

Over my career I’ve come to understand that we should not move the camera just for the sake of moving it. Camera movement should always come from telling the story and understanding what that story is. It should not come from asking how do I make it better and more dynamic but from asking do we need to make it better and more dynamic? It’s about conveying information to the audience and then saying “Can we make it better for them.”

– Harris Savides

I think Savides nailed the point of visual storytelling. Cinematography is about finding the best way to visually tell a story. In our fast-paced society, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing flashier, faster, and bigger equal better. We want the visuals to add to and not detract from the story, but Savides brings up the question of, “Is it really necessary?” The goal isn’t to merely look fabulous, it is to clearly and fully communicate.

Which is Right?

Many young video producers use the handheld look for their films. Some of it is artful. Some of it is irritating. Choosing to have a fixed camera or a steady camera doesn’t make one producer old-fashioned or irrelevant and another one right or better at his craft. Cinematography is an art and art is subjective. It is a tool to reach the goal of finding the best way to visually communicate.

All quotes from https://waondering.com/2015/04/11/visual-style-cinematographers-on-cinematography-part-1/

To learn all about cinematography and how to become a cinematographer, visit: https://www.pixpa.com/blog/what-is-cinematography

Drones: Unmanned & Unhindered

Fri, 28 Jul 2017 20:09:00 GMT

A few years back when drones became affordable and usable to the common enthusiast, the limits of filming were suddenly thrown wide open. In spite of the confusion of getting regulations in place, photographers and videographers were eager to take their crafts to another level. We continue to see new innovative ways to utilize the small unmanned machines to gain new perspectives.

Probably the most straight forward use for drone is to capture the outdoor world from above. Landscapes and cityscapes can be seen from views that could only be reached with great expense and effort. What can we actually use these handy aerial tools for? A lot.

Uses for Drone

Real estate videos are one of our most common uses for a drone. Aerial shots give prospective buyers a wider view of the neighborhood and not just the house. Views and location, as well as the architecture of the house, are displayed before the viewer.

Flying above houses, you end up looking down at a lot of roofs. Drones give a great perspective to the condition of shingles and other rooftop appliances. This makes life easier and safer for workers having to make estimates and check on damage in precarious places.

Drones are very mobile and a skilled operator can create shots that mimic cinematography using large and expensive equipment. You can more easily fly through certain spaces than a helicopter. Action can be followed easily without the use of a dolly or jib.

Depending on the goals of the scene, drones can be a very handy camera!

Filming action and sports can be a dangerous job! Not only does the drone offer new perspectives, but they can follow the action while staying out of the way. The view from above also offers a great way to analyze team formations during sports events.

Video and photography are all about being in the right spot to tell a story. That story may be aimed at gaining a customer or simply sharing a stunning view. Whatever that is, drones give us the ability to go places that would be humanly impossible. They let us achieve the ideal. And they are also another fun tool to the visual arsenal.

The Office Museum

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 20:54:00 GMT

Offices tell a lot about the person who works there. The things in an office show the person’s interests and personality. Bryan is a collector-not just of stories. After being in the media/video production world for over 30 years, he has seen not only many impressive technological advancements, but been a part of a host of different projects. Photos, awards, keepsakes, and nick-knacks from around the world join stored equipment and tools. Here is a glimpse into the array of artifacts that make up the Visual Legacy Productions museum.

The Artifacts

This was Bryan’s first 35mm camera that he used as a boy. It represents the start of his journey. Because of their size, early video cameras were not as easy to store. While it still works, it hasn’t been used in years. Nowadays, we stick to digital instead of film and use Canon.

Betacam was to VHS what 8 Track tapes were to cassette tapes- big! Betacam, or Betamax, were used to store video projects for only a few years before VHS came on the scene and soon took over. We have no way of viewing the content on these giants anymore, but still…here they are!

Ahh, the days of Digital

Video Camcorders! These little tapes represent a huge jump in portability and storage. They also made recording more readily available! Video recording for personal use suddenly became commonplace. What was a family vacation without dad or mom behind the camcorder?

Bryan was working on a project in Romania during the revolution against the Soviet Union in December of 1989. Across the country, uprising citizens cut out the communist symbol from the center of their flags. Before Bryan left, his local contact kindly presented him this flag from their town.

As a child, this piranha from Brazil was one of my favorite items out of all the things my dad brought home. Bryan got the piranha while filming for a ministry in the Amazon. Not only was it fun to show off and scare friends, but it engages the senses of sight, touch, and smell! ��

This Styrofoam “rock” was used as a prop in a reenactment filmed in Malta about the apostle Paul, his conversion, and ministry. It was used to stone an innocent man to death. (No one was harmed in the making of the film.)

Ethiopia has become a special place to Bryan and there are many artifacts that I could show. This pottery shard was collected during a trip to track down the Ark of the Covenant with BASE Institute.

This is the first Digital Personal Communicator. Cell phones have certainly changed over the years. Bryan has always been quick to adopt advancements in technology.

The Office

I hope you have enjoyed your little tour of our office and the odd things we save. The things we collect tell the stories of who we are. We’d love to hear about the key pieces that make up your office museums! Please share in the comments!

Family Matters – Our Story Our Legacy

Tue, 30 May 2017 16:30:00 GMT

Working in the business of storytelling allows us to learn about a multitude of different businesses and lives. We believe that every one has a story. Yet in the process of helping people tell theirs, we could easily forget to tell our own. We could not continue to let time slip past us since capturing family legacies is a core value. Therefore, we decided to bring along a camera and microphone to our cross-country family gathering.

Gathering the Family

Our priority interview was for the grandparents. We set up our equipment on the garden patio and brought out tea and cookies for the small table. If it weren’t for the whir of the neighbor’s lawn mower, it would have been a quintessential teatime chat. Still, the interview moved along easily as they told about growing up with very different backgrounds and their romantic first meeting. The intimate setting allowed for stories to be brought up that I had never heard before during previous family gatherings. Even though I have spent a considerable

Grandparents’ Interview

amount of time with them, after the interview I felt as though I knew them even more.

One afternoon while everyone was around, we set up for group interviews. All the siblings gathered and I only needed to prompt them with a few questions. Someone would answer with a story that would spark several new memories. It was fascinating to see how some events only one sibling could recall, while others were held dear by everyone.

