Professional Film Crew vs Self-Shooting: What’s Best for You?
Professional Film Crew vs Self-Shooting: What's Best for You?
The global pandemic has changed the world in a lot of ways and has been a massive driver for innovation in every industry.
From our perspective, in video production we have seen a big increase in people self-shooting.
This article will discuss the pros and cons of self-shooting and why/when you’d still want to use a professional film crew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let’s begin!
No doubt you have seen a lot of self-shot video content these days, the news being the most prevalent source. It has taken off for a number of reasons including the fact that it can be more cost effective, it allows you to create video without having to be around people outside of your bubble and people often think less crew means less pressure.
However, self-shot video is not always suitable for every application; this is often due to its quality.
The quality of self-shot video can suffer for a number of different reasons, from technical issues such as camera quality, framing, exposure, focus, lighting and sound, to more experience and acting related issues such as eye line, clearness, confidence and flow, to name a few.
Sorry for this interruption, but…
If you are looking to improve your self-shot video and get them looking their best, we’ve created a free, easy to follow guide that will walk you through everything you need to know in getting your videos looking and sounding as good as they can. You can find it by clicking HERE; or download a PDF version by clicking the link below!
Now, back to the article…
Because of this, self-shot video might not always show your brand in the best light.
While we can polish your video with professional editing, grading, the addition of music, slides, captions & graphics, animations, and fix certain issues such as cleaning and mastering your audio or cutting around a mistake, there are certain problems that professional editing just cannot resolve.
We do provide a service where we video-call in and direct our clients while they self-shoot their video and this works really well in eradicating these issues. If this is not possible then as a general rule of thumb self-shot videos are better for internal uses and professionally shot video is better for external, i.e. client and/or customer facing media.
We had a prime example of this recently when a client had sent through a self-shot video that looked a lot like this…
…and asked if there was anything we could do to save it as they needed it for an event on the afternoon of the next day.
Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done, the problems were baked into the footage – the focus was out, it was so over-exposed you couldn’t see the product they were advertising and to make matters worse the audio was so noisy you could barely make out the presenter’s voice.
So, as fixing the video was impossible we went back to the client with an offer. We could professionally film their presenter in front of a green screen, in our studio the next morning for a competitive price and still have the edit to them that afternoon.
They agreed and the resulting video looked a lot more like this…
…the audio and visuals were clear and crisp, the delivery was confident and strong and the overall video was great, the client was extremely happy with the end result.
We had even lit the presenter in such a way that, coupled with the ‘green-screened’ background image of a lounge room, the presenter looked as though they were in that room.
Another benefit of getting your video professionally shot is consistency, this is especially important if you are looking to produce a series of videos. We have over 30 years’ experience and have produced countless programmes so, you can confidentially hand us a video project and know that we will hit your brief every time. This leads us on to the last point…
…a professional film crew will allow you to stress less. We know our clients are busy and we pride ourselves on providing a stress free video-making experience, allowing you to get on with your actual job.
If you are interested in how we are conducting our shoots during the pandemic then please read our ‘Croft TV’s Video Production Protocol During The COVID-19 Pandemic’ and find out how we keep our crew and clients safe.
That’s it, thanks for reading!
You now have all of the information you need to make an informed decision whether you should self-shoot or hire a film crew.
We offer no-obligation, free quotes and are always happy to discuss concepts.
If you would like to get in touch, send us an email at info@croft-tv.com, use our contact form here or give us a call on 01628668735 and if you found this guide useful please share it!
– The Croft TV Team
Croft TV’s Video Production Protocol during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Croft TV's Video Production Protocol during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Now that live filming is possible again the following article will outline how we (Croft Television) will conduct our shoots, ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and our clients.
Let’s start at the beginning…
Pre-Shoot
Our employees know and can recognise the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus in themselves and others, so if they are presenting any of these symptoms they will not be attending the filming assignment and instead will go into self-isolation for 14 days, as per the government advice.
We own a temperature gun and so, temperatures will be taken of each employee regularly on the lead up to a shoot, and on the morning of the shoot. If these readings show that any employee has a ‘high’ temperature, i.e. 38°C or above, they will not be attending the filming assignment and will go into self-isolation for 14 days.
Other pre-shoot precautions we will take include ensuring any gear that will be taken with us is thoroughly cleaned using antibacterial solution, which could take the form of a wipe or spray and making sure we have enough safety equipment such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser for all of our crew members.