Grandchildren also shared their favorite memories from massive meals to adventures with Pop Pop, and Nana’s piano. The in-laws who had married into the family also got a chance to share their hearts. One of the benefits of group interviews is that those family members with less to say still were able to participate without having pressure to perform. While several people were nervous to be on camera, they never said they regretted taking the step to share. I’ll take that as a good sign!

What I Found

Family interviews are not only a time to record go-to stories and histories, they are also a way to recognize the lessons you have learned. Gratefulness emerges as the good results of where we are today trace back to the roots of yesterday’s difficult decisions. We enjoy regaling with humorous anecdotes, but our “Story” is the over-all picture. If you had asked me our family

Interview with the Siblings

story before the interviews I would have recited a general timeline of events. Now I would share a list of themes: the beauty of family, the bonds of love, and the power of grace.

I called this blog “Family Matters” because it illustrates so well the progression of recording our family legacy. It begins with telling stories of everyday adventures. The diverse ways they grew up, the complications of blending two families, and the crazy and memorable mishaps all give way to a single theme that echoes through each of our hearts. Family matters.

Legacy Letters — Deposit into the Future

Tue, 02 May 2017 00:55:00 GMT

When I first came across the concept of “legacy letters” or “ethical wills,” I thought they were a novel idea. Then I realized the concept has been around for thousands of years. In fact, the desire to pass on abstract treasures seems to be as natural as passing on our physical valuables.

What is a Legacy Letter?

A last will and testament passes on material inheritance to beneficiaries. In the event that they never get the chance, many people want to make sure they can leave behind wisdom for their loved ones. Legacy letters enable us to record our life lessons, share our values, and give our blessings.

These ethical wills pass on the things that we want loved ones to know; not just to inform them about us, but also to benefit the recipient. Parents of young children may want to explain what they believe, their hopes for each child, and information they wouldn’t want them to grow up without. When writing to older family members, thanks, regrets, and forgiveness may want to be shared. A legacy letter is peace of mind that what needs to be said won’t go unsaid.

How to Write your Own.

Because an ethical will is not a legal document, there is not a single way they must be written. Some are formally structured, others are stories. They can be for an audience of one or a message to a community. Here are several points that legacy letters usually include.

Introduction

Who are you and who are you writing to? What are your intentions and what is the context? (If you add things over time, you may want to include the triggers that got you writing.)

Reflection

What is your story? What are life lessons you’ve learned? Any special memories?

Expressions

Do you need to ask for forgiveness or do you have regrets? What are you grateful for? Is there something you are proud of?

Beliefs

What are your values? What are your spiritual beliefs? How did you get through the hard times?

Blessings

This is an expression of your love. What are you dreams for the/their future? Any final things you want them to know?

Not everyone wants to write such a letter even if they know how. There are businesses that help people with the task or do the work for them. There are others who would rather speak out their values, show photos and videos with the stories, and capture authentic emotion. Video legacy letters can expand the impact of their message . Both mother and father can speak to their child. Through technology, a loved one’s voice can be played again and again. Through legacy letters, the values of our stories don’t end with us, but can be deposited into the future.

Do-It-Yourself Videos or Hire a Professional?

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 17:48:00 GMT

You want to incorporate videos into your marketing strategy, but what kind? Do you really have to pay someone with fancy equipment when you already have a camera on your phone? How much can you do yourself? This blog will attempt to explain and encourage you with what kinds of videos business owners can shoot themselves and what they should hire a professional for.

Have a strategy

There are many different types of videos for a variety of purposes and platforms. Before you launch into any kind of video campaign, make sure you have your video strategy formed. Just posting videos won’t maximize the effect you can make. Once you have your video strategy, there are two key questions you should ask yourself.

What brand image are you going for? Professional? Casual? Planned or spontaneous? Once you know, stay consistent with the feel and quality. Your audience will be expecting it.
Where are your time and resources most valuable? If video is something you already love to do, putting together your own is much easier! But make sure all the different aspects, from filming to editing, are consistent in quality and reflect your brand image. Consider whether your time and investment into learning and producing those types of videos are best used there or in your actual job.

Tips for Filming your Own Videos

If you have quality content, you’ll want to help it succeed with quality presentation. No matter what you film with, make sure you frame yourself correctly and use a good background. Use a better mic than the built-in one on your phone. Sound volume and clarity will enable the viewer to hear everything you say without being distracted or having to strain. Good lighting will also make your video jump from a cheap webcam look to a more professional appearance. We want to see your face and not a dull impression or shadows cutting sharp angles. Even simple software will help you edit in text and fades to the image and add music to the background. With some pre-planning and an investment into a few good pieces of equipment you can make a significant improvement to home-made videos.

Who for What?

Some videos that are great to film and post yourself are live feeds to Facebook and other quick announcements on social media. If you have a nice set-up, you could film your own email greetings. There are dozens of ideas to use video to create relationship and give value to your

audience. At the same time, there are key presentation pieces that you won’t want to skimp on and risk cheapening your image. After all, 62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative perception of brands that publish poor quality videos.1 Referring back to our two keys, consistent quality and brand image can be obtained, but it is up to business owners to decide if it is worth it to do the work themselves or hire a professional video producer. For example, your web video or major communications will take a lot more work and are usually wiser to hire out.

If you have video ideas and would like help determining your next steps, please feel free to contact us.

http://go.brightcove.com/en-highcostoffree

Three Reasons to Record Your Family History

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:43:00 GMT

Struggles and successes. Heartaches and adventures. Deep-roots and free-spirits. Our family stories are full of these. Many people say they would love to record theirs or a family member’s story for future generations. Unfortunately, many miss out on the opportunity. Here are three reasons to stop making excuses and share your legacy in a way that will last for generations.

1. You may not have tomorrow.

Yes, we’re starting with the hard one no one likes to talk about. A big reason families don’t record their family history is because they are too busy to make the effort. True, it may not be possible right now to make plans and gather everything you want to include. However, don’t let procrastination stop you from accomplishing your goal. Make it a

priority. Find an occasion. Tomorrow is not promised and things can happen affecting the storyteller’s ability to share.

2. It is more affordable than you think!

As a video producer, I believe video is the best way to record a family history in story form. It lets the viewer see as well as hear. Video gives the fullest expression of the story and the teller-but it’s erroneously considered more expensive. Some families choose to write out stories and genealogies. Making your own family history album

is inexpensive, but it’s a lot of work compared to hiring a professional to do it for you. It is a trade-off of what is valued most. The same goes for video.

The price comes down to the quality of the finished product that you want. Most consumer cameras have the ability to record video at some level. If someone chooses to lay out their story and film themselves or a family member, that certainly is cheap! But you also accept the quality of a hobbyist. On the other side of the

spectrum, there are professionals who interview, use high quality lights and sound, and edit the content into a story at all sorts of levels. Decide what your priorities are. Production quality? Full information? Shorter viewing length? Animated photographs to illustrate the audio? Background music? Pick the result you will be happy with and go from there.

3. You don’t have to be a movie star.

Nor does anyone expect you to be! Many people fear being in front of a camera. They don’t want to be caught looking less than their best. Nervousness makes them silent or too talkative. If you are the one sitting in front of a camera, remember: a family legacy is for family . These are people who love you and probably have already seen you at your worst. It’s also for people who want to see and know you better. It is not likely to be airing on TV for national viewing. You are not telling your story to an inanimate camera, but to a person who wants to hear your story. Let your personality come out. We’re all friends and family here!

Worries and busy lives will always come at us. Future generations learn and grow from the stories of failures and accomplishments that each family history carries. Really, we don’t have many excuses–only reasons to pass on our legacies.

Your Hobby. Your Passion.

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 20:19:00 GMT

Having a hobby includes a lot more than a money-drain for new gear or the struggle to finish another handmade project. There are some very positive physical and mental benefits for hobbyists. As January was National Hobby Month, here are four general reasons you should consider finding your off-hours passion and making it a “must” in your life.

Physical Benefits:

Sports are an obvious hobby with physical benefits. Hiking, biking, golfing, tennis…the list goes on and on. They aren’t the only direction to go for physical activity though. Pottery and woodworking utilize finer motor skills and are two example of hobbies that develop eye and hand coordination. Learning new skills

improves your brain as well as your muscles. Hands learn to be dexterous, feet grow agile, and minds can actually improve their memories. When considering what past times you want to invest in, consider activities that challenge both your physical endurance as well as your mental capacity. Another physical benefit includes your social life! Hobbies are a great way to meet new people. Craft fairs, clubs, and teams are just a few opportunities to meet like-minded friends.

Practical Passion:

Having passion for your hobby opens up not only your enjoyment, but some great outcomes. A creative spark keeps you engaged and making accomplishments you are proud of. Not only can these accomplishments improve your life, but they also can be shared. New or improved skills let us create something that others can enjoy. What can you build with robotics? Who is going to stay warm with your handmade quilt? Hobbies allow you to take a break with purpose. They

allow you to be productive instead of falling into the trap of wasting time.

Rewarding Challenges:

As I already mentioned, hobbies are an avenue for challenges, but include the key of visible rewards. Even if it takes the vintage car collector takes 30 years to make his project street-worthy, the dream of the end result keeps him going. Reaching new levels of success instills self-esteem. Finishing a project results in a sense of gratification. Life can make people feel depressed and like they can never succeed. Choosing to invest into an activity that you can see improvement and success in, reestablishes a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Hobbies allow people to do and be what they love. They improve our physical and mental capabilities. They deliver challenges and rewards. Maybe your passion doesn’t make you money; maybe it does. Notwithstanding, the values of hobbies are priceless in increasing one’s quality of life.

VLP 2016 Review

Fri, 30 Dec 2016 00:13:00 GMT

Dear VLP friends and family,

As we jump into the new year, it is easy to get caught up in up-coming goals and resolutions. The future is unknown and full of opportunity. I am reminded that during this season last year we were getting ready to launch our new business endeavor. What dreams and ideas we had of 2016! How different, but exciting it was!

Ready. Set. Go!

Last January found us waiting for the final touches to our new website. We had put together packages for personal video services and created sample videos. Future dreams for the direction of Visual Legacy Productions were in the back of our minds of course, but our heart was focused on helping families tell and preserve their stories.

February we launched! Finally, we were able to share

with the world our passion and get to work. That’s when we made a surprising discovery. One of our future ideas was to develop services for businesses to tell their story. We hadn’t planned on it becoming a reality quite so quickly! By May we announced our Business Services including brand identity videos and visual résumés. A month later, we added more services like the Video

Newsletter. By November we had to redesign our business webpage to allow for our expanded brand identity packages, Real Estate inspired productions, and additional video services like FAQs and Featured Stories.

Our Horizons Continue to Expand

In August we added to our equipment arsenal a new toy- a Phantom 4 drone! While flying is exciting, studying for the unmanned pilot license was less so. Nonetheless, we are proud to say that Bryan passed with flying colors and is approved by the FAA to fly and film commercially.

In 2016, we were privileged to meet and work with people from multiple states, walks of life, and video needs. From non-profits to business leaders and mountain ranches to downtown offices, we are proud to have had a part in the great impact Colorado companies are making. Bryan and Erika have enjoyed networking with different groups of business professionals around the South Metro area. We are grateful for the partnerships and friendships that have grown out of weekly meetings.

Starting a new business is never easy, but we are encouraged by the support and favor we have received along the way. There is a growing awareness in businesses for the need of video to communicate. Acting on and benefiting from that knowledge is still difficult for many companies. As families also learn about Personal Documentaries and Legacy Interviews, we hope that many more take advantage of preserving their heritage on video. As we go into 2017, we know new creative ideas will be tried and new business connections formed. What will that look like? Only time will tell.

The Relationship of Video and Social Media

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 23:43:00 GMT

What good are creative and informational videos if there are no people to see them? What will make viewers interested in following a business that has nothing of value to share? As a video company, we quickly realized the need for good use of social media. We can create videos that share a business team’s passion and communicate information creatively. However, it wouldn’t make sense for these videos to reside hidden away on their website. The team will need a strong social platform presence.

Most of us are online one way or another. There is a good chance you are reading this because of social media. However, there is a difference between the occasional and random posts we make for personal accounts and the way businesses should be present. Not only that, but learning how to tag, link, hashtag, and share in effective ways can eat up precious time when you could be doing your actual job. I think that is why so many businesses agree to the idea that videos and a presence on social platforms are good, but don’t see a lot of results themselves. Many businesses simply make a page on Facebook and call it good if they post occasionally.