During the Shoot
To minimise the risks of a live environment during COVID-19, masks and gloves will be worn at all times and social distancing rules (keeping a 2 metre distance apart) will be adhered to, also hands will be washed as frequently as possible and equipment will be sanitised regularly.
Other shoot precautions include using a longer lens to allow us to maintain at least a 2 metre distance. We will also instruct our talent on how to apply their own tie mic.
We will keep the details of anyone we come into contact with in line with Track and Trace guidance.
Once the recording is completed we will pack up quickly and neatly, disinfecting our gear as well as any surface we have used/come into contact with.
That’s it, thanks for reading!
If you have any further questions or would just like to get in touch, send us an email at info@croft-tv.com or use our contact form here!
We are always happy to have a chat, answer questions, discuss concepts or give a no-obligation, free quote.
– The Croft TV Team
TV Commercial Production London, Bucks, Berks, UK, Worldwide
TV Commercial Production London, Bucks, Berks, UK and beyond!
“THINKING TV? THINK CROFT TV!”
TV Commercial Production London, Bucks, Berks, UK and beyond!
Since 1941 television advertisements have graced our screens. It is no secret why they are so popular… they are one of the most effective ways to reach a large and targeted audience on a local, national and even global scale.
Though companies may find the process of getting a TV commercial filmed and aired quite tricky, due to the many technical and scheduling requirements that need to be met, each channel having its own technical specifications, Clearcast approvals and so on.
But don’t worry, this is where we come in…
We are Croft Television.
For over 35 years we have worked in the industry with some of the biggest brands in the world: Mars, RB, GSK, 3M, you name it, we’ve done it!
We offer a London video agency service at a local production company price. This means you will still be getting the high standard of work you expect for your business, without paying those high ‘London’ price tags. We are conveniently located on the borders of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, just 25 miles from central London and a 25 minute drive from Heathrow airport.
Our friendly team is experienced, driven and highly proficient at what we do, so you can feel comfortable knowing your project is in safe hands.
We are a full-service video production company, which means that our expert team will help you every step of the way. You will be assigned a project manager whose friendly face will be your one point of contact and will guide you through the entire process; from idea generation and script development, to filming and Clearcast approvals, all the way through to the airing of your television commercial.
Your brief can be as simple or as detailed as you would like. You may have developed a solid idea that you would like us to create. You may not have an idea at all and would like to work with us in coming up with a creative vision for a specific target audience or marketing plan. We will ensure that the communication achieves your goals, engages viewers and is in keeping with your brand’s guidelines.
We happily work on productions of any size, from large scale TV commercials featuring many actors, extras and locations, to smaller, more economical projects – we understand that one size does not fit all. We can also scale the commercial around your budget producing something that works for you on every level.
We can work with you anywhere in the world and have worked with clients across the UK, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, France, and even further afield, America, Canada, Japan and Singapore.
So why not use a medium that people know and trust, for your next advertising campaign?
Thinking TV? Think Croft TV!
Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions, queries or want to discuss a future project, send us an email at info@croft-tv.com, use our contact form found here or give us a call on 01628668735.
We are always happy to discuss concepts or give a no-obligation, free quote.
– The Croft TV Team
Self-Shooting Video Tips: Record Yourself at Home
Self-Shooting Video Tips: Record Yourself at Home
Self-Shooting Video Tips: Record Yourself at Home
Self-Shooting Video Tips: Record Yourself at Home
We are in unsettling and ever-changing times but, here at Croft TV, our aim is to keep business as close to normal as possible as I’m sure yours is too!
It’s all about adaptability.
So if you need a message to be created or a presentation captured and hiring a professional film crew is not possible, have you thought about shooting it yourself?
We have created an easy to follow guide below, outlining steps to make sure your production is as high quality as possible.
Once you’ve shot it, send it to us and let us do our magic. This could take the form of professional editing, cleaning up your audio, grading, adding music, slides, captions & graphics, animations and much more.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss a project, let’s have a chat!
Email: info@croft-tv.com
Phone: 01628668735
We hope you enjoy our guide and if you find it useful please share it!
Don’t have time to read the whole guide right now? That’s no problem, just click the download link and you can read it at a time that is convenient for you.
Step 1: Find a camera
These days it seems like everything has a camera in it; computers, phones, even doorbells! We have listed these recording devices below (except doorbells of course) from most to least ideal, taking into account both quality and ease of use.
1. Mobile phone: This might be your best bet. The camera quality on modern phones is fantastic, the inbuilt microphone is good, people are very comfortable using them and this device does not require any additional software, just hit record and you’re away!