Social media and video are like two knives. They can make strong points by themselves and are used for a multitude of communication. Put them together and they empower and balance each other. They are a natural fit and enable the user to work longer and safer. Video is engaging content, but needs a platform in order to be shared.

Social Media platforms need engaging content to fulfill their purpose. One can think of video as content- a brain. It might be smart, but the brain is stuck where it is unless it is attached to a body and shared. Social Media is a body- it can go places, but has no thought of it’s own. It needs a brain to give it content and lead somewhere.

Tips for Enhancing your Video’s Impact

If you plan to communicate using video, keep these tips in mind.

Know your story.

What is your goal? What are you passionate about? Have a plan to communicate your mission in a way that is relatable and interesting to your viewers.

Quality matters.

With technology constantly getting better at cheaper prices, there isn’t much excuse for inaudible sound and grainy video. Be mindful of camera focus and movement as well as poor lighting if you film yourself.

Be Concise.

Don’t waste your viewers’ time. You have something that catches their interest? Great! Don’t sit so long that they get bored. In most cases, your video isn’t a dissertation. It’s the highlight reel!

Tips for Utilizing Social Media

You’re ready to share your content and grow followers…Now what?

Pick your Platform.

Find out what platforms are best for you. Facebook and YouTube are popular for video content. There are others capable of video and links as well such as Instagram, Twitter, Vine, and Snapchat.

Market the Analysis.

Keep track of what posts perform well. Analytics can show you details about your viewers so that you can improve your posts to have better content for your target audience.

Know or Grow.

Taking the time to learn what works and how to promote yourself is great for some. Others may want to pay someone else who knows the science of social media to keep up their presence.

By learning more about both video and social media, you’ll be strengthening the power of your communication. If you are passionate about what you do, let it show! Try making a few adjustments to your approach. You may find the interaction with your clients more enjoyable and rewarding than you first thought!

The Value of Being a Listener

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 17:03:00 GMT

Our lives intersect with other’s lives constantly. We often don’t take the time to connect and learn their story-to be a listener. But sometimes we do. When that happens, we grow in subtle ways.

Of all of my interactions with strangers, one of my favorites took place on a plane. After the initial greeting as the older gentleman and I settled into our seats, we made polite small talk. I am in my 20’s and he was closer to 80, but our difference of age gave way to a wide array of conversational topics rather than leave us with nothing in common.

A History of Stories

He was returning home from his mother-in-law’s funeral. She was an inspiring woman. Back in the day, she had been a single-mother of five daughters as well as a businesswoman. She and her daughters had hosted celebrities in El Paso and led the vacationers across the border to Mexico.

The gentleman himself was also fascinating. He told me about his younger days when he would fish during Alaskan summers, and in the winters, journey across America to ski. From there, he told me about the villa he’d rented in a Mexican village. He described it as paradise. He loved nature and seclusion and commented that indigenous peoples believed we had forgotten how to be human anymore. His wanderlust had led him to purchase an isolated ranch in New Mexico. He would take occasional trips to the

nearest city hours away. On one of those trips he met his future wife, and he made sure to always return for his supplies in El Paso so that he could see her.

In Common Interests

Finding out that I was from Colorado, the gentleman commented that he’d loved my state, but hadn’t been back in years. He’d stayed a spell in Crested Butte back when it was a tiny town of hippies who rallied to maintain the rustic charm. He’d even been a town marshal, and he and his horse had posed in many tourists’ photos. Back in his day they’d worked hard to conserve the town’s history when modern building and growth was

threatening to take over. He sighed and hoped aloud that the beauty of that mountain town had still been preserved. I told him I had recently been in conversation with friends and they had agreed Crested Butte was one of their favorite places. He smiled and seemed pleased.

We also talked about science and the environment. We discussed natural energy, depleted soil nutrients, better irrigation methods to conserve water, and he described the process of organic farming. He had turned to organic farming before it was popular. While the Farmers Bureau originally rejected him, they now included him as an honorary member to serve as an educator. He also showed me pictures of his cute little farm up north. I admired the different breeds of chickens and he explained his process of moving them throughout the year for a perfect system of fertilization and a symbiotic relationship with the environment.

Results from Listening

As our plane descended, we got ready to go our separate ways. I wanted to tell him that I create personal documentaries for my job and how I thought he had an amazing story that needed to be preserved. But I didn't. I had so enjoyed his sharing of his story, and I could see

that he appreciated having someone show interest. Yet I was afraid that if I encouraged him to record the stories he’d told me our brief friendship would be tainted by a supposed attempt at flattery to buy our services. After we left the plane, I had an emotional high from the conversation and interpersonal connection. However, it wasn’t long before I wished that I hadn’t hesitated to encourage him to record his story. Once I arrived home, I tried to look him up online, but I did not know his last name and Facebook isn’t the tool of a super-sleuth.

That day I learned a valuable lesson; I should follow my heart and speak out my appreciation. But that wasn’t the most important part. Listening to the story of the man on the plane, I didn’t just learn about the adventures of his past. The greatest wisdom didn’t reside in our discussion of organics and agriculture. The most important part was that I listened. Really listened. Because of that, we both walked away enriched, encouraged, and valued.

Leaving a Visual Legacy

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 20:25:00 GMT

Leaving Our Mark

There is something about being human that makes us want to make a mark on the world around us. We want to be known. Throughout the ages, mankind has tried to make such an impact as to leave something of themselves hat would last longer than life. Some conquered nations and strove for god-like power. Others tried to capture beauty and life into art forms or into words. Still others endeavored to leave following

generations a better world via scientific advances or fighting for freedom. Whatever methods have been chosen, it seems the most meaningful legacies are impactful because we relate on a personal level.

Personal Connection

Personal connections are a buzz topic in today’s society, but the concept has been important since the beginning of history. A politician’s words mean little unless his promises connect with our desires. We respond to characters, whether historical or fictional, if we are able to empathize with them. A business that performs efficiently may have our respect, but the one that makes us feel valued has our loyalty. These are all examples of legacies that can be successful due to personal connections. This kind of relating is something that we strive to maintain in a world of online transactions and lessening human interaction. At the same time, technology has also given us the ability to connect and communicate in a way that was nonexistent just a few generations ago.

Communicating You

How does one communicate one’s essence? Artifacts leave us with glimpses of the person who created or owned them, but many gaps as to who they were or how they felt. Writing has been the most informative method of communication throughout most of history. From pictographs displaying life events to journals and autobiographies, man has used words to express himself. But written words have their limit. There are times when even adding emoticons to a text message are no substitute for calling on the phone. Even better than the phone is speaking to someone face to face. This is because many of the signals

we use to communicate are non-verbal. While some people hide emotion more than others, it is easier to discern someone’s thoughts and intentions when communicating in person. This is not only polite but gives the impression of more connectedness. There are some levels of relationship that simply cannot be cultivated without engaging as physically as possible.

Leaving a Living Memory

So we want to leave a legacy and make an impact. We want to be known and understood. We want to share what we love with those we love. Yet most of us aren’t poets able to encapsulate something abstract into words. That is why having something like a visual legacy is so special. Through “show and tell,” we are able to communicate a deeper understanding of what we wish to share. There is nothing like bringing

someone on a journey with you rather than writing a post card. With typical methods of writing genealogies or showing photos, the viewer only gets a glimpse. However, when you are able to tell your story on camera, it is the closest thing we have to being present in the moment. Video enables us to hear authenticity, see emotion, and to “sit” across from loved-ones. Video becomes what I like to call a “living memory.” The subjects are alive and present even while the action will have taken place in the past.

Legacy Videos

A visual legacy brings your story to life. More concrete than just words, more engaging than just sound, and more present than just photos, it plays out a true representation of one’s story as they would tell it. Video is an occasion when modern technology brings people together and becomes the enduring way of sharing a legacy.

Mr. Truman’s Piano

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:40:00 GMT

Every event in history carries with it a library of stories. Some end up in history books, but most of the details that impacted the world are only ever known to a few. Like threads in a tapestry, each person influences those around them and makes up the whole design. Even tiny details carry great importance. The story of “Mr. Truman’s Piano” is one of those threads.

Troubled Times

I was recently able to visit the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, MO. While passing through the gallery dedicated to the recognition of the state of Israel, I was captivated by a display of a tiny piano figurine. Truman had guided the United States through World War II and had been dealing with a tumultuous post-war economy and political world. 1948 was election year, and Truman was way behind in all

the predictions. Americans were divided on recognizing Israel, so this issue added to the list of topics threatening his re-election. In spite of opposition, Truman chose to support the formation of this homeland for the Jews who had been so effected by the Holocaust.

Years later, in 1961, the former president read a letter from Mrs. Brown, a Hungarian immigrant who survived the Holocaust. With the letter was a small silver piano. Brown recounted how she, her husband, and her son were arrested by the Nazis and “the only thing I was able to salvage was one small ornamental piano. I carried it with me constantly as a remembrance of a happier time.” While her husband and son were sent to a concentration camp, Brown ended up in hiding throughout Budapest along with other Jews, young and old. During that uncertain time, she explained, “We felt that the whole world had abandoned us to our terrible fate.”

A Source of Hope

Yet, the little piano became a source of hope. The Jews in hiding knew of Truman and America’s involvement in the war.

“I would tell them that you would not forsake us and, that somehow, someway, you would get aid to us. Then I would hold up the small piano and say, ‘See, here is Mr. Truman’s piano.

Someday we are all going to America and he will play the piano for us!’”

The dream of a new life in America and the promise of freedom kept them going for many months. Thankfully, their hopes were not in vain. The war ended and Mrs. Brown’s husband and son were freed by Americans. The family immigrated to New York where they were able to begin again with their own beautiful farm.

“Throughout the years I have held on to the little piano that had meant so much to me and the Jews in Budapest,” Brown wrote. Now she gave that precious possession, her only link to a previous life, to the man who had not only set them free, but given them a home. When Mrs. Brown saved her one possession, she could not have realized how important that little piano would become. Truman surely understood that

his decisions affected many, but he had not known how closely his life was woven to Mrs. Brown and the other Jews of Budapest. The story of “Mr. Truman’s Piano” reminds me how the littlest details can make an impact greater than we can see.

The Growing World of Video Marketing

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 18:00:00 GMT

Marketing and sales strategies have changed a lot from the days of traveling salesmen. Going door to door doesn’t work in today’s busy private and business world. The internet brought new life to marketing and maintaining business-client relationships, and now emails and websites are using video to give themselves a needed make-over to compete in today’s market.

A Personal Connection

Adding video to your communication enables you to be more personal. Viewers see or hear you, a human, connecting with them. Videos can be personalized for your clients’ needs. If your prospective customer feels your content is relevant and valuable, they will be intrigued. If a customer enjoys a video ad, purchase intent is increased by 97% and brand association by 139% (Unruly). I’m sure we could list off ads that we still remember because they told a story we connected with. I think we can agree with Andrew Angus, founder of Switch Merge, when he said, “The play button is the most compelling call-to-action on the web.”

Video Increases ROI

Just using the word video with an email subject title “boosts open rates by 19%, click-through rates by 65% and reduces unsubscribes by 26%.” While working for a non-profit, Bryan saw this play out when the team was struggling to have supporters open their emails. After brainstorming, they decided to set up a camera and shoot a simple interview of the founder to lay out the current needs. Amazingly, every email was opened! For the next email, they built an even better video and the open rate was remarkable again.

Videos can be incorporated into email campaigns, but also on websites, or for training and onboarding. When it comes to websites, the statistics are impressive. Landing pages with video lead to 800% more conversion (FunnelScience). In fact, 88% of visitors stay longer on a site with prominent video displayed (MistMedia).

Video Versus Text

Our brains are wired to relate to what we see. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text. (3M Corporation and Zabisco) The Forbes survey also shows that “59% of senior executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic on the same page, they prefer to watch the video. If video is good within a business, it is certainly good for business. In a 2007 study, Online Publishers Association found that that “80% of viewers recall a video ad

they have seen in the past 30 days. 26% of viewers then look for more info about the product, 22% visit the product site, 15% visit the brand site, and 12% make the purchase.” Diode Digital found that video promotion is 600% more effective than print direct mail combined!

That’s just ads and promotions. What about your website? If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth a million. Diode Digital also found that, “before reading any text, 60% of site visitors will watch a video if available, and will share their experience when presented with a ‘share this video’ button.