Mobile phone camera
2. Traditional camera: If you have access to a traditional camera such as a DSLR, that’s great! A traditional camera will most likely produce the best video results, though it may not be as straight forward to set-up and use as a mobile phone.
DSLR
3. Computer: If your computer has an inbuilt webcam and microphone, the quality will be more than useable but this is the least ideal option as it requires additional software to record the footage from the camera, adding another level of complexity for you.
Webcam on desktop
Step 2: Audio
Audio is an often overlooked and extremely important element of video. The following points will outline how you can maximise the quality of your audio.
1. Distance from source: The idea here is to get the audio source as strong as possible, which means getting as close to the mic as you can/is comfortable. This is a balancing act, obviously if your DSLR, mobile phone etc. has an inbuilt microphone you won’t want to be so close that it ruins your shot. On the flip side, too far away and people will barely be able to hear you.
On our side there are mastering tools that we employ that will make your audio sound the best it can so don’t fret if it isn’t perfect. Though, it’s still important to remember that the better the quality of the recording, the better the end result will be.
If you have an external microphone, even better! These plug into your recording device and will most likely produce better audio quality as they allow you to get the mic as close to your mouth as possible, independent of where the camera is setup (up to the length of its cable).
External microphones increase audio quality, but can be complicated
2. A nice quiet room: It speaks for itself, but the quieter your environment the stronger the signal from your voice will be. The quality of your audio will be significantly improved by lessening the number of distractions.
3. Minimise echo: Exterior noise is not the only audio consideration when picking a location to shoot in; echo can also be detrimental to the quality of your audio. Empty rooms can become echo chambers as you’ve probably noticed if you’ve ever moved house. So if you can, choose a room that is carpeted and furnished.
A furnished room is great for echo suppression
Step 3: Location
Already mentioned in the audio section, location has a couple of additional considerations when you are picking a place to film in.
1. A bright location: A bright environment will go a long way in increasing the quality of your video. Try and utilise artificial lights and windows to increase the light on your face. Though if possible, try not to shoot using the window as a background, make sure the light is angled onto your face rather than behind it.
2. Background: Utilising a nice background also helps up that quality! Plain walls are great, or desk set-ups, the simpler the better really. Just make sure it is neat and tidy!
Simple backgrounds work great!
Step 4: Set up your camera
This section, more than any other, has the potential to become extremely complicated but our goal with this guide is to get everyone self-shooting, even if you are an absolute beginner, so we’ve boiled down the subject matter into 4 main points.
1. Set your camera to shoot in 1080p HD or 4K: Whatever device you are shooting with, you want to make sure you are recording in at least high definition. If this is not possible then the next best possible quality. You’ll find these options in your device/camera settings.
Set your camera to shoot in 1080p HD
2. Set your camera to autofocus: This step is only relevant to self-shooters who will be using a traditional camera. This option might be in the camera’s settings or simply a switch on its lens. Mobile phones and computers will automatically be set to auto-focus so if you are using one of these, you have nothing to worry about.
Use an autofocus setting
3. Place your camera in landscape orientation: Let’s quickly define the difference between landscape and portrait orientation:
Landscape orientation
Portrait orientation
While portrait orientation does have its place, mostly in social media, landscape is the orientation we are after so please ensure your camera is set up this way and that your subject is framed nicely within the composition. If you need help remembering which way landscape is just think of your TV or a cinema screen.
4. Position your camera on a sturdy surface: Ideally this is where you would be using a tripod and if you own a DSLR chances are you have one!
Mobile phone tripod
If not, we will be utilising nature’s tripod, that is any sturdy surface we can find. This could be sat on your desk leaning on a pile of books or against a monitor. Be inventive!
A still shot will dramatically increase the quality of your video and will be one less thing for you to worry about.
Step 5: Prepare
Have your notes near you and practice your delivery before you begin. The better you know what you are going to say, the better and more natural your delivery will be. Between takes read over your notes so what you’re about to say is fresh in your mind.
Finally, if you have to read your material during recording, tape it underneath the camera, ideally as close to the camera’s lens as possible. This way when you read, your eye line will still be approximately around the camera’s lens.
Step 6: Hit that record button
It’s time to begin, hit record, lean back into position, look at the camera, count to 3 and begin your delivery. You’ve got this!
You’ve got this!
When you’ve finished your take, continue looking at the camera for an additional 3 seconds, as this will make the edit easier.