I certainly remember some of my favorite video ads. I was drawn in because of a story long before I knew who created it. On websites, I’m intrigued to know more about a brand or be inspired how to use a product. Through these impressive stats and our own experience, it’s easy to see how video marketing is growing in our digital world.

http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/personalization-video-marketing#sm.0001b8droma54eomyhu1cvjlfqu81

http://images.forbes.com/forbesinsights/StudyPDFs/Video_in_the_CSuite.pdf

http://www.insidecxm.com/video-marketing-next-big-thing-digital-marketing-2015/

http://syndacast.com/video-marketing-statistics-trends-2015

https://www.singlegrain.com/video-marketing/just-stats-science-video-engagement/

The Man Behind the Camera

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 20:37:00 GMT

Father’s Day just passed and I thought I’d share with you a little bit about the man who started Visual Legacy Productions. Not only is Bryan the founder of our company, but he also happens to be my dad. This means I have access to his archive of photos that you may find amusing.

An Early Affinity for Cameras

Bryan has had a camera in his hand from childhood. One of his photos of rolling Pennsylvania woods was used in the brochure for his family-run inn. After guests complained about not seeing the sweeping view from atop the hill, Bryan admitted to climbing a tree to get the shot.

Beginning a Video Career

Bryan’s video career began with recording class sessions for a small school where he met his wife, Nancy. After marriage, they joined Youth With A Mission and Bryan began traveling the world with the media team. These travels took him to places of stunning beauty, but also slums, revolutions, and drug lord territories. He was able to use video to tell stories and educate others about the conditions around the globe. He discovered the unique ability of video to inspire change. The growing love of people and telling their story was worth weeks away from family, volatile locations, and stolen passports.

Established through Experience

Flash forward to the 2000’s and Bryan had been running his own company (a predecessor to VLP) to do free-lance work. This enabled him to work on many different types of projects including educational and promotional videos, interviews with Holocaust survivors, TV episodes, and documentaries ranging from science to history. Then Bryan fulfilled a career dream when he was hired to work with the space industry. Several years later, he was made Media Director of the non-profit organization, Rachel’s Challenge. This met his desire to make something that mattered and impacted people’s lives.

VLP is Born

By 2015, things were stirring again and Bryan stepped out with courage. This time, he would be leaving a comfortable income for the adventure of entrepreneurship. Past projects had enabled him to meet many fascinating people, but he realized many others didn’t have a way to tell their story. The direction of Visual Legacy Productions would not only give people a voice, but also help them connect with each other, share their passions, and find a lasting way to leave a legacy.

Mom used to joke that us kids would not know what our dad looked like since we were used to seeing a camera in front of his face. But we did see him. We saw his love of people and different cultures, we saw his hard work and determination, and we saw how he cared for our mother and us. He has been our father and friend, and he is now my boss. Hopefully through these fun photos and my synopsis of his story, you also can see the man behind the camera.

What is Video?

Tue, 31 May 2016 19:53:00 GMT

What is Video in a World of Modern Technology?

By Erika Boorujy

Video. To many Millennials this term was synonymous with watching Disney movies on a VHS player. What is the difference between video, film, movies and such? Frankly, people from any generation can find these terms confusing, especially with the rapid development of technology in the media world.

Defining Terms

Watching visual images began with film. While these plastic-like strips were first invented for taking still photos, film developed into large rolls capable of shooting a moving picture. Here we have the origin of the term “movie”. Movie is defined as a story or event recorded by a camera and shown on a screen. With the advance of digital technology, filming films with film is less common. So if films can be made without film, what makes it any different from a movie?

“Film” still remains a term for the art of making movies and as a verb for capturing moving images. Some people use “film” as a more sophisticated expression of motion pictures or to reference pieces that are more artful like foreign or independent films. “Movie,” on the other hand, is often used to refer to more general productions and popular movies.

With such slight nuances, deciding if you are watching a “film” or a “movie” is still a contested issue depending on who you talk to, but what about “video”? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines video as “a movie, television show, event, etc., that has been recorded…so that it can be watched on a…screen.” The origin of the word is from

the Latin vedere meaning “to see,” but is also from the

word “audio.” Combining the visual and auditory capability, we can see why the term “video” was coined. Yet, when “video” was first used in the 1930’s, it was used to describe the visual and not auditory channel.1 Today, video still describes the visual track, though in general we use the word to describe a movie combining sight and sound. Videotaping is the process of recording a movie, but video cameras were different from regular movie cameras because they did not record on film processed chemically, but were electronic. Videotape was a magnetic strip that has since been replaced with digital technology.

Evolution through Time

Most people growing up when film was the medium for recording movies did not have the luxury of a home theater. They would go to the cinema to watch films and a show on their television set. Watching videos on cassette tapes, or the popular VHS, became common household entertainment in the 1970’s. Tapes were the technology of the time, so the recording format was often considered equivalent to video. Then came the digital age and DVDs. Soon after, technology could handle streaming and downloading. Suddenly, it occurred to a Millennial like me, that the term video did not go out with the VHS. It was always a term for the product and not the medium. Maybe I’m the only one, but with all the overlapping of terms, it’s a relief not to have to worry about using the right word when filming a video on my iphone.

Barbash, I and Taylor, L. Cross Cultural Filmmaking. University of California Press, 1997.

Four Benefits of Telling Your Story

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 16:06:00 GMT

Whether it’s a book of fairy tales, a news report, or an office joke, story is something we experience daily. Telling stories is one of the main ways we communicate with each other. Beyond being entertaining or informative, storytelling is important to us in many other ways. Here are just a few:

Cathartic results

Catharsis is a release of strong or repressed emotions, resulting in a form of relief. You heard that right, talking about yourself can be good for your health! This renewal doesn’t come from simply being self-absorbed however. Being able to express oneself on a deeper level brings release and clarity to experiences and emotions that impact how we think and feel subconsciously. Telling your story well is essentially a form of psychotherapy.

Forms identity

Searching out your own story grounds you by building a foundation. Knowing where you came from creates perspective of where you are going and answers the life questions of “Who am I?” and “How did I get here?” Your story is also a key element in forming the identity of others, including those you currently interact with and future generations.

Finding voice

The ability to communicate one’s heart and mind is important both personally and interpersonally. Many find it difficult to simply talk, yet even the most silent of us have something to say about a topic we care for. Someone who is shy or doesn’t offer opinions suddenly comes to life if asked the right question. Art and writing are often used to achieve deeper communication. Some people need a little guidance to feel able to share. Narrating a photo album can lend inspiration as well as structure to a story. For tactile people, walking someone through an experience or process is the ideal format of communication. Try many methods and be creative with your strengths!

Including others

Sometimes it is helpful to tell your story to yourself, but more often than not stories are told to someone else. Sharing a story invites others into an experience. We connect as humans through emotion, imagination and inspiration. A story can impart wisdom and knowledge, humor and empathy, and a multitude of other attributes. Your story imparts something just as valuable– you!

Even just a few benefits of storytelling show it as a wise skill to cultivate. The benefits work together, maturing and renewing who we are. Developing the ability to communicate well can be easy or difficult. However, the key to finding and refining one’s voice lies in identifying what is important and a way to use unique strengths to share your story.

Four Documentaries That Move You

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 02:45:00 GMT

Criteria for Moving Documentaries

Movies have the power to captivate our attention, draw us into another person’s dilemma, and inspire us to greater things. Documentaries do so by telling true stories. We are always impressed by impactful stories, impressive cinematography, and fascinating information. Here are four documentaries that we believe meet these qualifications and inspire our hearts to act.

Nicky’s Family

This historical documentary mixes reenactments with interviews to tell the heroic story of Nicholas Winton. During the tumultuous days before WWII broke out, Winton saw a need that most of the world ignored. It moved him to save hundreds of lives. While I would have made a couple different production choices, a ton of work was put into producing this film and they did

an excellent job communicating this impactful story. More than a mere history lesson, I walked away asking myself what I would do if similar circumstances arose. Nicky’s Family will not only leave you with appreciation, but inspiration to do “impossible” things to better our world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5_79QFcqk

Antarctica: A Year on the Ice

I have always been fascinated by Antarctica. A Year on the Ice is the closest depiction I’ve seen of experiencing life in that remote land. Over a span of ten years, Anthony Powell captured the majestic beauty of Antarctica and the daily lives of resident workers. As stunning cinematography and inhabitant’s stories take us through the seasons, the viewer is able to gain a deeper appreciation of the untamed land and the struggles winter brings. In spite of hardships and isolation, the beauty of nature and strong community draw this special breed of people every year. After watching A Year on the Ice, I’m not sure I’m cut out to cope with perpetual winter. But that did not stop me from immediately searching job opportunities online! Unfortunately, my skills weren’t really needed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOUYPnpJsK0

The Dropbox

Director Brian Ivie started this project merely thinking he had an award-winning story. He did not realize just how impactful The Dropbox would end up being. Through the camera we journey to a small South Korean home where Pastor Lee Jong-rak installed a drop-box into the front of his house to receive some of the most precious treasures: abandoned children. By following the story of Lee Jong-rak, the heart-breaking issue of infant abandonment is explored and addressed. The run-and-gun style enables the viewer to feel present in the daily struggles and successes of the caretakers and needy children. Through love, they show that every life is valuable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTQ2VTf5vWc

30 for 30: The Four Falls of Buffalo

At first glance, this might appear to be yet another sports documentary. Though it is about the Buffalo Bills’ unprecedented four straight appearances in the Super Bowl, it’s much more than a “football” story. In spite of being one of the top two teams for four consecutive years, they came up short every time! The themes I found intriguing included: how we define being a "winner,” how we deal with success and failure, perseverance, and loyalty. The documentary did an

excellent job of telling the story through the players, coaches, media, and fans to the extent that I actually “felt” their jubilation and pain. If sports truly are a microcosm of life, then this story is a fascinating example of dealing with the crazy ups and downs we encounter on our journey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4MqPD2Yiro

There you have it; four of our top documentary picks that connected with our hearts through story, cinematography, and knowledge — which leads to actively creating a better world. We hope you too are inspired to love life and do greater things.

Shifting Calendars Through Time

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 14:01:00 GMT

It’s easy to take time for granted. We probably don’t think much about time measurements unless we are running late, studying for a history exam, crossing a time zone, or counting down to the new year. Time may govern our lives, but its measurement has looked different throughout history and cultures. Below are highlights of six popular calendars.

Jewish

One of the earliest calendars, the Jewish calendar, begins counting years from the time of creation. This calendar uses lunar months and solar years. Lunar months are either 29 or 30 days, but 12.4 of these months fit into the solar year. To compensate for the shift, the Jewish calendar occasionally adds a 13th month causing the month of Nisan to jump forward and

backward. These calculations standardize the lengths and cycles in order to keep the lunar and solar calendars aligned. [Image from http://www.thegloriousgospel.ca/jewish-calendar/ ]

Islamic

The Islamic calendar is based entirely on the lunar calendar and is therefore consistently 11 days shorter than the solar year. The shorter year causes the months to drift through the seasons as years pass. This isn’t a problem because the months are not meant to correlate with the seasons, but to mark out time. Although calendars are printed for civil purposes, the official month begins when the crescent moon is actually sighted.

[Image from http://www.familyholiday.net/the-islamic-lunar-calendar-muslim-calendar-or-hijri-calendar-and-gregorian-calendar/ ]

Chinese

This calendar can be traced back to 2637 BC and is both lunar and solar. Like the Jewish calendar, the Chinese calendar has 12 months plus a 13 th month during leap years. The lunar

months correlate with Principal Terms in which the sun’s longitude is measured. Principal Term 11 must fall in the 11th month, so if there are too many new moons that year, the 13th month is added. Instead of counting off years in sequence, they are counted in 60-year cycles. These years are named after two components: celestial and terrestrial. The animals we’ve come to associate with the Chinese Zodiac come from here. [Image from http://maridethsisco.com/2015/01/04/3510/chinese-calendar/ ]

French Revolutionary

This calendar was invented in 1792 in an effort to make mathematically equal months of the year. The inventors included mathematicians and poets who chose philosophical and poetical names for the months. The year was divided into 12 months of 30 days. Instead of using weeks, each month was divided into three ten day periods with the tenth day, Decadi, as a day of rest. You can imagine the cases of TGIFs while waiting for the weekend! The French Revolutionary

calendar year began on the autumnal equinox and added 5 holidays and a leap year. Regardless if it was the mathematical complexities or the unpopularly long work week, this calendar only lasted 14 years. [Image from http://www.slideshare.net/HollistonEuro/french-revolution-2-6880036 ]