If you have the time, it might be helpful to record multiple takes, this will help you get into the flow of it and will also give the editor more to work with.
In addition to the above, there is also the option of having a professional with you, to provide guidance during set-up and to direct you during the recording. If this is something you think would be beneficial we can organise one of our experienced staff to give you a video call.
That’s it, thanks for reading!
You now have all of the information you need to self-shoot your video, and once you have that, why not let our expert editors cut and polish your video into a professional final product. Delivering your footage is easy and safe with our secure FTP site.
We offer no-obligation, free quotes and are always happy to discuss concepts.
If you would like to get in touch, send us an email at info@croft-tv.com, use our contact form here or give us a call on 01628668735 and if you found this guide useful please share it!
– The Croft TV Team
London Video Agency Service At A Local Production Company Price
London video agency service at a local production company price
“LONDON VIDEO AGENCY SERVICE AT A LOCAL PRODUCTION COMPANY PRICE”
London video agency service at a local production company price.
If you are reading this, it is likely you have never used us before and are comparing different video production houses.
Well then let us introduce ourselves!
We are Croft Television.
For over 30 years we have been trusted to create video productions for countless Blue Chip companies in the UK and internationally and have made quite a name for ourselves in the process.
You can view our showreel below which will give you a good overview of the standard of work we produce.
Though, this is just one of the many reasons why companies come back to us time and time again.
So then why else should you use us?
I’m glad you asked 🙂
1. We offer London video agency service at a local production company price
What do we mean by this? Let’s begin by breaking the sentence down:
“We offer London video agency service”
Even though we are not an “agency” we operate like one. We begin every project with the target audience in mind.
Who will this video be targeted at?
What style best suits this demographic?
These are just some of the questions we research prior to script development or shooting.
This information then dictates a great number of creative choices and will lead to answers for the following questions (plus many more):
What tone of voice should the script be written in?
How should the video be shot?
How fast paced should the edit be?
What genre of music should we use?
We then use these answers to mould the creative brief which, in collaboration with you, is where we really dial in how the resulting video will look and feel.
Even if we are sent to capture the highlights of an event day, this mind-set still applies. Tailoring your video to its specific audience ensures it achieves its greatest marketing potential.
If the scope of the project calls for it we can also create completely bespoke advertising campaigns. From sizing the material, so it is suitable for each specific purpose, to launching the campaign. We will collect and analyse the results, ensuring the right eyes are seeing your video.
These campaigns may feature: LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads or email marketing campaigns.
Now, back to the second half of the sentence:
“at a local production company price”
We are a ‘video production company’ with an ‘agency’ mind-set. That means when you work with us you will get the agency level of service you are used to without the agency price tag.
We believe in transparency, that is why we have a fixed pricing structure. The price you are quoted at the start of the project will be the price you pay at the end. There are no additional costs for changes, meetings or revisions. We are happy when you are, meaning the video is finished when you say so.
We are also located just 25 miles from central London on the borders of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, just 25 minutes from Heathrow, so we don’t have those ‘London overheads’.
How does this affect the price you pay when compared to a London agency?
Running a company or business from London can be very expensive, thus a London based company will look to pass these costs on. We are based just 25 miles outside of London, by comparison this means that our overheads are considerably lower, which in turn is a saving that is passed on to you. It also gives us a prime location as we are close enough to London for convenience, but far enough away that you won’t pay that London price tag.
2. Our production services are fully in-house
We have an experienced, tight-knit team, who are camera operators, writers, editors, animators, directors, producers, colourists and marketers; all in-house. These people will go above and beyond to make sure you are 100% happy with your final product.
If the project calls for it we can also easily expand our production to any size with our hand picked, tried-and-trusted, group of freelancers.
We own all of our equipment; this keeps costs down and assures you that we know our gear inside out!
Our office also contains a full audio recording suite, perfect for voice overs – making us truly a one-stop-shop.
3. We make it easy
We believe that making videos should be easy and dare we say it… fun!
This is why our team has been carefully curated, to ensure that we are not only experts at our job but also approachable, friendly, kind and compassionate. Film making is such a collaborative process; it requires the perfect group of people.
To make things easy for you, at the start of each project you will be assigned a Project Manager, whose friendly face will be your one point of contact throughout your whole project and who will guide you through the entire process.
We know how stressful it can be when you are left in the dark, so we pride ourselves on our communication and quick replies. You’ll always know where we are up to with your production.
Finally, as mentioned earlier we only charge you up to the first edit, so you can continue to make tweaks until you are 100% happy with no additional charge.