Julian

The calendar we use today is a progression from the ancient Roman calendar. First introduced around 573 BC by Romulus, the first king of Rome, this calendar had only 10 months consisting of 30-31 days. This left a gap of about 61 days until astronomers could mark out the new year. Later kings added two months and a leap month, and changed the sequence of days per month. But the leap years and measurements where so ambiguous that by the time Julius Caesar came to power, the harvest festival was being celebrated before planting had even started. Fun fact: Caesar Augustus did not want the month named after him to be shorter than the month renamed after Julius (Iulius). To keep the pattern somewhat intact, he stole a day from February and added it to August while shuffling the amounts of days in the surrounding months. [Image from http://www.stevemorse.org/juliancalendar/julian.htm ]

Gregorian

The adjustments to the Julian calendar had brought it pretty close to fixing dates within the solar year. However, there was just enough extra time to add one day every 128 years. To get in step again, Pope Gregory made changes in 1582. Ten days were deleted and only century years divisible by 400 would be a leap year. All around the world, countries got in sync by skipping ahead days, but a third world-wide effect was in unifying the Number-Change day to January 1st. Before then, the new year was set at all sorts of different dates, much like we have a calendar year, fiscal year, and scholastic year. But they were all calendar years, it meant

historical events could be dated with two different years! The Gregorian changes made a calendar that is not only nearly universal, but very accurate. The subtle discrepancies mean we won’t have to deal with an extra day until the year 4000. [Image from http://www.stevemorse.org/juliancalendar/julian.htm ]

Introduction to VLP

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 23:25:00 GMT

Dear VLP friends and family,

Each new year is filled with expectation and hope. This has been especially evident for us this year in launching our personal documentary service with Visual Legacy Productions. We hope that you enjoy the process of storytelling and progression of our company as much as we will!

First, let me introduce ourselves. We are a family with a heart to tell stories. Not just stories of famous people or for TV networks, but stories of and for the regular person. We believe every person has a story and everyone’s story is valuable. Our desire is to create a unique and lasting way for people to share their legacies.

The Development of VLP

Years ago, we looked for ideas to be able to work together as a family and use all of our different skills. Unfortunately, we could not think of something that matched everything and included everyone. We put that dream on hold and continued on our separate paths. Bryan has worked his entire career growing in his love for communicating to the heart and mind through media. Over the last few years, the desire grew to launch out on his own to help everyday people find an extraordinary way to use their own voice to share their stories. While brainstorming, Bryan recalled

Aunt Mamie during her interview.

filming his oldest family member, Aunt Mamie, at a reunion just months before her death. Capturing our family legacy had meant so much to us, surely other families would find personal documentaries meaningful.

Meanwhile, Erika was narrowing her focus of interest in media to the production side of storytelling and was amazed that this growing passion for documentary was like her dad’s. After 30 years of marriage, Nancy looked forward to the day she and Bryan could work on something they loved together, so when Bryan shared his business idea, we immediately had peace that this was the time. Over the next few months, Bryan left his job as Media Director for Rachel’s Challenge and Erika moved back to Colorado to continue her hands-on education.

It is our desire that our brand name would be more than just a company providing a service. Our videos are memorials, adventures, miracle-stories, and histories—bridges from the storyteller to the audience. The greatest stories are true stories, for they reach into our hearts and inspire. Whether you are a storyteller or an audience-member, we are all blessed to be given the honor of sharing in these stories.

The Blog & Social Media

The VLP blogs will come out approximately every month and focus on different aspects of the company or production. Trade information, production stories and fun facts may be areas of focus. In addition to blogs, new content will be routinely uploaded to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Through these avenues we hope to connect with our viewer and VLP family on a personally engaging as well as professionally informative level. We hope to see you there!

Visual Legacy Productions

How to make Stand-out Business Videos in Today’s Market

Growth and Impact of Videos

Types of Videos and Their Uses

Curating Valuable Content

Creating Quality Videos

Behind the Scenes in Modern America

Farmland

Secrets of the Mega Land Fill

Abandoned

Making Thoughts Visual: Infographic / Kinetic Typography Videos

What Animated Infographic Videos are Great

A Family Legacy Update – Chuck’s Story

It started with a phone call.

More to the Story

“He did ask them to bring him back for visits and THEY DID…. They took him to see him twice a year for 2 years! Then the visits stopped. That is when Lee and Red Barrett got a divorce and Chuck went with Lee.”

The Reconnection

Top 7 Ways Over-Marketing is Hurting Your Business

What is over-marketing and is that really possible?

How to Avoid this Negative Sequence

Personal Biographies – Legacy Interviews

Who are they for?

What does getting ready for the interview look like?

The edit: piecing everything together

For the Birds – New Perspectives on a Topic You Think You Know

My Life as a Turkey

Chicken People

March of the Penguins

The Difference Between a Legacy Interview and Personal Documentary

How They are Similar

How They are Different

Which is Better?

3 Reasons to Transition Your Live Presentations into Video Presentations

Top 3 Reasons to Invest in Video Presentations

How it Works

22 Ways to Boost Sales with Video in 2022

1. The Internet Highway

2. Know Your Competition

3. Watch Your Tone

4. Get it Right

5. Memory-Maker

6. Video – Your Channel for Discovery

7. All Hail King YouTube

8. Lord of the Facebook

9. Text for Silent Viewing

10. Engagement

11. Not just leads

12. Conversions

13. ROI

14. What Makes them Effective?

15. B2B

16. Explainers

17. Personalized Videos

18. Live Video

19. Interactive Video

20. VR and AR

21. Bang for your Buck

22. Challenges to Getting Started

How to Function as a One-Person Film Crew

Plan ahead

Travel Light

Setting up on the Day

5 Ways Video Helps Communicate Your Business Better

1 – Show, Don’t Tell

2 – Memorable

3 – Time to Prepare the Best Presentation

4 – One and Done

5 – Always Accessible

Inspiring People – Documentary Review

Unsung Heroes: The Story of America’s Female Patriots

Pumping Iron

Armstrong

Discovering Your Values

Your values shape your story, but what are they?

What Made you You?

Making Sense of Your Story

How to Recognize Your Story

The Structure of a Story ﻿

2020 – A Year in Review

Getting Work Done

The Structure of a Story

Reestablished in Florida