4. We can work with you anywhere in the world
Name a place… yep, we can film there 🙂
We have worked with clients across the UK, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, France and even further afield places like America, Canada, Japan and Singapore.
Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions, queries or want to discuss a future project, send us an email at info@croft-tv.com, use our contact form found here or give us a call on 01628668735.
We are always happy to discuss concepts or give a no-obligation, free quote.
– The Croft TV Team
LinkedIn Video Ads: Everything your company needs to know
LinkedIn Video Ads: Everything your company needs to know
“STAYING IN THE FOREFRONT OF PEOPLE’S MINDS IS NO EASY TASK”
LinkedIn Video Ads: Everything your company needs to know…
LinkedIn have recently began advertising their ‘Video Ads’ service, which allows you to create tailored video ad campaigns that can be inserted into LinkedIn’s feed as ‘Sponsored Content.’
The main benefit of using LinkedIn for this over any other social media platform is that LinkedIn is specifically built for businesses and professionals and is the go-to social media platform for B2B networking. So if you advertise there you can be assured that your video will be seen by a specific audience.
You can take this one step further with LinkedIn’s targeting tools, which allow you to choose exactly who will see your video by using LinkedIn’s targeting filters. These filters include company name, industry, job title, job function, as well as many more.
The campaigns are relatively inexpensive, allowing you to customise the exact amount of money you want to spend each time you run one. Basically, the more money you have in your budget, the more eyes that will see your campaign. Though, that is not to say there is no value in a less expensive campaign, this can allow you to test how effective your ads can be quite cheaply and makes for a low barrier to entry for smaller businesses that may not have much of a budget for marketing.
Other benefits of running a ‘LinkedIn Video Ads’ campaign include:
Building brand awareness
Making sure consumers and/or future employees are aware of your brand and what you do is important and staying in the forefront of people’s minds is no easy task.
Video is one of the best if not the best tool marketers have at their disposal to achieve this and using video partnered with LinkedIn’s audience targeting is a perfect match.
Collect leads
Partnering your video ads with LinkedIn’s smart Lead Gen Forms will allow you to collect detailed and accurate information on your leads instantly.
Prove your video ROI
Once your videos go live you will gain access to LinkedIn’s detailed Engagement Metrics which will allow you to track how effective your campaign has been.
These metrics will show how many people viewed your video, up to what point they finished watching, how many leads on LinkedIn your video translated to, how many people clicked through to your website and much more.
LinkedIn also offer an Insight Tag which can be installed on your website and will continue to track leads and conversions that originated from your LinkedIn advertisement.
If you would like to try a ‘LinkedIn Video Ads’ campaign yourself and need a video contact us today! With over 30 years experience our expert team will talk you through the process free of charge and can answer any questions you may have.
– The Croft TV Team
Why your Company Should Start Converting their PowerPoint to Video
Why your Company should Start Converting their PowerPoint Slides to Video
“THE PHRASE ‘DEPTH BY POWERPOINT’ SPRINGS TO MIND”
Why your Company Should Start Converting their PowerPoint Slides to Video…
Introduction
One of our clients, a large company with an international workforce was looking for a cost-effective and engaging answer to delivering their end of year review.
Assets
130 slide PowerPoint presentation.
Various videos.
Issues
A 130 slide PowerPoint presentation can be very long and dry – the phrase ‘death by PowerPoint’ springs to mind.
A world-wide workforce will need to see the presentation.
In today’s financial climate the solution must be cost-effective.
The company required the completed video in under two weeks.
Reasons why your Company should Start Converting their PowerPoint Slides to Video…
We were approached by our client in the second half of December. Liaising with both their US and UK teams we had discussed the project parameters in order to find the best solution for their needs. We recommended converting their existing PowerPoint slides into a video which is something we’ve done for many other clients. Even taking out the issue of international delivery, converting a PowerPoint presentation into a video is a great idea for many reasons.
The existing slides partnered with movement, voice over and music all work harmoniously to create an exciting, engaging and most importantly memorable video.
The process is cost-effective as the work is created using existing assets and all of the editing is done in-house, at Croft TV.
No matter who watches the final result the message remains consistent – a video is a video. Alternatively, a presentation’s message can be conveyed differently depending on who is presenting/reading it.
The end result does not require a stage, presenter, associated costs or stale biscuits.
As for the international delivery:
A video is easily hosted and shared online, so regardless of where an employee is located, as long as they have a working internet connection, they will be able to see the video.
